Grounding problem.. but i see nothing wrong? (pix)

[sixner]

EDIT : Updates - read post #28 for the lastest... might have found the problem..

So, i've got a grounding problem, i think. 2 things...
1) my bass buzzes when i touch it.. BUT... it's only on certain amps? my Kustom, nothing.... the SWR LA 15 i use at practice, it does... my peavey TKO... only occasionally?...

wtf?

2) i turn my tone knob up / treble up... it buzzes badly...

so, this is a grounding problem.. Correct?
When i opened up the cavity, i dont see anything wrong? i tugged on the grounding wire a bit, it's in there snugly...

i dont have much knowledge with this wiring technical stuff.. so.. am i missing something? here's a pic.. Thanks everyone!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v719/sixner/000_0076.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v719/sixner/000_0077.jpg
-Sixner

[Jamie]

Take your bridge off and check the ground wire is ok and its connecting with the bridge :thumb:

[sixner]

thanks jamie...

your avatar always makes me think of a rastafarian :lol:
-sixner

[muthafunkabass]

thanks jamie...

your avatar always makes me think of a rastafarian :lol:
-sixner
rastas kick ***!

[bbbbass]

What about the output jack? Is there something you do that makes the buzzing stop (i.e., touching a string, wiggle your cable)? There are many possibilities.

[skingle]

This happens to me to and only on certain amps. Thanks for bringing this up sixner coz i was very confused about it.

[skingle]

This happens to me too and only on certain amps. Thanks for bringing this up sixner coz i was very confused about it.

[kilian]

No.

Grounding problems will be there even if you have your treble down. Check the wall outlet, is this one grounded or not? It hasn't something to do with your bass.. it's just that the ungrounded voltage from the wall is amplified better when you turn up your treble. :thumb:

I think that's it.. I have the same thing here at home.

EDIT:
:amaze:

It happens when you touch it? Well that's strange.. it should be otherwise. Then it can really be a grounding problem. Do what Jamie said and check every connection. Also check if it only happens with one pickup or with both of them.

Report after duty :cool:

[sixner]

^ i'll check it right now... *runs off*
thanks!
-sixner

[sixner]

ok... it does with or with out the pick ups on... i turned both all the way down, and it still does it....

i should note... a while ago, my tone knob was wiggling, i had to tighten the bolt... it would over turn and the hole pot would turn.. i thought maybe i disconnected a wire, but all is still connected.....

i'll check the bridge thing... i just really dont want to take my strings off, i hate doing it... i just put them on! gah..... haha...
-sixner

[georgestrings]

Take your bridge off and check the ground wire is ok and its connecting with the bridge :thumb:


I wouldn't do that - if there's a question about the bridge ground, just check it with a meter to ground without removing it... Not that you can't take off your bridge, but why do it if you don't have to ???



- georgestrings

[kilian]

Just loosen your strings a bit, so the pressure is off the neck/bridge and then unscrew your bridge :)

[chris998]

i had similar problem, buzzed when ever i didnt touch the strings etc. i also had to tighten my tone knob up as it became loose, i had the same idea

although strangely it only does it when i turn my bedroom light on??????????

[Riouken]

I hate that too. A lot.

[georgestrings]

"although strangely it only does it when i turn my bedroom light on??????????"


Flourescent light, maybe???



- georgestrings

[chris998]

nope just a normal 60w bulb i think, not flourescent

[georgestrings]

"Just loosen your strings a bit, so the pressure is off the neck/bridge and then unscrew your bridge"


No, just use a multimeter to check it's resistance to ground - it shouldn't show more than about .3 ohms or so... Why do all that when you can check it with a meter in seconds, without taking everything loose???? Just put one lead on a grounding point on a pickup, and the other to the bridge - and take a reading...



- georgestrings

[kilian]

^^Is also an option, but there aren't so many people who have a multimeter at home and there are even more people who don't know how to use it :thumb:

So that only leaves the option to take everything loose. And that doesn't hurt your bass at all. At least, it doesn't to mine

[georgestrings]

nope just a normal 60w bulb i think, not flourescent


Well, that *could* come from the house wiring, amongst other sources...



