Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jon Leslie/Runaway Veal Music on April 6, 2013 at 10:14am

I've had to rewire the piezo a few times make the wires real small and in one stubborn buzz hum sorta put pressure on the piezo...it's the only one that did this so the piezo might have been defective...

Permalink Reply by Dave Lynas on April 6, 2013 at 1:56pm

Since i build with wood mostly, i have to ground my bridge or tailpiece with some metal strip added. It's worked good and is easy. I've grounded to the jack or better, to the back of the volume pot. If i have a grounding hum coming till i become the ground by touching a pot shaft or jack nut, i just add a ground and it goes away. You can try a simple jumper from your jack nut to the strings to test the idea.

Permalink Reply by Michael Recchione on April 7, 2013 at 5:24am

"You can try a simple jumper from your jack nut to the strings to test the idea."

Exactly what I was planning to do...  Thanks!

Permalink Reply by Michael Recchione on April 7, 2013 at 6:56am

Update:  I tried that, and it worked - at least as long as I was touching the strings.  I use open tunings on CBGs, so it's not a perfect solution.  After grounding the bridge, I tried making a grounding bracelet from some picture hanging wire I had lying around, grounding the jack case to my wrist.

This worked perfectly.  Of course.  It sounds so good I can't NOT do it.  And just when I thought it was not possible to look dorkier than I already did ... :D   But I guess if I were really worried about how dorky I look, I wouldn't be be out in front of people, playing a tiny little guitar made from a cigar box... lol.

Permalink Reply by Dave Lynas on April 7, 2013 at 9:30am

I don't think you'll need to be the ground with a bracelet on your wrist... sort of like an electric chair idea.... The grounded system should do it without touching the strings yourself. You get little chirps when you touch the strings when things aren't right which adds an unwanted sound. Once you finally get everything grounded it should do it without your being the ground. I've been frustrated trying to find where my ground is deficient, but once you find the culprit, the sound gets much better with silence when not playing.

Permalink Reply by Jon Leslie/Runaway Veal Music on April 7, 2013 at 7:18pm

I'm not sure grounding your arm is good. Anything else is better even a hum. Try smashing the pickup or re wiring it