Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by SlowHound on January 1, 2012 at 5:57am

Howdy all,

 

Sorry to revisit this thread but I'm having the same issues with "click sounds".

Single coil with one volume pot. Tried a different amps, chords and such but the problem is definitely the guitar.

What I haven't tried is adding a piezo and or capacitor. The peizo shouldn't be an issue to add but I was curious why it would or should help (in tech terms).

The capacitor would be another issue. Where would I place it?

My strings are grounded from the bridge to the jack.

Only have this issue when a metal slide's involved. It's just enough to make it an issue as I prefer using brass. No issues with glass or finger notes. No hums or ground issues outside of the metal contact clicks.

I have another mag pup build in progress and would like to squash this little problem before moving on.

 

Thanks.

 

 

 

 

 

Permalink Reply by Roadkill a.k.a. John Maw on January 1, 2012 at 6:59am

OK. This is what I have found/established so far. Bear in mind that I know NOTHING about electronics (except for the fact that it exists and I know nothing - is that two things).

The clicks happen even though the strings and other metal fittings are grounded.

The clicks happen more with an amp connected to the mains (worst on Roland Micro Cube with transformer that on battery and happens on other mains amps).

The clicks do happen when you touch the strings with fingers, but may be so faint as to not be heard. Using a metal slide or finger picks makes the problem much worst and may be the only reason the clicks are noticeable.

It is nothing to do with the guitar lead, mains lead, the amp or fluorescent lighting.

Adding one or more piezos helps (pretty much cures it) as long as they are either wired without a volume control or the volume is set all the way up.

OK. That's it. That's all I know.

Permalink Reply by SlowHound on January 1, 2012 at 9:24am

Just talked with a friend of mine who incouraged me to add a capacitor between the postive and negative leads on my volume pot.

Either a size .047 or .022UF to start with.

I asked about the piezo and if he knew why, or if it might work with this problem. His thought was it would act as capacitor in its own way if ran in parallel with the pickup. He was also just waking up and made it clear he really had no idea if that was true, but that was his quick theory.

Time to open her up.

 

 

Permalink Reply by SlowHound on January 3, 2012 at 2:01pm

Success!!

.047 capacitor did the trick.

No more clicks.

Permalink Reply by Roadkill a.k.a. John Maw on February 29, 2012 at 8:42am

OK. Just in case anyone is still suffering from this problem I now have a solution (I'm sure it is only one of many solutions). Very simply don't earth the strings. I play with metal picks and sometimes a metal slide. If I play an instrument on which the strings are grounded I get clicks every time a pick or metal slide contacts the string. Remove the grounding wire and the clicks are gone. I've tried this on a couple of instruments with single coil pickups and it works.

Permalink Reply by jabes on February 29, 2012 at 8:52am

huzzah! 

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