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Help! my silent Kinmans have started humming!

Discussion in 'Just Pickups' started by MJB, May 14, 2003.

  1. May 14, 2003 #1
    MJB

    MJB TDPRI Member

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    I'm not at all happy about this...

    I had a pair of Kinman 48s fitted a week ago. Fabulous sound (as reported) and silent. No hum.

    But... a couple of days ago, I noticed that the hum was back. Really back. Totally and loudly back.

    How on earth can this be?!?!?!?!

    Is it possible that the tech who fitted them didn't make a proper contact somewhere and something has already worked loose?

    Yet the pickups still work! They still sound fab. And they're silent as long as I'm earthing the guitar with my hand (of course).

    But I swear to you that for the first few days they were fully silent regardless of earthing, and yet now they're humming like hell.

    Clearly the guitar has to go back to the tech but I'd love to go armed with something intelligent to say, otherwise I fear the old "nothing to do with me mate - they're just noisy".

    They really weren't for the first few days!

    Does anyone believe me?

    Thanks!

    Martin
     
  2. May 14, 2003 #2
    The Snowman

    The Snowman Tele-Holic

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    it's almost gotta be a ground problem....I installed them a while ago and they are silent and sound great....why don't ya open the controll panel and poke around...I'm sure you'll find a loose solder connection....
    don't panic......don
     
  3. May 14, 2003 #3
    JoeNeri

    JoeNeri Friend of Leo's

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    Shielding

    Even with noiseless pups, some guitars require shielding the pickup cavities with shielding paint.
     
  4. May 15, 2003 #4
    MJB

    MJB TDPRI Member

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    Thanks guys,

    I called the tech and he agreed with me that it was 'silent' when it left him. So if it's noisy again now, then something must have worked loose.

    I'm taking it back to him on Saturday so he can hear it for himself and then have a look around inside.

    Maybe do some extra shielding at the same time (though it was all right before...).

    Thanks again,

    Martin
     
  5. May 15, 2003 #5
    PeterUK

    PeterUK Poster Extraordinaire Silver Supporter

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    Martin, I agree, don't panic.

    I agree with the guys, it's going to be something simple. When I put my Voodoos in, I was convinced I'd followed the wiring diagram to the letter only to discover that my hummed. No, actually, it BUZZED.

    Sure enough, with the help of the guys here, we tracked it down to a simple wiring error - arrghh!! it's so obvious now!! - and now I have a hum and buzz free monster axe.

    Bet you 50-pence that you're not there more than 15-minutes. And that's allowing for a coffee!

    Let us know the outcome.

    Good luck.

    Peter
     
  6. May 15, 2003 #6
    dangerine49

    dangerine49 Tele-Afflicted

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    Same thing happened to me. I installed my Kinmans an they were whisper quiet. Then while playing with the pickup height, I loosened one of the pickup screws so thast it lost its grip and I had to open it up to fix it. After closing back up again, there was all kinds of noise going on. I opened her back up and there was part of an exposed wire touching something that it shouldn't have. Tucked it away, and everything is back to silence again.
     
  7. May 17, 2003 #7
    MJB

    MJB TDPRI Member

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    Interestingly, I noticed last night that the humming only starts when I pick the guitar up.

    Left on its own it's utterly silent - even with the Hiwatt 100 on full.

    As soon as I hang it round my neck, though, the noise comes back - only to be silenced by touching string or metal.

    Sounds like a dodgy connection all right.

    Back to tech later today, will let you know.

    Martin
     
  8. May 17, 2003 #8
    MJB

    MJB TDPRI Member

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    Hmmm now I'm even more worried....

    Took it back to the tech who agreed the hum was bad but expressed bafflement.

    He started moaning about the Kinmans (which worried me even more, because it makes we wonder about bad workmen etc).

    He showed me how the hum gets worse when you touch the neck pickup cover and said that Kinman puts no earthing on it, which he found very unusual and surprising.

    He also showed me how the hum increases when you touch the bridge pickup pole pieces, which also can't be right, can it

    He fiddled with all the wiring in the cotrol area to check for bad joints but there didn't seem to be any.

    Anyway, I've left it with him to try and sort out over the next few days but I don't have a good feeling about it.

    I'll let you know the next stage it you're interested.

    Martin

    P.S. if any of the above symptoms mean anything to you guys, please let me know
     
  9. May 17, 2003 #9
    The Snowman

    The Snowman Tele-Holic

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    I have the Kinman's in my 62 reissue and I don't have any hum at all...I doubt that it is the pups....
    it almost has to be a ground problem...check your cables, amps etc....if the tech is good, he should be able to locate the problem...I would resolder all the joints...maybe it's a cold joint....you can't see that by just looking at it....don
     
  10. May 20, 2003 #10
    teleman1

    teleman1 Tele-Afflicted

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    MJB, I doubt seriously it is the Kinmans as much as I suspect what others are saying here. Your tech needs to remove his Kinmann condesending attitude, fess up, and correct his mistake.
     
  11. May 21, 2003 #11
    Phil Jacoby

    Phil Jacoby Tele-Meister

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    Simple test of a PU: remove it and wire it straight to a jack, plug it in and leave it hands free on your bench - what you hear is all PU, no shielding, no harness, no nada... I've used this in the past to resolve those "it isn't installed right" scenarios.

    Check your tech. Chris makes a good product.
     
  12. May 24, 2003 #12
    MJB

    MJB TDPRI Member

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    Phew! Sorted!

    OK, I took the guitar back to the tech who fully screened it.

    That really has done the trick, and the Kinman's are as silent and as exquisite sounding as I had hoped they would be (and as they seemed when they first left the shop).

    Still don't understand a couple of things:

    When the buzzing was back, touching the cover of the neck pickup - when no other part of the guitar was being touched - created hum.

    Also, touching the pole pieces of the bridge p/u created hum - when no other part of the guitar was being touched. How do you explain that?!?

    Having now been screened, the whole thing is just as quiet as you could ever wish - even when my Hiwatt DR103 is up full.

    And the sound of those things: my God, they are just beautiful.

    Thanks for the replies everyone.

    Martin
     
  13. May 24, 2003 #13
    PeterUK

    PeterUK Poster Extraordinaire Silver Supporter

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    I owe you 50-pence!

    Took longer than 15-minutes. So I owe you 50-pence!

    Glad the problem has been solved.

    Best regards

    Peter
     
  14. May 25, 2003 #14
    MJB

    MJB TDPRI Member

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    Thanks Peter!

    It's worth missing out on your 50 pence for the joy of having these pickups as they should be: just magnificent!

    Martin
     
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