jozluck Posted December 17, 2008 Posted December 17, 2008 If you use a better grade comerical wire, same ID/size, and add a seperate ground (third) around the pots and pickup plates, would it stop a ground problem? My tele has no problems at all, the EPI buzz's no matter until I put my hand on the strings..new pots etc...even have to put wax paper over the pickguard or it is worse....static. Anyone know what the problem or solution may be? Bad pickup posible?
ChrisH Posted December 17, 2008 Posted December 17, 2008 First I would check the the existing ground wiring - sounds to me like there is no effective ground until you become one by touching the strings, which are grounded through the bridge. If you have access to a multimeter with a continuity tester, check that you have electrical continuity between, for example, the strings and the jack sleeve on your lead. If not, you will have to trace back until you find the break. Good luck, mate.
jcwillow777 Posted December 17, 2008 Posted December 17, 2008 Sounds like the ground wire to the bridge isn't connected. Or, could really be any ground wire that is loose. I would use shielded wire from the jack to the switch.
ChrisH Posted December 17, 2008 Posted December 17, 2008 Sounds like the ground wire to the bridge isn't connected. I would think the bridge ground wire is connected' date=' as the OP says the hum stops when he touches the strings - this makes me think that his body is grounding the guitar through the strings and bridge. When he isn't touching the strings, the guitar has no ground, therefore no way to lose the hum. Or' date=' could really be any ground wire that is loose. I would use shielded wire from the jack to the switch.[/quote']Exactly - any ground wire could be loose, preventing continuity of ground from the pickups to the amp.
Dave Posted December 18, 2008 Posted December 18, 2008 My Tele buzzes. My Epis don't, except for my Goldtop LP with the P90 single coils. There's something going on in the grounding circuits in the guitar. Maybe you could isolate it by turning down the volume on one pickup or the other. If it appears on one pickup and goes away when you turn that one down, it might be that the ground wire to the pots on that pickup has broken off.
Ricochet Posted December 18, 2008 Posted December 18, 2008 FWIW... Not sure if this applies to all countries, but bridge-grounding wires are prohibited since 2006...
jcwillow777 Posted December 18, 2008 Posted December 18, 2008 FWIW... Not sure if this applies to all countries' date=' but bridge-grounding wires are prohibited since 2006... [/quote'] Really, I didn't know that. Why is that?
Ricochet Posted December 18, 2008 Posted December 18, 2008 Really' date=' I didn't know that. Why is that?[/quote'] "Potential shock hazard".
TWANG Posted December 18, 2008 Posted December 18, 2008 get a dmm or other multi meter and use the continuity tester and check the hot and ground pathways you'll find it. there's no way a set of humbucks will make noise unless there's a miswiring in there. look at diagrams of the wiring on the web, too.. you have to know there's something wrong.. find it, kill it, and then drink it's blood. probably the no bridge ground law is european. where they run 220 at the wall. since with it you are part of the ground. in the usa it's less dangerous. However, if you'd like firsthand experience, I suggest you plug your guitar into your amp, fire it up, take off your shoes and walk across a cement floor. well you'll have to dance across it because that's what happens while you are being electrocuted. research grounding on the web and you'll come up with several suggestions for alternate grounding.. even adding capacitors so that they blow up before you light up. TWANG
carverman Posted December 18, 2008 Posted December 18, 2008 get a dmm or other multi meter and use the continuity tester and check the hot and ground pathways you'll find it.there's no way a set of humbucks will make noise unless there's a miswiring in there. look at diagrams of the wiring on the web' date=' too.. you have to know there's something wrong.. find it, kill it, and then drink it's blood. probably the no bridge ground law is european. where they run 220 at the wall. [/quote'] News to me too..although in most cases the strings are grounded at the tailpiece, if an electrical potential gets on there from an malfunctioning amplifier...whether it is grounded at the bridge or at the tailpiece..the strings will be grounded..and if you're palming or resting your pick hand on the bridge..or fretting the strings with your left hand..it ain't gonna make much difference except what you are standing on..or the shoes you are wearing. If your lips happen to touch a metal mike that has continuity to another preamp and that preamp is plugged into a differenct ac phase circuit..you could have a shock hazard. since with it you are part of the ground. in the usa it's less dangerous. However, if you'd like firsthand experience, I suggest you plug your guitar into your amp, fire it up, take off your shoes and walk across a cement floor. well you'll have to dance across it because that's what happens while you are being electrocuted. It depends on the U-ground and how well it is functioning. Normally amps have 3 wire cords with a green u-ground. If the u-ground is lifted any voltage potential will try and find a lower resistance path to ground somehow and that could be through you. Some of the older amps had a toggle switch to lift the u-ground..but some of the newer ones don't. now in the case of a malfunction amp..like the sagging spring reverb pan issue..that "fried" some pots on a previous poster's guitar...and they are using 12ax7 tubes to drive the reverb springs..that could be an issue is there is some short there. research grounding on the web and you'll come up with several suggestions for alternate grounding.. even adding capacitors so that they blow up before you light up. TWANG good point..here's an FAQ on grounding that may prove helpful... (ie; use of cap on STRING GROUND) http://www.harmony-central.com/Guitar/Faqs/faq/faq.grounding.txt
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