Noisy Ultra Jazz, suggestions?

[Mariusdm]

Yup, I guess they mean that it only filters the 60 cycle hum. But these particular pickups pick up a lot more EMI and the preamp amplifies it to a large degree to the point that it's twice as loud as my other single coil guitars.

 

[nikobassist]

Hey folks, I have an Ultra Jazz V with stock electronics. The noise problem is really irritating me lately, so I'm open to suggestions before I make a change.

This bass has noiseless pickups and conductive shielding paint (both stock), which are supposed to make it silent. But it is not. Here are some key findings:

• The noise disappears when I turn the neck to a specific angle - which strongly indicates that the cause is electro-magnetic interference.
• The noise is there in passive mode as well, only not as loud as active (naturally).
• The noise is there even when I remove the batteries.
• The noise happens everywhere, but worse in some venues. Probably due to a higher EMI rate or something.
• My all stock American Pro II Precision is dead silent in same circumstances.

When I bring those factors together, I can think of those possibilities:

• The stock conductive shielding paint doesn't do a very good job, and copper shielding must be applied.
• The preamp acts like an antenna and picks up EMI even in passive mode.
• Those pickups aren't that noiseless

What do you think? Any similar experiences, suggestions, insights, etc?

I have the same issue, did you find the solution?

 

[nikobassist]

Any further suggestions?

I have the same issue, did you solve it?

 

[Kerem Koseoglu]

I have the same issue, did you find the solution?

As a "solution", I sold the Ultra and got an American Pro II Jazz Bass V. With everything stock and without extra shielding, it’s EMI-silent in the exact same venues where I had issues before. I get the expected single-coil hum when soloing a pickup, but that's natural.

I usually run through a legacy Tone Hammer or an MXR M81 and handle my tone shaping there - both of which conveniently run on phantom power. While a passive J-bass + a floor preamp won't sound exactly like an active J, I really like what I'm getting - which is a bit warmer and vintage-ish. For a modern sound, I just grab my Sadowsky, which is also quiet.

I’m still not 100% sure what the issue was with the Ultra. Maybe the preamp was acting as an antenna for interference, but I'm glad to have moved on. I don't miss the Ultra at all.

 

[JakesAy]

Got the same issue.. shielded with copper foil and grounded it but the noise is still there.. its worse in passive mode.. I am considering changing the pickups to Aguilar hum cancelling pickups.. I think the noise is coming from the pickups..

 

[Kerem Koseoglu]

Got the same issue.. shielded with copper foil and grounded it but the noise is still there.. its worse in passive mode.. I am considering changing the pickups to Aguilar hum cancelling pickups.. I think the noise is coming from the pickups..

Thanks for chiming in. If you do, please share whether a pickup change solved the issue.

 

[JakesAy]

I have a solution without changing pickups. My bass has been quiet since.. I still get the 60s cycle hum based on the position of the bass as the pickups are not full humbuckers. But this solution eliminates ground noise and the noise you get when you touch the pole pieces.
1. Shield the electronics and pickup cavities and ensure continuity. I used copper foil.
2. Also shield the bridge ground wire by removing the bridge and placing the copper foil to cover the wire and the length of the bridge. This eliminates 60% of the noise surprisingly.
3. Shield the pole pieces using copper foil as shown in the image and let part of it cover the ground/negative wire connection.
4. Shield the inside of the pickup cover as shown in the image.. this step surprisingly eliminates 80% of ground noise and 100 pole pieces noise.
5. The last step is to connect a strip of the copper foil from the top of the pole piece to the bottom. Make sure there is no connection between the copper foil and the copper windings. This step ensures 100% shielding for both sources of noise.

 

[JakesAy]

Pictures of steps.. I will nolonger be changing pickups. Make sure to ground all shielding. For grounding the pickup shielding, I wrapped some copper foil over the pickup mounting foam. Did the same procedure for both pickups..I get no noise when I touch the pole pieces and when I take my hands off the bass. Its very quiet now..

 

[Kerem Koseoglu]

Pictures of steps.. I will nolonger be changing pickups. Make sure to ground all shielding. For grounding the pickup shielding, I wrapped some copper foil over the pickup mounting foam. Did the same procedure for both pickups..I get no noise when I touch the pole pieces and when I take my hands off the bass. Its very quiet now..

Thanks for sharing in such detail! Send that to Fender too.

Beyond string/pole piece touch-y noise, I wonder if that made the bass resistant to EMI as well. In the same venue and through the same rig, if another bass is picking up EMI while this bass does not, we might have a winner.