Help from 594 HB People

[zepfan48]

I recently purchased a core 594 HBII.

It is without a doubt the best guitar I've ever played, but I notice a slight buzzing noise when it is unplugged and I play certain notes.

I think the issue is an exposed wire that I can see through the f-hole (pictured below).

Is this standard for the 594 HBs? Or is there an issue with my guitar?

https://imgur.com/a/nYpSVE6

 

[jak3af3r]

That's the shielding (braided wire) and the wire that grounds the bridge (solid guitar string looking wire). They're like that on solid bodies too depending on the pickups.

I have a single cut hollow body 1 that does the same thing acoustically but doesn't come through the amp.

 

[zepfan48]

Thanks for the response.

I'm glad to hear it isn't a problem unique to my guitar, and I agree that I don't notice the issue when played through an amp.

Is there a reason that the ground wire has to be exposed? It seems like some buzzing is inevitable with this design.

 

[jak3af3r]

I always thought that was odd too but don't know why that decision was made.

Maybe one these days I'll fish that out and wrap part of it with tape or weatherstripping to dampen where it meets the body or I may see if there's a way to re-route that.

 

[Moondog Wily]

Great choice Zepfan48 and welcome to the forum! My McCarty 594 HBII is my daily player and like you, I feel it is the best guitar I have ever played!! I do like the 24 fret scale length better on my CU24's, but the lightness of the HBII makes me reach for it daily!!! As for the wires, mine looks the same through the F-Hole, and I too have heard that sound acoustically, but not through the amp so I don't believe you have anything to worry about! With no wood to run the wires through, you are bound to get some kind of vibrations from those loosely hung wires from time to time!

 

[RickP]

Mine does that occasionally, almost like a pickup spring rattling at certain frequencies. While I don't hear it in the amp, I did notice it could tend to dull that particular note... maybe a sympathetic vibration. It hasn't bothered me enough to search it out though. Oddly, it only seems to happen when I'm seated.

 

[jimfisher]

Check to see if it happens in one particular pickup selection. MY HB sprucie does it occasionally but only with the switch in the middle position. The vibration causes the switch's terminals to to vibrate and I can stop it by gently pushing on them thru the F-hole. Kinky!

Jim

 

[zepfan48]

Thank you all for sharing your experiences. I'll sleep better tonight.

And Jim, when I did hear the buzz I was in the middle position, so I'll try messing with that next time I hear it.

Thanks again for the warm welcome and the insight.

 

[Vazzy]

Definitely not the tuner buttons?

 

[zepfan48]

Hey Vazzy, I don't think so. I can't be certain, but I'm pretty sure it is coming out of my f-hole.

 

[Moondog Wily]

Hey Vazzy, I don't think so. I can't be certain, but I'm pretty sure it is coming out of my f-hole.

You've GOT to get your head oughta' your F-Hole zepfan48!

 

[ViperDoc]

It sounds like you are describing sympathetic vibration of one or more of the wires/contents inside the hollow guitar body? That's a tough one. I wonder if you could have someone with good hands hold a dowel through the F-hole and pin the object of interest down while you play the offending chord to see if you can get the vibration to stop, that way you can pin point what object is actually vibrating, assuming you can pin it down with that approach. Once you isolate the wire/object, perhaps there would be a way of securing it with a zip tie (would need some surgeon's hands) or if you dare to experiment with foam tape. That might be risky.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

It sounds like you are describing sympathetic vibration of one or more of the wires/contents inside the hollow guitar body? That's a tough one. I wonder if you could have someone with good hands hold a dowel through the F-hole and pin the object of interest down while you play the offending chord to see if you can get the vibration to stop, that way you can pin point what object is actually vibrating, assuming you can pin it down with that approach. Once you isolate the wire/object, perhaps there would be a way of securing it with a zip tie (would need some surgeon's hands) or if you dare to experiment with foam tape. That might be risky.

My luthier friend had an ES175 in his workshop recently and it did the same thing, but only when I was playing chords up around the 9/10th fret and mostly in C, so it was a sympathetic resonance.

Cable tie did the trick.