Too Much Noise From JB's, Any Suggestions?

[JimmyTime]

EDIT: Please see my last two posts for in this thread for an update on the problem.







Hey all,

Installed a pair of JB humbuckers into my Ibanez S470L a month ago.

These were my first pair of non-stock pickups I've ever installed or played with.

Noticed how sensitive they were compaired to my stock Ibanez ones (I usually practice sitting in front of my computer desk, noise from the electronics is now unbearable) I figured it just might show up only when I practice, so I started practicing in the middle of my room and the hum went away.

I then attended my weekly band practice, and the noise difference with my same setup from before (few pedals into a decent sized Marshall at the practice studio) was way too much for me to keep the setup.

I wired them in "normally", meaning keeping in the same vein as the stock Ibanez ones were: 5-way switch, two ends select either humbucker, middle position selects the single coil, and the remaining two positions use the single-coil pickup and 1/2 of either humbucker. BTW, if I'm mistaken about what the last two positions I mentioned do, completely open to correction.

Anyway, point is I'm wondering if there's anything I can change to keep the pickups but get rid of the noise, any "tricks" or different wiring schemes.

I was perfectly happy w/ my tone and etc before these pickups, as all I do is play covers in a rock band. But, a friend at work offered them to me for a low price (for the pair) so I figured why not.

I'm just checking to see if there's anything I can do to reduce the noise before I waste another set of strings taking these JB's out and tossing my stock Ibanez humbuckers back in.

Hopefully that's enough general info for someone to comment off of, but, if you need more info about what exactly I did w/ the wiring, or what I'm trying to accomplish, please just let me know.

 

[Robert S.]

Re: Too Much Noise From JB's, Any Suggestions?

Welcome to the SD Forum Jimmy.

First question, how did you wire them in. The color codes for SD and Ibanez are different so this might be part of your problem.

 

[tone4days]

Re: Too Much Noise From JB's, Any Suggestions?

welcome to the forum

are you sure you grounded them properly? and the guitar (bridge) ground wire too? does the noise level change when you let go of the strings vs. when you are touching them?

is the noise equal in all 5 positions of the pickup switch? ... you have to be sure that you split the correct coil from the humbuckers to go with the single coil in pos 2 and 4 ... i do not know the wind or magnetic polarity of the pups you took out, so i can not know exactly how the new humbuckers should be wired

also, i have not heard of a neck JB pickup ... are you sure it is a JB?

 

[Robert S.]

Re: Too Much Noise From JB's, Any Suggestions?

T4D, Ibanez HBs are north oriented, simular to SDs and their middle singles are top south so there shouldn't be any rw/rp issues. I receintly installed a pair of SD HBs into a RG470 and the splits worked fine with the stock Ibanez single.

The color codes for the S470 is as follows.

IB red = SD black
IB white = SD red/white
IB sheild = SD green and plain

If the grounds are solid and the pickups are installed correctly the JBs or any other SD humbuckers should be quiet in that guitar. It is possible that the plastic inline switch or the pots were over-heated during installation and that can also be a source for noise in a guitar.

 

[JimmyTime]

Re: Too Much Noise From JB's, Any Suggestions?

Thanks for the responses and welcomes guys, much appreciated.

I just glanced at it all and definitely caught that there were a couple questions in there, so I'll go back and re-read thoroughly. Also since I'm at work right now I'll double-check my wiring when I get home.

At the time of installation I was able to find both the stock Ibanez diagram and info (on this forum) about which colors correspond between stock and aftermarket pickups. At first glance it looks like I at least got the wiring colors correct. But, I'm starting to suspect that maybe I over-heated something or didn't solder a ground as well as I could have, something along those lines.

I'll update over the weekend with whatever I find out, thanks again!

EDIT: One question I can at least answer from work: As far as a neck JB. When looking up the pickups this guy was offering me, he said they were both JBs. As far as I can tell they are, just two different variaties: the floating tremelo spaced type and the normal trem spaced. I did read that JBs were/are more recommended for only the bridge, but didn't see anything that they were totally unsuitable for a neck pickup. I figured since I was changing one stock pickup I might as well do both, since they were being sold as a set anyway.

I did have a hell of a time stuffing either one into the cavities along with the plastic covers, and have little adjustment with the pickup height. I at least checked the height to make sure I wasn't too close though, or was getting too much distortion when trying to play clean. They sound nice enough with a completely clean signal, but the minute I touch any sort of distortion the noise in the background is tons higher than normal.

Though at the time I figured "well, I already just fit one in there and I'm almost done, might as well stuff the other one in and see how it sounds". Of course in hindsight the smarter thing might've been to ask for my money back and look into getting new, correct-sized pickups for both slots.

