Faulty pickup help??

[Tone le Bone]

A loud 'crackling' noise is coming from my amp when I play my Lakland J Bass. This only happens when I play directly above the neck pickup. If I play above the bridge pickup or next to the neck itself, there is no noise.

If I press on the poles of the neck pickup with my finger a 'humming' sound emanates, this does not happen on the bridge pickup.

Also on removing the bell plate to check the wiring, all seems OK apart from a single black wire which is not attached to anything, just laying loose in the bottom of the routed compartment.

Questions: 1) Is my neck pickup knackered?
2) Should the black wire be hooked up, and it is this that is causing the interference?

All replies gratefully received.

[Delberthot]

A black wire is normally an earth - is there anywhere on the back of one of the pots with solder but nothing attached?

Try playing a note with it plugged in and while the note is ringing, touch the black wire against the back of one of the pots - any one will do.

If that solves it then that's your problem.

[Tone le Bone]

[quote name='Delberthot' post='390429' date='Jan 24 2009, 03:07 PM']A black wire is normally an earth - is there anywhere on the back of one of the pots with solder but nothing attached?

Try playing a note with it plugged in and while the note is ringing, touch the black wire against the back of one of the pots - any one will do.

If that solves it then that's your problem.[/quote]

Thanks Delberthot,
The only lug I see that appears to have solder on but no wire attached is the jack plug, but that already has a black and green wire attached, would the jack plug have two black wires attached??

[Tone le Bone]

[quote name='Tone le Bone' post='390810' date='Jan 25 2009, 10:19 AM']Thanks Delberthot,
The only lug I see that appears to have solder on but no wire attached is the jack plug, but that already has a black and green wire attached, would the jack plug have two black wires attached??[/quote]

Solved! Crackle free bass again! It was indeed an earth wire that had come unsoldered from the jack plug, thanks again. T le B.