Static/buzzing Sound Only When Any String Vibrates

[ictaros]

Hi there guys

I've tried to solve this problem for 1 week and posted on semour duncan forums, my local forums but I'm still unable to solve this problem. In desperate need for help!

Cracking and static noises are heard whenever I play any note and it lasts throughout the sustain. This happens for all the pickups (S-S-H). As long as the string moves, I can hear static/cracking noises If I knock the wood of my guitar, the little vibrations in the strings will produce the static/cracking noise as well.

I've isolate the pickup selector as I suspect it is causing the problem but the sound still persist, I've also purchase a new volume pot but the sound is still there!

The funny thing is, there is no noticable hum in all the pickups IF i do not hit any note. The bridge is grounded correctly but if I hit any note, the buzzing comes with the note. My cable are new planet waves so I doubt it could be causing the problem.

What could be causing the buzzing/static note? The sound goes like... *hit a note* bzzzzzzzzzz......

Tearing out my hair here!

Thanks

[ictaros]

Guys, I just made a discovery.

I've purchased a new volume pot but the problem still persists. Was largely dissappointed!

But if I roll my tone knob all the way down, the buzzin/static noise disappears as I play the note. But as I roll up the tone knob, the buzzin/static noise gradullay increases with the note sustaining.

Should I buy a new tone pot or is there some problem with the wiring on the tone knob? I do not want to make the same mistake of buying a new volume pot again!

Thanks for all the help!

[Marzocchi705]

Is your grounding ok?

[ictaros]

Is your grounding ok?

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Yeah my grounding seems all good.

the strange thing is that I didn't touch any of the soldering on the tone pot or the output jack before I did my rewiring. It was fine before.

Overheating? Strange too coz I didn't touch the tone pot at all!

Edited September 12, 2005 by ictaros

[Marzocchi705]

What about at your bridge, you need to ground your bridge. Normaly to the trem claw, TOM post, or botom of the bridge plate, depending on what set up you have.

Just normaly when i hear buzz, its a grounding problem.

[ictaros]

What about at your bridge, you need to ground your bridge. Normaly to the trem claw, TOM post, or botom of the bridge plate, depending on what set up you have.

Just normaly when i hear buzz, its a grounding problem.

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Thanks for the fast respone there Marz, apprieciated.

Yes, its grounded well to the bridge. The guitar is dead silent (no humming buzzing) when the amp is on and plugged in. When I hit a note, the buzzing starts (tone pot fully rolled up)

[axemannate]

I would check all your solder points. I had something similar to that and all it was was a bad solder job at the output jack.

[Paul Marossy]

It sounds like your signal is not "solid" as it gets to your amp. The bad solder joint suggestion sounds reasonable. This also sounds like something that could happen if you had a stranded wire that is nearly broken away from the solder joint, so it's kind of making an intermittent contact, so to speak.

[Saber]

The funny thing is, there is no noticable hum in all the pickups IF i do not hit any note.

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Are you using a noise gate? Or is there a noise gate integrated in your amp? Otherwise, the buzzing should be there even if there is no note played.

Edited September 12, 2005 by Saber

[unclej]

seems like you've already narrowed it down..if your grounding is all in place, you've replaced the volume pot, it occurs no mater which pup you select and you isolated the selector switch then it almost has to be a bad solder joint, your input jack, your tone pot or even a wire that has broken inside of it's insulation.

your tone pot sounds really suspect to me. if you haven't done so you might spray some cleaner into it and see if that does it but if it is indeed the tone pot it seems likely that there's something wrong with the internal contacts and it would need to be replaced.

you didn't say whether or not you could make it produce the noise if you lightly tapped your cord where it enters the input jack. could be something as simple as needing re-tensioning.

keep us posted will you? i know i'd like to hear what you finally discover.

[Paul Marossy]

keep us posted will you? i know i'd like to hear what you finally discover.

Yeah, I am curious about this as well.

[Marzocchi705]

Replace the pot if cleaning doesnt work, resolder all the contacts (id do this anyway if you think there bad) and see if that cures it. This seems like a odd problem, are all your leads good too, ive had a few buzzy leads, but not like what your having, a low hum in a certain lead, all the time, not there in my others.

