My Les Paul is noisy! Video!
- Thread starter The Dali
- Start date
FretFire
SingedFingerologist
Re: My Les Paul is noisy! Video!
Sounds like you have a ground issue. Shielding shouldn't matter all that much with humbuckers, plus the noise stops when you touch strings/metal. FWIW, *none* of my guitars have any real shielding to speak of, and even my noisiest one (the tele) isn't as noisy as your LP was in that video.
Sounds like you have a ground issue. Shielding shouldn't matter all that much with humbuckers, plus the noise stops when you touch strings/metal. FWIW, *none* of my guitars have any real shielding to speak of, and even my noisiest one (the tele) isn't as noisy as your LP was in that video.
Andrew Lamprecht
Minion of One
Re: My Les Paul is noisy! Video!
+1 I don't have shielding in my SG and it has P90s... they are single coils and they are still not as noisy as your LP.
I agree with FF though, sounds like aground issue somewhere.
+1 I don't have shielding in my SG and it has P90s... they are single coils and they are still not as noisy as your LP.
I agree with FF though, sounds like aground issue somewhere.
Snoogles
Cranky-dologist
Re: My Les Paul is noisy! Video!
.... livin' after midnight, rockin' til the... oh sorry
how about the ground wire from the bridge post or stop-tail post? you got that hooked up i'm sure
edit: i have really bad noise issues with directional hum. does it go away if you turn around 90 degrees? do you other guitars get noiser when you turn around 90 degrees?
i've asked about this question over and over again, and cant get any information other than its a computer/tv/rheostat/florescent lighting etc etc
.... livin' after midnight, rockin' til the... oh sorry
how about the ground wire from the bridge post or stop-tail post? you got that hooked up i'm sure
edit: i have really bad noise issues with directional hum. does it go away if you turn around 90 degrees? do you other guitars get noiser when you turn around 90 degrees?
i've asked about this question over and over again, and cant get any information other than its a computer/tv/rheostat/florescent lighting etc etc
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80's_Metal
Underglazed Hair Metalologist
Re: My Les Paul is noisy! Video!
If you have had it rewired by the shop take it back to the shop... they have the tools and the know-how to fix the hum.
I would also suspect a bridge ground... Tailpiece not grounded to the rest of the wiring... it may looked soldered... I'd undo it and redo it. might take some grinding through to the metal before it gets resoldered....My humble .02 worth.
If you have had it rewired by the shop take it back to the shop... they have the tools and the know-how to fix the hum.
I would also suspect a bridge ground... Tailpiece not grounded to the rest of the wiring... it may looked soldered... I'd undo it and redo it. might take some grinding through to the metal before it gets resoldered....My humble .02 worth.
TheLivingDead
Dawn Of The Shred
Re: My Les Paul is noisy! Video!
Yup, I'd take it back to the shop and tell them what's up.
I saw that too! Wasn't a reflection or anything. Weird.
Yup, I'd take it back to the shop and tell them what's up.
I saw that too! Wasn't a reflection or anything. Weird.
J
Jessie's ghost
Guest
Re: My Les Paul is noisy! Video!
It sounds like your strings aren't grounded. On a Strat, there's a ground wire (soldered to a volume control, etc.) that goes into the trem cavity and gets soldered to the claw. On a Les Paul, the wire goes through a little hole that's drilled in the body from the control cavity to a post hole for the stop tail or bridge. That ground wire gets stripped at the end, and the raw end is left poking into the hole so the insert will press tight up against it and make a good connection. I'd bet anything that wire isn't there or doesn't make a good connection on both ends.
BTW, when you touch the strings, you're grounding them with your body. That's why the noise goes away until you take you hand off.
BTW Part 2: I had the same problem with my Epiphone Wildkat, and I didn't realize it until after I sold it. Lolz.
BTW Part 3: I have those same hot ceramic pickups in my Faded V, and it's one of the quietest guitars I've ever owned. (Aside from rocking the **** when it's supposed to.)
BTW Part 4: You can test this theory by taking an ordinary piece of hookup wire, soldering it to anything grounded in the control cavity, and running it up the outside of the guitar, then wrapping the stripped end around a bridge post. I bet you this has about the same effect as touching the strings with your hand.
