My new JBtele is humming

squeally dan · April 3rd, 2008, 10:00 PM

My new James Burton tele is humming more than I would expect. It gets worse if I take my hands off the strings. I know all single coils have some hum but these seem real loud. Any suggestions?

Also, when the pickups are fited like this, do you have to remove the neck to adjust the trussrod?

Thanks!!!!!

braderrick · April 4th, 2008, 02:12 AM

kinda sounds like a grounding problem to me, especially if it gets worse when you're not touching the strings. The way those teles are set up with a hardtail strat type bridge I'm not sure how they do the string grounding thing or if you even can. I assume there is nothing on the back side other than string ferrules? Those are lace sensors and they definately shouldn't be very noisy so it must be a grounding issue. As far as the truss rod, if it adjusts at the heel you probably will have to remove the neck unless it looks like you can get a screwdriver in there.

three barrel · April 4th, 2008, 03:18 AM

Maybe it just doesn't know the words...

controlfreak · April 4th, 2008, 06:42 AM

the way you describe the sound gettin worse when you take your hands off sounds exactly like what was wrong with my 72RI MIJ tele. I took off the pickguard and bridge and soldered a wire running from the back of the tone pot into the pickup cavity. then i put the exposed end of the wire under the bridge as i screwed it back down ensuring that the exposed metal on the bridge made contact with the wire.

it has cleared up the problem for me, no nasty hum anymore.

can anyone validate this method?

Scotland · April 4th, 2008, 06:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by controlfreak

the way you describe the sound gettin worse when you take your hands off sounds exactly like what was wrong with my 72RI MIJ tele. I took off the pickguard and bridge and soldered a wire running from the back of the tone pot into the pickup cavity. then i put the exposed end of the wire under the bridge as i screwed it back down ensuring that the exposed metal on the bridge made contact with the wire.

it has cleared up the problem for me, no nasty hum anymore.

can anyone validate this method?

I do that with all my Teles and it really helps.

April 3rd, 2008, 10:00 PM	#1 (permalink)
squeally dan TDPRI Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 65	My new JBtele is humming My new James Burton tele is humming more than I would expect. It gets worse if I take my hands off the strings. I know all single coils have some hum but these seem real loud. Any suggestions? Also, when the pickups are fited like this, do you have to remove the neck to adjust the trussrod? Thanks!!!!!

April 4th, 2008, 02:12 AM	#2 (permalink)
braderrick Tele-Holic Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Kentucky Age: 25 Posts: 568	kinda sounds like a grounding problem to me, especially if it gets worse when you're not touching the strings. The way those teles are set up with a hardtail strat type bridge I'm not sure how they do the string grounding thing or if you even can. I assume there is nothing on the back side other than string ferrules? Those are lace sensors and they definately shouldn't be very noisy so it must be a grounding issue. As far as the truss rod, if it adjusts at the heel you probably will have to remove the neck unless it looks like you can get a screwdriver in there.

April 4th, 2008, 03:18 AM	#3 (permalink)
three barrel Tele-Meister Join Date: May 2007 Location: Wichita, KS Age: 53 Posts: 119	Maybe it just doesn't know the words...

April 4th, 2008, 06:42 AM	#4 (permalink)
controlfreak TDPRI Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Ireland Age: 27 Posts: 59	the way you describe the sound gettin worse when you take your hands off sounds exactly like what was wrong with my 72RI MIJ tele. I took off the pickguard and bridge and soldered a wire running from the back of the tone pot into the pickup cavity. then i put the exposed end of the wire under the bridge as i screwed it back down ensuring that the exposed metal on the bridge made contact with the wire. it has cleared up the problem for me, no nasty hum anymore. can anyone validate this method?