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Buzzing... Need some advice

Discussion in 'Basses [BG]' started by duderus, Jul 19, 2013.

  1. Jul 19, 2013 #1
    duderus

    duderus Supporting Member

    Dec 5, 2012
    I think I may have a grounding issue and I don't know where to go from here.

    I am running a 1969 yorkville tube amp through an epifani ul1x12 with a NYC epifani style speaker. (Tweeter too)

    I love my 1976 p bass tone through it but every time I let go of the strings I get buzzing. If I turn the tone knob down it goes away and bye bye cool tone. I took my bass apart once already, reset the bridge and grounding wire, and a friend helped me replace the jack with helped but didn't totally get rid of the problem.

    I have tried a vintage silver tone and a modern modulus and no buzzing.

    Is this a single coil issue? Is it just the tone pot? If I need to replace anything what do you recommend. Thank you!
     
  2. Jul 19, 2013 #2
    David Jayne

    David Jayne

    Jan 16, 2006
    Brookfield, CT
    Shielding will reduce or eliminate it. Nothing else will.
     
  3. Jul 19, 2013 #3
    Gorn

    Gorn

    Dec 15, 2011
    Queens, NY
    While I know nothing about these things and my opinion on the matter is completely useless, isn't it something about interference from other electronics around the bass/amp? Wiring in the walls and your tv and your toaster and so on? I know on my setup sometimes it's there and other times the buzz is completely gone.
     
  4. Jul 19, 2013 #4
    WoodyG3

    WoodyG3

    May 6, 2003
    Colorado, USA
    Yeah, shielding with copper foil in both the control cavity and pickup cavity will probably help quite a bit.
     
  5. Jul 19, 2013 #5
    duderus

    duderus Supporting Member

    Dec 5, 2012
    What exactly what I need and how may I do it?
     
  6. Jul 19, 2013 #6
    David Jayne

    David Jayne

    Jan 16, 2006
    Brookfield, CT
    There's a thread here on it:
    http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=159191

    The gist of it is that you take out the electronics/pickups and line all the cavities with copper foil tape (or conductive paint), as well as the back of the pickguard. Then you make sure all of the foil is connected, to itself and to ground.
     
  7. Jul 19, 2013 #7
    Jim Carr

    Jim Carr Dr. Jim

    Jan 21, 2006
    Denton, TX or Kailua, HI
    fEARful Kool-Aid dispensing liberal academic card-carrying union member Musicians Local 72-147
    Typically P-basses in the late '60s and early '70s had a layer of thin metal shielding under the portion of the pickguard that held the pots and output connector. Has yours perhaps gone missing?
     
  8. Jul 20, 2013 #8
    David Jayne

    David Jayne

    Jan 16, 2006
    Brookfield, CT
    If it had, the bass probably wouldn't work as Fender used to use it as the ground connection between pots. I think Squier still does that.