Humming, Ground Problem?

[BlastFunk03]

I have a Fender Deluxe P-Bass. When plugged into an amp it hums loudly. Touching the tone knobs seems to effect the noise and holding the strings silences it. I am assuming it isn't grounded properly. Any tips on securing a better ground or any other things that might be causing the hum?

[Gopherbassist]

I've got a simmilar problem. It didn't start until I had my bass for a few months though. The humbucker actually hums louder than the single now. Haven't looked into fixing mine though.

[Mr. Pickle]

Shield it.

[edgebass5]

While shielding certainly won't hurt anything, I doubt it's the source of the problem. I had a similar problem with my jazz bass and found a relatively simple solution.

Assuming your bass grounds to the bridge: Take off your bridge and with a piece of steel wool, remove the finish on the backside of the bridge in the area where the grounding wire makes contact. Reattach the grounding wire, reattach the bridge and see if that helped.

I was skeptical when it was suggested to me, but it actually worked, so... :thumb:

[Mr. Pickle]

There was a time when my bass hummed/buzzed and then when i touched the strings, it would stop.

I shielded it and then it didn't do it anymore. >_>

[edgebass5]

Just re-read my initial post and it should have read: "While is certainly won't HURT anything..."

My bad... :(

The reality is that all copper shielding will do is reduce RF interference from EXTERNAL sources.

[Jimbobntnr]

While shielding certainly won't hurt anything, I doubt it's the source of the problem. I had a similar problem with my jazz bass and found a relatively simple solution.

Assuming your bass grounds to the bridge: Take off your bridge and with a piece of steel wool, remove the finish on the backside of the bridge in the area where the grounding wire makes contact. Reattach the grounding wire, reattach the bridge and see if that helped.

I was skeptical when it was suggested to me, but it actually worked, so... :thumb:

had the same issue with my mij. the ground 'wire' tarnished over time. This fix worked for me too.

Pickle will just try to confuse you, then talk you onto msn 'to help diagnose the problem' and then "accidentally" send you pictures of himself doing badthings to sock monkeys. ignore him.

[edgebass5]

There's no such thing as bad treatment of sock monkeys... They get what they deserve :naughty:

[Mr. Pickle]

Pickle will just try to confuse you, then talk you onto msn 'to help diagnose the problem' and then "accidentally" send you pictures of himself doing badthings to sock monkeys. ignore him.


pssh. i rarely ever use MSN anymore, fag.








































i still use AIM.

[Son of Magni]

Since TS said touching the strings stops the hum it's pretty clear that the ground to the bridge is working perfectly.

It sounds like a bass that needs better shielding, and/or you are in a noisy environment EMI wise.

[edgebass5]

Since TS said touching the strings stops the hum it's pretty clear that the ground to the bridge is working perfectly.

Knowing how grounds work I've always thought this was the case, but repairing the ground on my bass (and one for a friend) removed the annoying buzz. The other part of this is that my jazz bass is completely shielded and still had the buzz.

Your statement definitely makes sense from the standpoint of logic (for those of you curious what I mean, google "ground + path of least resistance"), but repairing the ground has proven (at least in my endeavors) to be the actual solution to the problem.

[BlastFunk03]

Alright I'm going to take a look at the bridge ground when I change strings, make sure everything looks good.

In an unrelated question: I thought maybe in a longshot adjusting the tross rod would reduce the humming. With the neck facing me I turned it right, causing the strings to raise considerably. For some reason I thought turning right (with the front of the neck facing me) was relieving tension....?

[Son of Magni]

Turning it "right" is not a precise description. If you are looking at the end of the truss-rod and turn it clockwise, typically that will lower the action and decrease the hum. Counter clockwise will raise the action and increase the hum.