Help with buzzing/humming after switching from actives to passives

[Frethead.]

Okay so I'm hoping someone here can help me because I'm about to chuck this guitar in the dumpster it's pissed me off so much! It's an LTD EC-1000 Vintage Black, so it came stock with EMG active humbuckers. I'm attempting to change it to a passive setup, but I have ran into what is seemingly an unsolvable buzzing/humming issue that coincides with a very significant drop in volume output. So, first off, I changed out all the electronics. New humbuckers obviously, 500k pots, new toggle switch (for aesthetic reason), mono jack to replace stereo, and I added a bridge ground wire by drilling a small hole to the closest tailpiece stud and dropped in a wire running from the stud to the back of the volume pot. I have tried everything I can think of to troubleshoot and fix this, but I am officially out of ideas and lost.

I originally wired it up exactly the same way I have my other guitar wired up: 2 humbuckers, 3 way toggle, 1 volume, 2 tones. Buzz/hum! So I began this long and painful troubleshooting process. Right now it's currently wired up with 1 humbucker to 1 volume pot, then to the output jack. Have tried multiple pots. Buzz. I've gone so far as to hook it up straight to output jack. Buzz. Have tried multiple mono jacks. Buzz. 2 different sets of humbuckers, both of which work perfectly fine in my other EC-1000 (the amber burst model that comes stock with passives). Buzz. I've pretty much taken the entire pickups/electronics setup out of the amber burst and dropped it in to this guitar and.. Buzz. Also, everytime I say it's buzzing, there's also the drop in volume output. I have to turn up my amp at least 3 times as loud to get the same level of sound when using this guitar compared to the other ec1000. The buzzing/humming is reduced significantly when I touch a metal part on the guitar, ie strings, pots, bridge. I keep thinking it's a grounding issue but THE BRIDGE IS GROUNDED. I have tried replacing the ground wire, even tho it's always shown perfect continuity. Perfect continuity everywhere, really, always showing around 0.0, from strings to output jack and everything in between, but that hasn't stopped me from rewiring this guitar half a dozen times.

I've noticed the hum is the worst when I set it face down in my lap, or putting my hand right on top of the humbucker without touching strings. The last thing I've done is I tried shielding the cavities a bit by putting a layer of copper tape down and grounding it all together. Didn't really seem to help much, maybe a tad bit, or maybe it was placebo, who knows, it's still bad. Any ideas here?? I don't know what else to do or troubleshoot.

[Blille]

Re: Help with buzzing/humming after switching from actives to passives

Any chance you wired the output jack the wrong way? ie hot where ground should be?

[PS412]

Re: Help with buzzing/humming after switching from actives to passives

I did the same to my Ibanez ARZ. I don't mind some hum but, I lined the cavities with copper and wrapped all wires with copper and quieted things down lots.
Each wire individually.

[DavidRavenMoon]

Help with buzzing/humming after switching from actives to passives

It’s very possible that the outlet your amp is plugged into has bad ground wiring. EMGs are fully shielded, so they are very quiet in noisy environments.

Back when I used EMGs in some guitars and basses, they were quiet in some clubs while my passive instruments buzzed a bit.

Otherwise check over your wiring; make sure the backs of all the pots are grounded together. I’ve fixed this type of buzz by running a redundant ground wire from the controls to the jack.

Also check the grounds going to the pickup selector switch.


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[Mincer]

Re: Help with buzzing/humming after switching from actives to passives

My first thought is the output jack, so check that first. Then, make sure it is that guitar, by testing other guitars in the same environment. Then, check the buzzing guitar in a different building (friend's house, music store). If you can be sure it is your guitar, my guess it is a cold ground joint somewhere. You can always post pics, and maybe we can see something.

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Help with buzzing/humming after switching from actives to passives

I’d also check the output jack. Maybe you have the wires on the wrong lugs.

Also, maybe a stupid suggestion but yes, the bridge needs to be grounded but so don’t all of the other components. If you have the bridge grounded but not the pots you’re gonna buzz.

[The_Junior]

Re: Help with buzzing/humming after switching from actives to passives

I suggest rechecking your ground leads. Make sure you have a ground tied from the bridge stud to the pots, switch and jack.

