pickup noise

[shinobi]

i recently acquired a fender aerodyne jazz bass AJB-110DMC. it comes with di marzio collection single coil j pups. wonderful tone but there is alot of static noise when the tone knob is cranked up. it's probably because the electronics are not grounded or shielded well. anyone has any idea how i can remedy this?

 

[cherns]

Sounds like a scratchy pot to me.

 

[shinobi]

damn. like that how? does it need to be repaired/changed/sent back to japan?

eh cherns pm-ed u

 

[cherns]

Ah? No lah. Just use some wd-40 to clean it up or replace the pot. No need to send back to Japan...

PM replied

 

[shinobi]

oh yeah another thing, the hum disappears when my fingers come into contact with the strings. but since my fingers are constantly moving about the hum will come on and off like a crackle. and i am sensitive to these crackles.

 

[cherns]

That probably means that either your bass or your amp isn't properly grounded.

Is the plug that you're using for your amp 3 pin or 2 pin? If it's 2 pin, changing it to a 3 pin will help.

If that doesn't, then you'll want to check the grounding on your bass as well.

 

[shinobi]

ok, this is getting fun

i changed the amp power cable from 2 pin to 3 pin. overall it is the same, but not as bad.

now i notice that there is another kind of HUM when one of the pups is turned up, while the other is down to zero. when both pups are turned up the hum disappears

 

[azL-128]

Sometimes, I do face this kind of problem. I also would like to know why. When ever I am not touching any string, this sound will be produce. So, in the end, I need to put my finger on a string even if I'm not playing anything. The grounding helps a little bit.

 

[shinobi]

yah it seems to be a grounding issue. but the hum that i was talking about when one pickup is turned down all the way seems to be the 60 cycle hum or sth that affects all single coils. but i was damn kancheong cos i've been using humbuckers for like half a year

 

[kreed]

yup..dat's the 60 cycle hum and the drawback of single coils..u gotta turn up both single coils to reduce hum..but i think u noe dat alr.

 

[hayabusa]

i have a pbass hooked into a 2 pin yamaha amp and got the same noise. i connected a wire from the metal part of the amp and stuff the other end into the ground of the socket. solved the problem.. 8)

 

[exin]

i think alot of basses face this problem .. something with a ground loop seeping into the signal of the guitar ...

i think it's quite negligable unless it really annoys you .. i haven't exactly found out what's the problem but i suspect it's a grounding issue .. like what cherns said .. either with the amp or your bass ...

 

[cherns]

It annoys me most when there's a section where the bass is not playing but the amp is humming like crazy... and since volume is relative, it always gets louder when the music gets softer.

 

[shinobi]

actually if it is instrument side will a NS-2 work? i have one but i didnt think of trying it... anyway my case was largely due to poor amp grounding and that has been rectified

 

[exin]

i've encountered that before cherns .. ahhhah ..

=P .. i know how it feels .. YES IT"S ANNOYING!!

 

[cherns]

That's why you need proper grounding/shielding for your bass....
Which is a service I intend to offer soon once all my part are in

And that's not even bringing cables into the equation...
which is something I also make :lol:

 

[shinobi]

i think its impt lah. i can't imagine bringing so much noise into a big ass >100W amp. eh tort pickguard come in gimme a heads up ya :wink:

 

[exin]

cherns ...

you're the man