SB-2 Tribute Bridge Pickup Noise

[dpaulb]

I deduced through my use of three different guitar cables and 2 different amps that the extremely loud noise (hum, buzz) is coming from my bass. It does not diminish when I touch the strings. This happens everywhere that I play.

What is causing it and how can it be fixed?

[Ken Baker]

I deduced through my use of three different guitar cables and 2 different amps that the extremely loud noise (hum, buzz) is coming from my bass. It does not diminish when I touch the strings. This happens everywhere that I play.

What is causing it and how can it be fixed?

Assuming that there is nothing wrong with the bass, please remember that the bridge pickup is single coil. It will naturally pick up any electrical noise in your environment and send it to your amp. Fluorescent lighting is a known culprit, as are old style lighting dimmers. Any motor with brushes will make a helluva racket. So will a cellphone, though that will only happen when it rings.

What to do? Don't dime the controls. These pickups (both neck and bridge) are pretty hot and running them wide open can make the bass a challenge to control. To start, try running the neck at about 80% and the bridge no more than 75%. If the resulting tone works for you - great. Make minor adjustments from there, but limit the bridge to between 75 and 80% to reduce its noise.

Edit: If the bass still outputs noise, even with the control(s) dialed back, then it could possibly be a loose or broken connection in the cavity.

Ken...

[dpaulb]

I shielded both pickup cavities, the control cavity and the pick guard above the cavities with copper tape. Then connected the bridge cavity shielding to the control cavity shielding with a wire. It is now much more quiet.

[LoveThatBass]

I guess it depends on the source of the noise. I shielded mine. It is better but I still have to lower the volume of the bridge pickup to about 80 percent. Mine is probably sitting in front of the computer to play along with music. Not that big of a deal. I definitely recommend copper shielding. Note: the end of the cavity on the 2B-2 Tribute is narrow. You will probably have to use something to keep the output jack from shorting to the shield killing the output. I used a piece of thin semi-rigid clear plastic from a package of something I bought to act as an insulator between it and the shield.

[dpaulb]

I guess it depends on the source of the noise. I shielded mine. It is better but I still have to lower the volume of the bridge pickup to about 80 percent. Mine is probably sitting in front of the computer to play along with music. Not that big of a deal. I definitely recommend copper shielding. Note: the end of the cavity on the 2B-2 Tribute is narrow. You will probably have to use something to keep the output jack from shorting to the shield killing the output. I used a piece of thin semi-rigid clear plastic from a package of something I bought to act as an insulator between it and the shield.

It has been great since I shielded it.

[LoveThatBass]

I shielded the cavities and covered the back of the pick-guard with copper shielding around the P style pickups and covering the area over the cavity that leads to the control cavity. I put a piece of copper shielding under the bridge with the bridge ground wire sandwiched under the shielding. I didn't have a piece of cable to steal the copper braid shield from so I twisted the two Bridge Pickup wires where it runs through the body. It is very quiet now.
I don't pickup noise from Florescent lighting on work bench or ceiling fan above. Only slight buzz when sitting across from my computer but it is very low and only when facing directly toward it at close range. My Fender Jazz Bass is not that good lol

UPDATE: My noise situation started happening a day or so after I got it. I went through a lot of hoops trying to eliminate the noise. Nothing seemed to totally help including shielding. I had to lower my Bridge volume to 1/2 or lower to almost eliminate it.
Now jump to Sunday after Thanksgiving. The neighbors renting the house next door on the side the Window to room I play music in moved out and the Noise ceased. My SB-2 only has slight amount of noise even with Bridge pickup 100%.

[Ken Baker]

I wonder if your neighbors had a grow operation going. 24/7 noise like that, that suddenly ends when they leave, makes me think of metal halide ballasts.

Ken...

[LoveThatBass]

I wonder if your neighbors had a grow operation going. 24/7 noise like that, that suddenly ends when they leave, makes me think of metal halide ballasts.

Ken...

Good point! Hadn’t thought about that but makes total sense!

[LoveThatBass]

Anyway, my SB-2 is very quiet now. I do have copper shielding tape in the cavities of this bass since the first week I got it. Just a small very amount of noise with the Bridge Single coil above 80 percent volume level. This bass sounds amazing now with TI Jazz Flats on it. I did add a Tone control 250KA potentiometer and a polyester .022uf capacitor. Roll it back no more than 50 percent if needed. I am very happy with this tone monster of a bass now.