Members saddlemaster Posted April 13, 2017 Members Share Posted April 13, 2017 I've been battling the noise on my neck pickup for months now, and I'm pretty much at my wits end. I have a terrible directional hum because of (I'm assuming) awful wiring in the unit I live in. I've taken pictures of the inside of the Vela, and hopefully you guys can help me figure out how to fix this situation. I took the guitar to a local shop to get shielded, I called them after 4 days and they told me there "wasn't a problem in the shop" so they didn't shield it. I told them to go ahead and do it anyway, and this is what the inside looks like. I don't know if this is a good job, a rush job, or whatever due to my ignorance. Hopefully this various hodgepodge of innard pictures make sense to you guys. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted April 13, 2017 Members Share Posted April 13, 2017 Some things I ran into were #1 compact florescent lights. My wife wanted to save money a few years ago and put these buzz bulbs all over the house. Even flouresent lights in the basement affected my amp in the living room. They have since been replaced with LEDs .These work fine unless my amp is plugged into the same outlet as a lamp.No problem turn the lamp off Neon can be another problemA lot of people use copper for shielding so they can solder a ground wire to it. Aluminum works well but it also needs to be grounded.I couldn't tell if yours is grounded or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members saddlemaster Posted April 13, 2017 Author Members Share Posted April 13, 2017 I replaced all my bulbs already, sadly didn't work. Also, I use an Axe-Fx so it can't be the amp, and the Axe is fully grounded. The ground wire runs into the bridge through a hole, that's where it was when I took it apart. Is that not a good enough ground? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted April 13, 2017 Members Share Posted April 13, 2017 I'm assuming you've checked the basic things like the cable and the input jack on the amp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted April 13, 2017 Members Share Posted April 13, 2017 The foil in the cavity needs to be grounded somewhere, What puzzles me is that the pickups are humbuckers to begin with.If the guitar was good in the shop and not good at home and you know the Axe -Fx is good then it must be the cable or an outside source like a nearby radio station or something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members saddlemaster Posted April 13, 2017 Author Members Share Posted April 13, 2017 The foil in the cavity needs to be grounded somewhere, What puzzles me is that the pickups are humbuckers to begin with. If the guitar was good in the shop and not good at home and you know the Axe -Fx is good then it must be the cable or an outside source like a nearby radio station or something? How would you ground the foil? Also, only one of the pickups are humbuckers, the neck pickup is a firebird minihumbucker style pickup, and that's the one with the problems. Not picking up any radio stations, just crazy buzz. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted April 13, 2017 Members Share Posted April 13, 2017 How would you ground the foil? Also, only one of the pickups are humbuckers, the neck pickup is a firebird minihumbucker style pickup, and that's the one with the problems. Not picking up any radio stations, just crazy buzz. The best way I know to ground the foil s to use a small screw through the foil into the wood and attach a ground. The sheilding on the pickgaurd is supposed to be grounded by the pots but they were kind of sloppy in that area, The pots should have been loosened and the foil put underneath at the mounting holes. I had a guitar with the New York minis and it too had "directional buzz" It was minor so I just lived with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WRGKMC Posted April 13, 2017 Members Share Posted April 13, 2017 Your mistake is using aluminum. Aluminum foil has practically no effect on low frequency EMF. You have to have 1/4" or more to equal what a couple of microns of copper does blocking AC hum. Aluminum cant be soldered either, only arch welded. Solder just beads up and you wind up with a cold solder joint. Aluminum foil is used in high frequency transmission cables like cable TV. It will block high frequency interference. It doesn't do jack for AC waves. You need high mu metals like Iron, steel or copper gold or silver. You can put 20 layers of household aluminum foil over electronic circuits and still have the thing hum like a bastard. Get yourself copper foil or use shielding paint which has a high ferris content designed to shield. The aluminum foil you find on Strat type pickguards components mount is there simply to provide some additional electrical grounding and prevent a ground loop. It has no significant effect on blocking hum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mikesr1963 Posted April 13, 2017 Members Share Posted April 13, 2017 If you're powering you pedal board with all warts and have the wires coiled up for looks and space un-coil them and straighten them out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members onelife Posted April 13, 2017 Members Share Posted April 13, 2017 ... Aluminum foil has practically no effect on low frequency EMF. You have to have 1/4" or more to equal what a couple of microns of copper does blocking AC hum... EMF = Electromotive Force = Voltage - the potential difference between two points in an electric or electronic circuit. Are you not referring to Electromagnetic Radiation? Electromagnetic Radiation (EMR) is a combination of electrical and magnetic energy that travels through space. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 1001gear Posted April 15, 2017 Members Share Posted April 15, 2017 FWIW the pickguard doesn't seal off the the cavity shield. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jtr654 Posted April 15, 2017 Members Share Posted April 15, 2017 Sounds like a pickup isn't grounded and a firebird pickup is a humbucker. If your only haveing problems with 1 pickup check the solder joints for that pickup . PULL the aluminum foil out that not going to do you any good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Ratae Corieltauvorum Posted April 20, 2017 Moderators Share Posted April 20, 2017 RF maybe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members saddlemaster Posted April 26, 2017 Author Members Share Posted April 26, 2017 Sounds like a pickup isn't grounded and a firebird pickup is a humbucker. If your only haveing problems with 1 pickup check the solder joints for that pickup . PULL the aluminum foil out that not going to do you any good. What am I looking for when I check the solder joints, to make sure they are proper? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members saddlemaster Posted April 26, 2017 Author Members Share Posted April 26, 2017 FWIW the pickguard doesn't seal off the the cavity shield. Is there anything I can do about that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 1001gear Posted April 27, 2017 Members Share Posted April 27, 2017 You can get copper tape from Carvin or any guitar parts store. If you want to redo the cavity as well, cut the cavity bottoms to fit and line the walls leaving no gaps making sure to create the flange on top. You then need to run a bead of solder all around where the surfaces meet. Do the pick guard to follow the perimeter of the cavity.This will have a slight positive effect but If your problem is proximity to your amp or lighting it won't make a lot of difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members onelife Posted April 29, 2017 Members Share Posted April 29, 2017 RF is electromagnetic radiation in the frequency range that propagates through space. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members onelife Posted April 29, 2017 Members Share Posted April 29, 2017 Something that may (or may not) help would be to solder a wire to the back of both pots connecting them together. From the pictures you posted, it appears that the neck pickup is grounded to the tone pot ant the bridge pickup, along with the strings, is grounded to the volume pot. Connecting the two pots together will ensure that the neck pickup is grounded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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