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Conference napalm::guitar

Title:GUITARnotes - Where Every Note has Emotion
Notice:Discussion of the finer stringed instruments
Moderator:KDX200::COOPER
Created:Thu Aug 14 1986
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:3280
Total number of notes:61432

3109.0. "D-I-Y guitar repairs" by BUSY::CLEMENT (Smells like Nirvana) Tue Aug 22 1995 10:34

    How about a D-I-Y guitar repair note?
                     
    I have a Memphis (Strat copy) electric guitar that makes a constant
    buzzing noise.  I have it all apart and I can make the buzz noise go
    from background to foreground levels by touching different metal parts
    of the components (knobs, selector switch) inside the guitar.
    
    There are 3 pickups, 3 knobs, 1 switch, some little caps, and the input
    jack.  How can I proceed to isolate the cause of the noise?
    
    I do not see any loose wires or connections.  Switching the selector to
    its different positions makes no difference.  
    
    Thanks for your help!  Mark
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name		DateLines
3109.1SPEZKO::FRASERMobius Loop; see other sideTue Aug 22 1995 12:4216
        Sounds like a flaky ground, Mark.
        
        Typically, you (ie. the guitar!) should have a connection from
        the bridge into the cavity, from the output jack shield into the
        cavity and from the common line from the pickup(s) through the
        controls. ALL of those lines should be tied to a single common
        point.
        
        If you have an meter, check for continuity (ie. dead short/zero
        Ohms) between the strings and the outer case of your guitar cord
        and between the metal collar/nut/washer of the volume and tone
        pots - anything other than a dead short will likely either be the
        answer to your problem or at least a significant contributor to
        the noise.
        
        Andy
3109.2Will give it a go, after I fix the leaky washer!BUSY::CLEMENTSmells like NirvanaTue Aug 22 1995 15:539
    Hi Andy,
    
    Yes if I had to further descibe the noise it sounds like a bad ground
    noise.  There are no strings on the guitar at this point.  Thanks for
    the tip and I will see what I can figure out with the meter.
    
    It makes the noise with or without strings on it...
    
    Thanks, Mark
3109.3SPEZKO::FRASERMobius Loop; see other sideWed Aug 23 1995 10:0014
        Strings are irrelevant, Mark - maybe I didn't explain it so well
        - I mentioned the strings just as an easy point to hang the meter
        probe off when checking for continuity - they connect
        (electrically) through the bridge to the cavity where you should
        find a wire coming from the bridge area. This should be connected
        to the common line from the pickups and controls, which should be
        connected to the output jack body. One of those connections
        "open" will cause noise as will too many connections to different
        points within the cavity; this creates what's called a ground
        loop and will be especially bad if the soldering quality is not
        good allowing for some resistance between the ground points.

        Andy