Pickup problems..

[Dave_Mcpherson]

I recently installed some Mightymite pickups in my brothers guitar....The sound is coming through fine, but there is a buzzing in the background accompanied by a siren-type noise(quiet)....can someone PLEASE help me!?...I really need to get this fixed!!! Thank you :-D

 

[octavedoctor]

Re: Pickup problems..

I recently installed some Mightymite pickups in my brothers guitar....The sound is coming through fine, but there is a buzzing in the background accompanied by a siren-type noise(quiet)....can someone PLEASE help me!?...I really need to get this fixed!!! Thank you :-D

Which mighty mites?

Humbuckers or single coils?

We need as much info as possible please!

Does the buzz get less if you touch a metal part of the guitar, or worse, or not change?

 

[Dave_Mcpherson]

Re: Pickup problems..

Finally a reply! lol...it's two humbuckers. And the buzz is consistent, if you touch the pickups or play..it stays the same. The siren-type noise aswell as the buzzing, sounds kind of like a police car/ambulance, but it's quieter than the buzzing. But the pickups do pickup the guitar, it just has the buzzing there constantly....

 

[octavedoctor]

Re: Pickup problems..

OK, it sounds as though you are missing the connection between the bridge and the earth circuit. This is necessary and uses your own body as a screen to reduce noise.

If you have a meter, check for electrical continuity between the bridge/tailpiece and the pot casings. Also make sure that all the pot casings are linked. This sort of earthing problem can be caused by all sorts of things and the only way around it is to be meticulous about linking all earth points.

A lack of screening can also cause this problem but it will be masked if the
bridge earth is disconnected.

 

[Dave_Mcpherson]

Re: Pickup problems..

I don't have a meter, unfortunately. I'm doing this by myself because my local music store are arrogant idiots..the last time i took my guitar in to get Seymour Duncan pups installed, they took weeks and broke both my volume knobs, and still charged me full price. So, i decided to do it myself. Anyhow..Is it possible that when i connected the earth wire, that it wasn't done properly? I read that you need a really good connection, and this could quite possibly be my error. What do you think?? Also, what's screening??...I'm sorry that i seem like i don't know what i'm doing. lol..i've done everything right apart from this, and considering this is my first time..i'm surprised it works at all! Thank you for all your help! Your very VERY kind :-D.

 

[octavedoctor]

Re: Pickup problems..

I don't have a meter, unfortunately. I'm doing this by myself because my local music store are arrogant idiots..the last time i took my guitar in to get Seymour Duncan pups installed, they took weeks and broke both my volume knobs, and still charged me full price.

I'm shocked. I would have expected them to at least replace the knobs at their own expense. Accidents do happen (particularly with the acrylic speed knobs which tend to fuse to the splines because the factories install them before the backing resin which gives it its colour is fully cured) but a reputable repairer would value their reputation more than the couple of quid it'd cost to replace them. Name and shame, I would, here and now!

Anyhow..Is it possible that when i connected the earth wire, that it wasn't done properly? I read that you need a really good connection, and this could quite possibly be my error. What do you think??

It's possible that it could be a dry joint, but all your solfder joints should be good anyway, not just that one.

More likely, if you are sure the solder joint is OK, that the connection at the other end is broken.

What type of guitar is it? (I'm off to bed now BTW so you won't get a reply til tomorrow )

 

[Dave_Mcpherson]

Re: Pickup problems..

Haha! The company is called "Rimmers Music"...i'm sure they are good, but..the people in "Southport" Rimmers Music are rubbish! I really really despise them. They're so arrogant and just seem like they don't care about thier customers at all...i've told everyone i can how bad they are...lol...They didn't replace the knobs, they put the old ones back on....but they didn't put them on straight which is so annoying. They didn't even tell me! I noticed once i got it home....I wouldn't of bothered so much, but you know. They did a rubbish job. And charged me £40 for it!! Ridiculous..anyhow, i'll make sure EVERY wire is connected properly, and that the white wire is connected. The guitar make is Stagg and the model is X300-Warlock style....i have to say, the wiring in it seems very awkward compared to the SG/Les paul wiring. I don't get why it's more complicated, surely it's easier to wire it in a simple way? And would save money? Rather than having tons of wires....blah..lol..it's just irritating me. I'll go and see what i can do, and tell you what happens tomorrow! Thank you very very much for your help!

