Humbucker splitting problem -Help !

Gus · #1 11-28-2003, 09:12 AM

Hello,

Well, i`ve installed EMG81 bridge and EMG HZ Passive neck in my old BC Rich Platinum Ironbird. The guitar has one volume active, one volume passive, 3-way toggle switch and a little single/humbucker split (!)switch.Nothing else.

I`ve installed it after EMG schematic(EMG81+EMGHZ,1VOLpassive,1VOLactive,3-way toggle), but i splitted the neck pup with a single/hum switch. All contacts works well, but i have a problem with ground(buzz & crackling) of the neck splitted pickup.

Could anybody help me with the split schematic or an advice ? Thanx a lot !

Akhenaten · #2 11-29-2003, 02:39 AM

If it's an HZ passive, and you have split it, you essentially have a passive single coil now. Welcome to the world of 60-cycle hum which comes with most single coil configurations. lol...

Gus · #3 11-29-2003, 04:45 AM

Yes, a little hum/buzz is normal in split position (passive EMG HZ), but not overall buzzing which stops when i touch the metal parts. That should be a ground problem.

pinto79 · #4 11-30-2003, 12:48 AM

Make sure there is a ground wire from some pointo on the bridge to a ground point inside, ie. volume pot...

Gus · #5 11-30-2003, 05:49 AM

I`ve installed it after EMG schematics on their site(EMG+EMGHZ,1VOLactive,1VOLpassive,3-toggle switch), and sure, there is a ground wire from the bridge to the passive volume pot and over all acessories to the input jack. So, i don` know where did i do something wrong ?

Akhenaten · #6 11-30-2003, 11:30 AM

Then you quite possibly overheated the wires during the process and melted the sheilding and hot wires together in some spot. If everything looks like the diagram as you say, that's what i would look at next.

Gus · #7 11-30-2003, 11:37 AM

Thanks, Ankhnaten, i checked that,but i cannot see any shield and hot wire stucked together.

But i`m not an expert. Do you know maybe, is there on the Internet any EMG-Pickups Forum ?

Maybe i should talk to some EMG expert.

Akhenaten · #8 12-01-2003, 12:58 AM

EMG systems are a pretty fool-proof system now, with the clip-on wire termials and all...
It's pretty much either wired wrong, melted to a ground problem, or in some rare cases, I have seen people jam the clips on upside down, also causing hum...

At my shop, I probably install them 3 or 4 times a week. Usually so long as you pay attention, they go in in minutes without issue...

EMG's site has alot of diagrams. They also have a tech there that you can email. His name is Rick. Cool guy...

Gus · #9 12-01-2003, 03:07 PM

I hope he will write me back,...meanwhile, i isulated the battery complete and checked the ground with putting the ground wire allover and connect the ground places of all parts,..but again with no success, still buzzing. here should be something wrong with the connection,which i cannot see,

frankfalbo · #10 12-01-2003, 09:36 PM

Every pickup makes more noise when you, the player, are not grounded. (touching the strings or the metal parts) So what you are probably experiencing is the humbucking mode of the HZ is very quiet and it does not make much of a difference whether you are grounded. With the 81, it will make almost no difference at all. But with a single coil, lookout! Maybe try a strat or another true single coil through your same setup and see if you have similar results. It's also possible that when you switch to single coil, you are doing it in such a way that the shield/ground is hot, and then the shielding becomes and antenna for noise. It's not an overheating or damage issue. The pickup wouldn't work properly in humbucker mode.

Gus · #11 12-02-2003, 06:30 AM

Gus · #12 12-03-2003, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gus

Well, EMG 81`s ground (bare outside wire) is soldered on the back of the 25K volume pot, then the isulated ground wire goes from the first (soldered on the back of the pot) Leg in two directions : to the 3-way switch ground and also to the middle leg of the input jack. That should be o.k.? It buzzes low a little,but only when i move the guitar in some horizontal direction. Is that normal ?

The neck EMG HZ causes bigger problem. It buzzes(with the volume is closed,too

),but when i touch the metal parts it stops buzzing. How is the best way to connect the ground wires here ?
I`ve removed the hum/single split switch.String ground wire goes to the volume pot. For now, the ground of the neck pup goes so : green & bare on the back of the 500K volume pot, then isulated ground wire goes from the first back-soldered pot leg to the middle leg of the input jack.

Please tell me some possibilities,

thanx a lot.

frankfalbo · #13 12-03-2003, 07:55 PM

The ground from each pot goes to the middle output jack lug, so we know each pot is grounded. (Unless the middle lug of the output jack is the wrong lug) Is the third lug of the HZ volume connected to ground, or its chassis? If so, there's no reason you would have hum when you turn the HZ volume down. Other than that, I'd have to see it. Minor noise fluctuations when moving the guitar are natural.

Gus · #14 12-04-2003, 09:56 AM

The third lug of the EMG HZ pot is soldered on the chasiss.(back of the volume). From back of the volume the ground wire goes to the middle lug of the stereo EMG input jack. Is that o.k. ?

Like i said, it buzzes when the metal parts are not touched, and even louder buzz with closed volume.

frankfalbo · #15 12-04-2003, 12:59 PM

I'm spent, because the middle lug would seem to be the ground lug, so unless I can see what's going on in there, I can't help anymore. I'm sure it's something silly, but I have to see it. Just make sure you don't have the battery lead and the hot lead reversed, although if you did the 81 wouldn't work.