Direct wiring problem

[JeezyMcNuggles]

My main bass is wired direct to the output jack through swiches.
It’s a stereo J bass, tapped pu’s. It has tapped, single coil pu’s.
The hum is mainly from the neck pu…but I’m very sure it’s on the treble pu also. I just don’t use the treble pu very loudly.

It’s a very simple wiring…thru on/off/on switches to the output jack.
I also have another bass wired like this, but it isn’t so noticeable…since it’s a p/j.

When a pu is in the off position…there is an open circuit hum.
I read somewhere that this could be eliminated buy installing a diode or capacitor somewhere in the circuit.
But I can’t remember the details.

Also, is there a way to eliminate a popping noise when using the switches.


Any help here?
It’s really not that bad. I’ve used it this way for years. There is zero hum when the pu’s are on…so I can always do that.
View attachment 4997653

Single coils man. You can't stop it. Single coil pickups hum.

You need to get a set of humbucking jazz pickups.

I suggest either the Nordstrand NJSV pickups

Or, the Fralin hum cancelling Jazz pickups


They're the most true to singles in tone and dynamics that I've found. And, I've tried a lot of them.

 

[StereoPlayer]

Single coils man. You can't stop it. Single coil pickups hum.

You need to get a set of humbucking jazz pickups.

I suggest either the Nordstrand NJSV pickups

Or, the Fralin hum cancelling Jazz pickups


They're the most true to singles in tone and dynamics that I've found. And, I've tried a lot of them.

It doesn’t hum when the pickups are on …only with the open circuit.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

It doesn’t hum when the pickups are on …only with the open circuit.

You said it's humming from the neck pickup. And also from the bridge pickup, but you don't use the bridge pickup very loudly.

If both pickups are not on full blast, your bass will hum. If you're getting hum with the volume off, it's either your grounds or your power source.

 

[StereoPlayer]

I know what the problem is.

It’s an open circuit when the switch is in the off position.

The crudely drawn switch is a on/off/on switch.

I’m very sorry for the VERY crudely drawn circuit. This is just one of the pu’s.

I thought I read somewhere that a diode could be used on the Hotwire to eliminate t his.
The switches are what I’m going to use…no pots.
Otherwise…I’ll just deal with it.
The problem is not being a single coil…it’s definitely an open circuit when in the off position.

Thanks for all that responded!

 

[fig]

Thanks for all that responded!

Story of my life. Just missed the party LOL

First off, love the colors and contouring of that bass you posted.

Here's how to ground the open jack connection when set to Off.

But it changes the selection sequence.:
Toggle Down (or Up) = Full pickup
Toggle centered = Half pickup
Toggle Up (or Down) = Off (and grounded)

I re-did ONLY the drawing you made (pickup to Output). It'd be the same circuit for both pickups.:

I don't know what's connected beyond the Output label in your drawing. The rest of your circuit may defeat this solution.

 

[StereoPlayer]

Story of my life. Just missed the party LOL

First off, love the colors and contouring of that bass you posted.

Here's how to ground the open jack connection when set to Off.

But it changes the selection sequence.:
Toggle Down (or Up) = Full pickup
Toggle centered = Half pickup
Toggle Up (or Down) = Off (and grounded)

I re-did ONLY the drawing you made (pickup to Output). It'd be the same circuit for both pickups.:
View attachment 4999891


I don't know what's connected beyond the Output label in your drawing. The rest of your circuit may defeat this solution.

Thank you.
There is nothing else between that and the hack.

 

[StereoPlayer]

Very ironically…I used this bass last night at rehearsal. Zero hum either on or off…
I even turned the amp volume to 10 just to see… no hum.

 

[ctmullins]

Story of my life. Just missed the party LOL

First off, love the colors and contouring of that bass you posted.

Here's how to ground the open jack connection when set to Off.

But it changes the selection sequence.:
Toggle Down (or Up) = Full pickup
Toggle centered = Half pickup
Toggle Up (or Down) = Off (and grounded)

I re-did ONLY the drawing you made (pickup to Output). It'd be the same circuit for both pickups.:
View attachment 4999891


I don't know what's connected beyond the Output label in your drawing. The rest of your circuit may defeat this solution.

Nice! I knew there was a way to do this, but I couldn't brain my way through it.

Very ironically…I used this bass last night at rehearsal. Zero hum either on or off…
I even turned the amp volume to 10 just to see… no hum.

Hum/buzz very much depends upon the environment. Every room is different!

 

[StereoPlayer]

Nice! I knew there was a way to do this, but I couldn't brain my way through it.



Hum/buzz very much depends upon the environment. Every room is different!

I’m wondering if ground loops come into play here. I’m researching ideas to fix that.
I found this…but not sure. It’s certainly affordable.
https://www.amazon.com/Compact-Mini...00BARTW42/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

 

[fig]

There is nothing else between that and the hack.

I can account for two switches (one for each pickup). What does the third toggle switch on your control plate do?

Another question. What is a "stereo J- bass"? You have two output jacks? One Tip, Ring, Sleeve jack?

I knew there was a way to do this, but I couldn't brain my way through it.

You outta see my pencil and paper dead-ends from last night LOL.

 

[StereoPlayer]

I can account for two switches (one for each pickup). What does the third toggle switch on your control plate do?

Another question. What is a "stereo J- bass"? You have two output jacks? One Tip, Ring, Sleeve jack?


You outta see my pencil and paper dead-ends from last night LOL.

My Stereo j bass has a single jack output tip, ring, ground… think Ric-o-sound. One stereo output jack.
The extra switch, switches it to mono.
As I said before…the bass was dead quiet last night at rehearsal. I did a full test of my stereo setup for gigs this weekend . Tons of fluorescent light, electric heater, etc. Not a hint of hum.
I even turned the bass amp to 10 briefly.

 

[fig]

The extra switch, switches it to mono.

If the stereo/mono switch combines both pickups when set to Mono, then my circuit won't work.

When set to Mono, setting one pickup to Off will ground everything, not just the pickup you wanted to turn off.

Oh, well, I tried LOL

Hope your bass keeps behaving itself.

 

[StereoPlayer]

A sincere thanks you for everybody’s help…
I have lots of ideas here!

 

[StereoPlayer]

I played two gigs last weekend. And before that, practice at home and a band rehearsal.
Zero amount of hum.