It sounds like your strings aren't grounded. On a Strat, there's a ground wire (soldered to a volume control, etc.) that goes into the trem cavity and gets soldered to the claw. On a Les Paul, the wire goes through a little hole that's drilled in the body from the control cavity to a post hole for the stop tail or bridge. That ground wire gets stripped at the end, and the raw end is left poking into the hole so the insert will press tight up against it and make a good connection. I'd bet anything that wire isn't there or doesn't make a good connection on both ends.
BTW, when you touch the strings, you're grounding them with your body. That's why the noise goes away until you take you hand off.
BTW Part 2: I had the same problem with my Epiphone Wildkat, and I didn't realize it until after I sold it. Lolz.
BTW Part 3: I have those same hot ceramic pickups in my Faded V, and it's one of the quietest guitars I've ever owned. (Aside from rocking the **** when it's supposed to.)
BTW Part 4: You can test this theory by taking an ordinary piece of hookup wire, soldering it to anything grounded in the control cavity, and running it up the outside of the guitar, then wrapping the stripped end around a bridge post. I bet you this has about the same effect as touching the strings with your hand.
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Re: My Les Paul is noisy! Video!
There are some reasons why this is the case. it goes silent whenever you touch the strings. That means that you ground your guitar. The reason why you hear so much noise with these picukps compared with the carvin and strat is that these pickups are so much hotter, the push the front end of the amp harder, more output more volume -> more audible noise. This is how it actually should be. There are some tricks and stunts you can pull so you don't have it, but I forgot them. learn to live with it, and close the volume pot whenever you don't play, and don't flick the standby switch.
There are some reasons why this is the case. it goes silent whenever you touch the strings. That means that you ground your guitar. The reason why you hear so much noise with these picukps compared with the carvin and strat is that these pickups are so much hotter, the push the front end of the amp harder, more output more volume -> more audible noise. This is how it actually should be. There are some tricks and stunts you can pull so you don't have it, but I forgot them. learn to live with it, and close the volume pot whenever you don't play, and don't flick the standby switch.
The Dali
MeltedClockologist
Re: My Les Paul is noisy! Video!
Ha! I think that was a stray strand of flying dog hair!
It is funny, there are so many people that have differing opinions about this. I've heard what you are all saying - that the guitar bridge isn't grounded. So, I wrapped a wire around the stop tail post and then ran it into the electronics cavity (on the outside) and soldered it to a ground and it didn't do anything.
On the flip side, I've heard from many OTHER people that it is NOT a ground issue. They say that ground issues would be amplified when I touched the strings. Those people tell me that I have to shield everything to create a "Faraday" cage.
So, it is funny how there doesn't seem to be a consensus on this one...
Ha! I think that was a stray strand of flying dog hair!
It is funny, there are so many people that have differing opinions about this. I've heard what you are all saying - that the guitar bridge isn't grounded. So, I wrapped a wire around the stop tail post and then ran it into the electronics cavity (on the outside) and soldered it to a ground and it didn't do anything.
On the flip side, I've heard from many OTHER people that it is NOT a ground issue. They say that ground issues would be amplified when I touched the strings. Those people tell me that I have to shield everything to create a "Faraday" cage.
So, it is funny how there doesn't seem to be a consensus on this one...
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The Dali
MeltedClockologist
Re: My Les Paul is noisy! Video!
I might. The guitar tech I use does it in his spare time (it is a real business, but he isn't part of a shop or anything). I'm going to send him the video link to see what he can think of... it might be beyond his skills...
I might. The guitar tech I use does it in his spare time (it is a real business, but he isn't part of a shop or anything). I'm going to send him the video link to see what he can think of... it might be beyond his skills...
J
Jessie's ghost
Guest
Re: My Les Paul is noisy! Video!
I don't know, dude. Did you try taking the bare end of the "outside" ground wire and touching it to different parts of the bridge? Maybe it's not making good conductive contact.
I'm pretty strongly against the Faraday cage theory. I've done it to a few guitars, with fanatical precision and thoroughness, and I've never seen it make the kind of difference you're getting when you touch the strings. This doesn't surprise me; the two things are nothing alike.
