Bizarre Huming Alnicos

[Dovecroft]

Hey guys,

I've got a little problem with an Alnico Pro II I brought second hand and fitted to my LP Classic at the bridge. It was a 4 wire connection, and the guy I brought it off had shortened the wiring, so I had to lenghten it again, but made sure I tightly soldered the wires together and covered them in insulator tape. I ended up wiring the bloody thing Green/Bare earth, White/Red together soldered and taped, Black hot.

Problem is, I still get loads of hum. I read up here and saw all the usual factors, so yesterday I was restringing and opened up to check the solder and connections. Everything was in place, but I noticed that when held vertically the pup stops humming, but starts to hum again when I hold it horizontally. I held the wire down to check it wasn't a connection being affected, and this still occured.

Any thoughts? I'm using the stock pots and running straight to an old Marshall JCM 800. The hum only occurs when I'm cranking the gain, but it's really, REALLY loud and you can still hear it dimly under the sound when I'm playing. Compared to my stock neck pup, it's really buzzing like a madman.

Any help would be greatfull recieved.

Cheers

 

[Artie]

Re: Bizarre Huming Alnicos

Even a humbucker isn't absolute in the right conditions. If I sit facing my computer monitor, I get hum. Perpendicular, I don't. It just depends on how strong the "field" is around you. If it cancels in one direction, you know its wired correctly. Now, its just a matter of where you sit - unfortunately.

btw - Welcome to the forum.

Artie

 

[Dovecroft]

Re: Bizarre Huming Alnicos

Cheers. I'll try wandering round my room tonight with it on and see if I can find a haven from the buzz.

 

[Foeburner]

Re: Bizarre Huming Alnicos

Hmm try to put some metal wrappin around the solder-point and ground it. It should lead the space-hum/buzz to the ground :dance:

 

[octavedoctor]

Re: Bizarre Huming Alnicos

Hmm try to put some metal wrappin around the solder-point and ground it. It should lead the space-hum/buzz to the ground :dance:

I was going to suggest that. Often people forget that the sheilding has to be continuous. It's not enough for the two separate parts of the screen to be joined.

I have an old CRT iMAc in my workshop and whe that's on EVERYTHING buzzes! :laugh2:

 

[bryvincent]

Re: Bizarre Huming Alnicos

in my experience, the less the strength/magnetic field of the magnet in a pickup, the more it is to pickup interference. this is noticeable when changing from a ceramic HB (like a Super distortion for example) to an A2 HB(like the Alnico II Pro).