bass losing tone

Steoob

hey all i have a yamaha rbx170 bass im too poor to buy the five string warlock i want so i have to keep this til i find €545 lying around somewhere but anyway the yamaha has lost all tone it ever had and now it sounds like pure mud i dont know what it might be and i know its not my bass or amp coz ive tried out the same bass on my amp and it actually sounds good... so what could it be? i was thinkin maybe its the strings coz theyre kinda old about 7 months... i know thats over the limit for bass strings but ive never heard any bass sound this bad... also the front pickup doesn't work... well really the whole electronic hole is all messed up the back pickup works fine but maybe the soldering has come lose on my tone knob or something... it does change when i turn the knob tho... anyway does anyone know what i should do?? thanks

Fusion251

Does it have active pickups?

If so, maybe the batteries gone?

Other then that I don't know tbh.

Fusion

Zapp Brannigan

Sounds like your battery has worn out in your pickups.

11811

Wouldnt be batterey related,those basses are passive,where was it bought?Yamaha gear usually comes under warranty,just send it back!

Ravelleman

On the point of strings: I wouldn't underestimate the effect of old strings. I recently restrung my Ravelle after getting nothing but crumby muddy tones and the new strings have worked wonders. It sounds like it did the day I received it. . That being said it sure doesn't sound like old strings. :rolleyes:

Steoob

ya it is passive.... so i was thinkin just pick myself up a new set of strings and a new pair or pickups and it might sound better?

Karl Hungus

Definetly grab some new strings man, there's no need to get new pickups, but it might be wise to have them looked at by someone who know's their stuff, they might touch up the wiring properly.

Zapp Brannigan

Yeah, if they're not active then check the wiring of them. Could just be a simple soldering job. And for the love of God, buy new strings. I reccomend DR Low Riders.

christophicus

Hey whats could you put a link up to the warlock that you want to get as i am looking for a bass at the moment. cheers

Zapp Brannigan

christophicus wrote:

Hey whats could you put a link up to the warlock that you want to get as i am looking for a bass at the moment. cheers

Don't get a Warlock, you'll be happier that way.

christophicus

why?

Steoob

thanks for the advise all anyway so whats wrong with warlocks? NJ series? its gotta be good and it looks unbaleeevable

Karl Hungus

steoob wrote:

thanks for the advise all anyway so whats wrong with warlocks? NJ series? its gotta be good and it looks unbaleeevable

I have a 5 String NJ Warlock, and if you don't mind the fact that it's neck-heavy, it's a grand guitar.

Eoin Madsen

If the front pickup doesn't work then there's definitely electronic problems. Open 'er up and take some pics. It could be the capacitor on the tone pot has become lifted on one end.

christophicus

Is it really that neck heavy?Will it touch the grond very quikcly?the 5 string nj is actually the bass that im pretty sure in going to get,although it would have been cool if the did the beast bass in 5 string.Grand?? Most of the reviews I read said that it was a really good bass.

Karl Hungus

Yes, it is very neck heavy. It is good apart from that.

Zapp Brannigan

Personally, and this is me talking, I dislike anything from BC Rich unless it is Custom. Now don't think I'm a twat when I say this but, is the only reason you're buying the Warlock Bass because it looks cool? Cos that's the impression I got, if it's not disregard this post. But if it is, I advise you to shop around try everything you can get your hands on. Hell! I think Fenders are ugly but they sound like sex!

christophicus

Slurms wrote:

Personally, and this is me talking, I dislike anything from BC Rich unless it is Custom. Now don't think I'm a twat when I say this but, is the only reason you're buying the Warlock Bass because it looks cool? Cos that's the impression I got, if it's not disregard this post. But if it is, I advise you to shop around try everything you can get your hands on. Hell! I think Fenders are ugly but they sound like sex!

I have no expeariance at buying bass's so that is really the only criteria i have i dont know what is good and what isnt .I have to admitt that is one of the main reasons why I am getting it,but also it is supposed to have a real good sound.I I was getting it just for the looks I d deffinatly get the beast bass also by bc rich,that looks absolutely amazing! I would like to see what other people think I should get instead.

Zapp Brannigan

I'm not saying you should get it, I'm just saying try it and other basses cos you might find one that just 'feels' right.

Kennington

Also, if tone is something your after you should think about adjusting your action.
A higher action will sacrafice some ease of playability but it will provide more varied tones for the pickups (which you should definately get checked out!) Also, what sort of sound are you looking for?

68 lost souls

Does the front pickup work at all if you touch it with your hand if so it could be that the grounding wire has come loose, happened my mates jackson.

christophicus

Slurms wrote:

I'm not saying you should get it, I'm just saying try it and other basses cos you might find one that just 'feels' right.

Sorry man I was actually being sincer when I asked you what you thought is a good bass,Id like to hear everyones oppinions please,Im now thinking about the warwick vampyre although I have yet to check the price. what do you guys think of the Vampyre?

Mongo

Vampyres are cool enough looking.But some people hate the was Warwicks fell so you should play it.They are also fairly pricey

Kennington

No way about the Warwicks! Warwicks only truely shine in the really really pricey stages, anything below that is gack in my opinion, if your looking for a Rock type bass id recommend a mexican preciscion Fender, the 2004 models packed quite a punch I thought

jesusjones

OK I just looked at the price of the Vampyre and its around $2000 so thats deffinatly out the window.