I don't know, dude. Did you try taking the bare end of the "outside" ground wire and touching it to different parts of the bridge? Maybe it's not making good conductive contact.
I'm pretty strongly against the Faraday cage theory. I've done it to a few guitars, with fanatical precision and thoroughness, and I've never seen it make the kind of difference you're getting when you touch the strings. This doesn't surprise me; the two things are nothing alike.
The Dali
MeltedClockologist
Re: My Les Paul is noisy! Video!
Ok, after more searching on the web I've found that most say it is a ground issue. I'm not sure why, since it happened with the previous wiring too. I guess I'm going to try alligator clips and see if I can find anywhere that would stop the buzz and go from there.
Now, I've also heard about the ground loop issue- which is essentially too many grounds, right? In other words, the ground keeps going around and around instead of out the jack (I believe). So, how would I determine that - the same method (alligator clips)?
Ok, after more searching on the web I've found that most say it is a ground issue. I'm not sure why, since it happened with the previous wiring too. I guess I'm going to try alligator clips and see if I can find anywhere that would stop the buzz and go from there.
Now, I've also heard about the ground loop issue- which is essentially too many grounds, right? In other words, the ground keeps going around and around instead of out the jack (I believe). So, how would I determine that - the same method (alligator clips)?
J
Jessie's ghost
Guest
Re: My Les Paul is noisy! Video!
I doubt the "ground loop" issue is what's really going on. Considering the currents involved, the gauge of the wires, and the distances, it doesn't add up. Star grounding is a nice habit to get into, but I doubt it's going to make or break most guitar wiring.
The ground issue here is, I still think, a simple lack of a ground.
I doubt the "ground loop" issue is what's really going on. Considering the currents involved, the gauge of the wires, and the distances, it doesn't add up. Star grounding is a nice habit to get into, but I doubt it's going to make or break most guitar wiring.
The ground issue here is, I still think, a simple lack of a ground.
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J
Jessie's ghost
Guest
Re: My Les Paul is noisy! Video!
I think it's obvious that the guitar is haunted. There's only one way to find out for sure: Set up a video camera with night vision, in the room where the guitars are kept. If the pool cleaning machine keeps climbing out, then you'll know Gibson's QC sucks.
I think it's obvious that the guitar is haunted. There's only one way to find out for sure: Set up a video camera with night vision, in the room where the guitars are kept. If the pool cleaning machine keeps climbing out, then you'll know Gibson's QC sucks.
V
Varg
Guest
Re: My Les Paul is noisy! Video!
I had a Jackson Kelly with this same issue - rewired it various times, changed pickups various times, and it always hummed.
I gave up and just lived with it in the end (then I sold it, not my problem any more :lol: )
I had a Jackson Kelly with this same issue - rewired it various times, changed pickups various times, and it always hummed.
I gave up and just lived with it in the end (then I sold it, not my problem any more :lol: )
GoldenVulture
Braindeadologist
Re: My Les Paul is noisy! Video!
If you touch just the screws on [screw coil ] a pickup that is switched on, without touching the strings or any other grounding, does the hum go away? Same for the pup height adjust screws; Does the hum go away if you touch them? Or get louder?
If you touch just the screws on [screw coil ] a pickup that is switched on, without touching the strings or any other grounding, does the hum go away? Same for the pup height adjust screws; Does the hum go away if you touch them? Or get louder?
The Dali
MeltedClockologist
Re: My Les Paul is noisy! Video!
I would normally agree with this, but the same thing happened when I had Fralin PAFs installed, which are much lower output pickups.
I would normally agree with this, but the same thing happened when I had Fralin PAFs installed, which are much lower output pickups.
The Dali
MeltedClockologist
Re: My Les Paul is noisy! Video!
LOL. I have a sneaking suspicion that "it's just the guitar". I'm going to test all the connections today and see if there is any cold solder joint.
Otherwise, I might visit the morgue and procure a finger that I can superglue to the bridge.
LOL. I have a sneaking suspicion that "it's just the guitar". I'm going to test all the connections today and see if there is any cold solder joint.
Otherwise, I might visit the morgue and procure a finger that I can superglue to the bridge.
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