Grounding an Audere to shielding

Essthreetee · #1 08-23-2008, 09:10 AM

So I just purchased an Audere, installed it, and it worked GREAT!!! However now I think that I need to shield the cavities, as I am getting a lot of noise when I am not touching anything...plus a little popping when I do touch them.

I have searched and read for the last several hours...but I still have one unanswered question.

When I shield the cavities, I know that I have to connect them all and then connect them to ground. But without soldering (I don't want to mess up the Audere) is there a way to connect to ground???? I know about the tab of copper sticking out to touch the control plate...however the Audere plate has little rubber rings around the screw holes.

Do I just take off the jack and put a ring on it soldering the ground to the ring?? Do I just scrape off the rubber ring on the screw hole and let the copper tape touch the plate??? Is there a better way???

SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME.

MohawkHarry · #2 08-23-2008, 09:31 AM

I have the jzd3 with 5 position selector switch and have static while turning the knob and a real annoying chirping sound that reminds me of a mouse on a rusty wheel. My pre is mounted in a dlx jazz with SCN pickups.
Hopefully someone that has solved the problems we are having will chime in.

scottice · #3 08-23-2008, 09:38 AM

Call Dave Meadows directly. 503-645-0250
He's a super nice guy and I'm sure he'd love to help you make his product work for you.

greenboy · #4 08-23-2008, 10:01 AM

Also check out Audere's exptensive FAQs. They are a bit much to absorb on first glance but seem to be comprehensive.

Essthreetee · #5 08-23-2008, 10:15 AM

I read Audere's website...I have tried to spend a lot of time researching this particular question before asking. I don't want to waste anybody's time if I can find the answer first...however all I could find was that the shielded cavities need to be grounded or the noise could actually become worse. I have seen how to ground with the star grounding, etc...but not how to ground the cavities with an Audere preamp...I just don't want to screw it up...I have a tendency to do that...

bongomania · #6 08-23-2008, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenboy

Also check out Audere's exptensive FAQs. They are a bit much to absorb on first glance but seem to be comprehensive.

+1 and note that grounding (or NOT grounding, more often) the Audere is a completely different thing than grounding most other preamps. I went through quite a bit of diagnostic effort with a guy who specializes in Auderes, and he was saying that nearly all problems with them that he's seen were due to improper grounding because the Audere has different requirements.

Also some pickups just don't like the Audere, regardless of shielding or grounding- but first try everything described in the FAQs before giving up. Edit: OK I see your post saying you read a bunch on the website, but if you keep looking there's a lot deeper info in there.

Essthreetee · #7 08-23-2008, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bongomania

Also some pickups just don't like the Audere, regardless of shielding or grounding- but first try everything described in the FAQs before giving up. Edit: OK I see your post saying you read a bunch on the website, but if you keep looking there's a lot deeper info in there.

OK...I will go back and look...but what I found was info stating that shielding may be required. I agree. Then he went on to show proof. I agree. But what I don't understand is how do I connect the shielding to ground?

I don't want to solder to the Audere ground, is there another way to ground the shielding to the Audere???

bongomania · #8 08-23-2008, 10:27 AM

If you don't want to solder then get a piece of conductive-adhesive metal tape and adhere it between the contact points.

Essthreetee · #9 08-23-2008, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bongomania

If you don't want to solder then get a piece of conductive-adhesive metal tape and adhere it between the contact points.

HUH???

Essthreetee · #10 08-23-2008, 10:31 AM

I am looking at the Audere right now, and I may have an idea...let me run this by you all...

The ground wire that goes to the bridge, could I connect (via lug or something) that wire to the shielding????? Would that give me the ground that I am looking for???? And would that do anything bad???

bongomania · #11 08-23-2008, 10:51 AM

OK, the Auderes that I had (module, not Jazz-plate) both came with one "loose" wire that was specifically indicated as to be connected to ground. That wire could be soldered to the metal foil shielding or wrapped around a conductive screw going through the shielding. I mentioned conductive-adhesive foil because it works well enough, but a screw would be better and solder would be best.

maurilio · #12 08-23-2008, 10:52 AM

I'm sorry, but it sounds like you understand very little about electronics, for the sake of the instrument, why don't ask a good repair guy to fix it?

