Pickup noise

[Voxen]

My PRS SE Paul's guitar has a lot of "buzz" like noise when using crunch mode on Katana 50, especially with neck pickup.

Coil split doesn't change anything. If I move my hand over the pickups its getting worse, if I touch the strings it almost stops the noise.

I thought this shouldn't happen with humbuckers pickups.

My Epiphone LP on the same amp doesn't produce any noise at all.

This is kinda annoying, is there anything I can do to reduce this noise?

Thanks

 

[CandidPicker]

My S2 SC Satin has something similar. Am currently looking into letting my guitar tech put some shielding spray put into the pickup cavity. Sentry Noise Gates also work well.

Regards the Sentry Noise Gate, it tames the tiger quite well. (Whip, pistol, chair may also be required)

 

[AP515]

You have a lose ground somewhere. If you touch the strings and it quiets down, it's usually a ground.

 

[CandidPicker]

You have a loose ground somewhere. If you touch the strings and it quiets down, it's usually a ground.

Will look into that. My tech made sure he grounded his recent guitar repair work bcuz the amp hummed like nobody's business. Conversely, the Antique White has little to no hum. Yet, the Satin hums when...?

Will confirm regards the Satin's hum if this might be the case...

 

[AP515]

Will look into that...

If not, it might be a noisy environment. Either florescent lamps or a computer screen nearby. They will come through the pickups cuz well, they are pickups... that's what they do...

 

[bodia]

If not, it might be a noisy environment. Either florescent lamps or a computer screen nearby. They will come through the pickups cuz well, they are pickups... that's what they do...

Have to agree with this 100%.

 

[CyFan4036]

My money is on a ground issue, especially given that your Epi doesn't do the same thing in the same environment.

 

[CandidPicker]

If not, it might be a noisy environment. Either florescent lamps or a computer screen nearby. They will come through the pickups cuz well, they are pickups... that's what they do...

That was originally a thought, but the Antique White S2 SC hardly hums at all; very quiet. The McC Tobacco Burst Satin...hoo boy. The computer is on a separate breaker circuit than my effects/audio gear/amp. The only thing that connects them is a Firewire/Thunderbolt adaptor for my computer audio input. And the audio gear/effects/amp uses a dedicated power conditioner that filters dirty power signal.

Have to agree with this 100%.

No fluorescent lamps or lights, only possibly the RFI from the computer. Yet, it it's this, why is the Antique White so darned quiet in the signal path?

Gotta be a guitar wiring ground issue. Will have this checked out early next week.

 

[pac90]

They use what looks like a guitar string for groumd to bridge, which isn't the best engineering.I'e had mine ping off pot too, wire too short, wheh removing piclguard

I used some covered pickup wiring to solder between pot and bridge ground wire works well, and it also enable the pickguard to be lifted up and turned safely enabling work on guitar

I think that bare wire can cause noise in the circuit if it gets out of position. There is a lot of stress on it so if the guitars been opened up, it can be a weak link

 

[pac90]

My PRS SE Paul's guitar has a lot of "buzz" like noise when using crunch mode on Katana 50, especially with neck pickup.

Coil split doesn't change anything. If I move my hand over the pickups its getting worse, if I touch the strings it almost stops the noise.

I thought this shouldn't happen with humbuckers pickups.

My Epiphone LP on the same amp doesn't produce any noise at all.

This is kinda annoying, is there anything I can do to reduce this noise?

Thanks

Talk to dealer for help

 

[firepile]

I have the exact same problem with a brand new Paul's Guitar SE. Both pickups are noisy, especially the neck pickup, noise goes away if I touch the strings. The neck pickup is VERY noisy if I touch the pickup height adjustment screws.

If I use a multimeter I get no reading/continuity when measuring between the pickup screw and the bridge. My other guitars give a "0.0" reading. It is supposed to be this way, or is there a grounding issue with this guitar?

 

[ViperDoc]

Pickup screws will ground if the pickup shield wire is soldered to the pickup leg AND the shield is properly grounded. Check that the shield wire is properly grounded. You should also check the cavity for ground loops.

 

[Oddric]

Just wanting to add to this a bit. I bought my PG earlier this year and also experienced significant hum on both pickups. I wasn't happy with the stock pick ups anyway (too muddy sounding for me) so I swapped'em for a set of Duncan's Nazgul/Sentient set. Hum completely went away in both single coil and humbucking mode. Sound is absolutely amazing and couldn't be happier with it. *Note* I had to dremil out a sliver of wood in the cavity to fit the pick ups in , really wasn't a big deal though

 

[Mike Burch]

If you touch the Outer metal on the guitar cable and the hum goes away its a guitar grounding problem. wrap a wire around the outer metal on the cable and touch it to the bridge, the pots inside ect. if the noise goes away look at that part of the circuit. Try wiggling the wires and see if there is a cold solder joint, it will look ok but make them howel. Try a different guitar cable, that the easiest thing first.

 

[Jock68]

I believe that this is a design feature of PRS guitars and all 3 of my core guitars are impacted by the dimmer switch in the house. I have a few Japanese guitars and none of them have this issue. I have reported it to PRS and they had a look but stated that the guitar was to specification.

 

[SinSir]

I hear that's part of R&D. As I understand it they hook up dimmer switches to an A through Z electrical switch instead of a a wimpy old A/B box.

Humor aside, I'd try swapping the dimmer or bulbs.

 

[AZGiant]

Hate to say it but sometimes, some SE product makes it out of the factory and it is not typical PRS quality. That happens though with all brands. I am agreeing with the thoughts on the ground wire issue.

 

[AZGiant]

Could it also be dirty power coming in and then a ground issue amplifying that?

 

[Pavel Astapenko]

Hi there, I’ve just bought a brand new core custom 22 and it extremely noisy. If I touch any metal parts of the guitar noise just disappear. Other guitars (music man axis, fender Stratocaster noiseless pickups) in same circuit and environment don’t make any noise at all

 

[docteurseb]

You have a lose ground somewhere. If you touch the strings and it quiets down, it's usually a ground.

Every PRS Core/Private stock I've had (too many) does that.

Every other guitar I have, all of which have shielded cavities, doesn't.

However, as others I've said you shouldn't rule out a ground issue. But if there is none, shielding the cavities (control and pickups, I know very fun to do on a new guitar) should take care of it.