xlr output on thunder 2 bass

hi folks, i'v had some problems wit the xlr output on my thunder 2 bass. does anyone know what type of lead i should be using? had no problems until i gigged it through the cheap venue bass amp and i had loads of hum using an unbalanced xlr to jack lead. tried the soundmans balanced xlr to jack and got no sound :S

any advice appreciated, thanks!

It's been a while since I've seen one of these, can't remember which lead connects to which pin - on the bass, one terminal is the signal output, one is earth and the other is the battery negative connection. You need a lead that connects the earth and battery terminals together, so the battery is connected only when the lead is inserted. A balanced lead won't work, and many unbalanced ones won't either if they only connect the signal and ground terminals. There's an easy way round that - Maplin sell an XLR socket to 1/4" jacl socket adaptor which will let you use any standard mono jack to mono jack lead with the bass -
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=43161

The standard wiring for an XLR is as follows....

Pin 1 ---- Earth (this takes the cable screen which connects to the main body of the jack at the other end)

Pin 2 ---- Hot (connected to the tip of the jack at the other end of the cable)

Pin 3 ---- Return (this is connected by a solder link to pin one or to the earth at the jack plug end in an unbalanced cable that only uses one core and a screen. In a balanced line there would be twin core and screen cable and this pin would be the return earth for the device (ie; microphone) and would connect to the middle connection of a stereo type jack on the other end of the cable.)

This wiring should work perfectly with your instrument, switching your battery into circuit when connected (your guitar needs the unbalanced wired cable). If you are suffering from buzz, it is highly likely that there is either a dry joint on the earth, or the earth wire is disconnected in either the lead or the guitar. Check them out as your problem will most certainly be there.

great advice thanks. i'll look into both sugestions