dimebucker problems

B

blinkknot

New member
i while back i purchased a dimebucker for a project i was working on. i tried to installed the pickup myself seeing that it was something i really wanted to do for the first time.

so i followed the diagram supplied on SD site. step by step. after the installation i plugged it in and their was a buzz sound. the second i touch the bridge, machine heads or jack plate (any metal part) the buzz goes away... so i thought - earth problem! re-soldered all the points and checked everything. still had the problem.

so i decided to take it to a "pro" (local guitar store) told them the whole story and they took it in. 3 or 4 days later they phoned me and said i could come get my guitar. Got their and asked if i could quickly test it. They said sure no probs... still had the problem with the buzzzzzzzzzz... so they still have it.

i just want to know if the problem still occurs when i get it back what can it be?? could it be the pick-up itself??
 
Re: dimebucker problems

Hi,
Maybe you have the jack wires "switched" ? Check that.
And also, check the ground wire that is connected to the guitar´s bridge ( it´s used to eliminate the buzz ). You should have one.

Then, re-check everything in the pickup wires. They are a bit fragile.

Good luck.
 
Re: dimebucker problems

thanks franco...

but ive got the ground wire connected to the bridge and the jack wires are correct... trust me ive been over them more than 10 times.... this thing is driving me crazy.

if anyone can confirm that it will not be the pickup where the problem is then ill be happy
 
Re: dimebucker problems

My Squier used to have that problem before I got a bunch of stuff done to it. I'm not a pro, but I'm wondering if shielding tape would make a difference.
 
Re: dimebucker problems

Hi there

I came across this old post of yours as I have the exact same problem, got it installed into my new Gibson V and me and my guitar tech cant find whats causing the loud humming, buzzing and feedback, made even worse when used with distortion. Again like yours this disappears when you touch the bridge or anything metal on the guitar.

I was wondering/hoping if you ever got yours fixed or found out what the problem was. Was the pickup faulty? We have been through the guitar wiring twice now adn rewired it but it makes no difference.

Hope you can help

Thanks
Rick
 
Re: dimebucker problems

You should also check the continuity of the bridge grounding to the earth. Sometime the wires are brocken internally.
 
Re: dimebucker problems

Both cases sound like a ground issue, more specifically hot and ground swapped somewhere along the way. The only possible cause for humming to get louder when you touch the strings is that the bridge is connected to hot instead of ground, meaning that if properly wired otherwise the only logical conclusion is that somehow hot is directly contacting ground.

This also explains to an extent teh excessive baseline hum, as the hot and ground swap makes the guitar into an antenna with tone controls instead of a pickup with shielding ;)

The most common place for this to happen is at the output jack. Fried pots or sloppy solder joints can also be a cause.
 
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Re: dimebucker problems

Hi, I'm a new forum member. I hope I can make a contribution on this great forum.

Can you tell us which guitar and which SD diagram did you use?
 
Re: dimebucker problems

Hi,
Thanks for the response.

My local guitar tech installed the pickup and then re installed it, but still the issue remains. He has also had discussions with his Seymour and Duncan rep who asked numerous questions on the wiring, to which he had already done all of them. So there is definitely no issue with the wiring.
We are stumped, i tried it at band practice last night, and while it was not nearly as bad as before, the problem is still there.

Have the option of sending it back to the company i bought it from, but they will only replace it if they can find a fault with it.

Has anyone else used a dimebucker and not had any of the issues i mentioned above. Im trying to determine if i have a faulty pickup or its just the way these pickups are meant to be

thanks
rick
 
Re: dimebucker problems

I haven't used a Dimebucker, but it's a humbucker - it should be pretty quiet.

I had a Guild Starfire in the shop recently where the neck humbucker had been intentionally wired out of phase. The owner now wanted it wired back in phase with the bridge. There were two lugs on the base of the pickup with connections to the pickup leads and the leads from the controls. Switching the leads from the controls corrected the phase but left the braided wire connected to hot - bzzzzz. The solution was to switch the leads from the pick up coil to the lugs leaving the lug that grounded the pickup cover alone.

It makes me wonder if the braid is shorted internally on that Dimebucker?
 
Re: dimebucker problems

I have nothing to add to the discussion except that "Captain Pickguard" is almost as great a username as "Pastor of Muppets."
 
Re: dimebucker problems

I'm no help, I've got the same issue with a Hot Rails in my Strat.

I wired it up and noticed the buzz but figured I did something wrong. I then replaced the other singles with humbuckers but still no luck. I brought it to the local guitar tech but it's still an issue.

I don't notice the buzz too much on clean settings and it also goes away if I roll the tone knob back.

I'm thinking it may be an issue with the pickup but I don't know how to tell without replacing it.
 
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