Need shielding / grounding help w Tele

BrianF · October 28th, 2003, 11:34 PM

I did some experimentation today and rewired my 3 way Tele switch so that position 1 and 2 are normal (i.e. 1. Bridge, 2.Bridge and Neck) but in position 3 I get Bridge and Neck in series in hum-bucking mode. I lose the Neck-only setting which I rarely use anyway.

However...now I notice a very noticeable buzzing noise unless I'm touching the strings or anything conductive on the guitar. Somehow or another, I've introduced more noise and can't track it down.

The control cavity looks like some sort of black conductive paint...but I see no wires attached to it... There are strips of black paint coming up from both ends of the cavity to nearby the wood screw holes where the control plate attaches. I assume this is supposed to make mechanical contact with the plate...but I don't think the shielding is working too well or at all.

Any ideas?

BrianF · October 29th, 2003, 01:58 AM

the problem seems solved simply by plugging the amp into a different AC outlet in the house...although it is puzzling...

gottliver · October 29th, 2003, 09:26 AM

i think you need to run a ground from the metal cover on the neck pup to the back of the volume pot. There are many post on how to do this, do a search on 4 way switchs and you should come up w/something. As well, you could always take the cover off!!

Lyle Caldwell · October 29th, 2003, 10:08 AM

http://www.guitarnuts.com/wiring/menu.html

Wally · October 29th, 2003, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrianF

the problem seems solved simply by plugging the amp into a different AC outlet in the house...although it is puzzling...

Brian, you may have some wiring questions to deal with. If one outlet yields noise while another doesn't, there is a good chance that the noisy outlet is miswired. You can get a simple tester at any good hardware supply. Every electic musician should have one handy.
We 'old' players' are familiar with this situation. In the days of two-wire power cords and non-directional plugs, we often had to either utilize the polarity reversal switch if we had one or turn the polug around in the socket to reverse the polarity.

BrianF · October 29th, 2003, 04:12 PM

Not sure if that's significant...but it is different.

Wally · October 29th, 2003, 05:05 PM

Brian, that is even more reason to go spend a few bucks for a circuit tester. A GFI outlet that is miswired is not only a problem, but it may not function as needed when things go wrong. A tester will tell you if you have an open ground, open neutral, open hot, hot/grd reversed, hot/neutral reverse, or correct wiring. For less than $10 you get a great tool.

October 28th, 2003, 11:34 PM	#1 (permalink)
BrianF Friend of Leo's Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Carlsbad, Ca Posts: 2,116 7 Photos	Need shielding / grounding help w Tele I did some experimentation today and rewired my 3 way Tele switch so that position 1 and 2 are normal (i.e. 1. Bridge, 2.Bridge and Neck) but in position 3 I get Bridge and Neck in series in hum-bucking mode. I lose the Neck-only setting which I rarely use anyway. However...now I notice a very noticeable buzzing noise unless I'm touching the strings or anything conductive on the guitar. Somehow or another, I've introduced more noise and can't track it down. The control cavity looks like some sort of black conductive paint...but I see no wires attached to it... There are strips of black paint coming up from both ends of the cavity to nearby the wood screw holes where the control plate attaches. I assume this is supposed to make mechanical contact with the plate...but I don't think the shielding is working too well or at all. Any ideas?

October 29th, 2003, 01:58 AM	#2 (permalink)
BrianF Friend of Leo's Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Carlsbad, Ca Posts: 2,116 7 Photos	update... the problem seems solved simply by plugging the amp into a different AC outlet in the house...although it is puzzling...

October 29th, 2003, 10:08 AM	#4 (permalink)
Lyle Caldwell Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 535	http://www.guitarnuts.com/wiring/menu.html __________________ "Everybody sings about Memphis, but nobody ever does anything about it."

October 29th, 2003, 04:12 PM	#6 (permalink)
BrianF Friend of Leo's Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Carlsbad, Ca Posts: 2,116 7 Photos	the noisy AC outlet is a GFI type outlet... Not sure if that's significant...but it is different.

October 29th, 2003, 09:26 AM	#3 (permalink)
gottliver Tele-Meister Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 250	i think you need to run a ground from the metal cover on the neck pup to the back of the volume pot. There are many post on how to do this, do a search on 4 way switchs and you should come up w/something. As well, you could always take the cover off!!

October 29th, 2003, 05:05 PM	#7 (permalink)
Wally Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Lubbock, TX Posts: 3,646	Brian, that is even more reason to go spend a few bucks for a circuit tester. A GFI outlet that is miswired is not only a problem, but it may not function as needed when things go wrong. A tester will tell you if you have an open ground, open neutral, open hot, hot/grd reversed, hot/neutral reverse, or correct wiring. For less than $10 you get a great tool.