Pick-up Distortion / String Vibration

niffy · Post by **niffy** » Wed Jan 21, 2004 11:57 am

Recently moved back to a 4003, and play in a Clash/Jam covers band so there's plenty hard playing going on....

But can anyone help me with this...I posted a few weeks back about a "speaker blown" type of noise when the E string is played fairly hard...but not excessivley.

The problem is still there, and I've tried lowering & raising the bridge, pick-ups etc, but can't find a definite combination that works all the time to stop this major buzz/pop type sound.

It seems worse on the up stroke for some reason.

Any help greatly apprecio...

ojobob2 · Post by **ojobob2** » Wed Jan 21, 2004 12:10 pm

hey i know what you mean here - a kind of spikey pop that clips your amp when you play the Open E ( and maybe the first couple of frets) hard.

Ive no idea how Bruce Foxton seemed to avoid it - he SLAMS his 4001 in all the footage i have seen - and has the cover on and a pretty low action.

This annoyed me for ages until i realised its simply how these basses are. do you have your pickup cover on? are you playing over the pickguard area? if your playing hard you may need to remove the cover - in order to shift your picking hand to where the strings are tighter.

Also try loosening up the truss rods a bit ( you may have not enough neck relief)

niffy · Post by **niffy** » Wed Jan 21, 2004 1:00 pm

Yeah , guard still on. I've been playing in front of it (neck side) so that would explain it quite a bit I suppose, whacking the strings where they are at their loosest (jings is that evena word?)

cheyenne · Post by **cheyenne** » Wed Jan 21, 2004 1:40 pm

Yes "Jings" is a word when used with Rick basses. Along with "honk", "gank", "clank" and of course "growl".

loendmaestro · Post by **loendmaestro** » Wed Jan 21, 2004 2:00 pm

I have run into the same thing. I play fairly aggressively with a pick & it is a real problem on my '74 4001 (no pickup cover). On the other hand, I have no problem whatsoever with my '03 4003 in which I have left the pickup cover on.

Go figure...
Good luck my friend.

Any by the way, "Rick clank" is one of my favorite phrases ever!

niffy · Post by **niffy** » Wed Jan 21, 2004 9:42 pm

Chris, do you play on the neck side or bridge side of the cover on your 4003.

I prefer the tone on the neck side, but looks like I'm going to have to re-adjust for the bridge side.

ojobob2 · Post by **ojobob2** » Wed Jan 21, 2004 11:11 pm

grahame - what guage of strings you using?

Using a pick? what thickness?

basshawk · Post by **basshawk** » Wed Jan 21, 2004 11:50 pm

What is the treble pickup surround like ? My 4001 is straight across and I allways managed to hit that rim with the strings, causing a clacing sound. My 4003's pup surround has a cutout under the strings and I never clack that one. I'm talking about the front ridge of the surround right under the strings. The older ones were straight across and made for a fairly high ridge.

loendmaestro · Post by **loendmaestro** » Thu Jan 22, 2004 3:36 am

Grahame,
I play on the neck side of the p/u cover. I rest my hand right on the cover. I'm not sure how comfortable it would be playing on the bridge side...

rickcrazy · Post by **rickcrazy** » Thu Jan 22, 2004 3:56 am

Equally comfortable. You rest your hand on the tailpiece proper. I've seen some pics of Chris Squire playing his Rick that way. You'll get an ever sharper penetrating tone than if resting your hand on the treble pickup cover.

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Thu Jan 22, 2004 4:07 am

My 1968 and the modern 4003 have the same cutout on the surround ... but most of the 70's basses were straight accross ...

When I use a pick I generally pick back by the bridge ... or I whack the strings with my fingers between the pickups ...

dave4004 · Post by **dave4004** » Thu Jan 22, 2004 5:48 am

Lemmy plays up near the neck and he never has a distorted sound.

m_cuffa · Post by **m_cuffa** » Thu Jan 22, 2004 7:32 am

It's not unique to a Ric. I get the same problem on my Fender, though not as much as the action is very high on that bass (I need to adjust the neck).

I don't really consider it a big deal, though. If you turn down your treble just a bit when you play those aggresive notes it generally goes away, although I don't even bother doing that lately.

It's only really an issue when recording - and in that kind of controlled environment you can afford to be more careful in your playing.

m_cuffa · Post by **m_cuffa** » Thu Jan 22, 2004 11:26 am

Oops, I meant to say "if you turn down your tone" not "if you turn down your treble"

niffy · Post by **niffy** » Thu Jan 22, 2004 12:42 pm

I'm using Ernie Ball Slinky 45,65,85,105.
Using a medium Jim Dunlop pick - around .7mm I think. Tried a light one, but it just bends out of control when whacking away at Clash songs !

Fairly high action - although can go higher.

What's the best guage of strings - and round/flat for heavy pick action ?