My bass is picking up a radio signal
- Thread starter Maxim_g
- Start date
racerx
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 10, 2021
- Messages
- 380
Hey - cool bass! That sounds like an electrical and/or environmental issue. Can you try playing in different rooms and/or power sources? Make sure you aren't near any appliances/wireless sources/phones/etc. Another decent step in troubleshooting is to minimize variables and plug straight into an amp with no pedals/fx etc.
I suppose its possible someone messed with something under the hood and its now more susceptible to interference. If the above doesn't help minimize/eliminate the issue, try lifting the pickguard off and taking some pictures of the electronics so some of the more experienced guys can see if anything was messed with.
Pickups act like microphones and can be really susceptible to wireless/radio interference, but it is usually a minimal/non-issue as long as nothing else in the signal chain/amp/environment isn't exacerbating it.
I suppose its possible someone messed with something under the hood and its now more susceptible to interference. If the above doesn't help minimize/eliminate the issue, try lifting the pickguard off and taking some pictures of the electronics so some of the more experienced guys can see if anything was messed with.
Pickups act like microphones and can be really susceptible to wireless/radio interference, but it is usually a minimal/non-issue as long as nothing else in the signal chain/amp/environment isn't exacerbating it.
Rod Trussbroken
Moderator
I've had that happen before. In rare cases Guitar leads can act as radio antennas. Tarnished or dirty connectors act as rectifiers converting RF signals to audio.
bovinehost
Administrator
I have a big freakin' Line6 guitar amp that picks up local radio in certain places in my house. Luckily, it sits now in the "amp closet" and given that it weighs about 200 thousand pounds, it will never move again - and no radio stations in the closet.
jones4tone
Well-known member
My son’s CryBaby wah would pick up an FM station in some rooms of a previous home.
DrKev
Moderator
I has happened to me once with a wah pedal when the battery ran low. Jeez, I'll never forget that. The look on my face must have been priceless.
gluvhand
Active member
I'm wondering if someone did excessive/unnecessary shielding that's acting like an antenna.
