Black-Viper75
Just Passing Through
OK. Keep us updated if you can.My correspondence so far was via email. I requested a phone call. That hasn't happened, yet. If I don't get one on Monday, I'll be calling on Tuesday.
OK. Keep us updated if you can.My correspondence so far was via email. I requested a phone call. That hasn't happened, yet. If I don't get one on Monday, I'll be calling on Tuesday.
OK. Keep us updated if you can.
Nice !!!Sweetwater came through. I'm exchanging it!
Sweet!Sweetwater came through. I'm exchanging it!
I've had very similar issues on both my LP Standard, Fender SSS Am. Strat and to some degree on the same guitar you bought, the PRS SE Custom 24 35y A.E.
On the other two guitars this has followed me from my last apartment and to the place I live now.
I was confident that it was a grounding issue(s), as I also had the thing that if I touched like the bridge of the guitar I'd hear nothing, let go and "bzzzzzzz"...
It was so annoying that at one time I considered just switching to only play acoustic, because using any amplifier, even a amp-sim would make it even worse.
I had my wall sockets (is that what it's called?) replaced by an electrician, and he said that the only "true grounded" output in my house was the one on my porch.
So, I drilled a hole straight through the wall and set up a pad running from that separate grounded circuit, and things got quiet.
But, when I moved, same trouble all over again. But I've located it, or at least know how to make it almost inaudible and it turns out it was my MacBook Pro that is
making the pickups go a bit nuts somehow. If either my guitar or cable (good quality Boss instrument cable, shielded + woven w/ 24K gold plated plugs) is even near the MacBook Pro,
or its charger (which I usually have to detach and pull out when recording) it starts to "hiss".
Don't believe PRS is to blame for this or your case, I recognize the exact same behavior with the other guitars I own, using different cables doesn't help either.
If I keep a bit of distance from both Mac and the charger, I can record without problems. Also running the guitar cable through a DI box with a ground-lift may be good enough
in some cases.
Why does this happen in the first place?
Dunno. Maybe because the production and testing happens in a country that uses different voltage / current or? "Who knows, not me" to steal a phrase from Kurt Cobain.
Regarding the sound being more pronounced when using the PRS:
I also own a SSS Am. Strat and the pickups, even though sensitive they aren't as powerful as the Hummers on the PRS by any measure, I have effects that I've used on full volume (on the guitar knob) with the Strat, that would probably break the glass in the windows (at least my ears) if I have it set at full output volume!
Have you tried lowering the pickups?
Might be all that's needed. I had to do that on my guitar (same model), because it was way too loud.
Yeah, the pickup height did nothing. Still buzzing away. I did notice noise while using the screwdriver to adjust the pickup height.
I called PRS about this. They guy on the phone was very pleasant and explained that PRS pickups "aren't the quietest out there." They don't heavily wax-pot them, and they don't bother with shielding the pickup cavities. The reason why they do this is because they want to maintain the clearly-defined highs.
I imagine tossing some Duncan's in would change that... but I do want to keep the overall character of this guitar intact. I might eventually look into getting the pickup cavities shielded... after the warranty on the electronics is up, of course!
First of all: Disconnect the jack before using a metal screwdriver on a pickup that has as its main assignment in life to transfer tiny electrical current from vibrating steel...
You can get those screwdrivers coated with some sort of carbonized stuff so that they don't react in the same way. Like those used by electricians and stuff...
I've never had a pickup that didn't buzz at me if I forgot to unplug the jack at least!
Other than that, you wouldn't compromise any warranty that I know of by carefully loosening the pickups, applying the insulation tape I mentioned in the previous post to get those cavities shielded and putting them back on.
Besides, if you needed repairs, the tape is really easy to peel off when applied to this kind of surface. Just don't get the self-vulcanizing kind. That is better for getting things smooth and really tight, but not so easy to reverse.
I described the process already, and I can't imagine that this should break any warranties? If so, let me know, because I'm doing the same in a few days with mine!
I've never thought of an annoying buzzing sound as a "character" in any positive way, so that's a new way to look at it...
There are times when all the shielding in the world won't help. RF interference is minimized with good guitar shielding. Buzz/hum due to bad house wiring is next to impossible to fix without a major overhaul of the house wiring. In the house I used to live in, every guitar I owned buzzed - from noticeable to obnoxious. Replaced my Strat pickups (unusable) with noiseless- still hummed like a mofo. As did my PRS and SG. I paid top dollar for Furman power conditioners - nothing worked. Moved houses... I was a happy camper again.
Hi guys,
I got las week my first PRS, an SE C24 35th Anniversary.
Overall, I am very happy with the guitar: good finishes, beautiful top, good mechanics and a sound with tons of personality. I love it.
I am only concerned by one topic: noise.
As I said this is my first PRS, I come from an SSS Stratocaster and I expected to have less noise on a HH guitar. Unfortunately it is not the case.
In summary: when I plug the guitar in and use high gain I notice a strong hum that diminishes when I touch any metal part with my hands. When touching any metallic parts the noise is acceptable and lower than a single coil.
This made me first doubt about circuitry: grounding issues or cold solding so I opened up the back covers and checked (I am electrical engineer so I have a decent experience doing so) with a multimeter (diode tester) and found that all metallic parts (bridge, pots back covers, all ground solding, jack ground plate, blade switch) are well connected between them, no weird impedance, just full conductivity.
I also noticed that while the back, detachable covers are conductive, the inside wood cavity is not. just painted in black (which by the way is very well done) but no conductivity at all. This makes me think there is no Faraday shielding.
I just want to make sure that such configuration (no shielding) is standard and having such noise is a common behaviour.
Also, has anyone tried to shield pick ups and cavities with copper tape? does it reduce noise?
I was about to send the guitar back to the shop for replacement, yet I doubt it is something that happens on all PRS SE.
Can you help with some advise?