Pickups Pop When Touched

[ReverseFender94]

Hey guys,
I just replaced the stock preamp in my '99 Fender Am Dxl P with an Audere Classic 4. It sounds great, but whenever I touch whichever pickup is on, I hear a "pop". I never had this problem with the stock preamp. The cavity is shielded with conductive paint. If I'm touching the bridge, then touch the pickups, there's no pop. I know this is some kind of grounding issue, but can someone help me in fixing it?

[Stealth]

It's likely the pickups' polepieces aren't grounded. Check the bottom of the pickup and see if the polepieces or magnet are visible. If they are, run a self-adhesive copper strip from them to the cavity, that should ground the polepieces so they don't pop.

If they aren't, I'm not sure what to do, someone else will chip in, I hope.

[ReverseFender94]

But I've never had this problem with the old preamp, and I didn't change the pickups at all. And I get the pop when I touch any part of the pickup, not just the polepieces.

[SGD Lutherie]

The original pickups might have had the start lead (which is where the turns on the coil are closet to the magnet) going to ground, and now the new ones have the start going to hot.

Grounding the magnets will help.

[ReverseFender94]

I didn't change the pickups though. Only the preamp. Could grounding them still help?

[SGD Lutherie]

Originally Posted by ReverseFender94

I didn't change the pickups though. Only the preamp. Could grounding them still help?

Yes. Also, make sure none of the shield grounds are connect to the pickup common (-). With the Audere they have to be kept separate.

Here's some info at the Audere site on magnet noise and shielding:

Audere Audio: Pole Piece Noise FAQ

Audere Audio: Noise and/or Hum FAQ

[ReverseFender94]

Thanks! I'm at work right now, but I'll take a look when I get home. I seem to remember connecting the bridge pickup (-) to ground for some reason. That's probably the issue.