M

Essthreetee · #13 08-23-2008, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bongomania

OK, the Auderes that I had (module, not Jazz-plate) both came with one "loose" wire that was specifically indicated as to be connected to ground. That wire could be soldered to the metal foil shielding or wrapped around a conductive screw going through the shielding. I mentioned conductive-adhesive foil because it works well enough, but a screw would be better and solder would be best.

That was the answer I was looking for.

Thanks.

Essthreetee · #14 08-23-2008, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maurilio

I'm sorry, but it sounds like you understand very little about electronics, for the sake of the instrument, why don't ask a good repair guy to fix it?

M

No need to be sorry. I do not understand much about electronics...but I am a fast learner and like to do things on my own. PLUS I don't have the extra $$$ to take it to someone.

I think I have my answer now, so I am going to give it a try.

Thanks to everyone for the help. I will reply back with my results.

greenboy · #15 08-23-2008, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bongomania

note that grounding (or NOT grounding, more often) the Audere is a completely different thing than grounding most other preamps

Yeah, unlike most preamps, because of the Z-modes, the Audere benefits from coupling the pickups fully to the preamp.

4Mal · #16 08-23-2008, 01:31 PM

Ther is a ground wire on the JZ3. IRRC it is the grey & white one. What I did was to copper foil shield the cavities, then sold a wire to each shield. Those were then soldered to the shield in the control cavity, along with the bridge wire. Then I soledered 1 extra wire to the CC shield and attached that to the Audere ground wire.

I know that sounds like extra work but - there isn't much room left in the cavioty one the battery and pre are installed so this let me use short lengths of light guage wire and keep them down & out of the way. Be sure that you don't solder any of the wires to the shield near the battery - that is a super tight fit and you don't want to take up any more space than necessary there.

stingray69 · #17 08-23-2008, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4Mal

Ther is a ground wire on the JZ3. IRRC it is the grey & white one. What I did was to copper foil shield the cavities, then sold a wire to each shield. Those were then soldered to the shield in the control cavity, along with the bridge wire. Then I soledered 1 extra wire to the CC shield and attached that to the Audere ground wire.

I know that sounds like extra work but - there isn't much room left in the cavioty one the battery and pre are installed so this let me use short lengths of light guage wire and keep them down & out of the way. Be sure that you don't solder any of the wires to the shield near the battery - that is a super tight fit and you don't want to take up any more space than necessary there.

That exactly how I did the shielding on mine (JZ3). I also tied up excess pickup wires with a zip tie (leaving enough length to take the Audere off/on), and used electrical tape to pin the zip tied excess down on the cavity floor. Keeps it tidy & gives precious fitting room for the Audere.

Essthreetee · #18 08-23-2008, 02:49 PM

Well I jsut finished shielding the cavities. Got everything soldered..noise was MUCH less, however now the noise increases when I touch the poles on the bridge p'up (doesn't happen on the neck p'up). So according to Audere's FAQ I should add a ground to the poles...via more copper tape and a wire on the back of the p'up then to the shielding.

Oh, and by the way...I emailed Audere and asked them this morning...I just got a response back...on a SATURDAY!!!! Nice!!!! Good on you Audere. Thanks.

bburk · #19 09-30-2008, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Essthreetee

Well I jsut finished shielding the cavities. Got everything soldered..noise was MUCH less, however now the noise increases when I touch the poles on the bridge p'up (doesn't happen on the neck p'up). So according to Audere's FAQ I should add a ground to the poles...via more copper tape and a wire on the back of the p'up then to the shielding.

Oh, and by the way...I emailed Audere and asked them this morning...I just got a response back...on a SATURDAY!!!! Nice!!!! Good on you Audere. Thanks.

I just got done a JZ3 install and had the exact same problem (on both pickups though). If I touched a pole piece (and nothing else) I got a nasty buzz.

I did some research and found all kinds of different answers for this problem. Paint the magnets with nail polish, put black electrical tape over the pickups, "just don't touch the pickups", etc...

As it turns out, all I had to do to fix it was reverse the pickup wiring... I guess that's what I get for assuming black=common.