Yamaha BB Nathan East (version 1) PU buzz

[Mukaiya]

I have a Yamaha BB Nathan East (version 1) bought in 1995. Recent the stock preamp showed its age and I replaced it with a John East U-Retro 5-knob flat response.

The retrofit was successful, but there is now a loud buzz when the PU pan is turned away in either direction from the centre detent under stage lightings. That never happened before the retrofit.

The stock PU are Yamaha in-house humbuckers. There are 3 leads per PU: red, white and black. Both black leads are solder to a metal lug, which is attached to the control cavity by a screw. The control cavity is covered with conductive paint. Per John East's guidance the red leads are connected to the hot terminals on the pan pot.

I've done the following with the white leads: 1) connecting them to the cold terminals on the pan pot, 2) leaving them unconnected, 3) connecting them to the cavity ground. All have no effect in reducing/eliminating the off centre detent buzz problem.

I'd be really grateful if anyone can advise how to resolve this.


Mukaiya

 

[Emanuel Apascaritei]

Seems that the dummy coil is not connected properly. Sorry I cannot be of more help.

 

[Jamie_Funk]

I have a Yamaha BB Nathan East (version 1) bought in 1995. Recent the stock preamp showed its age and I replaced it with a John East U-Retro 5-knob flat response.

The retrofit was successful, but there is now a loud buzz when the PU pan is turned away in either direction from the centre detent under stage lightings. That never happened before the retrofit.

The stock PU are Yamaha in-house humbuckers. There are 3 leads per PU: red, white and black. Both black leads are solder to a metal lug, which is attached to the control cavity by a screw. The control cavity is covered with conductive paint. Per John East's guidance the red leads are connected to the hot terminals on the pan pot.

I've done the following with the white leads: 1) connecting them to the cold terminals on the pan pot, 2) leaving them unconnected, 3) connecting them to the cavity ground. All have no effect in reducing/eliminating the off centre detent buzz problem.

I'd be really grateful if anyone can advise how to resolve this.


Mukaiya

I have the same bass - those pickups aren't humbuckers first of all. Yamaha called them "special single coils". One active coil, then a "dummy" in each pickup. Problem is that the dummy coils are electronically mixed in the PREAMP to cancel hum/buzz, they aren't WIRED like many hum cancelling pickups to handle the hum cancelling in the pickup itself.

You can't simply wire them to cancel buzz - I tried. Won't work as you've found out. And no off the shelf preamp replicates this feature. Wish I had better news for you, but if you search TalkBass, there are a few threads like this about the same issue.

For me, since I wasn't in love with the stock electronics tone anyways, I've replaced my entire electronics setup with EMG45JX and a BQ preamp - much, much better tone and Nosie free.

 

[Mukaiya]

I have the same bass - those pickups aren't humbuckers first of all. Yamaha called them "special single coils". One active coil, then a "dummy" in each pickup. Problem is that the dummy coils are electronically mixed in the PREAMP to cancel hum/buzz, they aren't WIRED like many hum cancelling pickups to handle the hum cancelling in the pickup itself.

You can't simply wire them to cancel buzz - I tried. Won't work as you've found out. And no off the shelf preamp replicates this feature. Wish I had better news for you, but if you search TalkBass, there are a few threads like this about the same issue.

For me, since I wasn't in love with the stock electronics tone anyways, I've replaced my entire electronics setup with EMG45JX and a BQ preamp - much, much better tone and Nosie free.

Hi JF,

Thanks for the insight. Now I can put this struggle to rest since nothing can be done with the stock PU.

I've looked up EMG website. Can you comment on the following?

1. The 45JX length is shorter than the BBNE PU cavity so there are gaps at both ends - you can live with that?
2. How did you know what tone your were going to get from the 45JX before you purchased them?
3. Did you consider other PU options? What were they?
4. "Much, much better tone" - can you please elaborate?

Thanks.

Mukaiya

 

[Jamie_Funk]

Hi JF,

Thanks for the insight. Now I can put this struggle to rest since nothing can be done with the stock PU.

I've looked up EMG website. Can you comment on the following?

1. The 45JX length is shorter than the BBNE PU cavity so there are gaps at both ends - you can live with that?
2. How did you know what tone your were going to get from the 45JX before you purchased them?
3. Did you consider other PU options? What were they?
4. "Much, much better tone" - can you please elaborate?

Thanks.

Mukaiya

Howdy,

1. I can deal with the gaps - see the pics I've linked. They aren't too bad, No stock pickups are the same size as the Yamahas anyway.
2. I've used the JX in another Yamaha 5, so I already knew I liked the tone, though they sound different in the BBEAST, due to the different woods and pickup location (for the neck pickup which is farther towards the bridge than on most basses)
3. I also tried other EMGs - TWX and also DCX. ALL sounded good. JX sounded great.
4. Sounded less "dull" and had a far better range of tones - B string tone in particular was better. Sound is subjective so I might as well say it sounded more "orange".......which it did

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Cheers,

Jamie

 

[Burner5]

Hey. I faced the same problem. I bought the same bass on which Bartolini's preamp and original pickups already stood. Noise when you turn the balance knob. In a central position like on jazz bass there is no noise. It turns out that the pickups are designed for a symmetrical connection (as if it were not a pickup, but a microphone) and they are connected to a symmetrical wiring diagram. I was lucky as one of the pickups on my bass was open (not filled with glue) and I was able to experiment with it.
1) First, I connected three wires that go from it to the XLR connector and directly to the mixer in the microphone input and the background has disappeared. But you can’t play like that, because you need JACK output.
2) By connecting the wires at the base of the pickup, I was able to achieve the HUMBACKER mode. The signal has become stronger, but less transparent. Unfortunately, my second pickup was completely flooded with glue from the inside and I could not do the same with it and it remained noisy even with the balance in the middle.
Conclusions: I like the sound of two singles together (like in jazz bass) and I won’t change anything. But if I wanted, then there would be two solutions.
1) gently using a tooth drill to remove the gum resin from the second pickup and connect it like a regular HAMBACKER in series at the base of the pickup. In this case, the active / passive mode will remain and it will be possible to use the balance knob
2) buy a balanced connection diagram or assemble it yourself and place it under the cover next to the electronics. But in this case the passive mode cannot be used. Hope this helps you. Good luck.

 

[Burner5]

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