Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Richey Kay on February 13, 2014 at 6:51pm

Hey Manny, some questions:

• Can we see a picture of the pickup?
• Have you potted the pickup?
• Is it mains hum or buzz? Try turning the treble down on your amp. If it gets quieter it's buzz - this is not cancelled by a humbucker.
• How far are your strings from the pickup?

Have you tried plugging your amp into a different socket? Could be interference from a computer/light dimmer switch/mobile phone etc. I drove myself mad with the same problem and it turned out it was terrible on my small practice amp but fine on my bigger one.

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Permalink Reply by Manny Lopez on February 13, 2014 at 7:18pm

Its a battery powered amp so it cant be mains. As for potting, no I have not. Heres a photo of it:

Attachments:

• 20140213_224007.jpg, 2.6 MB

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Permalink Reply by Richey Kay on February 14, 2014 at 7:32pm

Cool looking pickup Manny. I would say give potting it a try first, as this helps stop it picking up interference. Do you have a picture of your wiring as well?

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Permalink Reply by Manny Lopez on February 15, 2014 at 5:14am

Richey,

I am tempted to pot it... But what should I do about the tape? As I said, it insulates a few coils from each other. I am assuming it will fall right off during potting.

And here is my wiring... I always swore if never show a nude shot, especially given I haven't shown the whole thing yet. And it's sexy, except for this bit hahah. It has copper tape around the strings. I had connected that to ground as well at one point, and it still hummed. I just left it on because it'd be easier to leave it and see if its useable first. Better than winding a second pickup when the first one worked, but good practice.

Be interested on your thoughts.

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• image.jpg, 1.1 MB

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Permalink Reply by Rand Moore on February 15, 2014 at 6:26am

In the photo, the pup wiring looks like it was wrapped in foil, but I couldn't see any indication that the foil itself was grounded. The foil will work a lot better as a shield if it is grounded.

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Permalink Reply by Manny Lopez on February 15, 2014 at 7:09am

It was connected to ground but it didnt eliminate hum and Buzz. Left it there just in case I try ot again. But pretty sure its the pickup causing hum.

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Permalink Reply by Richey Kay on February 15, 2014 at 10:57pm

Have you definitely got the wires the right way round on the jack? Using red wires for hot and ground would confuse me... I think Rand is right that you should add the copper to the ground circuit. Maybe try reversing the wires on the jack, and potting the pickup should help. This is the wiring diagram I use (from Ted Crocker's site), but it doesn't look like you have any pots in the equation:

I should have mentioned before -  I pot all my pickups and I don't use copper foil shielding. I had terrible problems with buzz and hum on my little practice amp, but none whatsoever on my (better quality) bigger one. I know you said you only have one amp but it would be really helpful to try it in another...

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Permalink Reply by Slowpaw Steve T on February 13, 2014 at 8:11pm

sounds to me like a grounding issue, i have used many of these pups and they don't hum, and it doesn't matter which wire you use for live and which for ground. i suggest you check back to your jack and see if there is a grounding short there somewhere..? (-:

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Permalink Reply by Manny Lopez on February 14, 2014 at 3:28am

Steve, thanks. I would agree it sounds like grounding.

I have checked the ground and cannot any short on he lugs. Am I looking at the right area? Exactly what do you mean by a short at output jack?

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Permalink Reply by 14 buck bass (aka antonio) on February 15, 2014 at 5:23am

put that joker in some wax brotha

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Permalink Reply by 14 buck bass (aka antonio) on February 15, 2014 at 5:24am

p.s.  nice job on that pup , did ya hand wind it ? what was the output on it ?  hey, Dan Sleep  humidor Guitars , he makes the sleep talkers which are this type design.  you might give him a holla and pick his brain he might have run into this and has an easy fix up his sleeve.  or tell ya how he pots em .  just a thought

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Permalink Reply by Manny Lopez on February 15, 2014 at 5:42am

Thanks man. I made a pickup winder from a drill and an old pen and bottlecaps. Used two pieces of offcut fretboard and clamped the bobbin with tape. A bigger Neo held the bobbin on the winder. Calculator and reed switch for counter. 2000 winds per. Measured about 1800ohms.

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