ebuck

Everything is finished thanks for the help

Update. I changed the pot and re-soldered a few things. After I got it in place it seemed to help a bit. I have heard that this type of circuit is prone to this issue "because it changes the impedance too much".

If you're using two separate physical wires going to the output jack that can add hum. Are you using any kind of metal shielding in a cavity or pickguard?

If no one else can help me figure it out, the next step will be a new pot (or two) lol.

I contacted the guys I bought the pots from and they said if pots go bad they either - get scratchy, OR don't work at all. I'm inclined to believe this. In addition, he told me to send my diagram and info to him so he could check it out. I'll let you know what he says.

I believe I have located the hum. Listen to this...

The middle and neck pickups.. NO hum..

humbucker.. a bit of hum

However, on ANY pickup, once I rollback the master volume knob, I have a loud hum.

If I "short circut" the tone knob by putting a piece of metal from the right lug to the shell - Silence as it should be. With the whole thing "short circuted" If I roll back the master vol knob.. same hum. Bad pot?

Which ground wire? The one on the output? Why wouldn't it be? Thats how grounding works.

UPDATE:

I re-soldered all the grounded connections and it seemed to help a tiny bit. The main problem still exists. Now only the humbucker buzzes (oh the irony). When I touch metal parts like screws, or a jackplate you can hear quiet little pops and the hum diminishes very slightly.

But here's where it gets weird...

When I touch the metal slugs of the humbucker and it buzzes like I'm touching the end of an unplugged guitar cable. This only happens on the "metal slug side" of the humbucker, not the "screw" half.

help?

New wire done. SAME THING I am seriously baffled. I have a pretty strong hum/buzz.. when I turn down a volume pot a bit.. It gets even louder.

Here is my wiring schematic. Someone please help me. I don't even know who I could take it to that could figure this out

Great! Thanks for the input. I wasn't digging the metal braid shield so I bought wire that contained a hot and the metal shield ground in one. All of wires are then covered in a plastic sheath.

.. Thats probably confusing. Here is what is coming (hopefully) by the end of this week.

The star grounding method relies on using two contact points as ground. For example, you would run a wire from the trem claw (assuming strat style setup) to a common screw in the body cavity. The body cavity screw is intentionally screwed through the foil into the body and typically has a standard crimp and solder ring connector on it. ALL ground wires go directly to this ground connection - since some people try to mount it centrally, with all the wires soldered to it it can take on a 'star' appearance. The principle on this (along with the shielding) is that all grounding is done to the body and eliminates all ground loops. You may want to take a look at this article, which explains everything in great detail.

Cool. I actually read many articles on that site right before I posed. I'll wait for this new wire to come in, then I'll see where that gets me.

The metal braid is there similar to the principle that twisted wires provide mutual shielding (hence, why most network wire is 'TWP' - twisted pair). But it's not always the greatest for sound applications. You can test this easily by using two sep. wires for your jack. Twist them together - like a twist tie - as much as possible (cheap shielding of jack wires complete), and connect as usual. You said the pickguard and cavity are fully shielded - with? Is there metallic contact between the shielding used on the pg and the cavity? Is it possible that your solder joints on your switch (or elsewhere) are touching the shielding? Sorry to bombard with questions, but more suggestions on things to check. Also, if you were to truly eliminate ground loops, none of your electronic components would be used as the ground. This is where star grounding comes in, but is a whole different topic

Hey man thanks for the help

Both the pickguard and cavity have copper tape. When I was testing it I didn't even screw it in yet. If it doesn't work open, it really wont work screwed in. I also tested the continuity of my shielding with a Multimeter. What about this star method?

Thanks for a reply.

It appears everything else functions. I am using this metal braided wire for the hot output jack. That must be the issue. I was using a separate wire for the ground.

When I touch the metal jacket of the hot wire while its hooked up, it buzzes louder, when I press it to a grounded pot, it diminishes a bit.

What are the rules or advice for doing output on this guitar? I just ordered some new guitar wire that I think will better suit it. This metal braid stuff seems to be more for an old Les Paul style.

Everything is now on the back of the pot.. no luck. Still very loud hum/buzz almost like its unplugged.

UPDATE:

I removed a couple ground loops. I forgot to mention the pickguard/cavity is fully foil shielded. I have now soldered the normal (leftmost) lug to the back of the pot. Would this also cause a ground loop?

I'm getting major ground issues. It hums almost like its unplugged. I checked the output and its wired correctly. I have all grounds going to the back of my volume pot. HOWEVER, the left most lug I have going to my output ground, and the middle lug goes to the hot output. Does that left most lug also need to connect to the back of the pot? or not? I can't figure out what else it is. I've been playing with this forever

Perfect

If your killswitch is NO (normally open, push to connect contacts) connect one lug to the left lug of either vol pot or lug 8 of the 5 way (whichever is more convenient, they are electrically identical)

Or If your killswitch is NC (normally closed, push to disconnect contacts) disconnect the wire from middle lug of master vol, connect it to a killswitch lug, connect other killswitch lug to the middle lug of master vol.

A NO switch is preferable, it will earth the signal and be as silent as turning the vol. to zero, the NC switch will be as noisy as an unplugged lead, which can be alright for a momentary killswitch but not for total silence, say, between sets

You're the man. I believe the one I was eying was NO button style. I'll update the diagram and keep you posted. THANKS A MILLION.

Here it is.

its pretty close. I'll do it up as a translation of the ibanez diagram and see if it makes sense.

That is my latest diagram. Look it over carefully. It seems to make logical sense to me. Plan B is to attempt to convert the other diagram with the info you gave me.

Unfortunately that means nothing to me because I know virtually nothing about electronics or understanding schematics.

In referring to the diagram the master volume has an "output" on the middle lug while the other volume has it on rightmost lug.

I really appreciate the help, but you might have to dumb it down a little.

he, so it can be done with a stock 5 way :

if we number the top row of your switches lugs (all L to R) 1-2-3-4 and the bottom row 5-6-7-8

those lugs correspond to 7-6-5-8-1-4-3-2 on the ibanez switch.

Adjust your wiring to suit and you'll be in business

Hmmm. Yes this helps a bit.

Go back and look at the AT300 ibanez diagram for me. I don't understand why a volume knob for the two single coils is wired that way. The hot going in the middle. Then the humbucker hot going to the master vol, neck/mid vol and the master tone. I was told that all volume pots (knob facing down, lugs at 12 o clock) the left was essentially "input" the middle output and the right lug grounded.

help? lol. I am a confusing man, I know.

I'm essentially trying to convert this into a standard strat format.

http://www.ibanez.com/supportResources/wiring/2005/AT300.gif

Alright guys I truly need some help from some experts. I'm drawing of plan for my HSS guitar I'm building. I'm using all Dimarzios.

I want the normal strat volume knob to function as a MASTER VOL

the next knob to be a NECK/MIDDLE VOLUME

the last knob should be a MASTER TONE

I have worked on a diagram all day. To be honest I'm still baffled if this even makes a damn bit of sense. I'm also going to do a momentary killswitch.. but lets just start with this.

Also will there be any phase issues?

PLEASE help. Thanks guys