This is more than slightly driving me nuts...
When I play though my 300w Ashdown or our practice PA there is no noise, bass comes through smoothly, no fretting noise or buzzing. HOWEVER, when I play through certain rigs and PA's there is a very distinctive clacking sound when I play fretted notes (fingerstyle), particularly as my index or second finger come to rest/damp on a string. The last was a Ampeg amp, Peavey stack but they varied. I think it doesn't happen when there's 15" speakers involved but since most pro cabs are 4x12 or whatever what gives?
First I played with EQ at various gigs, no luck. Then I thought it was poor technique so I finessed my plucking to gentle caressing with the barest of touches, change angle of attack etc.
Over the weekend we played at a big stage festival and not only me but the two bassists before had the same problem (and at least one of them is a seasoned player). It was more noticable through the monitoring (which was basically the bass stack) but I could hear it in the audience as well.
Do we all play badly? Is the action too low on ALL the basses so the string clacks against the next fret? Is it a PUP issue (the guy before me had actives, mine are regular J's). I played with eq, brought highs and mids up down, sideways etc. etc. Whispered my fingers and still got the noise.
People only seem to hear it when I point it out but it ruins the experience for me... I want to hear myself sound good not clicking all over the place.
When I play though my 300w Ashdown or our practice PA there is no noise, bass comes through smoothly, no fretting noise or buzzing. HOWEVER, when I play through certain rigs and PA's there is a very distinctive clacking sound when I play fretted notes (fingerstyle), particularly as my index or second finger come to rest/damp on a string. The last was a Ampeg amp, Peavey stack but they varied. I think it doesn't happen when there's 15" speakers involved but since most pro cabs are 4x12 or whatever what gives?
First I played with EQ at various gigs, no luck. Then I thought it was poor technique so I finessed my plucking to gentle caressing with the barest of touches, change angle of attack etc.
Over the weekend we played at a big stage festival and not only me but the two bassists before had the same problem (and at least one of them is a seasoned player). It was more noticable through the monitoring (which was basically the bass stack) but I could hear it in the audience as well.
Do we all play badly? Is the action too low on ALL the basses so the string clacks against the next fret? Is it a PUP issue (the guy before me had actives, mine are regular J's). I played with eq, brought highs and mids up down, sideways etc. etc. Whispered my fingers and still got the noise.
People only seem to hear it when I point it out but it ruins the experience for me... I want to hear myself sound good not clicking all over the place.
