Neck pickup in JM buzzing ONLY when played?

[NateD81]

I’ve got the 60th anni. MIM JM and I’ve just noticed that lately when I play a note either in Neck only and neck + bridge position I’m getting an audible buzz (not bridge rattle). No issues with the bridge pickup, so it’s leading me to believe something is going on with the neck pickup? Has anyone had this issue? I don’t even know where to start with troubleshooting.

I recently shielded the cavities with copper tape but I don’t think this is a grounding issue because the guitar is whisper quiet whether or not I’m touching any of the metal, the buzzing only happens when the pickup starts to pickup the string vibrations.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[mynameisjonas]

Make sure the copper tape hasn't come loose and is vibrating near the pickup, and just try to eliminate any movement in general (maybe you need more foam under the pickup for instance). Also check for any possible partial break, or near-short circuit between the pickup leads/eyelets and the shielding.

[Telemnemonics]

Assuming the issue wasn't there before taking it apart and shielding the body, it's hard to determine what might be wrong, aside from that you must have left something loose or changed something.

Saying it only buzzes after you play a note suggests that it doesn't buzz when you ground your hand on the strings, then starts buzzing when you take your hand off the strings?
This is typical, but the strings making sound being the cause of buzz is not typical IME.
If you play a note and the buzzing starts, then touch the bridge does the buzzuing stop?
Or does it only stop when you mute the strings?
Does it not start buzzing again when you take your hands (both hands!) off the strings?

I would open it up and look at the neck pickup wiring connections.
You might see the problem before you imagine the source.

[timtam]

So electric buzz .. not mechanical ? ie only when amplified (can't hear anything acoustically)
And only apparent when playing, but literally goes away when you switch to bridge pickup and play the same stuff ?
Any connection to particular notes or strings ? Open or fretted ?
What is neck pickup height ?

[NateD81]

Hey guys --

It's definitely electrical and not mechanical. I had mechanical buzzing with the original bridge but swapped that bridge with an Am. Pro mustang bridge which has been great.

To give some more detail, I've recently acquired a DRRI so I'm getting to know the amp. I typically play on channel 2, input 1, so I can take advantage of the reverb and vibrato. Since I'm learning the amp, I switched over to channel 1, input 1 to get a better sense of what the amp can and cannot do. I noticed today that when I turned the amp on (channel 1, input 1), I heard a slight oscillating sound, almost like a quiet tapping sound. I tapped the amp pedal to turn off the vibrato (I guess I had used that the last time I was on channel 2) and the oscillating sound went away. In addition, the sound I described in my original post seems to have disappeared, too. I don't know if that's related or coincidental.

I'm not complaining that the issue is gone for now, but it is very strange. I spent some time tonight trying to replicate it but I haven't been able to do so. I started with basic signal flow but everything seems to be back to normal no matter what combination of pedals / cables I use. My inclination is that it has something to do with playing in the garage of a condo that was built in the 70s, maybe something to do with some weird electrical issues -- the only thing that throws a monkey wrench into that line of thinking is that is that I had zero issues using only the bridge pickup, only bridge + neck and neck pickup.

My next step is as you all suggested, take a look at the guts of my guitar. I'm going to wait to see if the issue crops up again and go from there. I guess for now I'll just hope I was hearing something that was never there.

Thank you guys for your input and I'll post again if the issue crops up!