New Fender American Standard...Should I Return It?

[David Jayne]

This is exactly what happens, but still only seems to be a problem at home, not the store.

......because the EMI source isn't AT the store.

 

[David Jayne]

I just wish people wouldn't post so much random other stuff in between when it's so clear-cut.

.

Agree.

 

[Smooth_bass88]

What about...does it buzz at rehearsal or onstage???

 

[YBnormal]

Thanks, I'll check out the bridge ground this weekend.

 

[HeavyDuty]

There is one more exotic explanation and that is tape-wound strings. With those even grounded strings won't ground you. Then there's no choice but to shield.

I would think tapes would still ground through the balls at the bridge so long as they are bare.

 

[David Jayne]

I would think tapes would still ground through the balls at the bridge so long as they are bare.

They do, but if you're getting an EMI buzz radiating from your body, touching the strings won't drain it away. Not a really common problem but it happens, as it has to the OP.

 

[uOpt]

I would think tapes would still ground through the balls at the bridge so long as they are bare.

Well the strings would be grounded, but your belly wouldn't, and that is what Leo abused as a shield

 

[ronlitz]

I wonder, when he took it back to the store and they couldn't find anything wrong, if they actually removed the pickguard and looked at the wiring. If there is a problem with the bridge ground, how could they not find it? Could be at the bridge end - wonder if they removed the bridge.

 

[georgestrings]

I wonder, when he took it back to the store and they couldn't find anything wrong, if they actually removed the pickguard and looked at the wiring. If there is a problem with the bridge ground, how could they not find it? Could be at the bridge end - wonder if they removed the bridge.

Any decent tech *should* know enough to check continuity between the jack and the bridge with a meter - removing the bridge is unnecessary, and in the case of a broken wire, wouldn't tell you anything... It takes only a few seconds with a meter to verify a proper bridge ground - and the odds of that actually being the case on a brand new MIA Fender are very, very slim...


- georgestrings

 

[georgestrings]

I've used ground lift (and/or a 2 prong adapter as needed) to stop hum from old wiring for more than 40 years and never had a problem.

Have I just been lucky?

Not trying to be an ass about it, I'm just never too old to learn something new.

Yeah, you've been lucky - I'm also guessing that you don't play and sing, otherwise contact with a mic will let you know what's up in short order... A fair amount of people have been electrocuted thru music gear and improper grounds - it's really nothing to play around with...


- georgestrings

 

[portlandguy]

I had a problem with a floresent desk lamp doing this to me, it could have also been the wiring in my house. When the desklamp was on I had buzzing thru my amp, off and no buzz - drove me nuts finding that one because it was the only light that I would use in the room.

 

[JLS]

I wonder, when he took it back to the store and they couldn't find anything wrong, if they actually removed the pickguard and looked at the wiring. If there is a problem with the bridge ground, how could they not find it? Could be at the bridge end - wonder if they removed the bridge.

If the problem doesn't follow the instrument, maybe that's why they couldn't find anything wrong.

 

[walterw]

The buzz reduces when I touch the volume knob, control knob or the input jack. It doesn't change when I touch the strings.

a competent tech would know the answer as soon as you said this.

it's an easy fix, don't return the bass if you like it otherwise.

 

[YBnormal]

I wonder, when he took it back to the store and they couldn't find anything wrong, if they actually removed the pickguard and looked at the wiring. If there is a problem with the bridge ground, how could they not find it? Could be at the bridge end - wonder if they removed the bridge.

I wonder about this too, or if he simply plugged it into an amp and didn't hear the buzz.

 

[fhm555]

Yeah, you've been lucky - I'm also guessing that you don't play and sing, otherwise contact with a mic will let you know what's up in short order... A fair amount of people have been electrocuted thru music gear and improper grounds - it's really nothing to play around with...


- georgestrings

And you would be right. The closest I come to a mic is helping to set up and tear down.

Either way, thanks for getting me sorted on the possibilities of taking a jolt from the house that comes from a wire instead of a glass.

 

[Hopkins]

Try flipping the ground lift switch on your amp.

If your amp does not have a ground lift, get one of those little 3 to 2 prong adapters for your amp plug.

You might also want to try different outlets in your house.

Either way it sounds like it's the wiring in your house.

Those adapters are designed for older receptacles without a ground terminal. Notice the brass eye at the bottom, that is designed to ground the device being plugged into it through the screw on the outlet cover. The ground prong should never be disabled on anything equipped with one. 120 volts can kill you.

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[uOpt]

If the buzz stops when he's touching the plug (but not when touching the strings) it's not a problem with the electrical situation in the amp or the house.

 

[Hopkins]

If the buzz stops when he's touching the plug (but not when touching the strings) it's not a problem with the electrical situation in the amp or the house.

I think he very well may have a bad bridge ground. That is easilly diagnosed with an ohm meter. But the fact that it is fine in the store points to a bad grounding in the house.

He may have more than one problem. I have a few basses that are rather noisey in my apartment (old building, not surprising) That are dead quiet other places. I just live with it.

 

[David Jayne]

I think he very well may have a bad bridge ground. That is easilly diagnosed with an ohm meter. But the fact that it is fine in the store points to a bad grounding in the house.

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No, it doesn't. Not even a little. The fact that some parts of his bass are in fact grounded(noise goes away when he touches certain parts) says that by definition his house ground works fine. There's no question about it.

 

[P Town]

Those adapters are designed for older receptacles without a ground terminal. Notice the brass eye at the bottom, that is designed to ground the device being plugged into it through the screw on the outlet cover. The ground prong should never be disabled on anything equipped with one. 120 volts can kill you.

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I would like to add that the adapter is intended to be grounded by the screw in the cover plate, but many systems were installed in the past where the screw in the cover is not connected to ground.

Please do not assume the cover plate screw is grounded!

If you use one of these adapters properly, by connecting the lug to the screw in the cover plate, you can use a low cost tester that will confirm if the screw is connected to ground, but I have seen many improperly installed electrical systems, where the tester may show a connection to ground, but it is making the connection by way of an improper conductor, not intended for the purpose, (such as the armored jacket of "BX" cable).

A qualified person should be consulted if you have any doubts.