algmusic Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 I have an aerodyne jazz. I have just installed Seymore Duncan quater pound on the J pick up. The the J pick up already buzzed a bit when it was full on with no P in the mix. After I installed the you SD, I noticed the buzzing stopped completely when I touched the bridge. I'm using Trybass strings, so just touching the strings doesn't work as the strings are coated with nylon Any thoughts, I checked the earth goes to the bridge, but If I could grow an extra arm, I'd be fine ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 [quote name='algmusic' post='1113024' date='Feb 2 2011, 09:19 PM']I have an aerodyne jazz. I have just installed Seymore Duncan quater pound on the J pick up. The the J pick up already buzzed a bit when it was full on with no P in the mix. After I installed the you SD, I noticed the buzzing stopped completely when I touched the bridge. I'm using Trybass strings, so just touching the strings doesn't work as the strings are coated with nylon Any thoughts, I checked the earth goes to the bridge, but If I could grow an extra arm, I'd be fine ;-)[/quote] It's almost certainly a bridge earth problem. Which end of the earth cable did you check, the bridge end or the soldered end? If you want to prove it for certain then use a scrap of wire and touch one end of it on the bridge and the other end against the metal casing of the guitar lead - if the buzz disappears when you do that then you have a missing/bad earth connection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
algmusic Posted February 3, 2011 Author Share Posted February 3, 2011 [quote name='icastle' post='1113182' date='Feb 2 2011, 10:56 PM']It's almost certainly a bridge earth problem. Which end of the earth cable did you check, the bridge end or the soldered end? If you want to prove it for certain then use a scrap of wire and touch one end of it on the bridge and the other end against the metal casing of the guitar lead - if the buzz disappears when you do that then you have a missing/bad earth connection. [/quote] I'll try that and let you know tonight. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
algmusic Posted February 7, 2011 Author Share Posted February 7, 2011 [quote name='icastle' post='1113182' date='Feb 2 2011, 10:56 PM']It's almost certainly a bridge earth problem. Which end of the earth cable did you check, the bridge end or the soldered end? If you want to prove it for certain then use a scrap of wire and touch one end of it on the bridge and the other end against the metal casing of the guitar lead - if the buzz disappears when you do that then you have a missing/bad earth connection. [/quote] It now buzzes all the time on both pups and only stops when I touch the bridge, lead or Machine heads. I should check if the cable between the controls and the bridge But it didn't stop completely when I put a metal strip between the lead and the bridge.. grr.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 [quote name='algmusic' post='1119547' date='Feb 7 2011, 10:04 PM']It now buzzes all the time on both pups and only stops when I touch the bridge, lead or Machine heads. I should check if the cable between the controls and the bridge But it didn't stop completely when I put a metal strip between the lead and the bridge.. grr..[/quote] Ok. You've definately got a missing earth (or earths) there. Given the limitations of internet as a communications medium, probably the best way to go about this is to go through each of the items below. 1) There should be a wire connecting all of the pot casings to each other. 2) There should be a wire running from the bridge to the rear of a pot casing. 3) There should be a wire running from the 'sleeve' connection of the jack socket to the rear of a pot casing. 4) Looking at the back of the volume pots, with the legs pointed away from you, the left hand contacts should be connected to the rear of the pot casings. 5) The earth wires from the pickups should be connected to the rear of the pot casings. Daft question, and one I should have asked earlier, if you plug a different bass into your amp I presume the buzzing isn't there? Another question - what are these pickups you've added and what colour wire are you using from it as your earth? We'll get there in the end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
algmusic Posted February 9, 2011 Author Share Posted February 9, 2011 [quote name='icastle' post='1119610' date='Feb 7 2011, 10:56 PM']Ok. You've definately got a missing earth (or earths) there. Given the limitations of internet as a communications medium, probably the best way to go about this is to go through each of the items below. 