You Got Me Hummin'

[badscooter]

Just strung up my newest baby (first time with those real vintage-style slotted pegs...i'm gonna have to work on my technique)...my first strat! I wish I had pictures, but she looks like something plucked right off of Robbie Robertson's shoulder circa 1973 (well...maybe Brownie is a better comparison because I don't have that funky pickup setup like Robbie). 2-color sunburst...mint pickguard, hot-wound pickups with cream covers/knobs...vintage style trem...no trem plate cuz I wanna show off those springs. I think my favorite part about the whole thing is that the neck is a Squier (she's a beauty and I wanted to keep the cost down). I had wanted to strip the logo and put a custom logo or even a Fender decal on it (its just for me anyway) but I decided to leave the Squier logo so now I've got a real screamer disguised as a harmless Squier.

In any case I just plugged her in for the first time and, to my disappointment she's buzzin like crazy. Gets worse when I touch the strings...goes away completely when I touch the output jack. I'm sure its a real easy fix...did I get the ground and output wires mixed up? Just wanted to see what the experts thought before I go ripping stuff out.

Thanks!!

[Wally]

You definitely need to unplug and pull that pickguard assembly. Clear your mind and check your work. If you do have your output wiring backwards, you are in a dangerous situation.

[badscooter]

Done and done...had the hot and ground output wires switched. Am I lucky I didn't get a shock? Either way she sounds as good as she looks now!

Thanks

[Wally]

Very lucky. If you had walked up to a microphone, you could have sufferred at least a rude awakening. I had a fellow once who had had some work done at a 'shiny music store'. When I had corrected the problems and told him what a dangerous situation the imporoper repairs had put him in, he replied. "So that's why I got knocked on my butt when I touched that mic?"
Miswiring that output is the most dangerous mistake you can make on a guitar, imo.