Did you remove the stud bushing to make sure you have some bare wire lead contacting between the stud bushing and the body?

It can be challenging to remove those, but the trick I use and never heard mentioned is to remove the bridge post from the stud you wish to remove, place inside a 1/4" dowel inside. in my case I have old single coil pole pieces that work very well for this) thread on the bridge post, the stud will make contact with the dowel and proceed to drive out the bushing as your threading with ease.

Then you can check and make sure the bare wires to your ground lead are plenty mashed between the stud bushing and body.

I've also ran into this problem when I reuse old output jacks to a guitar. otherwise somtimes you get a bum jack when you buy a cheap. It might be worth buying a switchcraft jack for that reason.

Not sure what style of switch you're using, but its possible it's become intermittent enough to cause issues.

edit: I would also check the grounds from the pickup coils to the lead ends that connect to your pot. check for any frays etc.

[Frethead.]

Re: Help with buzzing/humming after switching from actives to passives

Any chance you wired the output jack the wrong way? ie hot where ground should be?

No, I've checked this so many times I've lost count.

It’s very possible that the outlet your amp is plugged into has bad ground wiring. EMGs are fully shielded, so they are very quiet in noisy environments.

Back when I used EMGs in some guitars and basses, they were quiet in some clubs while my passive instruments buzzed a bit.

Otherwise check over your wiring; make sure the backs of all the pots are grounded together. I’ve fixed this type of buzz by running a redundant ground wire from the controls to the jack.

Also check the grounds going to the pickup selector switch.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The outlet my amp plugs into is fine. The amp is good. Remember, I have another EC1000 that came stock with passives and it is dead quiet with same amp/cords/wires/pickups/etc. I've interchanged the electronics from that guitar to this one during my troubleshooting, and I only encounter problems when it's put in this guitar. Pots were all grounded together with perfect continuity. Like I said, it's currently only wired with 1 volume pot and that's it. Still loud buzzing and drop in volume output. You said a redundant ground wire? So what, you've got two ground wires going to the output jack? As far as the pickup switch, it's not even in the guitar at the moment.

My first thought is the output jack, so check that first. Then, make sure it is that guitar, by testing other guitars in the same environment. Then, check the buzzing guitar in a different building (friend's house, music store). If you can be sure it is your guitar, my guess it is a cold ground joint somewhere. You can always post pics, and maybe we can see something.

It is definitely the guitar, as I previously said my other ec1000 is dead quiet with same everything. And as far as the cold ground joint, when I've got only 1 humbucker wired up to either 1 volume pot or straight to the output jack, there's only so many solder joints to check lol. and I have rewired this thing half a dozen times with multiple sets of different pots, 2 different output jacks, 2 different sets of pickups and new wire. I have tried everything to pinpoint a wiring/soldering issue, I just don't see how it can be anything to do with the wiring at this point.

I’d also check the output jack. Maybe you have the wires on the wrong lugs.

Also, maybe a stupid suggestion but yes, the bridge needs to be grounded but so don’t all of the other components. If you have the bridge grounded but not the pots you’re gonna buzz.

I'm starting get redundant here, but the jack and wiring is fine. And I currently have only 1 pot hooked up and it shows practically perfect continuity(around 0.0, never above 1.0) from strings to outpack jack ring, bridge to pot, pot to jack, everywhere.


Thanks for all the replies, guys! Could this be a shielding issue? I just don't understand why this guitar would need tons of shielding and another guitar of the exact same model doesn't need any shielding whatsoever.

[Frethead.]

Re: Help with buzzing/humming after switching from actives to passives

I suggest rechecking your ground leads. Make sure you have a ground tied from the bridge stud to the pots, switch and jack.

Did you remove the stud bushing to make sure you have some bare wire lead contacting between the stud bushing and the body?

It can be challenging to remove those, but the trick I use and never heard mentioned is to remove the bridge post from the stud you wish to remove, place inside a 1/4" dowel inside. in my case I have old single coil pole pieces that work very well for this) thread on the bridge post, the stud will make contact with the dowel and proceed to drive out the bushing as your threading with ease.

