Ground issue witb a strat set up can't figure out.

[Ascension]

My Washburn USA Silverado and just swapped everything and it's still here. Entire harness Jack and dropped in a Retrospect Surfer II Set today. Was buzzing when you took your hands off the metal on the guitar and still have the same thing so? Double checked all the grounds including the claw ground and all are secure. Does not make sense.
Here is what i used on the complete rewire and there is a guy over on TGP that does these dirt cheap with absolutely impeccable work.
CTS 300K volume pot, 2 CTS 250k pots for tone
Wired with one tone to bridge (.022uF cap) and one tone for neck (.047uF cap) - no tone on middle pickup and orange drops.
Oak Grigsby 5 way switch
Comes with wired jack, '57 Fender style ground plate and wired with Gavitt cloth 22awg stranded wire
Only thing I can figure is the guitar like one of my other Washburn USA guitars with the same Wilkerson has a weird black block on the Wilkerson 100. It does the same thing even with humbuckers if the volume is up and are not touching metal on the guitar. I wonder if that funky black block is keeping the bridge from fully grounding? Got any ideas here guys?

[ErikH]

You might be on to something there. Check continuity between the claw and the saddles with a multi-meter, do it again from claw to block, then claw to spring. Checking all points will validate that theory.

[Jack_TriPpEr]

Check if you wired the output jack backwards

[Ascension]

Check if you wired the output jack backwards

It's correct and was the first thing I checked but good tip!
Have that same block on my orange 1995 Washburn USA MG 102 and have fought this exact same issue and checked the connections replaced the jack ect. Block is solid black and doesn't look like any normal block I have seen before and they seem unique to these guitars. Don't know for certain what the material is looks almost like some type of a resin.This is what makes me suspicious of it not properly grounding through the trem claw.

[ErikH]

That's why you need to do a continuity test like I mentioned. That will confirm if it is the block, springs, or both.

Coated springs (if those are) seem to be a thing but that coating can cut off continuity between the claw and the block breaking any ground connection to the claw. Changing one for an uncoated spring or removing the coating from the claw and block contact points would fix that problem.

[nexion218]

[QUOTE=ErikH;n6067557]That's why you need to do a continuity test like I mentioned. That will confirm if it is the block, springs, or both.

Coated springs (if those are) seem to be a thing but that coating can cut off continuity between the claw and the block breaking any ground connection to the claw. Changing one for an uncoated spring or removing the coating from the claw and block contact points would fix that problem.[/QUOTE.]

Good point! I always scrape the coating off at the ends to ensure metal-to-metal contact and continuity!

Also, once I had a weird buzz issue when I accidentally wired the hot wire to ground of one of the pickups. It only buzed though when I touched the height adjustment screw. Still, might be worth checking.

[Hank-]

Is your control & pickup cavity shielded? My Godin Session is not shielded(no paint), it buzzes if I don't touch any metal grounded point. The body is basswood with satin finish & sometimes I can find static electricity related noise issues around the wooden area of the control cavity more so than the plastic pickguard or control cavity plate. The buzzing goes away the moment I touch the strings & my body acts as a shield.

If you are getting continuity between the strings & the outer sleeve ground of a instrument cable, then the grounds are fine, I wouldn't worry about the trem block or the springs coating in that case.

[Ascension]

Thanks guys for the suggestions will look at them all. Cavities are not shielded and I do have copper shielding tape so may try that as well as in the next day or so will be removing the coating from the trem springs where they attach to the claw and block.

[beaubrummels]

If it’s a shielding problem, I believe it would hum whether you touch the strings or not. A ground buzz problem, like Erik outlined, is what would buzz when you let go of the strings.

But to make it more confusing, shields need to be grounded, and if they are not, they do not shield from noise.

[Wound_Up]

If it’s a shielding problem, I believe it would hum whether you touch the strings or not. A ground buzz problem, like Erik outlined, is what would buzz when you let go of the strings.

But to make it more confusing, shields need to be grounded, and if they are not, they do not shield from noise.

My shielding doesn't have continuity and it still works fine. In fact, it worked so well that I initially though I had disconnected a wire while applying the tape because it was so quiet when I got done. Well, I didn't pull anything loose. It was just that much quieter. And that's with zero continuity from the shielding to any other metal part. It doesn't even have continuity with itself in the cavity. Yet it works great. And that's with aluminum foil tape. Not even the overly expensive copper tape.

I'm not the only person who has had these results, either.


Also, the buzzing going away when you touch metal is normal afaik. That's what I've been told numerous times by numerous people, anyway. It's only when/if it's excessively noisy that you need to address it.

[alex1fly]

Coating on the springs or block material, maybe cold solder joints on your ground connections.

[Ascension]

Coating on the springs or block material, maybe cold solder joints on your ground connections.

Solder Joints are not the problem re-flowed them. Will remove the coating on the center spring and check for conductivity later today.

[ErikH]

The only place the coating is needed on coated springs is the actual wound spring sections. The ends where they connect to the block and claw should remain plain metal to maintain the connectivity. They'll still serve the purpose that coated springs were designed to do.

[beaubrummels]

My shielding doesn't have continuity and it still works fine. In fact, it worked so well that I initially though I had disconnected a wire while applying the tape because it was so quiet when I got done. Well, I didn't pull anything loose. It was just that much quieter. And that's with zero continuity from the shielding to any other metal part. It doesn't even have continuity with itself in the cavity. Yet it works great. And that's with aluminum foil tape. Not even the overly expensive copper tape.

I'm not the only person who has had these results, either.


Also, the buzzing going away when you touch metal is normal afaik. That's what I've been told numerous times by numerous people, anyway. It's only when/if it's excessively noisy that you need to address it.

Either the shield is getting to ground when everything is assembled, or something else in the wiring or your environment changed between the initial problem and when you tested later.

Electronically, a shield will not function unless it has a path to ground. The intercepted interference has to go somewhere. Sending it to ground keeps it out of the audio signal.

Here’s just one reference (there are many many more)

https://www.stewmac.com/video-and-ideas/online-resources/learn-about-guitar-pickups-and-electronics-and-wiring/understanding-guitar-wiring-i-4000-9.html

[GuitarDoc]

My shielding doesn't have continuity and it still works fine. In fact, it worked so well that I initially though I had disconnected a wire while applying the tape because it was so quiet when I got done. Well, I didn't pull anything loose. It was just that much quieter. And that's with zero continuity from the shielding to any other metal part. It doesn't even have continuity with itself in the cavity. Yet it works great. And that's with aluminum foil tape. Not even the overly expensive copper tape.

I'm not the only person who has had these results, either.


Also, the buzzing going away when you touch metal is normal afaik. That's what I've been told numerous times by numerous people, anyway. It's only when/if it's excessively noisy that you need to address it.

Your results are great, but it's a lucky accident. Shielding needs to be grounded to work properly, as beau- has said.