Members SelenaBassGirl Posted May 20, 2008 Members Share Posted May 20, 2008 I am still waiting on that tuning key for it..I am gonna replace all of them. But I was getting antsy to hear what she sounds like..so I put two strings on her. I went to tune her up and figured I'd play something that I only use the two strings on. I put the E and A strings on. The E string kept tuning into B and the A was tuning into E!! :freak:WTF!? My bass thinks its a 5 stringer or something. IDK!! I then shrugged and plugged her in and tried to hear what she sounded like despite the issues of out of tune. It sounded like a short where it plugged into the bass. If I wiggled it, it would have static or a popping noise. grrrrrr. So I text one of my bass player friends. He said to use my other bass to tune it by-get it close to the tune then use the tuner. And as far as the static, that it may be dirty in there.. SoI tried doing the tuning the way he said. Then I hooked the tuner up and damn it, it STILL was showing up as B and E!! :mad:I got strings for a 4 string bass..so IDK why this was happening. I was not paying attention to what I was doing and was trying to get it to go to E and I broke the damn string. Grrrrr. (I guess I am gonna make some more bass string bracelets! haha) I didn't like the strings anyway, it was a cheap set and it didn't have the thread wrapping around the ends anyways. But anyone have this issue or knows wtf is going on???? I am nearly in tears.. anyways I call her Ivy..Poison Ivy!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Death Hands Posted May 20, 2008 Members Share Posted May 20, 2008 Too much tension on the tuners/broken tuners. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SelenaBassGirl Posted May 20, 2008 Author Members Share Posted May 20, 2008 Too much tension on the tuners/broken tuners. well the music store has ordered thru Ibanez new machine heads so you think that will help? I am changing the whole thing. Orig. only the key was missing. The store didn't have any that fit exact...I am so mad. The idiot who sold me the bass on eBay really laid one over on me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bassman1956 Posted May 20, 2008 Members Share Posted May 20, 2008 What, did it date a fender? Sorry... Okay, not really. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brother Mango Posted May 20, 2008 Members Share Posted May 20, 2008 1. I wonder if the jack is just loose. The static & popping don't sound like huge issues. Make sure any nuts or screws are tight. 2. Maybe there's a bad solder joint on the inside. 3. The tuning issue is hard to grasp based on your description. I've had similar problems and then noticed I had my bass going into the output of the tuner. Maybe there's a wiring issue. Do you know someone who can come over and get inside the bass? Relax. I don't get the idea that this is a disaster. It may just take a little longer before you get Ivy up on her feet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SelenaBassGirl Posted May 20, 2008 Author Members Share Posted May 20, 2008 1. I wonder if the jack is just loose. The static & popping don't sound like huge issues. Make sure any nuts or screws are tight.2. Make there's a bad solder joint on the inside.3. The tuning issue is hard to grasp based on your description. I've had similar problems and then noticed I had my bass going into the output of the tuner. Maybe there's a wiring issue. Do you know someone who can come over and get inside the bass?Relax. I don't get the idea that this is a disaster. It may just take a little longer before you get Ivy up on her feet. I have a friend that owns an Ibanez. I might get him to work on her once I get the new keys in. It is an active bass, my first and I don't know much about them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Zebra Posted May 20, 2008 Members Share Posted May 20, 2008 Trying to tune up with only two strings is probably bad for the neck. It's not surprising you broke a string since two strings had to carry the tension of the whole neck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SelenaBassGirl Posted May 20, 2008 Author Members Share Posted May 20, 2008 What, did it date a fender? Sorry... Okay, not really. :D I am still gonna get that Fender one day!!! I just wanted an Ibanez too, and it was going for a great price and well, I just started bidding, and won..I didn't think that I was! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brother Mango Posted May 20, 2008 Members Share Posted May 20, 2008 It does surprise me that a string popped, even though there were just 2 strings. Sounds like a string was way overtightened because the tuner didn't seem to be responding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brother Mango Posted May 20, 2008 Members Share Posted May 20, 2008 I am still gonna get that Fender one day!!! I just wanted an Ibanez too, and it was going for a great price and well, I just started bidding, and won..I didn't think that I was! Now we both have Ibanez'. Yolu gotta pimp yours out like mine!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SelenaBassGirl Posted May 20, 2008 Author Members Share Posted May 20, 2008 It does surprise me that a string popped, even though there were just 2 strings. Sounds like a string was way overtightened because the tuner didn't seem to be responding. lol, that is what I did..I was getting pissed too. I am gonna ask the music shop to take a look when I get the part for her. I am gonna get a new set of good strings too, and have them string it and check it for me. I think in the end she is gonna be a good girl! