grounding issue?

[mukajetsu]

all I hear when my bass is plugged in is loud buzzing, but when I touch the metal part near the input, the buzz goes away and it works fine, but only while my fingers are on the metal. is this a grounding issue? and if so, how do I fix it?

[Jo6Pak]

I would concur, a grounding problem somewhere. I'd start by popping the screws on the pickguard and check for loose/broken connections in the control cavity. That is assuming there is no problem with the grounding in your household electrical system or that particular outlet.