New Fender. Big problems


maizan
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maizan
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03/06/2005 3:22 am
Just picked up a gorgeous Fender Mexican Strat today. Brought it home to test it out on my amp. Plugged in and noticed a huge problem. There is a very loud buzzing/humming sound when I put my hand or fingers on or near the string or even when I touch the truss or the springs on the back of the guitar. Now you can imagine this is very frustrating seeing as how I just spent about $400 on this thing.

I tried a couple different things like adjusting the pickup height and even messing around with my amp settings but the hum is still there and its still very annoying. If anyone can give me any advice it would be very appreciated. Im not really too inclined on the technical aspects of guitars and amps so Im hoping there is a simple solution to my problem. If it helps Im playing through a Line 6 Spider2. Any and all advice will be very welcome. Thanks.
# 1
maizan
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maizan
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03/06/2005 3:27 am
Forgot to add this in. I also have a Fender Squier strat and I have no buzz using that with the same amp settings. :confused:
# 2
Dr_simon
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Dr_simon
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03/06/2005 3:28 am
Ok first up are their computer CRT monitors or a TV or fluorescent tube lighting near by ? These are all potential sources of noise.

If it is none of the above, it may well be that the guitar has a bad earth.
This is easy to fix. Make sure the bridge is earthed and that all the other electrical connections under the scratch plate are OK.

If the guitar has single coils, which are notorious for picking up noise, there are several things you can do to reduce noise like coating the scratch plate with coper foil etc.

Let up know how you get on.
My instructors page and www.studiotrax.net for all things recording.
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# 3
maizan
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maizan
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03/06/2005 5:42 am
ok I do have a CRT monitor near my guitar. Turned it off and tried again but it still buzzing. Like I said Im not really technically inclined with guitars so Im not quite sure what you mean by earthing the bridge. I took off the plate to look around but Im not really sure what Im looking for. All the wires appear to be in place and nothing seems to be disconnected or frayed or anything. The guitar is single coil. DO I get this foil at a guitar shop? Thanks for the advice. Ill keep poking around until I fix it or somethin breaks. At which point Ill send it off to be fixed by someone who knows what they are doing. :)
# 4
Lordathestrings
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Lordathestrings
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03/06/2005 7:16 am
[font=trebuchet ms]Does your Squier also have single-coil pickups?

'Earthing' is British for 'grounding'. There is usually a wire soldered onto the 'claw' which is attached to one end of the tremolo springs. This wire goes to the ground connection of the controls. Usually the case of one of the controls, but sometimes the cable jack.

If this guitar is under warranty, you should get in touch with the shop you bought it from instead of taking a chance on damaging something.[/font]
Lordathestrings
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# 5
maizan
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maizan
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03/06/2005 5:34 pm
My Squier had 2 single coil and a humbucker on the bridge position. The wire going to the back of the guitar seems to be intact and connected. I was tinkering around with it last night and I noticed something. If I put my finger over the wires coming out of the pickup selector switch the humming stops or is at least deadened quite a bit. If I take my finger and tap a string or the bridge (without my figer over these wires) it comes out my amp as a clicking sound. WHen I have my finger over it the clicking stops however there is still a bit of a hum. If anyone has a solution for this that I can do myself without causing more damage that would be great.
# 6
Lordathestrings
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Lordathestrings
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03/06/2005 5:51 pm
[font=trebuchet ms]If you're handy with a soldering iron, you can try out the techniques posted at GuitarNuts under "Quieting The Beast".[/font]
Lordathestrings
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# 7
fastelvis
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fastelvis
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03/13/2005 7:38 am
Did it buzz at the shop when you tried it out?
I once thought a "Sweeping Arpeggio" was an Italian janitor.
# 8
kingdavid
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kingdavid
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03/13/2005 2:56 pm
Originally Posted by: fastelvisDid it buzz at the shop when you tried it out?

Did you try it? :eek:
# 9
Repeattwice
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Repeattwice
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03/13/2005 4:43 pm
Whether or not big power drawing devices are around you may still get the 60 cycle hum. And try using the bridge and center pick-up at the sametime. Only one getting used you will get the hum. But by using both you will buck the hum. lol
# 10
Cryptic Excretions
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Cryptic Excretions
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03/13/2005 6:07 pm
Perhaps there's a broken connection from the input to the pickups..? I had that problem a few times with my bass.
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# 11
Grambo
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Grambo
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03/20/2005 2:09 am
I repaired a Squire recently with a bad Hum:-

The volume control had worked lose on the plastic - someone had tightened the volume pot locking nut and in doing so the rest of the pot underneath the scratchboard had turned jamming up against wooden rebate shorting the terminals - by the time I got to it they had been at it with a soldering iron and they had wired the terminals of the output socket the wrong way round { Reversed polarity}
I touched a piece of wire with the guitar plugged in from a Pot body to the Jack plug body where it enters the guitar and the hum disappeared - I then checked the polarity.
Let me know.........
if you always take the lazy route
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# 12

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