P-rails & Triple Shots - loads 'o hum

[snootles]

I've recently aquired a PRS SE Santana II hardtail and decided to put two p-rails and triple shots in it last night.

Prior to doing this the guitar was stock and when plugged in had no hum at all.

All I did was take the old pups out and wired in the P-Rails with the triple shots. I now get hum in all positions. What I don't understand is that the only wires I changed and soldered are the three coming from each triple shot.

Could the problem be coming from the triple shots?

Any ideas?

 

[Evan]

Re: P-rails & Triple Shots - loads 'o hum

This may be obvious, but just make sure that the ground wire from the pickup is wired properly onto the circuit board on the triple shot, and that its properly grounded to the volume pot, other than the obvious I have no idea. And make sure that you dont have any cold solder joints or anything like that. When I put mine in they worked fine the first time.

 

[rts99]

Re: P-rails & Triple Shots - loads 'o hum

In single coil modes there will be some hum. Maybe not loads, but more than you're used to. If you're getting hum in HB modes it implies a ground problem. I don't think the triple-shot itself is causing the problem, however crossed wiring at the tripple shot connector could.

If you're not afraid of a little more soldering....... Connect the pickup directly to the Vol Pot in HB mode bypassing everything else & see if the hum goes away. If it does the problem is in your connections. If the hum remains........... bummer.

I suspect you have a crossed wire somewhere & a little more experimenting should resolve it.

Good Luck

 

[snootles]

Re: P-rails & Triple Shots - loads 'o hum

How do I do wire up to the vol pot? Do I have to take out the triple shot or just put the switches in humbucker mode?

What wire goes where to the pot?

 

[Gingrel]

Re: P-rails & Triple Shots - loads 'o hum

White wire from the triple shot is hot, this goes to one of the outer lugs of your pot. Black and bare get soldered to the back of the pot.

If you want to bypass the triple shot entirely, black from the humbucker is hot, green and bare go to ground, red and white get soldered together and insulated.

 

[frankfalbo]

Re: P-rails & Triple Shots - loads 'o hum

It definitely could be the pickup's bare wire not soldered to the right place on the Triple Shot, or back at the electronics cavity. That is crucial because the 4 wires going to the switches do not establish ground. They are floating. Ground comes from the chassis/shield wire, and it's back at the control cavity where they link up, which is actually quite good for noise because it's a good flow to ground without loops.

 

[snootles]

Re: P-rails & Triple Shots - loads 'o hum

Frank, as far as I know, all I need to do wire the sheild wire from the p-rails to the ground pad on the triple shot and then the triple shot ground to the back of a pot.

Is that correct or should I do something else?

 

[frankfalbo]

Re: P-rails & Triple Shots - loads 'o hum

That's it, so if that's what you've done then that's not the problem.

 

[snootles]

Re: P-rails & Triple Shots - loads 'o hum

not sure if this tells you anything but the hum goes away when the tone is turned all the way down. Is that just because it is cutting out the higher frequencies?

One other thing I did notice it that I get static sounds as well when I touch the string. so I get the normal hum/buzz but also hints of static sounds.

I did resolder all my grounds but it hasn't helped. All wires are insultaed as well.

 

[frankfalbo]

Re: P-rails & Triple Shots - loads 'o hum

Somewhere you're missing a ground connection, because touching the strings should make it all go away, or reduce it. Somehow your bridge and strings are floating or connected to hot, etc.

 

[Gingrel]

Re: P-rails & Triple Shots - loads 'o hum

I had a similar problem yesterday and it turned out my string ground wire had come loose. You might want to check yours is still connected to the bridge properly.