Help! Why do my mini-humbuckers hum?

[LondonTone]

Hi guys, I'm new to this forum and hope you can help...

I recently bought a Les Paul Goldtop Deluxe (30th Anniversary Limited Edition reissue). The guitar looks great and plays beautifully, but I'm not convinced about the pickups.

The mini-humbuckers hum like single coils when selected individually, but the noise stops when both pups are turned on (as in positions 2 and 4 on a strat).

I know that the mini-humbuckers are supposed to sound a lot brighter than standard Gibson humbuckers, but the bridge pup sounds extremely thin and quite hollow (thinner than a strat!).

Anyone know what the problem could be?

Thanks
Tony

[y2stevo]

Re: Help! Why do my mini-humbuckers hum?

Mabye its out of phase...

[LondonTone]

Re: Help! Why do my mini-humbuckers hum?

That was the only thing I could think of, but I have no idea how to easily check it.

[y2stevo]

Re: Help! Why do my mini-humbuckers hum?

well unfortunatly thats about the extent of my knowledge of phase differences but welcome to the forum....

im pretty sure theres a schematic on putting your pickup out of phase and i think in only involves switching the hot and ground wires,but dont quote me on that ....

im sure one of the resident experts willl be here soon so they'll know...


l8r... and welcome..

[LondonTone]

Re: Help! Why do my mini-humbuckers hum?

Cheers Y2Stevo.

I'll wait for one of them resident experts you mention.....

[kmcguitars]

Re: Help! Why do my mini-humbuckers hum?

well unfortunatly thats about the extent of my knowledge of phase differences but welcome to the forum....

im pretty sure theres a schematic on putting your pickup out of phase and i think in only involves switching the hot and ground wires,but dont quote me on that ....

im sure one of the resident experts willl be here soon so they'll know...


l8r... and welcome..

Yeah, That's pretty much it with a 2 lead PuP. Just hot+ and ground - Switch
them you'll have a phase problem. Now let me understand something? Is this
a brand new guitar ( Untouched) Or does it appear that someone was in there
with a soldering iron? It's possiable the selector switch could be wired wrong?
You need a schematic to see whats up. The bridge mini's do have a nasal
sound to them, But if it sounds thin and transparent? That sounds like a phase problem. Hope this helps Good luck finding that gremlin in there.

[LondonTone]

Re: Help! Why do my mini-humbuckers hum?

Thanks very much - I think you're right.

The guitar is second hand but only a year or so old.

I just had a mail back from the guy I bought it from - he admitted that the bridge pickup was faulty when he bought the guitar so the shop replaced it for him.

I'm pretty certain they loused the wiring up now!

I am a bit curious why it should hum on either the front or the rear pickup though - could they have screwed the whole thing up just by replacing the bridge pickup incorrectly?

[kmcguitars]

Re: Help! Why do my mini-humbuckers hum?

Who knows what they did? It could be a bad solder joint. Or a grounding issuse? Here's a link to a site that has diagrams. Look for sloppy solder
joints.

http://guitarelectronics.zoovy.com/product/WDUHH3T2202

[Kent S.]

Re: Help! Why do my mini-humbuckers hum?

My main question after reading these posts would be whether or not the pups are four conductor or just two conductor, if four conductor then there may be a coil that's not connected, or shorted out (hence splitting the pup back to single coil), if it's two conductor then if there is a fault then it's inside the pup (if covered, and if it's a mini-hum, then I'll bet it is ); it's possible that the connection between the two coils is shorted out against the cover perhaps. Check to see if all your connections are solid, make sure your covers are grounded. Anything other than that , and you'll have to go into the pup (at least under the cover), best thing would be check all your connections, and then if they check out take it to a shop if you don't feel your up to opening the pups up themselves.

[LondonTone]

Re: Help! Why do my mini-humbuckers hum?

Excellent advice, thank you all very much for your help.

Tony, London

[Wattage]

Re: Help! Why do my mini-humbuckers hum?

Cause they don't know the words? Sorry couldn't help myself!

Seems like you got your answer but check for cold solder joints and bad grounds.