Buzzing Jazzmaster Pickups

[fndrman]

I just recently purchased a set of 1962 reissue pickups from Fender for my Jazzmaster. Unfortunately they buzz really bad. I took it to a tech, and everything appears to grounded properly. They said that the only thing left to try is waxing the pickups with parrafin and bee's wax or using a noise suppressor. Has anyone else here had that problem? Any advice? Thanks.

[fezz parka]

They're single coils. They're gonna buzz.

[waparker4]

Wax isn't gonna help. Shielding the guitar may help some.

[Tele-phone man]

Originally Posted by waparker4

Wax isn't gonna help. Shielding the guitar may help some.

I agree. Furthermore, any tech that recommends wax potting a pickup because it buzzes no longer deserves your business, because it shows that they don't know what they're doing. Potting only prevents microphonic squealing. It has no effect on susceptibility to electronic noise.

Are these new pickups significantly noisier than the ones they replaced? What were you using before this new set?

[Bikersluggo]

...and if the tech doesn't know any better than that, then you have to wonder if it's really grounded properly.

[thesjkexperienc]

The pickups do make more noise than comparable Strat and Tele pickups, but the center position should be very quiet. JM wiring is pretty crazy to say the least and when I opened up my 62 ri thin skin has a big metal plate on the bottom of the pickguard and the entire cavity has a metal "can" that acts like shielding. There are also ground wires going from can to can and up to the pickguard and after all that work on Fenders part it is still pretty noisy due to the shape of the pickup.

I would recommend going to the Fender.com site and get the wiring diagram for a JM. Really check that you have it wired correctly, all solder joints are firm and all ground wires are in place. If that doesn't do it there are a few manufacturers that make a humbucking pickup for the JM, but they do not sound much like a JM anymore.

[sjtalon]

I put a set in my Classic Player. I haven't played it in a while but sure don't remember it being very noisy at all, or not really out of the ordinary for single coils...............acceptable. And one pup is rw/rp so as mentioned it should be real quiet in the middle switch position.

If it buzzes REAL bad, something is wrong there someplace.

[musicmatty]

Your post is somewhat Vague

1) Are you saying that these 'New' Pickups are making a buzzing noise that was not there with your original pups

2) Are they quiet in the middle position ...they should be ..if not, something is wrong for sure.

3) Have you tried different rooms in the house for electrical interferance

Some nites for me in my playing room...I get a lot of buzzing for reasons I can't find...other nites, all my guitars are quiet in the same room..just the way single coils work..kind of like Beauty and the Beast

[fndrman]

Originally Posted by Tele-phone man

I agree. Furthermore, any tech that recommends wax potting a pickup because it buzzes no longer deserves your business, because it shows that they don't know what they're doing. Potting only prevents microphonic squealing. It has no effect on susceptibility to electronic noise.

Are these new pickups significantly noisier than the ones they replaced? What were you using before this new set?

OK, just a little background info on this guitar. I purchased this guitar 7 years ago. Someone put humbuckers in it and then sold it to me. When I bought it I decided to put in JM Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounders which gave me a hotter sound than stock JM pickups, but I experienced a bit of buzzing, so I took it to a well known tech where I live and somehow he eliminated the problem, but he charged me almost $100.00, and I think that was to much. Over the years I hungered after a more vintage sound, so I ordered the vintage replacements from Fender, experienced the same buzzing problem, and then took the guitar to another tech who I thought would charge less, but he seems to be less knowledgeable than the first tech I took it to, and that seems to put me between a rock and a hard place because I want a tech who knows what he's doing and not charge a ridiculous fee. If I knew what to do I would do it myself considering my own competent soldering skills.

[fndrman]

Originally Posted by sjtalon

I put a set in my Classic Player. I haven't played it in a while but sure don't remember it being very noisy at all, or not really out of the ordinary for single coils...............acceptable. And one pup is rw/rp so as mentioned it should be real quiet in the middle switch position.

If it buzzes REAL bad, something is wrong there someplace.

It buzzes faintly in the midle position, but VERY bad in the Bridge and neck position....so bad that that it's unacceptable no matter what anyone says.

[fndrman]

Originally Posted by fezz parka

They're single coils. They're gonna buzz.

I understand that, but I've wired up a lot of Tele and Strat pickups over the years and I have never encountered such a challenge as JM pickups.

[fndrman]

BTW, I appreciate all the helpful replies.

[musicmatty]

Ok..so reading from ALL your post here...you are the one who is installing your pickups. So after you install these pups, you have all this noise and then you head off to a tech, who fixes the problem the first time. So you do this again, and you have the same problem, but this time, you take it to another tech who doesn't fix your problem.

Also, it's important to note that you are getting a lot of buzz in the middle position as well...this should not be.

Very simple to me...you have wired these pups wrong and the 2nd tech like you, is somewhat confused perhaps when he looks at the wiring.

Perhaps this wiring Diagram will help..Are your Pups wired like this

[Tele-phone man]

I think a big part of the Jazzmaster noise has to do with all of the long leads in the standard wiring. They act just like antennae.

Noise aside, though, it's just a VERY cool guitar.

[thesjkexperienc]

Originally Posted by musicmatty

Ok..so reading from ALL your post here...you are the one who is installing your pickups. So after you install these pups, you have all this noise and then you head off to a tech, who fixes the problem the first time. So you do this again, and you have the same problem, but this time, you take it to another tech who doesn't fix your problem.

Also, it's important to note that you are getting a lot of buzz in the middle position as well...this should not be.

Very simple to me...you have wired these pups wrong and the 2nd tech like you, is somewhat confused perhaps when he looks at the wiring.

Perhaps this wiring Diagram will help..Are your Pups wired like this

A stock Fender 62 ri will not be wired like the Duncan diagram. It would be best to get the diagram from Fender.com so the color of wires will match the guitar. For some reason the Duncan and modern Fender wiring diagrams don't agree.

[fndrman]

Originally Posted by musicmatty

Ok..so reading from ALL your post here...you are the one who is installing your pickups. So after you install these pups, you have all this noise and then you head off to a tech, who fixes the problem the first time. So you do this again, and you have the same problem, but this time, you take it to another tech who doesn't fix your problem.

Also, it's important to note that you are getting a lot of buzz in the middle position as well...this should not be.

Very simple to me...you have wired these pups wrong and the 2nd tech like you, is somewhat confused perhaps when he looks at the wiring.

Perhaps this wiring Diagram will help..Are your Pups wired like this

Thanks for the diagram. I'm not sure yet if it is...I still haven't gotten my guitar back from the shop yet. I'll let you know.

[fezz parka]

Wide, short coil=better antenna. Think P90.