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brother Mango Posted May 20, 2008 Members Share Posted May 20, 2008 I have a friend that owns an Ibanez. I might get him to work on her once I get the new keys in. It is an active bass, my first and I don't know much about them. These don't sound like Ibanez issues. Sound like 'bass' issues. If nothing else, before you spend big money at a shop, you can send the bass to me for a look-over ... but it might come back with a dairy cow and LED lights attached to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SelenaBassGirl Posted May 20, 2008 Author Members Share Posted May 20, 2008 Now we both have Ibanez'. Yolu gotta pimp yours out like mine!! I thought about that too! Making her my first project of my own imagination! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brother Mango Posted May 20, 2008 Members Share Posted May 20, 2008 I thought about that too! Making her my first project of my own imagination! Do it!!!! That's the law 'round here! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SelenaBassGirl Posted May 20, 2008 Author Members Share Posted May 20, 2008 Trying to tune up with only two strings is probably bad for the neck. It's not surprising you broke a string since two strings had to carry the tension of the whole neck. and one of my bass playing friends told me that I should bring in my bass to play that song he wants me to do at the club. I asked him which one and he said the newer one. I told him that it only had two strings on her. He said "so you don't need but those two" which although I play the song using the A and D strings, I did learn the song originally using only the A string..If I do that song or ever go up on stage it will be with my Squier Jazz bass. I got her broke in good.But yeah, that is what I was thinking when I tried to tune her the first time. That is why originally I loosened up the strings after the first time I tried tuning them strings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SelenaBassGirl Posted May 20, 2008 Author Members Share Posted May 20, 2008 I should! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gruntollio Bass Posted May 20, 2008 Members Share Posted May 20, 2008 I'd say patience is the key here. Wait until you get your new hardware installed, then put 4 strings on the bass and give the contact points a good clean with some rubbing alcohol to ensure there's no grit causing a bad connection in your socket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SelenaBassGirl Posted May 20, 2008 Author Members Share Posted May 20, 2008 These don't sound like Ibanez issues. Sound like 'bass' issues. If nothing else, before you spend big money at a shop, you can send the bass to me for a look-over ... but it might come back with a dairy cow and LED lights attached to it. lol! I happen to like the black and white moo cows! but idk if I would want it on my bass to look like one! It isn't an Ibanez issue but that is the bass I am having issues with, and didn't want to add confusion with my other basses which aren't Ibanezes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JBassJohn Posted May 20, 2008 Members Share Posted May 20, 2008 I have a friend that owns an Ibanez. I might get him to work on her once I get the new keys in. It is an active bass, my first and I don't know much about them. How's the battery? Is it a new one?(Sorry if this has been asked elsewhere.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Da Mill Posted May 20, 2008 Members Share Posted May 20, 2008 As stated in an earlier post, I bought an Ibanez Roadstar 2 850 @ a garage sale for $25 bucks with active pickups and hard shell case. The rear pickup didn't work, but I found the loose wire and fixed it by re soldering it. The bridge assembly was loose and full of crud, so I took it off, cleaned it and screwed it back on snugly. The pots were dirty and crackling , so I sprayed them and now they are smooth and quiet, and work perfectly. The neck was not fastened tightly to the body and too far up leaving no more downward adjustment possible on the bridge, so I cranked the truss rod way back and was able to to adjust the strings to My liking. The jack was loose so I tightened it. Took all the strings off, cleaned the heck out of it, especially the fretboard. After installing brand new strings (Earnie Ball Hybrid Slinky 45, 65,85,105) and final tweeking of string heigth, it sounds and plays good. My bass player came over with His rig and had no complaints. The active Ibanez low impedance pickups are dead quiet (no hums or buzzes) even at high volume settings, standing close to the amp.There's a pic of it on an earlier post if you care to see it. I hope all turns out well for you also. Sometimes it's just a combination of stuff that needs to be attended to.Good luck SBG! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Funkee1 Posted May 20, 2008 Members Share Posted May 20, 2008 Once you get the tuning key, have someone set the bass up for you. That means new strings, setting the truss rod, checking the neck for bowing and all that. The same music store you got the tuning key from should be able to do it for you, and it should cost about $25 + the cost of strings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mhallerbach Posted May 20, 2008 Members Share Posted May 20, 2008 But first take off/loosen the 2 strings you have on and wait for the tuning key and then properly string up- You can't get proper tuning with just 2 strings, since as others have metioned, its a tension issue on the overall bass. Using just 2 strings you are using more tension on those 2 strings to compensate for the other 2 that are missing Tuning up 2 strings is going to warp your neck if it hasn't done so already and then you will have bigger irreversable issues. Everything is tied to the tensioning of the neck - which is the same reason why when you change string gauges , an adjustment of the necks truss rod is necessary as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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