Excessive noise with humbucker

[DavidLay]

Re: Excessive noise with humbucker

I'm just as surprised. The only thing I can think of is the alnico magnets maybe being a little more noisy and possibly both pickups being active causes enough cancellation to remove the hum entirely. As a way of double checking, I touched a screwdriver to all 4 bobbins while each pickup was active to see if I could hear a click from the amp and all 4 clicked so I know they're all working. The bridge pickup was a brand new full shred while the neck pickup was a used full shred found on ebay with little use on it.

[RayBarbeeMusic]

Re: Excessive noise with humbucker

The hum is still there when I touch the strings

And it is only slightly less than a single coil? Something is wrong, those pickups do not hum like that normally. Unfortunately, if you checked everything I told you with a VOM and got good results, I'd have to see it in person to go any further.

[AlexR]

Re: Excessive noise with humbucker

?ground loop

[DavidLay]

Re: Excessive noise with humbucker

I think I've already ruled out ground loops. I filmed a video demonstrating the EMG pickups before removing them. The alnico pickup had the same hum to it that the ceramic one did not. I did this with the intent of demonstrating that the pickups work, which I intend to embed in the upcoming ebay listing for them. I will post a link to that here once I have it uploaded. Note that in the case of the EMG pickups, it was definitely in the pickup since when I switched them around using the quick connect harnesses without having to resolder anything, the hum was always with the alnico pickup, regardless of position.

[DavidLay]

Re: Excessive noise with humbucker

Sorry this took longer than planned. Anyways, here is the video I did to demo these pickups. The pickups make a little more noise in the beginning because I'm kneeling and because my car's keychain remote is in my pocket, which I later remove and also start standing up. The full shreds have about as much hum as the neck pickup in this video, which is the H4A. I get a little carried away and riff around a bit but I think the basic point is made. I'm going to do another video comparing the hum levels and tone qualities of the pickups on my other guitars sometime soon as well.


EDIT: Either I'm not using the youtube tags correctly or the embed function is not working. For the time being, here's a link to the video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZzzGghMbgQ

[DavidLay]

Re: Excessive noise with humbucker

I've just filmed a video showing this guitar with the full shreds in it to show how much hum there is and I compare it to my 2 other guitars, one of which I installed invaders in. I'll once again try the embed function but I'll first link the video just in case it still doesn't work. The invaders strangely enough were the quietest of all my pickups. There was practically no hum save for a small bit of inevitable noise. At this point, the alnico magnets vs ceramic are the only thing left that I can think of. If this is a normal amount of hum though I'd also like to know. It's manageable but I'd rather reduce it if that can be done. Anyways, here's the link. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oouLRLwkMxk Once again, I get a little carried away and riff around on the guitars a bit but I think the point is there all the same. Thanks again.

[RayBarbeeMusic]

Re: Excessive noise with humbucker

I and others here have used about a bazillion different alnico and ceramic pickups.

Magnets do not make a difference in hum. Overall design can, but having owned the pickups in question, I can tell you, that is not the issue.

[DavidLay]

Re: Excessive noise with humbucker

Hmm. I trust that you've got more experience with pickup modding than I do. These and the invaders in my ESP are the only ones I've installed over stock pickups. I take it the amount of hum in the video was not normal. I'm pretty stumped, though the hum is at a low enough level that it is manageable, but I would really be happy if I could get them to be as quiet as the Invaders.

[RayBarbeeMusic]

Re: Excessive noise with humbucker

You need to take the guitar to a competent tech. Note the word "Competent". There are far more who are not than who are.

In fact, you might try taking it to a competent amp tech instead, since most guitar techs really do not understand electronics well enough to chase something like that down.

[DavidLay]

Re: Excessive noise with humbucker

I just might have to do that. I live in the San Francisco bay area where there is a good number of music shops and so there may be a good number of available technicians though I don't know how many of them would be considered qualified. I would love to be able to do this myself but I think I'm at the point where it's beyond me. Time for me to do some google searching.

[RayBarbeeMusic]

Re: Excessive noise with humbucker

In San Francisco, see Gary Brawer.

[DavidLay]

Re: Excessive noise with humbucker

Groovy thanks. The intial place I was going to call was Subway Guitars of Berkeley but I'm looking up Gary as well. Again thanks.

[RayBarbeeMusic]

Re: Excessive noise with humbucker

No problem, and good luck. Things like that can be very frustrating.

[Jocelyn]

Re: Excessive noise with humbucker

I know this sounds really stupid, but did you try using a diff cable? I had a very fuuny issue many moons back. I had a JB in a V styled guitar and the guitar sounded fine and so did my strat and LP. Then I got a new 'Green coloured' cable. Since the guitar with JB was my main guitar I used the new cable with it. And I get this strange hum. So I thought it must be a grounding issue. I tried my strat and LP and NO HUM. So I was very sure it was a grounding issue. I checked the wiring everything was fine. So I was confused. Any way just for kicks I tried my old cable and hey no HUM. The hum came only with this new cable JB and amp. not with any other combo. Just try using a diff cable. and plug direct into your amp.

Also as everyone said Alnico magnets have nothing to do with the hum. They dont contribute to the hum in any way.

[Jocelyn]

Re: Excessive noise with humbucker

I am sure your pickups are fine. The Problem came up before you put the neck pickup and and you just the Bridge pickup. I have feeling there may be a problem with the switch. This was another problem I had. before I had installed any replacement pickups, and before this forum had existed. Again the problem was on The V . It has two mini toggle switches instead of a regular switch between pickups. When the neck pickup was turned on I would get a HUM as if the guitar was running into a HIGH gain amp or a Distortion pedal was turned on. But bridge pickup was fine. I took it to the tech the problem was the toggle switch for the neck pickup.
Just try another cable first. I thought about the switch because u said distortion.