1) There should be a wire connecting all of the pot casings to each other. ** yes 2) There should be a wire running from the bridge to the rear of a pot casing. **Yes 3) There should be a wire running from the 'sleeve' connection of the jack socket to the rear of a pot casing. ** yes 4) Looking at the back of the volume pots, with the legs pointed away from you, the left hand contacts should be connected to the rear of the pot casings. **??. Please explain a bit. 5) The earth wires from the pickups should be connected to the rear of the pot casings. ** yes Daft question, and one I should have asked earlier, if you plug a different bass into your amp I presume the buzzing isn't there? **yep checked that on my working bass Another question - what are these pickups you've added and what colour wire are you using from it as your earth? **They are black and white. I was told that if they were the wrong way round, I would get a significant drop in the pups.. It's definitely the right way round. I bought a secondhand SD Qtr Pounder on the Bridge.. I noticed that the wiring wasn't the same as this diagram, the front pup was linked to the tone and not the front volume knob directly, so and the same with the bridge. I've changed it to this now [url="http://www.seymourduncan.com/images/products/basslines/501030-105.pdf"]http://www.seymourduncan.com/images/produc.../501030-105.pdf[/url] it sounds better, hums less, but it goes when I touch the bridge or lead I was just lookin We'll get there in the end. [/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 Aha! You'll get a significant drop [b]if [/b]they're both SDs. If you mix SDs with non SDs you need to reverse the polarity of the SD pickup - your white wire needs to be treated as an earth and your black wire needs to be treated as a live. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
algmusic Posted February 10, 2011 Author Share Posted February 10, 2011 [quote name='icastle' post='1122170' date='Feb 10 2011, 12:13 AM']Aha! You'll get a significant drop [b]if [/b]they're both SDs. If you mix SDs with non SDs you need to reverse the polarity of the SD pickup - your white wire needs to be treated as an earth and your black wire needs to be treated as a live.[/quote] It still is humming unless I touch it.. I'd say worse.. hmm.. Any other ideas, I might have to take it to the gallery, or change back to the old rubbish pup.. I don't get it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 [quote name='algmusic' post='1122209' date='Feb 10 2011, 01:20 AM']It still is humming unless I touch it.. I'd say worse.. hmm.. Any other ideas, I might have to take it to the gallery, or change back to the old rubbish pup.. I don't get it[/quote] Damn. I really thought that was going to be the big breakthrough there. Ok, let's try pickup substitution - leaving the rest of your cabling intact, disconnect the SD and put the old pickup back into position. I have to say the description doesn't sound like a pickup problem but it's better to eliminate it than to kick ourselves afterwards... You considering taking up the triangle instead yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
algmusic Posted February 10, 2011 Author Share Posted February 10, 2011 [quote name='icastle' post='1122213' date='Feb 10 2011, 01:42 AM']Damn. I really thought that was going to be the big breakthrough there. Ok, let's try pickup substitution - leaving the rest of your cabling intact, disconnect the SD and put the old pickup back into position. I have to say the description doesn't sound like a pickup problem but it's better to eliminate it than to kick ourselves afterwards... You considering taking up the triangle instead yet? [/quote] Funny you should say that, my other instrument is drums.. it's easy, you just hit things :-P I'll give it ago over the weekend.. I've heard that sometimes shielding the pickups can help, but I need to see if it's definitely not the PUP as you mentioned. I'm glad this is not my main bass. Who said Passive basses are simple eh? :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 [quote name='algmusic' post='1122384' date='Feb 10 2011, 10:06 AM']Funny you should say that, my other instrument is drums.. it's easy, you just hit things :-P[/quote] [quote name='algmusic' post='1122384' date='Feb 10 2011, 10:06 AM']I've heard that sometimes shielding the pickups can help, but I need to see if it's definitely not the PUP as you mentioned. I'm glad this is not my main bass. Who said Passive basses are simple eh? :-)[/quote] Yep, shielding the pickups can remove background hum but what you have here is an earth based hum (it changes when you touch metal parts as you are acting as an earth) and no amount of shielding is going to cure that. As far as passive electronics go, this should be so simple - are you sure it's not someone with a kazoo hiding in the room somewhere? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
algmusic Posted February 10, 2011 Author Share Posted February 10, 2011 (edited) [quote name='icastle' post='1122442' date='Feb 10 2011, 11:09 AM']are you sure it's not someone with a kazoo hiding in the room somewhere? [/quote] :gas: It would make sense if it was Edited February 10, 2011 by algmusic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
algmusic Posted February 15, 2011 Author Share Posted February 15, 2011 My bass is annoying now. I've put back on the old one and now. It's not as bad and is technically playable, but If I touch the lead, there the hum almost completely disappears.. I'm tempted to un-solder everything and get better wires etc (possibly better shielding).. or should I just send it to the Bass Gallery.. I even try just connecting a solder wire from the pot to the bridge to see if the hum stops.. which it doesn't.. as I thought it was the grounding to the bridge.. maybe I should replace the grounding cable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 [quote name='algmusic' post='1128275' date='Feb 15 2011, 01:03 PM']My bass is annoying now. I've put back on the old one and now. It's not as bad and is technically playable, but If I touch the lead, there the hum almost completely disappears.. I'm tempted to un-solder everything and get better wires etc (possibly