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How to fix grounding issue.

#5
96tbird said:
No. Shielding is for RF noise, not 60hz hum. Worthwhile to shield your bass but most are at least paint shielded now and experts agree shield paint is just as effective.
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Well, I've personally copper shielded about half a dozen basses over the past few months. In each case, the the noise was at least 90% reduced when not grounding your body to the instrument via the bridge ground. I'm not the only person with this experience. Check the thread- it works! :)
 
#6
That bass needs to be shielded, if you get a hum when not touching metal/strings/bridge and it stops when you do it is a shielding issue. A proper shielding job will remove the hum.

If you touch metal/strings/bridge and the noise gets louder it is a grounding issue.
 
#7
DiabolusInMusic said:
That bass needs to be shielded, if you get a hum when not touching metal/strings/bridge and it stops when you do it is a shielding issue. A proper shielding job will remove the hum.

If you touch metal/strings/bridge and the noise gets louder it is a grounding issue.
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Exactly!
 
#8
96tbird said:
No. Shielding is for RF noise, not 60hz hum. Worthwhile to shield your bass but most are at least paint shielded now and experts agree shield paint is just as effective.
Click to expand...


Yes. And a hum that goes away when you touch metal is NOT a 60hz hum. It is caused by RF interference due to a lack of proper shielding and grounding.

It is amazing how many people misunderstand this.....even experienced luthiers.
 
#9
If I had a nickel for every tech I have met that thinks the hum cannot be removed I would be a wealthy man, and from what I have read on TB it isn't just a local problem with techs.

I once had a fellow, who is Fender Gold Level tech certified, try to "inform" me about the static electricity pop my Stingray was getting along with nasty ground hum couldn't be removed, and that it was a common problem. He went on to describe how Les Pauls are famous for doing it and you cannot do anything for it.

I laughed my way right out the door... never took any kind of work there again, I try to avoid even buying anything there...
 
#10
DiabolusInMusic said:
If I had a nickel for every tech I have met that thinks the hum cannot be removed I would be a wealthy man, and from what I have read on TB it isn't just a local problem with techs.

I once had a fellow, who is Fender Gold Level tech certified, try to "inform" me about the static electricity pop my Stingray was getting along with nasty ground hum couldn't be removed, and that it was a common problem. He went on to describe how Les Pauls are famous for doing it and you cannot do anything for it.

I laughed my way right out the door... never took any kind of work there again, I try to avoid even buying anything there...
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There isn't a tech in Nashville that understands proper shielding. World-class techs........
 
#12
guy n. cognito said:
There isn't a tech in Nashville that understands proper shielding. World-class techs........
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Point 'em my way! I do repairs, set-ups, mods, etc as a side-business. ..done a couple of shielding jobs over the past two weeks for fellow touring colleagues. I get it! Just did a '69 Jazz for a bandmate too (it already was modded and had pots replaced as well as a refin)- knocked out the "hands off buzz" almost completely!
 
#13
DiabolusInMusic said:
That bass needs to be shielded, if you get a hum when not touching metal/strings/bridge and it stops when you do it is a shielding issue. A proper shielding job will remove the hum.

If you touch metal/strings/bridge and the noise gets louder it is a grounding issue.
Click to expand...

Ooooooohhhh that makes sense. Alright I was planning on shielding it anyway. Thanks guys.
 
#14
scotch said:
Point 'em my way! I do repairs, set-ups, mods, etc as a side-business. ..done a couple of shielding jobs over the past two weeks for fellow touring colleagues. I get it! Just did a '69 Jazz for a bandmate too (it already was modded and had pots replaced as well as a refin)- knocked out the "hands off buzz" almost completely!
Click to expand...

Believe me, they wouldn't listen. One of those techs (rhymes with Laser) absolutely refused to do the work, so far as to send me away with my bass in hand. So, I did the work myself, and took it back to him. I demonstrated to him how the hum he had directly and personally witnessed was gone, and I showed him the shielding and star grounding that I had performed. He looked briefly, said "you've ruined the collector's value of this bass (it was a Lakland Skyline DJ5)", handed it back to me and walked out.
 

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