Is it ever necessary to shield humbuckers, not just single coils?

[presa_tito]

I am going to install my first pickup myself on a washburn N4. I ordered a "real" Bill Lawrence that just came today. I am asking the question in the title because the 59' in the neck is making a hell of an annoying buzz, so is the fake BL actually. I expect the fake to buzz and sound like shiat, but not the 59'. Should I shield the guitar, or do you guys think it isn't necessary. I'm used to my emg's in my other guitar and those things don't make a peep.
Thanks.

[Robert S.]

Re: Is it ever necessary to shield humbuckers, not just single coils?

You shouldn't have to add additional sheilding to a humbucker loaded guitar.

The noise you are getting is most likely caused by a bad ground, a bad pot or you might have the hot and ground wires on the output jack reversed.

[presa_tito]

Re: Is it ever necessary to shield humbuckers, not just single coils?

thanks Robert.

[sanrafael]

Re: Is it ever necessary to shield humbuckers, not just single coils?

If you are referring to shielding control cavities, etc., using humbuckers does not reduce the need for this. If anything, the need could be greater if you are using 500K pots with the humbuckers, but 250K with single coils. Higher impedance circuits are more susceptible to pickup. Active pickups use much lower impedances (like 25K) and the need for shielding in the body of the guitar is much reduced.

[presa_tito]

Re: Is it ever necessary to shield humbuckers, not just single coils?

So you're saying I should shield the cavity now?

[rspst14]

Re: Is it ever necessary to shield humbuckers, not just single coils?

It's not a bad idea, but it's much less important with a humbucker equipped guitar. It sounds like the buzzing you're getting is a result of a wiring problem.

Ryan

[presa_tito]

Re: Is it ever necessary to shield humbuckers, not just single coils?

I was curious because I'm pretty sure this is how it was wired right from the factory. I am going to shield it just for the hell of it though. It's cheap and won't hurt anything.

[sanrafael]

Re: Is it ever necessary to shield humbuckers, not just single coils?

If you have a serious buzzing problem, a wiring problem is likely. But if you are trying to get "normal" buzzing level down to a very low level so that you can play with as high gain as possible, shielding the cavities, etc. is important, and humbuckers do not help with this problem. Even the pickups themselves must be shielded. On the SD Q&A pages, there is a statement that if you remove the cover from a humbucker, you make it susceptible to certain kinds of pickup. (This is the electrostatic kind, as opposed to the magnetic kind that humbuckers cancel, with or without a cover.) SD quite rightly will sell the guitarist what she or he wants, but it makes sense to use the Q&A pages as a guide to what works best.