And another thing... hum

[ThreeChordWonder]

After changing the pickups on my new Epi Les Paul Standard to SD Whole Lotta Humbuckers, I'm getting a low hum. Not deafening by any means, but annoying none the less. Touch the strings and it goes away. I haven't tried the amp sans pedal board, which is an idea, and the amp is an Origin50, so it's a bit noisy anyway ("that's called "character", sir" being my explanation - it's been like that from new and I just take it to be what tube amps do).

I've put a multimeter across from the back of a pot to the bridge, and I've got a circuit there, so the bridge is grounded for sure. I've also nuked the ground soldering to the pots with my Weller "ray gun" soldering iron, so they're good.

I noticed there are two "mystery" wires left buried inside the Epi somewhere, one red, one green, and I don't know what they're for. I suppose I could go ahead and ground those, but any other ideas?

[playas]

I noticed there are two "mystery" wires left buried inside the Epi somewhere, one red, one green, and I don't know what they're for. I suppose I could go ahead and ground those, but any other ideas?

I'd start there.

[jeremy]

touching the strings and it goes away usually means somethings not grounded properly. does it have nylon saddles or anything like that?

[ThreeChordWonder]

^ Nope, all metal, and the bridge appears to be properly grounded. And as I said I nuked all the ground wire to pot solder joints too. Hence the confusion.

[beaubrummels]

I've noticed quite often Duncans get a bit of low level buzz in my guitars where other pickups don't, despite all proper ground points showing continuity to the jack ground. In some cases, it's a model that has a coil mismatch by design, in others, I have to wonder what's different about Duncans. Perhaps the baseplate isn't grounded (enough)? Come to think of it, I tend to only have this problem with 4-conductor pickups. Maybe double-check the bare wire connection?

[eclecticsynergy]

One thing, unrelated to the ground issue: be very cautious using a soldering gun anywhere near magnetic pickups.
Some gun types can generate a magnetic field powerful enough to partly degauss pickup magnets.
This is why it's best to use a pencil iron for any guitar work.

Ceramic mags don't degauss easily, but alnicos are quite susceptible.

A neo magnet for instance can affect their charge - and the pickup's character - instantaneously, even from several inches away.
Some use this effect deliberately, to soften the tone & attack by artificially "aging" magnets.

But you don't want to risk doing it to your pickups accidentally.

[Erlend_G]

One thing, unrelated to the ground issue: be very cautious using a soldering gun anywhere near magnetic pickups.
Some gun types can generate a magnetic field powerful enough to partly degauss pickup magnets.
This is why it's best to use a pencil iron for any guitar work.

Ceramic mags don't degauss easily, but alnicos are quite susceptible.

A neo magnet for instance can affect their charge - and the pickup's character - instantaneously, even from several inches away.
Some use this effect deliberately, to soften the tone & attack by artificially "aging" magnets.

But you don't want to risk doing it to your pickups accidentally.

...sorry for going OT. But, have you seen those "neodymium magnet picks", that lets you, eh, strum the strings just by its magnetic field.

Imagine dropping it onto your pickup. Smack. Can't be good (no matter what they advertise)



-Erl ♪

[ThreeChordWonder]

It's the amp :-(

Or bad positioning.

[eclecticsynergy]

...sorry for going OT. But, have you seen those "neodymium magnet picks", that lets you, eh, strum the strings just by its magnetic field.

Imagine dropping it onto your pickup. Smack. Can't be good (no matter what they advertise)



-Erl ♪

Never heard of a neo magnet pick - sounds to me like a terrible idea, at least for electric guitar.
Might work for a steel string acoustic though...
I know about the old Ebow and other handheld accessories which induce an electromagnetic field to excite the string.
Same basic idea is used in the Sustainiac and similar built-in devices, though they use your actual output as a source.

But those fields are fairly weak, and oscillating rather than steady - I don't believe they are a danger to nearby magnets.
(Although it wouldn't surprise me if the Sustainiac has a ceramic mag in its pickup side, rather than alnico...)

[ThreeChordWonder]

I've noticed quite often Duncans get a bit of low level buzz in my guitars where other pickups don't, despite all proper ground points showing continuity to the jack ground. In some cases, it's a model that has a coil mismatch by design, in others, I have to wonder what's different about Duncans. Perhaps the baseplate isn't grounded (enough)? Come to think of it, I tend to only have this problem with 4-conductor pickups. Maybe double-check the bare wire connection?

You might be onto something there. My red thinline, with a 4-way, doesn't hum. I had to fit a baseplate ground to the neck for the 4-way, and out of an abundance of caution, fitted one to the bridge as well. Result? No buzz.

Now my new LP is buzzing and so is my just finished P90 thinline.

I may go back in and separately ground all the baseplate. Can't do any harm...

[ThreeChordWonder]

Tried it with the P90 thinline this morning. Dedicated ground wires from the baseplate to the tone pot casing. No joy. I'm thinking it's the amp (Marshall Origin 50 combo). I'll try my MG15 combo later and see if that does it too.

[Securb]

Quick question but do you rest your phone on top of your amp when you are playing? I have had the phone interfere with the amp multiple times including recently when a friend was over and placed his phone on my amp. I would also try plugging the amp in another room.

[Gtrjunior]

I have noticed that when I test my pickups and still have my soldering iron turned on, I get interference that disappears once I turn the iron off…..any possibility that could be happening?

[ThreeChordWonder]

Quick question but do you rest your phone on top of your amp when you are playing? I have had the phone interfere with the amp multiple times including recently when a friend was over and placed his phone on my amp. I would also try plugging the amp in another room.

Nope. Might have "dirty" mains electricity though. Lots of new houses going up nearby.

[ThreeChordWonder]

I have noticed that when I test my pickups and still have my soldering iron turned on, I get interference that disappears once I turn the iron off…..any possibility that could be happening?

Nope.