Hot Rails problem

L

LiquidWizard

New member
OK, so I bought a SD Hot Rails to put in the bridge position of my Squier Strat. I followed the instructions and had no problems. The pickup works as it should except when I'm using really heavy distortion and I'm not touching the strings I get a sort of a hum, only it sounds like an amp whih is turned on with distortion but the cord isn't connected to a guitar. When I touch the strings, or any metal part of the guitar for that matter - be it bridge ot whammy arm, the hum disappears. It's not distortion hum or feedback because I have my Noise Gate maxed out. I checked the places I soldered and everything seems to be in place. What could be wrong?
 
Re: Hot Rails problem

Thats normal, i wouldnt worry about it, now if it buzzed even when you were touching a metal part it would be a problem. Its a ground thing... gotta ground the guitar with your body.
 
Re: Hot Rails problem

Well, typically the HR does not hum. It is a humbucker.

How does the output compare to the other pickups? Would/does it improve if the pickup height is lowered?

Am I understanding correctly that it only hums with heavy distortion? If so, it could just be magnifying the hum from the distortion into the amp. Or it could be magnifying a ground hum from a bad connection.
 
Re: Hot Rails problem

You have a ground issue.

Re-heat all the solder joints grounding the strings to the body.
 
Re: Hot Rails problem

Turned out I did solder it badly. I had a ground loop because of a really small soldered part which I didnt see on the volume pot. So now the hum is gone.
 
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