Jazz Bass Plus Lace Sensor Hum

[Mike51]

I have a Fender Jazz Bass Plus V with Lace Sensor pickups. I'm getting what seems to be the typical single coil hum that's driving me nuts. Does anyone know if this is normal for these p'ups? If so, what are the alternatives for noiseless replacement p'ups? Lace Transensors?
The bass was designed around the original Lace p'ups, they're both the same size, the dimensions are smaller than other 5-string pickups and without a pickguard I can't risk purchasing another brand of p'ups to find they won't fit into the routes in the body or may not be compatable with the original preamp.
I've checked the pickup connections, battery, cable, tried other amps and everything is fine.
Other JB Plus owners out there?

[Jim C]

Can't help you regarding the active side, but have some Fender Lace Sensors (silver lettering) on a jazz bass.
Thought they were humbucking pups at first as they are very quiet used together or singularly. With just the bridge pup, I can get som 60 cycle hum close to the amp but disappears when bass is 2' away.

I would check the bass preamp or grounding as mine are very quiet even when I use a dbx compressor to add large amounts of gain as the pups don't have enough guts to drive the front end of an svt3pro (with voulme up full). Great tone though

[Mike51]

Hey Jim,
My pickups have gold lettering and the bass is form the early 1990's. I tried disconnecting the neck pickup from the preamp and connected it with clip leads to the jack, so bypassing the preamp and still got hum. While playing if I turn away from the amp at a certain angle the hum will be reduced. I emailed the Lace techs but they haven't replied and admit that they cannot respond to every email.

[spongebob1981]

I have a P-plus and no huming for me. I think the lace sensors there are silver lettered.
blind shooting: checked for insulation of the controls chamber? aluminum foil/tape works wonderfully.
You could also check them with an Ohmeter for shorts but I dont know the readings you should look for.
Good luck

[Nedmundo]

Lace Sensors are significantly noise reduced, but they're not hum-cancelling. They reduce noise with elaborate shielding, but they are pure single coils and will hum if there's enough interference.

On the guitar side, I've read that some players with Lace Sensors will get lots of hum in particular venues, where they'll switch to a full humbucking guitar. I have Lace Sensors in my SSS Strat, and I've never detected any hum, even in places where my Jazz bass will sound like a beehive.

[brandtb]

No, your experience is not unique. My '90 J+ has some hum as well, especially when I am using compression. I notice it more when my left hand is off the strings, and it quiets down but does not totally disappear when I put the hand back.

I don't recall having that hum before -- I've only noticed it in the last year -- after I went to some more powerful amps. Not sure if it is coincidence, or the instrument showing some age.

Very interested in the conclusions of others here, keep the good info coming.