better shielding).. or should I just send it to the Bass Gallery.. I even try just connecting a solder wire from the pot to the bridge to see if the hum stops.. which it doesn't.. as I thought it was the grounding to the bridge.. maybe I should replace the grounding cable[/quote] It could be that one (or more) of the earth cables has got fractured during the initial upgrade - many basses use single strand copper wire that's pretty inflexible. If you don't have access to a meter to check the individual cables for continuity then I'd say replace all the earth side cables. So that's the earth wire from the bridge, the earth wire from the jack socket and the earth wires soldered to the back of each pot. You can redo the whole lot with about 2' of cable so it's not an expensive thing to try. As you've done an extensive bit of rework here, it's probably well worth taking a look at the soldering on the back of the pots - the solder 'shape' should be nice and low, imagine a little puddle of water on a dinner plate. If it's an upright standing 'blob' like a piece of sweetcorn on a plate then there's a good chance that's where the earth break is! (And the first person who sniggers at my description will be hunted down and forced to listen to my collection of Sea Shanties! ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
algmusic Posted February 16, 2011 Author Share Posted February 16, 2011 [quote name='icastle' post='1128599' date='Feb 15 2011, 05:12 PM']It could be that one (or more) of the earth cables has got fractured during the initial upgrade - many basses use single strand copper wire that's pretty inflexible. If you don't have access to a meter to check the individual cables for continuity then I'd say replace all the earth side cables. So that's the earth wire from the bridge, the earth wire from the jack socket and the earth wires soldered to the back of each pot. You can redo the whole lot with about 2' of cable so it's not an expensive thing to try. As you've done an extensive bit of rework here, it's probably well worth taking a look at the soldering on the back of the pots - the solder 'shape' should be nice and low, imagine a little puddle of water on a dinner plate. If it's an upright standing 'blob' like a piece of sweetcorn on a plate then there's a good chance that's where the earth break is! (And the first person who sniggers at my description will be hunted down and forced to listen to my collection of Sea Shanties! )[/quote] Ok, I'll give that a go.. thanks again. I'll either be a wizz or a ditz by the end of this ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 [quote name='algmusic' post='1129142' date='Feb 16 2011, 01:26 AM']Ok, I'll give that a go.. thanks again. I'll either be a wizz or a ditz by the end of this ;-)[/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
algmusic Posted February 21, 2011 Author Share Posted February 21, 2011 Right I have completely re wired and used better cables on this bass, and it still hums.. not as bad, but not great. I'm gonna try and check each negative wire that goes to ground now... God help me.. Bass for sale :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 [quote name='algmusic' post='1135443' date='Feb 21 2011, 01:36 PM']Right I have completely re wired and used better cables on this bass, and it still hums.. not as bad, but not great. I'm gonna try and check each negative wire that goes to ground now... God help me.. Bass for sale :-)[/quote] It's going to be one of the negative wires causing the problem. If that doesn't work, how about posting a couple of pics of the cavity wiring? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
algmusic Posted February 21, 2011 Author Share Posted February 21, 2011 [quote name='icastle' post='1135464' date='Feb 21 2011, 01:48 PM']It's going to be one of the negative wires causing the problem. If that doesn't work, how about posting a couple of pics of the cavity wiring? [/quote] I think you're right, I'll post one up tonight, but I'll have to work on it another night as I have recording I need to practice for on my working bass ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 [quote name='algmusic' post='1135475' date='Feb 21 2011, 01:58 PM']I think you're right, I'll post one up tonight, but I'll have to work on it another night as I have recording I need to practice for on my working bass ;-)[/quote] Well don't be tempted to go anywhere near that bass with a screwdriver... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
algmusic Posted February 21, 2011 Author Share Posted February 21, 2011 [quote name='icastle' post='1135493' date='Feb 21 2011, 02:06 PM']Well don't be tempted to go anywhere near that bass with a screwdriver... [/quote] Fingers, cables, tuner and amp only for this boy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
algmusic Posted March 1, 2011 Author Share Posted March 1, 2011 I haven't had the chance to check each earthing wire yet.. I'm really busy with the working bass and some gigs on drums, so I might not get anything else done on it till next week My friend mentioned, I should use as little solder as possible and I think he's right.. [attachment=73660:DSC04155.JPG] - tone and socket control [attachment=73659:DSC04147.JPG] - Neck, bridge & tone [attachment=73661:DSC04156.JPG] - bridge, tone & socket [attachment=73662:DSC04157.JPG] - neck & bridge [attachment=73663:DSC04158.JPG] - The lot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.