Possible Ground Problem?

[Duff Beer Man]

I have a lite hum that get worse when my tone is up when its down it completely gone. But anytime i touch any metal on the guitar (pickup covers, tailpiece, bridge) the hum also goes away with the tone up? My tom bridge isnt grounded ( dont know if they need to be) but that is the only thing i can think of. Input please?

[Mr Alex]

Are you kidding, if you ground all other electric bridges, why wouldn't you ground a TOM?

And if thats the only thing you can think of, why didn't you try it? it is reversible!

And this isn't just for you, its for everybody who doesn't think about searching first either: If you search first, and cant find a suitable answer(and tell people that) you will get replies HOURS earlier!

Edit: Oh and I forgot to say, Most diagrams say to ground to bridge, if you're smart enough to not need a diagram, why didn't you ground the bridge.

Edited July 7, 2005 by Mr Alex

[lovekraft]

Alex, chill just a little, por favor - you're gonna fret yourself into an early grave! Duff, unless you're using EMG active pickups or other pickups that explicitly advise against doing so, you will always need a string ground of some kind. If the tailpiece is grounded, you do not need to ground the bridge, you simply need some kind of string ground. Since the hum goes away when you touch the strings, it's likely that they are grounded, but a quick check with a multimeter will verify that. It sounds like all you need is some effective shielding for the control cavities, but you haven't really given enough info to do more than a bit of guesswork.

[thedoctor]

I think MR ALEX has the correct demeanor to be a MOD, don't you? Could give WES a run for his money.

[Mr Alex]

Sorry, I've made a few posts like that recently. To tell you the truth I'm stressed beyond belief, my mum was just admitted into hospital, because she couldn't breathe(she's terminally ill with motor neurone disease) and although we were told by doctors to expect 3-4 years, it became 6 months, and they are saying weeks at the most now. And to top it all off we have evidence to show the MND is the result of a neuro toxin that was used to aerially spray a pest(like agent orange and all that, they told us it was safe, all you have to do is get your hands on the packet it comes in to say it isn't), and the government aren't listening. So I'm going through a grieving process and anger at the same time, so perhaps unless I have something constructive to say, I'll not say anything. I have been going over the top at even family recently, so, duff beer man, I am sorry, but seriously, you ain't gonna make it in life if you can't use some common sense.

And, thedoctor, I dont think Wes is gonna like you too much now. But I can give anyone a run for their money.

Edited July 8, 2005 by Mr Alex

[lovekraft]

Alex, deeply sorry to hear about that! I really was just kidding, although under the circumstances I understand completely - it can't be easy! Just ignore me.

[Duff Beer Man]

Yeah man it no problem. Im sorry to hear about your mom too, and ur right is should have taken things into my own hands and tested different possibliltys out. Im just not that good of a electric wire person (lol), so i was scared to just try something so i thought i'd ask to be sure do i dont screw things up even more.

[Mr Alex]

Im just not that good of a electric wire person (lol), so i was scared to just try something

←

Hey I'm in the same boat as you, but just remember, with passive guitar electronics, not much wrong can happen if you experiment. Just dont experiment with your hand on the soldering iron(I was so engrossed in wiring my dist. pedal that I didn't realise the cable had curled round,(wasn't using a stand)and I grabbed the tip, instead of the handle.

[lovekraft]

Just dont experiment with your hand on the soldering iron

Yeah, I have to constantly remind myself that one end of that thing is not designed to be handled!