Then you can check and make sure the bare wires to your ground lead are plenty mashed between the stud bushing and body.

I've also ran into this problem when I reuse old output jacks to a guitar. otherwise somtimes you get a bum jack when you buy a cheap. It might be worth buying a switchcraft jack for that reason.

Not sure what style of switch you're using, but its possible it's become intermittent enough to cause issues.

edit: I would also check the grounds from the pickup coils to the lead ends that connect to your pot. check for any frays etc.

Like I said, I installed the ground wire to the bridge myself. I have since replaced it twice now even though it has always shown perfect continuity between bridge and pots and output jack. Small side note: the bridge studs weren't in there tight at all, I was able to pull them out with my fingers just by pulling on the posts while they were still screwed into the studs. I added a bit of masking tape just to keep them in there snug. Before you jump to conclusions: I didn't fully cover the stud that's connected to the ground wire, the ground wire has a good connection to the stud and is wedged nicely in between the stud and the body of the guitar, and always shows perfect continuity. I have tried it with and without the tape and it makes no difference as far as the buzzing goes.

And as far as reusing output jacks, I have tried the original stereo jack it came with, a brand new Switchcraft mono jack, and the mono jack that is in my other ec1000. Same issue with all 3 jacks.

And again, the toggle switch isn't even in the guitar at the moment.

I have checked the continuity from the back plate of the pickups to all ground points and show perfect continuity.

I did the same to my Ibanez ARZ. I don't mind some hum but, I lined the cavities with copper and wrapped all wires with copper and quieted things down lots.
Each wire individually.

Well I tried putting down a layer of copper tape in all the cavities and I grounded them all together, and I dunno, it might've help a little bit but again it might just be wishful thinking on my part. It's still really bad either way. I didn't wrap the wires in copper tape tho, but the humbuckerss have the single conductor vintage braid, and it's currently wired with only one humbucker to one volume pot, which is connected to the output jack with shielded wire, and the output jack is grounded to the back of the pot with shielding wire.

I'll try and get some pictures posted soon

[nexion218]

Re: Help with buzzing/humming after switching from actives to passives

I might've missed it, but have you tried eliminating all pots from the circuit? Maybe you accidentally fried the pot during the soldering...

[Frethead.]

Re: Help with buzzing/humming after switching from actives to passives

I might've missed it, but have you tried eliminating all pots from the circuit? Maybe you accidentally fried the pot during the soldering...

Thanks, but I have tried multiple sets of pots.


Okay so because I had no idea what else to do, I spent the evening taking out all the copper tape shielding and then reapplying a new layer. I did this just so I could compare it without the tape and with the tape and see if it really did make any difference. I believe it definitely helped, but the buzzing is still there, just not as bad. The volume output still seems lower than it should. Is adding additional layers of shielding just redundant or could it help more? Without blowing up the thread with large pics, here are some thumbnails:







The two conductor shield is my latest attempt at trying something different with the wiring. While I'm troubleshooting and only using 1 humbucker and 1 pot, what should I do with the neck pickup? Leave it out with the neck cavity exposed? Put it in and just ground it or does it even matter? I've tried it both ways and neither seem to make a difference, but I wasn't sure. And I know my soldering isn't great but everything shows perfect continuity

[nexion218]

Re: Help with buzzing/humming after switching from actives to passives

Thanks, but I have tried multiple sets of pots.

I Actually meant wiring it up without pots. Even without a switch. Pickup directly to output. Check for buzz/hum and then start adding elements to the circuit one piece at a time.

[beaubrummels]

Re: Help with buzzing/humming after switching from actives to passives

What Humbuckers are you installing? It sounds like the only thing that hasn’t been changed are the pickups. I would try a different Humbucker.

[Blille]

Help with buzzing/humming after switching from actives to passives

What Humbuckers are you installing? It sounds like the only thing that hasn’t been changed are the pickups. I would try a different Humbucker.

My thought as well but I think he tried these pickups in another guitar and they were ok and he tried other pickups in this guitar and they were a dud. My hypothesis at this point is a curse.