- georgestrings

[georgestrings]

^^Is also an option, but there aren't so many people who have a multimeter at home and there are even more people who don't know how to use it :thumb:

So that only leaves the option to take everything loose. And that doesn't hurt your bass at all. At least, it doesn't to mine


I'm not trying to pick on you, kilian - but I can buy a meter at about 5 places within minutes from my home, for $5 or less, and there's nothing to learning to use one(I could even tell you how here, for that matter)... That, and a soldering iron are a MUST for a musician, IMO - with a few minutes of instruction, one can do alot of things... As for removal: on my P basses, the bridges are screwed into the body with a type of woodscrew - and taking them in and out *can* loosen their holes in the body, presenting another set of troubles...



- georgestrings

[kilian]

^^No offence from my side either!

But I was just giving options next to your option with the meter. I think that for both options something can be said. There aren't people who want to pay $5 for a meter that they will use only once and then let it collect dust. And I've seen a lot of people in my class using a multimeter wrong, if you can explain it to them: that's good! I think your option is better in the long run. If you unscrew your bass twice in a week, you might loosen the holes in your body. I've never noticed that myself though and I unscrew it a lot to make a mod, change the pickguard etc etc. Though I can imagine what you said.. and if the bridge grounding isn't wrong, you can also check out all the other wires/components with the multimeter.

Again.. you can say something for both options :)
And a multimeter does cost a lot more around here and it also takes a bit more to drive (15 minutes).

[sixner]

thanks guys guy...

about the loosening strings.... i string through the body... (noticed in first picture, you can see where i load them through..) so, i think i'd have to completely take off the strings, right?...

as for the multimeter thing... personally I dont have one, but my brother is a huge electronic's nerd and probably has one... (he just built us a new computer from scratch for free :lol: )

as for George saying the multimeter and soldering iron are essential... the iron, yeah... meter i'd say not so much.. but.. meh.
i have a soldering iron (3 actually).. but no solder!! :upset:
-sixner

[chris998]

Well, that *could* come from the house wiring, amongst other sources...



- georgestrings

im confused, could you explain?

[PainKiller8191]

god i love passive circuits...so neat

anyone recall when i had a problem with my wiring? its such a mess back there with the active eq and such

[chris998]

anyone got any solutions to the above problems?

[bbbbass]

anyone got any solutions to the above problems?

Are you talking about house wiring? Well, a well done electrical shielding job should eliminate most of the electrical interference. Otherwise, an electrician wouldn't hurt, except maybe your pocket...

[chris998]

well i dont see how house wiring and turning on my light makes my guitar buzz, and im not getting in an electrician or anything

[sixner]

I had my brother check it.. he used a multi-meter thing and said the bridge is connected.. BUT.. he said something seems wrong with the wiring to the input? said it's wired to the tip of the cable and the rod.. think of it like a head and shaft of a male :lol: if you didint already know..

i'll take some pic's tomorrow, hopefully one of you can re-assure me on this before i do some re-wiring.. he said take the wire to the shaft, and run it to my tone knob, and that should ground out everything...

i'm sure pics' will clarify...thanks for your help fella's
-sixner

[georgestrings]

well i dont see how house wiring and turning on my light makes my guitar buzz, and im not getting in an electrician or anything


Well, I've worked professionally as an electrician/electronics tech for about 20 years, so what seems simple to me *can* be a daunting task to someone else(sorry for forgetting that)... A practical approach for your situation would be to take the amp/bass to someone else's house, and see if you still have a noise problem... As for your "light" problem, I would check that circuit of the house wiring for an outlet wired backwards, a faulty ground, and I'd take a lamp of known good repair and substitue it for the one "causing" your noise - that ought to tell you something... Flourescent lights *can* cause noise problems - particularly with single coil Pups - incandescent lights normally won't, unless there's something else going on.... It's pretty difficult for me to troubleshoot your problem under these circumstances, but I'll try to help as much as I can - if I lived in your area, I'd look into it for free for you...



- georgestrings

[chris998]

ok thanks for your help, il tell my dad see if he has any ideas