[ictaros]

hi there guys,

Alright, I've just purchased a new push pull tone pot and will go ahead with the re soldering.

I will keep you guys posted for sure. Thanks for all the help!

[ictaros]

Argh! This is getting from bad to worse. I bought the new push pull pot and replaced it with high hopes of everything working out..but the humming/buzzing still persists!

In desperation, I took out the tone pot, the 5 way selector and just wire up one volume and one pickup. The sound still remains when I hit a note.

I examined the output jack and resoldered the grounds and it seems all fine to me.

The output jack was working before so why should it just malfunction now? especially when I didn't touch any part of it before.

I've bought a new volume pot that failed. I bought a new tone pot and that didn't work too. Grounding from the output jack to the back of the volume pot seems good. All shiny and nice. The wire from the output jack to the volume is the same likewise.

When I set everything in place. All seems good. UNTIL... I hit a note or make any string vibrate. Wierd buzzing/humming sounds will accompany the note from the amp. Sometimes, it crackles as well. When I palm mute the strings. It goes off.

I was thinking of sending it to a tech but I don't know if I can't put it in words or if he know how to rectify this problem.

My guitar has been lying on the "operation table" for maybe 1 month now. Help!

Edited September 14, 2005 by ictaros

[Paul Marossy]

Are you sure that your guitar cord(s) is/are good? Also, does it do it with any amp that you are plugged into?

Edited September 14, 2005 by Paul Marossy

[ictaros]

Yup, my cables are definately good. I've tried on 2 different cables (planet waves) and the problem persists. I don't know about my amp but its a new (8 months) vox ad30vt so there shldnt be a prob!

Ok I've sprayed a generous dosage of contact cleaner into the output jack and resoldered the connections on them again. The humming buzzing sound definately decreases! Yay for me! pardon my ignorance but I've a question to ask

Is it normal under hi gain that there's a lil bit of buzzing from the amp as the note is nearing the end of its sustain?

The note is clear and articulate but as it comes to the end of the sustain, and the note becomes quieter, I can hear slight humming/buzzing and the note ends it sustain.

[Saber]

It's normal with very high gain, especially (but not exclusively) if you have a computer CRT monitor or fluorescent lighting nearby.

As I suspected in my previous post, that amp has integrated noise reduction so that's probably why there is no noise when you're not playing.

Your amp has a 12AX7 tube in it. If you also have crackling, it may be a bad tube. Try another guitar in your amp, and try your guitar in another hi-gain amp.

Edited September 14, 2005 by Saber

[MerlinTheWizard]

It sounds pretty obvious to me that the problem is with your amp, not the guitar.

If you don't play any string, of course there is no signal at all; so the amp stays quiet.

Definitely try your guitar on another amp, and vice-versa. You will know.

Edited September 15, 2005 by MerlinTheWizard

[marksound]

I've been skimming this thread for a while, and it never hit me until now. Is it a crackling/staticy sound? Like a blown speaker? That's what my amp was doing until I replaced the output tubes.

[ictaros]

Ah.. the mystery thickens.

Thats my greatest fear man, the amp being damaged! A new amp over 8 months old. Never brought out of the house and played at bedroom level. Wierd huh.

I'll test this amp on another guitar to confirm the problem. But I've this strange intution that the amp is perfectly fine. I will try to upload a sound clip of the underlying buzzing/hum accompaning my note.

You guys have been great. Thanks

[Mattia]

How 'bout (crazy thought) testing the guitar with a different amp. Take it to the store and pretend you're amp shopping, whatever. And yeah, test the amp with a couple of different guitars as well.

[ictaros]

How 'bout (crazy thought) testing the guitar with a different amp. Take it to the store and pretend you're amp shopping, whatever. And yeah, test the amp with a couple of different guitars as well.

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I'm going to carry my amp and my guitar to a friends house to test it out. Will do a A/B comparison with his Vox ad30vt as well. Will keep this updated for those who are following.

Cheers