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Badass Bridge Grounding Help

DRay521

DRay521

Supporting Member
Aug 2, 2007
542
471
Tuscaloosa, AL
#1
Hey guys,

I just installed a Badass II on my MIM FSR Jazz last night, and when I plugged it in I got some significant buzz when I wasn't touching the strings/bridge/control plate. Frustrated, I redid it this morning, moving the ground wire to a different spot to try and get a better connection. It was better, but still not perfect. I then cleaned the ground wire, moved it again, same result. It seems to me that the slight recess on the bottom of the bridge where it says "Manufactured With Permission..." could be hindering a good connection, and the wire isn't long enough to reach a flat surface. Could be that buzz has been there all along and I'm just noticing it under scrutiny, but I don't know for sure. Any thoughts?!? Thanks!

DRay
 
#4
I did notice it was very quiet until the computer in the room was turned on. So in all likelihood it was present before the Badass, but I'd gotten used to it?

In shielding, only the cavity and control plate need to be shielded, correct? Or pickup cavities, too?
 
#6
It's possible, but the pickups are stock from the factory (for now) and I assume they got at least that much right. I have noticed unless the pickups are at the same volume, there's a hum, but I've always considered that a matter of non-humcancelling single coils and insufficient shielding. Maybe I'm wrong...?
 
#7
Touch the magnets, if it gets louder you need to reverse the wires. I do not think that is the case here.

You'll need to shield the control and pickup cavities as well as the pickup covers. If you have surface routing you will want to do the pickguard as well, I am assuming the control plate is metal so it will be fine.

I have a guide in my signature but there are lots of great shielding resources on this site. If you need any assistance just holler and I'll come a runnin'.

Just a tip, don't buy shielding supplies from stew-mac.

As far as the hum you hear when both pickups are not equal, that is 60hz hum. You can remedy that with new pickups or a dummy coil, I would recommend the former.
 
#8
Thanks Diabolus! Yeah I will get new pickups at some point. I've actually been kind of surprised by these stock pickups, as they actually don't sound bad tonally. But I would like to try some others, at which point I'm sure I'll wonder why I waited so long. Ha
 
#9
I like the stock Fender pickups too, once you get them shielded they are pretty solid. If you want to avoid 60hz hum just avoid single coil jazz pickups, get humbuckers. I like single coils, so I currently tolerate 60hz from my jazz but I might change that sooner than later.
 
#10
I have a Nate Mendel bass that I'm having a similar issue with. I saw a picture where a guy had put copper tape down in the ground wire route, soldered the ground lead to it, then ran copper tape up and out of the route and covered the bridge mounting area with copper tape. That's what I'm going to do. I couldn't locate that picture, but the one below is kinda the same idea.

fb.JPG
 
#11
Hmm. I had wondered if maybe some creative use of copper tape might work, but hadn't thought to go so elaborate. If Diabolus is right, which I think he is, I'm not sure how much that would help with RF. Maybe if I've got any copper tape left after shielding everything else, I'll throw some under the bridge too.
 
#12
Arizona Jones said:
I have a Nate Mendel bass that I'm having a similar issue with. I saw a picture where a guy had put copper tape down in the ground wire route, soldered the ground lead to it, then ran copper tape up and out of the route and covered the bridge mounting area with copper tape. That's what I'm going to do. I couldn't locate that picture, but the one below is kinda the same idea.
Click to expand...


That would work just as well. There is no need to shield a bridge cavity
unless it has piezo pickups.

-
 
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#13
DRay521 said:
Hmm. I had wondered if maybe some creative use of copper tape might work, but hadn't thought to go so elaborate. If Diabolus is right, which I think he is, I'm not sure how much that would help with RF. Maybe if I've got any copper tape left after shielding everything else, I'll throw some under the bridge too.
Click to expand...

If you check out my guide, I always toss a strip underneath the bridge when I do a shielding job. Not only does it ensure a better contact, you can solder the wire to the foil so it never pulls out.
 
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#15
that's a waste of your time, since touching the strings does make the noise go away, meaning your bridge is grounded.

internal shielding in the control cavity and even the pickup cavities is your "upgrade path", that's what will reduce the extra buzzing when you let go.
 
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#16
walterw said:
that's a waste of your time, since touching the strings does make the noise go away, meaning your bridge is grounded.

internal shielding in the control cavity and even the pickup cavities is your "upgrade path", that's what will reduce the extra buzzing when you let go.
Click to expand...

I should have shielding tape by Monday, ready to get this taken care of. I'll update this coming week.
 
#17
So last night, I started with this

ImageUploadedByTalkBass1412012339.581462.jpg


and ended up with this

ImageUploadedByTalkBass1412012374.599759.jpg


The work is tedious but I found once I started I couldn't stop, and actually enjoyed it. Gotta put a strip under the bridge and then string it up and see if that buzz is gone!
 
#18
Put a strip on the body, ground wire on top of that, corresponding piece under the bridge.

Strung it up, buzz is probably 95% gone, maybe more. Now I'm hearing more of a light hiss, does get worse when I bring it close to the computer monitor. Also sounds like a fly buzzing past my ear when I touch the poles. Neither sound is bad, but I'm being very critical at this point. Chances are it's all normal and I'm going crazy. Overall it's very quiet, probably nothing I'd ever notice. Any thoughts?
 
#20
nice, but lining the pickup covers themselves is not recommended; if you get too close to the coil with a very conductive shielding material like copper, there's an issue where it dulls the tone.

"eddy currents" generated in shielding that's really close to the coil and the magnets interferes with the string signal getting through to the pickup.

also, that black paint in the cavity was shielding paint; make sure to keep the original grounding screws cranked into the wood so it stays grounded.
 

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