Abnormally high buzz with new Novaks

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ek11sx
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Abnormally high buzz with new Novaks

Post by ek11sx » Mon Oct 11, 2021 6:39 pm

Hey all,

Got new Novak vintage JM pickups and while they sound great I seem to have developed a new stressor in the form of buzzing. Here are the details:

62 AV Jazzmaster
Neck and bridge Novak historic Jazzmaster pickups
Orange rocker
Furman PST-8 D power conditioner
New house plugged into an ungrounded outlet

So the buzz is much louder on this guitar than it is on my Pure Vintage loaded American Professional Jazzmaster. Night and day. The guitar buzzes madly when I press down on the pickup covers, no part of metal being touched. I figure that was very weird. I’m hoping someone here has some experience/thoughts.

Thanks

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Embenny
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Re: Abnormally high buzz with new Novaks

Post by Embenny » Tue Oct 12, 2021 4:59 am

Why on earth does a new house have an ungrounded electrical outlet? You have much worse problems than noise - the risk of death comes to mind.
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ek11sx
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Re: Abnormally high buzz with new Novaks

Post by ek11sx » Tue Oct 12, 2021 5:49 am

New to me house, not new

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Embenny
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Re: Abnormally high buzz with new Novaks

Post by Embenny » Tue Oct 12, 2021 9:50 am

ek11sx wrote:
Tue Oct 12, 2021 5:49 am
New to me house, not new
Ah.

I'd still say to call an electrician, and fix the fire/cardiac arrest risk that is the outlet's wiring, and worry about noise if it persists after that.

Literally everything electric guitar-related depends on ground for safety. People have died directly due to its absence, which is why even vintage amps lose zero value for being converted to 3-prong cords with proper ground.
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adamrobertt
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Re: Abnormally high buzz with new Novaks

Post by adamrobertt » Tue Oct 12, 2021 6:44 pm

ek11sx wrote:
Tue Oct 12, 2021 5:49 am
New to me house, not new
Still seems sketchy. Hasn't it been the law since like the 70s that every house must have grounded outlets, regardless of when it was built? My house was built in 1890 and has grounded outlets... pretty sure it would have failed inspection if it didn't.

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ek11sx
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Re: Abnormally high buzz with new Novaks

Post by ek11sx » Tue Oct 12, 2021 6:53 pm

I have lived in a few places with old wiring. I don’t think it’s illegal but I think if you get a permit for any sort of updating/remodeling you are required to ground the outlets or install GFCI receptacles

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Larry Mal
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Re: Abnormally high buzz with new Novaks

Post by Larry Mal » Tue Oct 12, 2021 7:08 pm

My house has grounded and ungrounded outlets.

Just never defeat the ground on anything, and you are probably OK.
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Re: Abnormally high buzz with new Novaks

Post by hexes » Sat Oct 23, 2021 7:25 pm

try it if you can in a proper grounded location. double check your wiring. i just fixed a guy’s guitar that buzzed after he installed new pickups. his grounding was not as solid as it needed to be.

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