Pole Pieces Hum + Other Questions

Herrlster · #1 07-27-2008, 02:53 AM

I got PJ bass wired V/V/T and the pickups and/or the electronics buzz a lot. They have a constant buzz whenever its plugged in. If I touch the pole pieces on the pickups, the buzz gets louder. If I touch the metal jack plate, the buzz disappears. So how do I get rid of this problem?

sKu · #2 07-27-2008, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Herrlster

I also noticed that if I touch the pole pieces, they make a loud hum/buzz noise. This is annoying because I rest my thumb on the pickups when I play, and my thumb always touches the pole pieces.

When I touch the poles pieces, they make the humming/buzzing noise. But if I touch the metal output jack or jack plate while I'm touching the pole pieces, the humming/buzzing disappears. What's the deal with this?

The pole pieces are not grounded. Thats the reason for the hum. This is quite normal and there is no easy workaround.
The humming should also disappear, when you touch the strings. If it doesn't, check the grounding of the bridge!
You'are touching the strings most of the time I guess, so this would be an easy solution

staindbass · #3 07-27-2008, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Herrlster

I got PJ bass and I've noticed some problems. I have the pickups wired V/V/T. I have a P-pickup in the neck position and a J-pickup in the bridge position. I noticed when both are on the volume is say around an 8 or so. When the neck pickup is on by itself (no bridge) the volume is around a 10. When the bridge pickup is on by itself (no neck) the volume is around a 10 aswell.

Why is it that when they are solo'd they are louder than when they are both on?

I also noticed that if I touch the pole pieces, they make a loud hum/buzz noise. This is annoying because I rest my thumb on the pickups when I play, and my thumb always touches the pole pieces.

When I touch the poles pieces, they make the humming/buzzing noise. But if I touch the metal output jack or jack plate while I'm touching the pole pieces, the humming/buzzing disappears. What's the deal with this?

I use a distortion pedal when I play to get some extra crunch, but if I use my distortion pedal with this bass I get a horrible, louder buzz. The only way to make the buzz less audible is by physically touching and holding the distortion pedal with my foot.

So does anybody have any idea what the problem is? Is it simple or more complicated? I don't know a thing about electronics but I'd like to learn.

i used to get 'the buzz' too. black electric tape over the polepieces cured it. also, clear nail polish (raid yer girlfriends pocketbook) works too. johnny a/staind

Herrlster · #4 08-07-2008, 08:12 PM

Anybody have any advice?

Herrlster · #5 04-22-2011, 01:46 AM

NEW POST

So I haven't really been playing bass for the last year or more but I've recently started to get back into it.

Two of my basses have this electrical buzzing issue. I'll plug them in and turn the tone all the way up and there's a constant electrical buzz. On both basses if I touch the jack, the buzz disappears. When I let go of the jack, the buzz comes back. If I can temporarily get rid of the buzz by touching the jack, there must be a way to permanently fix this problem.

Any advice?

FunkMetalBass · #6 04-22-2011, 02:13 AM

Did you check the bridge ground and pickup pole ground 3 years ago as suggested?

**line6man** · #7 04-22-2011, 02:14 AM

This is quite normal.
You need to get the pole pieces grounded.

Herrlster · #8 04-22-2011, 02:22 AM

Around the time I made this thread (3 years ago? wow) I took my one bass into a shop and they had their tech look at it. He had it for a few days, said he couldn't fix it. So I let the noise slide by ever since.

So all I have to do is ground the pole pieces? I don't have to do anything with the jack? When I touch the pole pieces, the buzz gets louder. When I touch the jack, the buzz goes away.

Thanks for the quick replies.

Stealth · #9 04-22-2011, 06:07 AM

Check the underside of the pickups - if the poles are visible there, tape a conductive copper strip to them, then solder a wire to the strip, then solder the free end to either the jack's outer contact (the ground sleeve) or wherever the bridge grounding string is soldered.

bassbenj · #10 04-22-2011, 06:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Herrlster

Around the time I made this thread (3 years ago? wow) I took my one bass into a shop and they had their tech look at it. He had it for a few days, said he couldn't fix it. So I let the noise slide by ever since.

So all I have to do is ground the pole pieces? I don't have to do anything with the jack? When I touch the pole pieces, the buzz gets louder. When I touch the jack, the buzz goes away.

Thanks for the quick replies.

Note that you have TWO problems here.
1. Hum goes away when you touch ground (jack, strings, metal knobs etc.)

2. Hum gets louder when you touch the pole pieces.

The second one as everyone has noted is that your pole pieces are not grounded.

Here: Audere Audio Pole Piece Noise FAQ

Ok?

The other (1.) is the standard test for shielding. When hum goes away when you touch ground it means there is a problem with your shielding in the bass. (or it doesn't have it at all) The fix is to get some copper foil and shield it. Lots of instructions online how to do it.