Humming issue when not touching strings / bridge - grounding issue?

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NateD81
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Humming issue when not touching strings / bridge - grounding issue?

Post by NateD81 » Mon Nov 12, 2018 8:07 am

Preface: I'm a total dummy when it comes to wiring but I'm trying to educate myself, so please forgive my ignorance and possible misunderstandings.

I have a new 60th Anniversary MIM JM. When my fingers are on the strings I have zero buzzing no matter the pickup selector setting. The moment my fingers leave the strings or my palm leaves the bridge (if it happens to be touching at all), I get buzzing. My instant thought is that the guitar is not grounded properly, is this the route I should pursue first, or is this characteristic of the guitar?

Thanks for your help and patience!

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Telliot
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Re: Humming issue when not touching strings / bridge - grounding issue?

Post by Telliot » Mon Nov 12, 2018 8:14 am

That’s totally normal, in my experience. Think of yourself as the ground. If you’ve got a low hum, that would be different, but buzzing is expected.
The cool thing about fretless is you can hit a note...and then renegotiate.

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NateD81
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Re: Humming issue when not touching strings / bridge - grounding issue?

Post by NateD81 » Mon Nov 12, 2018 9:57 am

Telliot wrote:
Mon Nov 12, 2018 8:14 am
That’s totally normal, in my experience. Think of yourself as the ground. If you’ve got a low hum, that would be different, but buzzing is expected.
Ok - cool! I’m good with that if it’s normal. No humming, thankfully!

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Embenny
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Re: Humming issue when not touching strings / bridge - grounding issue?

Post by Embenny » Mon Nov 12, 2018 11:06 am

Telliot wrote:
Mon Nov 12, 2018 8:14 am
That’s totally normal, in my experience. Think of yourself as the ground. If you’ve got a low hum, that would be different, but buzzing is expected.
That's what I used to think until this board taught me otherwise.

Apparently, your body acts like an EM antenna - and touching any of the grounded parts of the guitar (strings, bridge, etc) actually grounds you, and you stop acting like an antenna.

But yes, it is the sign of a properly-wired guitar for it to behave this way.
The artist formerly known as mbene085.

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Telliot
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Re: Humming issue when not touching strings / bridge - grounding issue?

Post by Telliot » Mon Nov 12, 2018 12:37 pm

I stand corrected! :)
The cool thing about fretless is you can hit a note...and then renegotiate.

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Re: Humming issue when not touching strings / bridge - grounding issue?

Post by windmill » Mon Nov 12, 2018 1:36 pm

Our friend Dave has an answer to this problem

Jaguar Bass Noise Fix

The real fun starts after about 4 minutes

HTH

:)

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