Pickup Noises..

DanHeron · Post by **DanHeron** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 2:43 pm

I have had the Mustang for a good few weeks now, played it literally everyday. I noticed early on there was some fuzzy noises coming through the amp, however I put it down to the input being a bit loose, and the tone/volume controls (it happened when the lead moved about or i turned the knobs). However, recently I started hearing a weird ticking noise, almost like a clock ticking, 'tick..... tick... tick'. I found it was coming from the bridge pickup because it stopped when I turned the bridge pickup off. Again, I ignored it as it was quiet and seemed like nothing. However, yesterday it started coming through the neck pickup as well!

It's a weird ticking/crackling/fuzzy noise, you cant hear it when the pickups are in the off position and it gets worse when the pickups are in one position than the other (in/out phase, i cant remember which one is the worse one atm).

I was thinking of changing the pickups, but am growing fond of the stock pickups.. I have never re-wired anything, and rewiring the whole guitar is probably unnecessary. What should I do? Get someone pro to take a look?

DanHeron · Post by **DanHeron** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 2:45 pm

Also, i should add, the fuzzy noises get louder/worse when I play harder...

Reece · Post by **Reece** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 2:48 pm

is this direct or though a pedalboard/pedal?

DanHeron · Post by **DanHeron** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 2:49 pm

Zaphod wrote:is this direct or though a pedalboard/pedal?

Direct.. straight into the TT. It also happened when I used the toneport and some amp modeling stuff. Definitely the guitar and not the amp.

Post by **Mike** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 2:50 pm

Are you wearing a wristwatch?

DanHeron · Post by **DanHeron** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 2:51 pm

Mike wrote:Are you wearing a wristwatch?

ahaha no!

Reece · Post by **Reece** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 2:51 pm

Mike wrote:Are you wearing a wristwatch?

ahh i forgot about that.

your pickups will pick up watches. i've used it in a song before through some fuzz to get a beat.

Post by **Mike** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 2:53 pm

DanHeron wrote:
Mike wrote:Are you wearing a wristwatch?
ahaha no!

You can sometimes get ticking from watches and other pieces of electronic equipment, it is not coming from the pickups themselves, but they are amplifying something else. Infra red believe it or not could be the culprit. Try a different room and see what happens.

DanHeron · Post by **DanHeron** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 2:55 pm

Ok i just plugged it in... and got the radio! from my bridge pickup! Crazy. I can hear voices, i might be going mad.

Reece · Post by **Reece** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 2:56 pm

hahaha. how come whenever you pick up the radio through you pickips it's never like xfm, it's always some weird foreign station that you couldn't find on the dial if you tried.

Post by **Mike** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 2:57 pm

Do you want the science reason?

Wavelength. Foreign and other "talkie" stations are LW, and the wavelengths of your pickups acting as antennae is also very long.

DanHeron · Post by **DanHeron** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 3:00 pm

Well, I guess that's what the ticking noises are...

Still has awful loud fuzz noises when turn the knobs. and when the input moves.. i guess wires are bit loose?

Post by **Mike** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 3:00 pm

Loose or missing ground I would say. Open that sucker up.

DanHeron · Post by **DanHeron** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 3:05 pm

Mike wrote:Loose or missing ground I would say. Open that sucker up.

I have the control plate off, gonna tighten up everything.. all the wires seem fine, nothing loose. I will take a photo though, i have no idea about wiring

DanHeron · Post by **DanHeron** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 3:14 pm

Looking good?

Post by **Mike** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 3:18 pm

In short - absoluetly not. There is no wire from the ground lug on the jack. This should connect to all the other grounds (two of them are on the volume pot casing).

Things to do:

1 - What is the tone cap connected to on the other side? the tone pot casing? This needs to be grounded also
2- the jack ground needs to be connected to the other grounds.

These connections should be made by the control plate itself, but I would always wire them personally. Also check the wire into the cavity is connected to the bridge.

Do you have a multimeter?

DanHeron · Post by **DanHeron** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 3:29 pm

Mike wrote:In short - absoluetly not. There is no wire from the ground lug on the jack. This should connect to all the other grounds (two of them are on the volume pot casing).

Things to do:

1 - What is the tone cap connected to on the other side? the tone pot casing? This needs to be grounded also
2- the jack ground needs to be connected to the other grounds.

These connections should be made by the control plate itself, but I would always wire them personally. Also check the wire into the cavity is connected to the bridge.

Do you have a multimeter?

Aww shit. Ok. I don't have a multimeter.. I guess i will have to invest in one. I will take the strings off later and have a proper look, check its connected to the bridge and stuff. Cheers.

Post by **Mike** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 3:33 pm

Like I said after I realised it was a Mustang, they should be connected by the the plate itself, but there could be gunk between the volume pot and the plate preventing this.

DanHeron · Post by **DanHeron** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 3:46 pm

Mike wrote:Like I said after I realised it was a Mustang, they should be connected by the the plate itself, but there could be gunk between the volume pot and the plate preventing this.

Ah ok, so all the wires are in place? I dont need to wire any stuff?

Post by **Mike** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 3:47 pm

Not if it's electronically connected as it should be. It sounds like something is amiss though, you're going to need to pull the scratch plate up also.