Alex

 

[Dave_Mcpherson]

Re: Pickup problems..

I tested connecting the white wire again, and it stays the same. No changes. But when i touch the bridge, the buzzing stops slightly! So..what do you think????? lol..i'm so stuck on this.

 

[Jeffrec]

Re: Pickup problems..

I agree with Octavedoctor's advice. The fact that it stops or becomes quieter when you touch metal suggests a grounding problem. Check this, and try re-soldering the joints as was suggested. I know it's a pain, but you'll be that much happier when it's fixed.

Too bad about the music store experience. We get the same crap here in the U.S. with the big chains like Guitar Center. Shop around for another store if you can. I wouldn't give those boneheads another dime (or the equivalent in UK currency:laugh2: )

Good luck,


Jeff

 

[Dave_Mcpherson]

Re: Pickup problems..

Okie, i re-connected the grounding wire, but it stays the same. Could it be a problem with the other wires??? I'll try re-connecting them all. Thank you for all your help .

Alex

 

[Dave_Mcpherson]

Re: Pickup problems..

Ok! I solved the grounding problem, the siren-type noise has gone and the buzzing isn't as bad, but the buzzing is still there!! Now...i have no idea how to solve this. Some help please!! Thank you .

Alex

 

[octavedoctor]

Re: Pickup problems..

I tested connecting the white wire again, and it stays the same. No changes. But when i touch the bridge, the buzzing stops slightly! So..what do you think????? lol..i'm so stuck on this.

This actually indicates that the bridge earth is working fine; the absence of any change would indicate that this was disconnected.

The sound you are describing is symptomatic of normal functioning in a guitar that has no, or inadequate, electromagnetic screening.

What is happening is that the wiring inside the guitar's control cavity is picking up electromagnetic radiation from the environment; fluorescent lights, computers, mobile phones etc are the culprits.

The bridge earth is only a partial solution to this problem; it reduces the buzz, but only when you touch it.

The solution is to screen the inside of the control cavity with a conductive paint, ideally graphite with a high solids loading. Unfortunately you can't just go into a shop and buy this stuff and because it contains volatile flammable solvents i can't even send you some in the post, but if you e-mail me i can give you the formula and I can sell you some graphite so you can make your own.

What the screening paint does is enclose the control circuitry in a "Faraday cage", isolating it from external sources of EM radiation. It's usually completeed by a layer of aluminium foil on the scratchplate. Use of good quality screened cable and meticulous attention to your workmanship will also help, keeping lengths of unscreened wire to a minimum.

THe most common reason for failure of the EM screening is lack of attention to one of the most important details: the screen must be connected to the earth circuit. I've seen many people, unimpressed by my (very reasonable) price for this service, go away and try to do it themselves only to find they have made things worse by using bits of aluminium foil stuck in place with double sided tape or worse, Evo-Stik :laugh2:, only to find that the disconnected screen makes the noise worse by capturing the EM radiation and intensifying it...

What make of guitar was it again? I can't find a mention of it in the history...

Oh I see, it's a Stagg; well there you go. no screening in anything that downmarket, there's your problem.

I don't think it's anything you've done wrong, it's just the quality of the guitar.

Make it better.

 

[Dave_Mcpherson]

Re: Pickup problems..

Well where do i buy this stuff then? And how much would it cost???? Will there be any dangers in using it? e.t.c...Thank you for your help!!! :-D

Alex

 

[octavedoctor]

Re: Pickup problems..

Well where do i buy this stuff then? And how much would it cost???? Will there be any dangers in using it? e.t.c...Thank you for your help!!! :-D

Alex

You'd need to exercise some basic precautions. Graphite isn't toxic but it isn't good stuff to get in your lungs and it creates an unholy mess.

I use nitro-cellulose lacquer as a binder, but there is no reason why you couldn't use other materials, I've even used an acrylic floor polish...

I can supply you with the graphite, I'll PM you my e-mail and phone number and we'll fix a deal, maybe a fiver to cover my costs and i'll divulge the strictly-confidential-if-i-tell-you-i-will-have-to-kill-you recipe...