fender aerodyne jazz grounding prob

chrispunx · #1 02-19-2013, 11:27 PM

ok, so my bass has a buzz. when i touch something metal on it, pots, input jack, yadda yadda yadda the buzz is almost non existent. i am assuming that it isn't grounded. when i brought it in to my tech he said he didn't see a chamber that was routed for the ground wire to the bridge. which i found odd. so on a hunch i took of the strings, removed the back cover and took off the screws from the bridge. no in the routed space where the pots are located i found a black wire in a small chamber that was routed under the input jack chamber. so now i remove the bridge to find that it leads to the bridge. but am confused because it seems as though it should be grounded, but its not. so i'm not sure if the bridge is metal or if its not soldered properly. but either way i think i can be grounded. the bridge by the way is a badass bass 2, if that helps any. so my question is, based upon the story, what do you think the problem is and what would the solution be? seems to me like i should have it re soldered with a new wire. but i'm just looking to see if i'm on the right track.

96tbird · #2 02-20-2013, 06:30 AM

Single coils? Yes jazz bass. Welcome to single coil world. Hum happens. New ground wire won't help if the existing wire isn't broken in half. That's not very likely to happen.

In fact, when you touch the strings and buzz goes away and the pickups still work fine proves that the bridge is grounded. You need to shield the cavities or get the continuity of any existing shielding paint checked out. While you're at it, get continuity between all points checked.

Hum, which is what you have going on, can be controlled, but you will always have a little hum. There's a STICKY tutorial at the top of the pickups section that explains shielding.

Bobster · #3 02-20-2013, 08:04 AM

If it buzzes UNTIL you touch it, that's actually "normal". If it buzzes WHEN you touch it, it's a grounding probllem.

To get rid of any buzz when you're not touching it, increase the shielding.

All the best,

Bob

Cadfael · #4 02-20-2013, 10:41 AM

If it doesn't stop humming when you touch the strings

- is the wire under the bridge blank(ed), so that it gets contact?
- you don't use nylon coated strings?

96tbird · #5 02-20-2013, 11:35 AM

"[quote=chrispunx;13909306]ok, so my bass has a buzz. when i touch something metal on it, pots, input jack, yadda yadda yadda the buzz is almost non existent.[quote]"

^ As he said...

Only shielding or noiseless (humbucking) pickups will solve his problem unless the ground isn't continuous at some solder point.

DiabolusInMusic · #6 02-20-2013, 11:39 AM

Tbird is correct, you have a shielding issue. A grounding issue would get louder when metal is touched, shielding goes away.

If you give your bass a proper shielding job the buzz will become indistinguishable from the line noise of your amp.

Make sure you do the cavities and the pickup surrounds. Copper foil tape is sourced locally from stained glass supply shops.