--Jim--

 

[blueman335]

Re: Too Much Noise From JB's, Any Suggestions?

Noise = grounding issue. If all the elctronics are in the ground loop, you'll have a quiet guitar. Check to see that every pot, PU, switch, & jack is all inter-connected into one big network that links to the bridge ground. Don't sweat, its a common mistake everyone makes at least once.

I personally don't like JB's in a bridge location, as that icepick tone gives me headaches, but to put one in the neck spot...what are you thinking? Are you all distortion & effects and have an allergic to a good, clean tone? There's hundreds of better choices for a neck PU. The guys on this forum can give you plenty of good advise.

 

[JimmyTime]

Re: Too Much Noise From JB's, Any Suggestions?

Hey guys,

Reviving my old thread. I never got a chance to fool w/ the pickups until last night (a long time in between, I know), as I've been using my old guitar for gigs in the meantime, and finally had some downtime.

Anyway, you'll probably be happy to know I took the JB out of the neck position. I went with a SH-2N Jazz for the neck, and kept the correct-sized JB for the bridge.

After being extra careful of the wiring, the pickups are in: JB in bridge, Ibanez stock single coil in the middle, SH-2N in the neck. Using the stock Ibanez scheme of a 5-way switch.

I detect no noise problems at this time. But...

The problem is the output of the new pickups are roughly 1/2 that of the remaining stock single coil.

In the middle position (single coil only), the guitar is the loudest by far. On extreme positions (either humbucker), very low output. In the in-between 2 positions (ones that utilize the single coil and either humbucker), the output is also very low.

As I understand it (and as it was w/ the stock setup), I SHOULD be getting a nice hot output from either humbucker, the JB more than the Jazz of course, with the single coil coming in a solid 3rd.

I have not changed the way I have wired up any of the pickups, keeping in mind the differences in stock colors compared to the SD colors. So far all the diagrams and help I've recieved have all matched what I've done:

Green is tied w/ bare to the central grounding point. In this case, it is the volume pot back.
Red is tied w/ white to one section of the 5-way switch where the white Ibanez wire went.
Black is to one section of the 5-way switch where the red Ibanez wire went.

I'm not getting what I'm doing wrong at all. Would it be correct to assume that if this was a phase problem, I'd hear normal operation when any one pickup was the only one selected, but my last 2 in-between switch positions would only be a problem? Instead, it seems that every position except the single-coil-only position sounds low.

 

[devilfish]

Re: Too Much Noise From JB's, Any Suggestions?

Hi,

im having the same problem at the moment. if you could visit my thread here:

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?t=129528

and give me a hand with my problems i would be much appreciative, i dont want to hijack this thread i have a JB loaded in a strat a tthe bridge split with the current singles.

thanks

 

[JimmyTime]

Re: Too Much Noise From JB's, Any Suggestions?

Just like the above suggestions, I'd recommend checking all your soldering work. My noise problem is gone now, but I now have 2 humbuckers that are lower in output than my single coil stock pickup (changed the title of the thread to reflect that).

I see that there is a HSH diagram that shows the red and white SD pup wires being tied together and left off of the 5-way switch. But, as I understand it, that would eliminate 2 of my 5 positions, as I wouldn't be able to use 1/2 of each humbucker in the two in-between positions, correct?

 

[devilfish]

Re: Too Much Noise From JB's, Any Suggestions?

Hi,

Thing is it’s actually like that on all 3 of my pickups. The JB hum bucker I installed my self, and the 2 single coils untouched....weird.

If that’s the case would you say it’s the amp or pedal chain?

(visit my thread I listed above for more details on the amp/pedals.)

Sorry to hijack your thread I get moaned at if I start another one along the same lines...hopefully we can sort this out together: D

 

[JimmyTime]

Re: Too Much Noise From JB's, Any Suggestions?

No problem on the hijack, maybe someone will see it at the top of the forum again

It seems like you're trying to trouble-shoot your problem with all your components in place. I'd suggest starting out simple, and be methodical:

plug your guitar straight into your amp. see if you get a nice high volume clean sound. Next try a distorted tone. See if any excessive noise creeps in. If you hear noise w/ only the guitar and amp, you've just eliminated your signal chain (or at least you know you have a problem w/ your amp or guitar).

Get what I mean though? Keep going until you find a noise source. Once you find one, determine whether it's "natural" or a "normal" amount of added noise, such as a little bit of noise from boosting the gain, or if it's unwarranted, such as a high-pitched hum when you boost the gain.