Hey guys, making my first post here and I hope it’s the right place to ask this.
My bass (Ibanez SR300) produces unfomcortably loud sounds on a few specific frets on different strings. The notes are really loud and weird on the 7th and 19th fret of the E string, on the 14th fret of the A string, the 21st of the D string and the 16th of the G string.
I’ve tried googling, but can’t really make heads or tails of the results because I’m so inexperienced. I read something about EQ pedals? Is the bass setup incorrectly?
I hope that someone out there can help me out here and that I didn’t post this in the wrong category or something. Thanks for reading.
What do you mean by “loud”? Total volume, or sub-tones? My Pbass will do this with my Fender Rumble amp. Certain notes on the E string will have subfrequencies that make the whole room shake. Solution is to turn down the bass knob on the amp. If ALL the notes on one string are louder than the other strings, then you need to adjust your pickup height.
I guess my first question would be…it’s a bass. What in the hell are you doing playing that much above the 12th fret? My basses may do it too but I in my boundless capacity for apathy I don’t know it and I don’t care.
My guess is much the same as Old_Wannabe. You’re getting some feedback of a combination or harmonics and/or subharmonics. Most of us don’t play notes in a higher register like that. We’d play that same note in another location on a different string. Notes above the 12th fret are in the same register as a guitar would play.
Although some very costly basses may eliminate this many of the basses we play have quirks peculiar to that instrument. They can be dead spots at certain fret locations or some of the unexpected harmonics you describe. I don’t own any Fodera basses so I don’t know if they manage to avoid this. What I do know is virtually every bass I’ve ever owned has it’s quirks and you learn to deal with it.
Here’s the best suggestion I can give you. Play in lower register and use an alternate location for that issue on the 7th fret of the E if that’s one of the quirks of your bass. Or, have a qualified tech take a look at the bass to see if there’s something he can do to eliminate the problem. Without seeing and playing the bass we’re all just guessing.
It’s kinda both. The total volume is significantly higher, but there’s also a different tonal quality that kinda makes it sound more… booming? I don’t know, I find it hard to describe it accurately. And it’s also just certain frets on different strings, no one string is really louder or quieter than the others.
What in the hell are you doing playing that much above the 12th fret?
I got lost Just kidding, I wouldn’t have really noticed it if it wasn’t for that B note on the E string. That one is unfortunately kinda important for a song I’m currently obsessed with. I’ll probably take it to the local music shop and ask the guys if they can take a look at it. If not, I’ll just learn to live with it.
Seeing it as a quirk of my specific instrument kinda makes it sound a lot more manageable for me. Thanks so much for the detailed answer!
Just for a counterpoint - I love me above the 12th fret bass lines and playing.
Three cheers for the above the 12th fret range!
I have a P bass that does this exact thing - particularly in the upper register.
Sometimes the really loud weird sound you get is from something in the room you’re in (thanks @Old_WannaBe ).
If you get it in every room, could be the amp.
If it sounds like weirdness of metal-string on metal-fret weirdness, it could be something in the setup, and then you have to watch Josh’s very excellent video on doing a bass setup to get the thing buzz-free.
If you post video of this, I could be much more specific!
I have yet to meet Peter’s acquaintance. What pray tell is the genre said bands that you have listed play?
I knew someone else might find the red tort better. I was going for a more retro vibe with the mother of toilet seat pearl. Reminded me of the Modulus Bass I once had long ago. It was actually quite similar to the Kilo with that single pickup in the “sweet spot”.
Oh totally and I dig that vibe, I just had it on the bench the other day checking the truss and action and figured why not do a wardrobe change while I had the tools out.
Joy Division is one of the first post punk bands that gained traction, New Order is the 80s synthpop reincarnation of Joy Division after their lead singer committed suicide in 1980, and Peter Hook and the Light is how Peter can tour on the old Joy Division material (mostly). If anything you’d know this one:
edit: I got to meet Peter and his son a few weeks ago when the played at the Ogden. I’ve met enough celebrities and politicians that I can say that I normally take the “they shit just like everyone else” approach but I fangirled hard on Peter and made a total ass of myself.
We’re not in the same room, so I can’t tell what your expression or tone is… so I’m going to move forward assuming this is all said with an affable smile, a jolly laugh and a clinking of our glasses together.
And also, this:
ooh…
Also this:
Just two favorites for now.
Enough of this “bassists don’t play up the neck” nonsense.
It’s the old game of which note can I play to make things vibrate in X part of the house. ‘Matt it’s shaking the cabinet’, ‘Matt you are making the pictures fall off the wall’, ‘Matt the DOG!’
E string 9th fret, D string 11th fret, G string 12th fret
One of these nights, when everyone is asleep I’m going to take it to 11 and make them think it’s an earthquake…
Just kidding, I wouldn’t have really noticed it if it wasn’t for that B note on the E string. That one is unfortunately kinda important for a song I’m currently obsessed with. I’ll probably take it to the local music shop and ask the guys if they can take a look at it. If not, I’ll just learn to live with it.
