Home » VintageKustom.com » Comment Board » Last resort for a bass guitar question

Show: Today's Messages :: Show Polls :: Message Navigator

Last resort for a bass guitar question [message #9570] Thu, 14 August 2008 10:00   KustomKyle Messages: 13 Registered: February 2006 Junior Member This is a pretty "unrelated to Kustoms" question, but I'm hoping someone can help me. I do own 3 Kustom amps, so at least I'm legit. I have a '66 Epiphone Newport bass. A couple of weeks ago, I noticed an issue: when playing a note and letting the note ring out (doesn't matter what note or what string), right before the note has completely ended, it makes a crunchy, distorted crackling sound. It doesn't do it when you strike the string or anything - just when the note is about to stop making any sound. I've tried the bass through several different amps using several different guitar cables, so it's definitely the bass. Newports are pretty simple basses - 1 big humbucker pick-up close to the neck, 1 volume knob, 1 tone knob. If anyone has any suggestions, I'd love to hear them. I posted this question on the actual Epiphone Bass Forum....80 views and not a single response. So I thought I'd come back home to the fine folks on the Vintage Kustom website. Report message to a moderator

Re: Last resort for a bass guitar question [message #9573 is a reply to message #9570] Thu, 14 August 2008 12:40 rodak Messages: 511 Registered: October 2001 Location: Georgia Senior Member Hi, Kyle: I don't know what might cause this, but I can speculate. Perhaps something is going south with the pickup - the only way I know to test it would be to replace the pickup. A more likely scenario, though, would be the capacitor that's used for the tone control. Capacitors do go bad over time - mainly electrolytic, but I suppose a regular cap could go goofy, too. Try unsoldering one lead of the cap, and see if the problem goes away. BTW, I also play an Epiphone bass - a much newer one, though. It's an EB3-5. Terrific 5-string bass with a real cherry finish SG-style body - I love it! I don't think they make them any more - I got mine at Musicians Friend for $250 - I think it was a closeout special. www.combo-organ.com Report message to a moderator

Re: Last resort for a bass guitar question [message #9574 is a reply to message #9573] Thu, 14 August 2008 16:42   Forge Messages: 41 Registered: February 2005 Location: In car trunk in Danville ... Member Hey Kyle! I have a 65 Gibson EB-0 which is alot like your newport. (electronic wise) I was having the same problem and it was my tone pot was full of crap and needed to be cleaned but if that doesn't fix the problem I would agree with rodak on the cap problem. I don't know about the pickup unless your bass hasn't had the easy life. Forge Report message to a moderator

Re: Last resort for a bass guitar question [message #9580 is a reply to message #9570] Fri, 15 August 2008 07:04   stevem Messages: 4733 Registered: June 2004 Location: NY Senior Member Yes, it sounds just like a dirty pot issue, when the pickups voltage output gets low enough, it can not bridge the connection in the pot all the time from the pts wiper to the pts carbon trace and you get that distorted intermitant sound. Report message to a moderator

Previous Topic:	K200B 2-15 Cab
Next Topic:	casters for tuck and roll cabs

Goto Forum:

- VintageKustom.com  Comment Board  Replacement Part Suggestions  Repairing Kustom Amps- Classified Ads  For Sale  Wanted- FUDforum Questions & Problems  Questions & Problems about FUDforum