Bass wont stop buzzing!

[MikeKaperys]

I've got this precision style bass I've recently just finished building. Today I finished the assembly and started the wiring, to find that when I plugged the bass in it buzzed whenever I don't touch the strings (or knobs, bridge, tuners or jack). It has to be a grounding issue, but I can seem to see where I'm going wrong.

I have the one volume and no tone wiring in place. The bridge is grounded to the top of the volume pot, so is leg 3 of the pot. The ground from the jack goes to the ground on the top of the pot, the hot goes to leg 2 of the volume pot. The black wire from the pickup goes to ground on top of the pot, and the white to leg 1 of the pot. The scratchplate is also grounded to the cavity shielding.

Where am I going wrong?

Thanks

 

[Cadfael]

Nowhere ...

It all sounds correct ...

If the cavity is totally shielded - are you 100% sure leg 2 or 1 don't touch it (at the bottom of the pot)? Can you put a piece of paper under the legs of the pot so that you are 100% sure there is no connection?

Maybe leg 1 or 2 touch the cavity only a bit (with great resistance, so that there is no short cut).

The wiring itself sounds okay ...

 

[MikeKaperys]

The entier cavity is shielded with copper tape (even the pickup route is)

Thats something I didn't think about! Thanks a lot!
Would something like plumbing tape do the job? I think the sharp solder would pierce the paper

Thanks again

 

[5StringFool]

I had a simliar problem on my first P-bass build... it was a shielding (due to some loose pickguard screws. I replaced the screws to ensure good contact around the cavity shielding and the buzzing disappeared never to return.

Good luck.

 

[Cadfael]

Yes! Everything that doesn't conduct (that's why I mentioned the paper test).
Something "plastic" - like tape or even "Scotch tape" would do. A thicker foil would be better (more secure again damage). Or Gaffa tape???

 

[MikeKaperys]

Just tried that.. still buzzing :/
I really can't figure out what's causing the buzzing. I've tried 3 different sets of pickups, 4 different pots, 2 different amps, 6 different leads, 3 different jacks and rewired the inside about 8 times.
Really stressing me out. I'm about to buy one of those solderless EMG sets if I cant fix it..

 

[Cadfael]

What's your amp?
Have you tried the bass in differnet rooms (with differnent room circuit - like kitchens mostly have their own circuit/fuse)?
Are you sure that the house grounding is okay?

 

[MikeKaperys]

Laney RB9 with two RB410 cabs. Tried it in my little practice amp too and it still buzzes. Tried it in all the rooms in the house, still buzzing. None of my other 5 basses do it, so it can't be the house wiring :/
I'm completely stumped. Could it be my soldering, maybe?
Thanks again for this man

 

[Cadfael]

Okay! Just asked because there are amps (like my Roland CUBE RX BASS) which have optional grounding. Your RB9 is/should be okay.
Rooms because there might be humming/buzzing in a circuit. But mostly not in the whole house ...

You wrote that it stops buzzing when you touch strings and metalic parts. This shows, that the jack should be wired correctly ...

Maybe you have a "Monday Pickup" (like we say in Germany) with two similar coils and not reverse wound and poled??? Sh*t happens ...

The only thing left open as tip from me ...
Change the white and black wire. I think it will not help - but ...

 

[MikeKaperys]

I've tried 3 different pickups and they all do it :/ hmmm
I'll try that though man, thanks