Hum dissapears when I touch the strings ... an ongoing query

[stratoclutter]

So before you all ask.

1 - My guitar is perfectly grounded, I have checked the grounding to the bridge, I have checked the pots.
2 - PRS Custom 24 with custom low output SDs
3 - Yes the hum dissapears when I touch the strings, what bothers me is the slight crackle at times.

I have rewired the guitar with high quality braided and shielded wires, all my cables are high quality and tested for grounding and shielding.

1 - I was told this is normal, but I am a problem solver and notice a few of you have said you've experienced success when shielding the pickup cavity with copper tape and grounded to the shielding.

Is this the case ? I see these threads usually die down once someone tries a solution

 

[Kais]

Re: Hum dissapears when I touch the strings ... an ongoing query

I have the exact same issue, and have not been able to figure out the source of noise. I also heard the copper shielding would possibly solve the issue but have not tried it yet

 

[uOpt]

Re: Hum dissapears when I touch the strings ... an ongoing query

No, a crackle is broken something.

Pots?

Does it go away if you connect one pickup directly to the output plug?

 

[AlexR]

Re: Hum dissapears when I touch the strings ... an ongoing query

+1 for pots....you said you rewired with new wire, but still with the existing pots??

How about the jack?? have the connections here been looked at - the mechanical ones too?

 

[darthphineas]

Re: Hum dissapears when I touch the strings ... an ongoing query

Its magic. Never take your hand off the strings or the magic stops.


Sent from my armored battle station using Tapatalk

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Hum dissapears when I touch the strings ... an ongoing query

I have a guitar that does the same. and a very well respected tech here in town told me this is normal cuz I was running abit of gain. when strings not muted, signal getting to amp. I thought it seemed odd, yet kinda made sense. he said if it persists with strings muted or with volume rolled off, then there is a ground issue.

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Hum dissapears when I touch the strings ... an ongoing query

Did you yank the bridge/studs/bushings/etc to make absolutely certain the bridge ground is actually in contact with the bridge?

 

[El Supremo]

Re: Hum dissapears when I touch the strings ... an ongoing query

Does the crackle occur when you start/stop touching the strings? If so, it's just the sound of your body being introduced as ground to your setup. Some Les Pauls in the 70's purposely lacked a bridge ground for this reason (actually mainly for the risk of electrocution).
Did you try plugging your amp in a grounded outlet already?

 

[orpheo]

Re: Hum dissapears when I touch the strings ... an ongoing query

I wrote SO MANY times the same story, I made an article out of this problem.

http://www.seymourduncan.com/blog/the-tone-garage/background-noise-closing-the-loop/

read it. that is the answer. it is perfectly fine. has nothing to do with studs but with us as humans. if a guitar doesn't have this character it means something odd is going on. only THEN you should be worried. Not the other way around.

 

[uOpt]

Re: Hum dissapears when I touch the strings ... an ongoing query

I need a recording of that crackle that doesn't disappear when touching the strings.

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Hum dissapears when I touch the strings ... an ongoing query

Maybe we need to clarify. If it's a loud obnoxious hum that sounds not merely like 60Hz hum but as if the baseplate and cover of the pickup are soldered to the hot lead and this Satanic buzz goes away only when you touch the strings, then there's a ground problem. If it's something barely noticeable (that may be exaggerated by the rigs of those who use heavy gain) then okay.