I need a bit of advice.... - metal shavings in my pickups

jeff l · #1 03-18-2002, 04:50 PM

* * * Well, I'm going through this used RG-550 I picked up a few days ago and I notice metal shavings in my pickups. When I first plugged the guitar in it had some hum when not in the split positions and I figured there was a ground problem so I removed the pickguard.

* * * *The wiring 'looks' clean but there's a ton of shavings all over the back of the pickups (and on the sides if you look closely enough). It would apper that the frets were done while the pickguard was still attached somehow. I dunno....anyways, I have two questions. First, do you guys think this could be the source of the hum and how in the h-e-double hockey sticks am I going to get the shavings off?

* * * * * I just had an idea while writing this that maybe I could try some type of tape and maybe what I can't reach I can get with some blasts of compressed air (with eye protection). What do you think? Any help would be much appreciated.

-Jeff.
*

SalemB · #2 03-18-2002, 05:33 PM

What about using a bigger magnet than the ones inside the pickups? Something from a speaker perhaps?

ibanezcollector · #3 03-18-2002, 06:37 PM

correct me if im wrong, but when the pickups are tapped it turns into a single coil which would give you 60 cycle hum(only thing wrong with fenders imho), now if the pickups hummed when in full humbucker mode than you have a ground problem.

brett

jeff l · #4 03-18-2002, 07:29 PM

Quote:

ibanezcollector on 5:37 pm on Mar. 18, 2002
correct me if im wrong, but when the pickups are tapped it turns into a single coil which would give you 60 cycle hum(only thing wrong with fenders imho), now if the pickups hummed when in full humbucker mode than you have a ground problem.

brett

* *Yeah that's what I was thinking. I'm just wondering if all that metal stuck to the pickups is somehow causing the ground problem when in full humbucker mode. I'll just have to clean them up and find out......trial and error. If that doesn't work I'll have to start heating-up some solder connections, I guess.

littlegreenman · #5 03-20-2002, 04:31 AM

I would think compressed air would be your best bet, metal filings on a magnet suck. *I wouldn't try using a more powerful magnet though, don't know how that would affect the magnet in your pickups.

Kevan · #6 03-20-2002, 12:37 PM

Jeff- air is your friend! *If the small cans of air don't remove the filings, head down to your local auto repair shop and ask if you can get a couple of blasts off their big ol' air compressor (with stylish eye protection, of course). *Also, you might want to use gloves; those little shavings *can* get under the skin and cause quite the nasty feeling in your hand(s).

Kev Anecdote About Eye Protection:
One summer I was working in a shop and we were replacing all the "growsers" on 2 dozen LMC Thiokols ('Snow-Cats' to those of you south of the 32nd Parallel). *Well, as one guy hit the underside with the air wrench, one guy was on the back with a big ol' open-end wrench. *These things had endured two winters, so rust and wear had really put them on there tight. *Well, this particular hour I was "wrench guy". *I had just come back from lunch and had forgotten about putting on my shades.

Sure enough, a small scabard-like piece of the thread on that 3/4" bolt came off at light speed and went straight into my eye. *That was the end of my day. *I immediately went to the hospital, where they sent me to an optometrist. *The eye doc used a laser to remove the piece from my eye. *I had to wear an eye patch for a few days ("aarrgghh maties!" LOL), but thank Supreme Being, I retained my 20/20 vision.

Protective eyewear is a good thing. *Plus, chicks love nerdy guys. *Just ask Bill Gates! *
:biggrin:

jeff l · #7 03-21-2002, 10:49 AM

Jeremy, do you know whether or not the metal can cause hum? I'm still trying to find the source....I've gotten all the visible filings off the outsides of the pickups with tape. I'm sure there are still some shavings hiding inside the coils, though.

* I have a spare set of V-pickups if I can't get these working properly. Also, if the compressed air trick doesn't work, where would you guys start hunting for a ground issue? I'm thinking the first order of biz would be to heat-up the ground at the volume pot.

* * * Kevan, ouch!!!!! :shocked: Dude, you're lucky that metal shard didn't do more damage. I've gotten some stucco embedded in my eye once with an ensuing trip to the optometrist but metal?!.....yeoooow!

musicdr · #8 03-21-2002, 03:45 PM

I had a similar problem in a used ibanez.It turned out to be there was no ground wire running from the volume pot to the cavity sheilding paint.I also would check the ground running to the tremolo claw.Please let us know what you find out.

littlegreenman · #9 03-21-2002, 05:06 PM

If there is a metal shaving bridging say a hot and negative wire, or hot and ground, you'll get a hum, and probably a few other weird sounds. *If you've gotten rid of all the shavings though, I would suspect a bad pot, or bad ground connection. *Also, check the switch, I had a guitar that the switch had a drop of solder bridging a couple pieces that made for some weird pickup changes, it went away after I cleaned that up though. *

I'll do a little searching and see if I can come up with anything more