Noisy Warwick

[DrBone]

I just picked up a Warwick Jazzman / FNA and it has this constant buzz. It's the worst when I have the pickup selector all the way to the neck or bridge and gets a little tamer when I have it in the middle. I've tried it on multiple amps and cords so I know it is the bass at this point. Is there anything I can do about this? Will extra shielding fix it?

 

[Von Felgenhauer]

you could sell it to me for $200 and you would never hear it buzz again, i swears

 

[Von Felgenhauer]

try seeing if the bridge is grounded or not. that is usually the trick from what i hear

 

[DrBone]

haha, intersting offer -- i appreciate your compassion.

How do I tell if the bridge is grounded? Look in the control cavity for....something?

 

[levis76]

If you have a meter, you can check resistance from the bridge to the ground inside the cavity. If not, you gotta pull the bridge to check and make sure there is a wire under it that goes to the ground in the cavity.

 

[DrBone]

the resistance should be low if it is grounded correct?

 

[mmbongo]

the resistance should be low if it is grounded correct?

It should be a dead short.

 

[DrBone]

fantastic -- I'll check it out when I get home today. Thanks for the tips

 

[Spinal Tapper]

Could it be the power in your house/rehearsal space? Or have you tried it in different locations?

I know some bars I have played, I'll get a mean buzz coming out of my Jazz PU on my 1975 P/J that I NEVER hear at rehearsal or at home...

Just an idea...

 

[DrBone]

I've tried it in multiple places and with other guitars the hum/buzz isn't present, so I'm pretty sure it is the bass itself.

 

[DrBone]

little update: Spinal Tapper got the right diagnosis -- i guess i didn't test it out quite as thoroughly as I thought. I was using it at my practice space and on a gig and there was no buzz. Problem....solved! Thanks for everyone's input though -- very helpful on all accounts

 

[Rano Bass]

The problem with those basses is that the single coil doesnt have anything to help it cancel hum. The musicman style pickup helps to cancel that hum by flicking the switch to single coil, but if you use the bridge pickup as a humbucker then the neck single coil is gonna make noise at some places.

Its the nature of the beast.