Re: Fender 1984 Japan Strat "buzzing"

On Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:44:43 -0500, Squier <squier@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

jtees4 <jtees4@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Awhile back I asked for advice on this guitar, and ended up buying it.
I have posted here many times about being a Gibson guy, but always
wanting to find a Strat I could love. I've owned a bunch over the
years and could never bond with one.
This one is different. It's funny but the Fender type 1 bridge in
combo with the locking thing (not really a nut) really works well,
finally a Fender bridge that works, and the guitar stays in good
tune...and that's with a really nice floating bridge.
This guitar also sounds incredible, better than any strta I've ever
had for sure.
I still have single coil hum issues, and the guitar is fairly quiet in
pos 2 and 4...which works for me.
I have one question though...other than the single coil hum...I do get
some "electric buzzing" when not touching the bridge (fairly hard). I
know this is fairly common with strtas, this seems like a little more.
The ground seemed fine, and it's definitely tied to the bridge
correctly too. Any ideas on this?
Anyway, this may finally be my Strat. It plays better than any I've
ever touched, sounds better too. It's funny that I ended up with an
"oddball" Strat and that's the one I ended up liking.
I also like the fact that it is basswood (I think) and it is much
lighter thatn other strtas I've had too.



****
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=789610


sometimes adding in another ground wire works great.
There should be two grounds to the back of the volume pot.
One is from the jack and the other is coming from the bridge.
Check to make sure the wire that's soldered to bridge (take off back plate)
is really a good solder joint. This obviously also connects to strings
when strung and to you when you touch the strings. you become the ground.

But what I do (and some strats already have this) is inside the body
cavity within a pickup route -- I place a small wood screw and solder
down a wire to it or wrap a ground wired around the screw and screw
it into the wood (you could also use a little screw with a solder tag
on the side and solder the wire there). Then run this sheilded ground
wire (don't use bare wire any covered wire will do) to the back of the
volume pot and solder as an additional ground. This can help a lot (imho)
and seems to work for me. You also might want to add in cavity shielding.. etc.

Hey - sometimes single coils just want to hum a lot depending on
what type of pickups they are. Eventually you'll get tired of it
and just install a set of Dimarzio Area 61's and be happy. (or Area 58's
if you want less output and a little more sparkle).

I got real tired of single coil hum that was a pain with any gain involved.
Low gain situations.. playing clean.. etc was ok though fairly quiet.
But if you play with any sort of boost or gain then the only quiet
positions are 2 and 4 and that gets to be old after a while because to
me the single coil neck position in a Strat is golden... but with hum
under gain makes you not want to use it. (imho)

Get Dimarzio Area 61's (or 58's) and just be done with it.
You'll be happy.

I never heard of the adding a screw and grounding that, but it's a
simple thing to try. I don't really understand what it's doing, but if
it works...that's ok with me.
I already sheilded the back of the pickguard and all the cavities...it
helped with the regular single coil hum for sure. The guitar is pretty
quiet with clean, low gain settings now. I do tend to use some higher
gain and of course that's when the major problems arise, but that's
expected.(In fact it even happens with some humbuckers).
The hum I'm having problems with is definitely not the single coil hum
(though I hate that too)...it's a grounding issue for sure even though
everything looks fine.
I do have an extra Dimarzio HS1 (I think that's what it's called)
laying around which I could throw in there, but I'd rather keep this
guitar stock for the time being.
The stock pickups sound so good in this model, I wish I could just get
rid of some of the noise and use it as is....but we'll see.
Thanks for the response.



****
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=789610
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Fender 1984 Japan Strat "buzzing"
    ... Awhile back I asked for advice on this guitar, ... I have one question though...other than the single coil hum...I do get ... Check to make sure the wire that's soldered to bridge ... I got real tired of single coil hum that was a pain with any gain involved. ...
    (alt.guitar)
  • Re: Help deciding.
    ... When I play with my friend we play a lot of heavy stuff that my Strat ... have that lovely single coil chime that I so love in strat neck ... Then get yourself a humbucker and wire that in. ...
    (alt.guitar)
  • Re: Mark Bedingfield - about the Vintage Noiseless pups
    ... You're right there Keith - anything called 'noiseless' in a Strat ... is always open for immediate attack from the single coil purists. ... tradeoff is to keep the right tele twang in that bridge. ...
    (alt.guitar)
  • Re: Fender 1984 Japan Strat "buzzing"
    ... finally a Fender bridge that works, and the guitar stays in good ... this may finally be my Strat. ... Check to make sure the wire that's soldered to bridge ... is really a good solder joint. ...
    (alt.guitar)
  • Re: A Bit OT - Just Made My First Pickup And It Works
    ... I got some 2 mm thick tufnol from RS, a collection of magnets ... the Scientific Wire Company. ... I'd made the bobbin ... I've made two bobbins which should fit my strat and I'm now ...
    (alt.guitar.beginner)