Buzz on MIM fender j when select single pickup

[TinyE]

I tried search, and I'm sure this has been discussed, but couldn't find it.

I'm new to the fender j world. Brand new mim.

When I turn the vol down completely on one pickup on my bass, a buzz comes through the amp. Is this just Mexican electronics? Pup replacement? Pots?

Thx!

[Seargant Waffle]

Single coil pickups hum when one is off, it's just a characteristic of the pickup type. They're wired so that with both pickups on full volume, the hum is eliminated.

[tplyons]

Roll the volume on the other pickup on a bit... should make the hum subside a bit.

[Acoop]

Try both pickups on full then back off the neck control just a bit and before you start to hear a buzz then try pucking the strings between the end of the neck and the neck pickup. .....

[Dubista]

Originally Posted by TinyE

Is this just Mexican electronics?

No. This affects American, Japanese, Chinese, Australian, German and Israeli electronics, too.

[FourBanger]

For further information, it is called 60 cycle hum. A 'single coil' pickuo, guitar or bass, gets interference from the electricity running through most electronic wiring.

Humbucker pickups, split coils, and other designs can use an electronic trick to pickup the hum in two different directions, essentially, and they cancel each other out.

[Loud Noises]

Originally Posted by Seargant Waffle

Single coil pickups hum when one is off, it's just a characteristic of the pickup type. They're wired so that with both pickups on full volume, the hum is eliminated.

This is true on Fender Stratocasters, but it is not true for most of the Jazz basses I have played, including my mexican and american standard jazz basses. Also, my jazz bass does hum significantly more in the same settings than my American, which does have to do with the electronics. How well grounded the area you are playing has loads to do with the hum as well. Stages that have electrical current, however subtle, running on them will create tons of hum. Playing a fender jazz, I have literally been shocked while touching both my bass and hitting the microphone with my lips. The hum is electric signal, and in smaller doses is part of what makes the J bass sound so awesome by adding character.

[Scott in Dallas]

Originally Posted by Loud Noises

Playing a fender jazz, I have literally been shocked while touching both my bass and hitting the microphone with my lips. The hum is electric signal, and in smaller doses is part of what makes the J bass sound so awesome by adding character.

Not sure, but I think this has precisely zero to do with what kind of bass it is.

As for hum on one bass or another, you can mitigate some of it with shielding or grounding strategies, but the standard single coil pickup is going to pick up noise, just like a standard unbalanced cable will. It's simple physics.

[groooooove]

high quality single coils will not hum at all when soloed.

shielding helps a ton with this.

also quality wire and pickups, too..

t

[Larry Mal]

So, here's what I know:

Most Fender instruments that have more than one pickup wire them in such a way that when both pickups are engaged, they act as a kind of humbucker. I'm a big Jazzmaster fan, and you can really hear the difference.

I think this started with the Jazzmaster and the Jazz bass, and was later retroactively applied to other Fenders. For instance, if you play a Stratocaster in the positions in which two pickups are used with current models, they will do the same thing.

On the other hand, though, Mexican made Fenders probably have cheaper shielding and other electronics that can add noise also.

[TinyE]

thanks all...
i played a bit, and found if i back off the full just a touch, and don't go all the way quiet on the other, the buzz is tolerable!

[mystic38]

Originally Posted by Dubista

No. This affects American, Japanese, Chinese, Australian, German and Israeli electronics, too.

Originally Posted by FourBanger

For further information, it is called 60 cycle hum. ..

Luckily UK electronics are totally immune to 60 cycle hum

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mind you, that 50Hz hum is a real bitch.

[ggvicviper]

Originally Posted by mystic38

Luckily UK electronics are totally immune to 60 cycle hum

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..
...
....
mind you, that 50Hz hum is a real bitch.

I see what you did there. I gotta say though, once you go NTSC, you never go back.

[mystic38]

i cant agree with this..

IMO there is no true single coil that is immune to hum. you can, of course change the design to create a "noiseless single coil".. but at that point, its not a true single coil...there are two coils.

Originally Posted by groooooove

high quality single coils will not hum at all when soloed.

[mystic38]

alright!..its early and i am on first coffee but i finally figured out what you did there ..........PAL..

Originally Posted by ggvicviper

I see what you did there. I gotta say though, once you go NTSC, you never go back.

[ggvicviper]

Originally Posted by groooooove

high quality single coils will not hum at all when soloed.

shielding helps a ton with this.

also quality wire and pickups, too..

t

I also say this is wrong. Even the "hum-free" SC pickups are stacked or split.