DJ-Wood Posted June 14, 2004 Share Posted June 14, 2004 Hello, I was wondering if anyone could advise me about the following? I purchased a Rickenbacker 4003 about 3 months ago (my dream bass, I've wanted one since I was 14!) I play it through a Fender Bassman amp, and people I play with have variously commented on the 'lovely velvety tone' that this produces. I've been taking lessons recently, and this has involved practicing a lot of soloing techniques high up on the neck. I've noticed that when I play a high 'D' (and to a slightly lesser extent the E flat), the sound is incredibly loud, much more than an other note on the neck. It really booms, and neither the tone controls on the bass or the amp seem to be able to keep it fully under control. Can anyone suggest a solution (I'm not much of a gear/technical person!) Can the bass be modified in some way, or do I need some sort of EQ box or something? Thanks in advance, David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexclaber Posted June 14, 2004 Share Posted June 14, 2004 Originally posted by DJ-Wood: I've noticed that when I play a high 'D' (and to a slightly lesser extent the E flat), the sound is incredibly loud, much more than an other note on the neck. It really booms, and neither the tone controls on the bass or the amp seem to be able to keep it fully under control.Does the same thing happen (albeit at a lesser volume) when the bass is unplugged? Alex Barefaced Ltd - ultra lightweight, high ouput, toneful bass cabs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ-Wood Posted June 14, 2004 Author Share Posted June 14, 2004 Not that I've noticed (I'm currently typing this at work, so unfortunately I can't check just now!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davebrownbass Posted June 14, 2004 Share Posted June 14, 2004 Your bass is the heaven where all the D's from every other basses "dead spot" go to ring. I think Alex has a good point. "Let's raise the level of this conversation" -- Jeremy Cohen, in the Picasso Thread. Still spendin' that political capital far faster than I can earn it...stretched way out on a limb here and looking for a better interest rate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexclaber Posted June 14, 2004 Share Posted June 14, 2004 Originally posted by DJ-Wood: Not that I've noticed (I'm currently typing this at work, so unfortunately I can't check just now!)Well, if it does happen unplugged, then it's a 'wolf tone'. I've never come across this on a solid-body bass before, though it's common on uprights. It's basically the opposite of a dead spot, where the resonances reinforce themselves instead of cancelling out. If it's only happening through the rig, then you're probably just hitting the room's resonant frequency. If it's happening through the rig but in every room in which you play, then maybe your cab is tuned incorrectly - that's highly unlikely though! Alex Barefaced Ltd - ultra lightweight, high ouput, toneful bass cabs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassdrummer Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 Originally posted by davebrownbass: [QB]Your bass is the heaven where all the D's from every other basses "dead spot" go to ring. QB]Classic line, Dave. "All the world's indeed a stage, and we are merely players..." --Rush, "Limelight" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
61Pbass Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 Originally posted by C.Alexander Claber: Well, if it does happen unplugged, then it's a 'wolf tone'. I've never come across this on a solid-body bass before, though it's common on uprights. It's basically the opposite of a dead spot, where the resonances reinforce themselves instead of cancelling out.As a rule solid bodies don't, but I have had two over the years that did. Both were neck through instruments, one an Alembic Series One bass (I sent it back and they sent me a new one) and one was a Charvel Model 5 neck through guitar that would just take off on a second octave G. Maybe it's a neck through thing? Later.................. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a boy named sue Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 I've noticed that when I play a high 'D' (and to a slightly lesser extent the E flat), the sound is incredibly loud, much more than an other note on the neck. It really booms, and neither the tone controls on the bass or the amp seem to be able to keep it fully under control. Can anyone suggest a solution (I'm not much of a gear/technical person!) Can the bass be modified in some way, or do I need some sort of EQ box or something? Two solutions that should work are putting lumps of blue-tack on the correct place on the bass and a multi-band EQ. The blue-tack solution works for tumbling drum skins so it should to the trick on the bass. To find out where to put it get a strobe light running at /- 5Hz from the D note and see where the bass is moving -- put a big lump of blue-tack on that spot. You should be able to use the strobe at your local sound and light hire shop, might get some odd looks though! While you're at the sound and light hire shop, check out the multi-band EQs. If you can't use a strobe you could lay your bass flat and put some powder on it (caster sugar). The sugar will show you the peak vibration points. As always, my advice is based on no (or limited) experience! A man is not usually called upon to have an opinion of his own talents at all; he can very well go on improving them to the best of his ability without deciding on his own precise niche in the temple of Fame. -- C.S.Lewis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbrraadd Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 I've got a "wolf string" on my new Rickenbacker 4003. I restrung it with Daddario Chromes to see if the problem would go away. The A string sustains like crazy... all notes on the A string. It really causes an imbalance between the A and E strings making the E sound dead. I'm pretty disappointed in this new bass. I've tried lots of things, setting the bridge, smoothing the string slots in the bridge, checking the nut and changing the pickup heights. Brad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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