freebirduk Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 The problem Bought a new Les Paul 2020 Standard. Playing it direct into a DV Mark using a new top of the range Fender cable I get hum and a clear and distinct crackle as I run my finger down the strings. I also get an occasional loud and slightly alarming cracks through the amp. The hum and crackle are mitigated somewhat if I put a finger on the screw holding the relevant pickup. I play an Epiphone Sheraton II Pro through the same rig without and issues. Attempts at a solution Being a new guitar I returned it to retailer. They called me to say they didn't have a replacement in stock but would give me my money back. However they said they'd had a look at it and couldn't find a problem. I got them to send it back to me. The problem was still there. Took guitar cable and amp to a local guitar tech. He put it together and played. There was no problem. I played it. There was no problem. He checked the wiring and grounding at the back. No problem. So I gave up and went home. Got a non-guitar playing friend to come round. Asked him to pick up the already rigged guitar, switch the amp on and run his finger down the strings. No problem. I did it and it crackles! My question How do I make this go away! The problem is consistent but seems to require both me and my home location to manifest itself. I'm baffled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonesKY Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 (edited) sounds like static build up that can develop on a new, gloss nitro finish. once it's cured it goes away. same sort of thing occurs with new plastic pickguards (which can be solved by having a sheet of aluminum under the guard that shorts to ground through the output jack). https://forum.gibson.com/topic/142478-unrelenting-les-paul-static-bad-wiring/#:~:text=Gibson themselves recommend that you,keep the guitar static free. Edited September 22, 2020 by JonesKY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freebirduk Posted September 23, 2020 Author Share Posted September 23, 2020 Wow so reading that thread it suggests that you buy a £2,000 guitar and folks accept that for a couple of years it will crackle and pop to the extent that you can't record with it. Alternatively it implies that you can try out various surgical procedures. On a brand new guitar? Have I misunderstood? I've been so excited to own one of these. I want it to be a great story. I want to see the positive here. I've made a great investment I'm sure. I just thought that I'd be able to take it out of the case and play. But that's not the case. Is it my fault? Am I being unreasonable? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted September 23, 2020 Share Posted September 23, 2020 (edited) it's not your fault!!! LOL! and you are not being unreasonable. But it is a common problem. your Sheraton wont do it cuz it's poly, not nitro... As the nitro cures, it will subside. it's a pain in the a-- tho.. I agree. You can improve this if you can get the cavities shielded with something better than the crappy paint the factory uses, and take every effort to properly ground everything. That's what I did and I can tell you it helped. You can mitigate it a bit if you take a "used once" dryer sheet, and wipe down the back of the neck. It is not a permanent fix. After all these years, it's kind of odd with all the problems with Nitro, that it's still the #1 choice for the finish formula.. Edited September 23, 2020 by kidblast Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freebirduk Posted September 23, 2020 Author Share Posted September 23, 2020 Thanks for that. 🙂 It's just that I was hoping a £2k, made in the USA guitar wouldn't need me to "get the cavities shielded with something better than the crappy paint the factory uses, and take every effort to properly ground everything." It seems that folks are ok with that. I'm finding it a bit of a challenge though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted September 23, 2020 Share Posted September 23, 2020 But it doesn't happen to other people using the same stuff, do I have that right? I do think I understand it doesn't happen when you play the same stuff elsewhere? Do you live under high tension lines? Microwave/phone tower? Do you have odd sort of grounding(earthing) problems with other stuff in your house? rct Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted September 23, 2020 Share Posted September 23, 2020 11 minutes ago, rct said: But it doesn't happen to other people using the same stuff, do I have that right? I do think I understand it doesn't happen when you play the same stuff elsewhere? Do you live under high tension lines? Microwave/phone tower? Do you have odd sort of grounding(earthing) problems with other stuff in your house? rct No Ron It's a real thing bud.. this happened to both my Les Pauls, and my SGs. When they are new, it's really noticeable, especially in the winter when it's bone dry and static electricity in the home is even more present. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted September 23, 2020 Share Posted September 23, 2020 I know, I know nitro static. But the same guitar played by two different guys in the same room will do the same thing. And the same stuff played elsewhere by the same guy will do the same thing. It seems that neither of these is true. rct Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted September 23, 2020 Share Posted September 23, 2020 26 minutes ago, rct said: I know, I know nitro static. But the same guitar played by two different guys in the same room will do the same thing. And the same stuff played elsewhere by the same guy will do the same thing. It seems that neither of these is true. rct I can't explain that either.. I'd have to "be there" ya know?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freebirduk Posted September 23, 2020 Author Share Posted September 23, 2020 The logic of this is that it requires me, my location and this guitar to manifest the problem. Substitute any of these and the problem goes away. Looking around various forums I note that these circumstances do arise for a minority of other folks also. Is this something that Gibson should be responsible for mitigating, or at least warning prospective customers about? Oh, hey maybe that's something to debate another day. I know, I started it but life is short, etc. What I've since discovered is that if I grab the central heating radiator in the room where I'm playing the problem disappears. Here in the UK central heating systems are grounded. So I've ordered an anti-static wrist strap which I'll tether to the radiator when I'm playing. It's not a cool look but I'm pretty sure it'll work. And then I just wait for the nitro to do that which I'm assured nitro does. Thanks to all for your input. Tin foil hat anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted September 23, 2020 Share Posted September 23, 2020 No better way to find out you have a grounding problem in your house than plugging a guitar into an amp. rct Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted September 23, 2020 Share Posted September 23, 2020 I helped a friend troubleshoot a noise in her guitar. It was a flourecent light upstairs. When off the guitar and amp were quiet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted September 23, 2020 Share Posted September 23, 2020 And dimmers, don't forget them. Dimmers bad. rct Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted September 23, 2020 Share Posted September 23, 2020 36 minutes ago, rct said: And dimmers, don't forget them. Dimmers bad. rct Dimmers are evil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badbluesplayer Posted September 23, 2020 Share Posted September 23, 2020 The dryer sheet thing works well until the prob goes away. A guy I know was playing a show in Tokyo and the amp was buzzing really bad and all the Japanese crew huddled together, said a bunch of unintelligible stuff and then hooked up a gigantic alligator clip cable from the amp to the nearest I-beam and the buzz stopped. 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freebirduk Posted September 23, 2020 Author Share Posted September 23, 2020 Flourescents and dimmers not an issue here (fortunately!) and anyway I'd have thought that would affect my Epi as well. Will try the dryer sheet thing. Looking foward to a Les Paul with a wonderful lavender bouquet. The gigantic alligator clip sounds like the solution I'm looking for though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grog Posted September 24, 2020 Share Posted September 24, 2020 I had a similar problem with a 2019 LP Tribute DC Jr bass I modified. I tried everything else before I finally decided to shield it. Oddly, I was getting static off of the frets, it drove me nuts. I ended up using adhesive backed aluminum tape found in the heating/ductwork section section of my home building supply store. Being tired of taking it apart I may have overdone the shielding, but it worked!! It was well worth the effort to me and a cheap fix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freebirduk Posted September 24, 2020 Author Share Posted September 24, 2020 Wow neat work. If the wrist strap doesn't work this is where I'll be going next. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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