Weird buzzzing with my '81 Rickenbacker 4001

metallicafan18 · #1 09-29-2010, 04:45 PM

So today I put a single coil pickup (strat pickup) in the spot of the foam mutes of my Rickenbacker 4001. I have noticed a weird buzzing before, but now it's more noticeable with a high output pickup.

What the problem is I am getting a constant buzz/hum/ When I touch either the neck or bridge pickup(or bridge pickup harness) the buzz goes away. Touching the strings or bridge does not make the buzz go away. I checked all of the grounding and everything seems to be attached well, as well as the ground wire attached to the bridge. (Thus why touching the bridge and strings does not stop the buzzing)

I assume one of the pickups is wired wrong or something which is why touching the pickups stops the buzz.

Any help??

metallicafan18 · #2 09-29-2010, 05:10 PM

I also just noticed that if I touch the input jack, any of the pots, or the pickup selector, the buzzing stops.

What could this be?

metallicafan18 · #3 09-29-2010, 08:20 PM

anyone?

Tarrbot · #4 09-30-2010, 08:10 PM

Sounds like a classic grounding issue.

Are any of your solder points dull looking? They should be shiny.

Floyd Eye · #5 09-30-2010, 08:18 PM

It's 60 cycle hum. Very common with single coil pickups.

walterw · #6 09-30-2010, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by metallicafan18

Touching the strings or bridge does not make the buzz go away.

Quote:

Originally Posted by metallicafan18

I also just noticed that if I touch the input jack, any of the pots, or the pickup selector, the buzzing stops.

your bridge is not grounded.

62Jazzbass · #7 09-30-2010, 10:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by walterw

your bridge is not grounded.

Exactly.

YOU are grounding it when you touch the jack, pots, etc. That's why the buzzing stops.

Ric5 · #8 09-30-2010, 10:38 PM

When you removed the mechanical mute there was a wire soldered to it. That was a ground wire. You need to have a wire soldered to the casing of one of the pots and have it also firmly connected to the bridge. When I put a pickup in the mechanical mute slot I take the ground wire and solder a washer to it. Then when I replace the bridge/tailpiece assembly I thread one of the screws through the washer. Then when it is screwed down it makes a good connection for grounding.

Floyd Eye · #9 10-01-2010, 04:02 AM

Wrong. Mine buzzes sometimes and touching the strings or the bridge stops it and the bridge definitely IS grounded. It's the single coil pickups. But instead of taking my word for it, go to the Ric website and do a search. There is an extensive thread about this issue over there.

Tarrbot · #10 10-01-2010, 05:00 AM

But what you're saying happens to yours and what he's saying are two different things.

You touch your bridge and strings and it stops.

He can touch the bridge or strings and it doesn't stop. Only when he touches his jack, pots or pickup selector does it stop.

He is creating the ground connection when he does that.

No need to be irritated over this. We're all trying to help here. But you are describing a different issue which is why I said it was a classic grounding issue.

dmusic148 · #11 10-01-2010, 05:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Floyd Eye

Wrong. Mine buzzes sometimes and touching the strings or the bridge stops it and the bridge definitely IS grounded.

Umm, maybe you should read the OP's first and second posts again?

Obviously, very obviously, his bridge is not grounded.

While I'm at it, I might as well point out something that lots of folks overlook.
If your bass is properly grounded, every single metal part is connected to ground. To the wall outlet, in fact. Exceptions I'm aware of are certain EMG setups, where string/bridge grounding isn't required.

Don't believe it?
Get a meter and set it to Continuity.
Plug your power cable into your amp. Leave the other end free (Don't plug into the wall outlet).
Set the amp's power switch to ON.
Plug your (properly grounded) bass into your amp.

Now, connect one meter lead to the ground (3rd) pin of the amp's power cord, and connect the other meter lead to any metal on your bass. Observe the result on your meter.

metallicafan18 · #12 10-01-2010, 12:52 PM

I've taken the ground wire that was soldered onto the mute bar, and I have it pressed between against the bridge and the body. I like the idea of soldering it onto a washer though. I will do that for a more secure connection.

FaithNoMan · #13 10-16-2011, 03:46 AM

Sorry to re-awaken this thread, but I have the same EXACT problem with my 4003.

I just bought a new trebly preamp and this bass is very noticeably humming away if I'm not touching the jack, pickup surround, etc. Touching the bridge/strings does NOTHING(just like OP).

I just need to know the best way to go about this, as I'm very cautious about removing all the strings at once. I do have a 2003 "baseball bat neck" 4003 though, and the neck has been extremely stable.(I've put together a bass or two and am pretty handy with a soldering iron, btw)

Calling Jeff(Ric5) or Walter!

Thanks in advance

P.S. - I guess I should add that I took out the mute adjustment screws a while back b/c I used to hit my pinky against one of them whilst picking - I wonder if they were the sole connection to the bridge from the ground(that I heard is attached under the mute?)...

walterw · #14 10-16-2011, 12:59 PM

don't worry about removing all the strings, that won't hurt a thing.

find a spot under the bridge where you can stick a groundwire and it gets pressed down by the re-installed bridge, done.

FaithNoMan · #15 10-16-2011, 10:54 PM

Thanks Walter!

I'm not afraid to tear into my P bass, or my other Fenders/Fender types I've had before, but the Ric is like... my baby

This helps to give me more confidence.