How do I get rid of buzz in my Jazz Bass?

honkyjonk · Post by **honkyjonk** » Sun Nov 19, 2006 4:26 pm

As far as I know it's not a grounding issue. The bridge is grounded to the tone pot (which seems a little wierd, but i tried grounding it to the ground between the other pots and things got worse, so I returned it to it's original place.

As for the buzzing, it happens mostly only when the tone pot is turned towards its brightest. (This is probably because it's boosting the frequencies that the buzz it as right?) Unfortunately this is generally the sound I like tone wise.

But, I'm wondering, what would happen if I flipped the phase of the tone-pot?

Or is this a shielding issue? Should I line the insides of the electronics pit with some copper foil? (And then ground the bridge to that?)

spatrick78 · Post by **spatrick78** » Sun Nov 19, 2006 4:46 pm

I had a jazz bass with active pickups and I had buzzing issues and then..... no sound at all.... I didn't even think to change the battery.... You should have seen the look I got from my guitar tech.... embarrasing.....

www.purevolume.com/thehandmedowns

toddjal · Post by **toddjal** » Sun Nov 19, 2006 5:33 pm

It seems to me that if it was a shielding problem it would be RF you were hearing. I'd still lean towards a ground loop of some kind. I don't know bass electronics well but as I peek in mine the grounds go to all the pots aswell.

inverseroom · Post by **inverseroom** » Sun Nov 19, 2006 6:41 pm

Jazz Basses are notoriously buzzy. My PBass Deluxe Special has a Vintage Noiseless jazz PU in the bridge...totally quiet...you may consider a switch...

rolandk · Post by **rolandk** » Sun Nov 19, 2006 10:06 pm

On my Jazz bass if you turn one of the volume pots down just a tiny bit it buzzes like a single coil.

astrovic · Post by **astrovic** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 1:57 am

Sounds like a ground loop to me as well - It seems that Jazz basses often use the tone pot as the "star ground", which isn't exactly an elegant solution, especially where single coil pickups are concerned. Hence why Jazz basses tend to be noisy.

I have a Jazz clone (a mighty Yamaha Superbass 800, about 30 years old) that I'm currently rewiring for the same reason. I'm waiting on some new pots and copper foil from the US so I can complete the job, so when I'm done I'll try to remember to come back and post the results. I can't imagine it will be worse

A-Barr · Post by **A-Barr** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 6:54 am

Jazz bass pickups are single coils. If you have both p/u volumes up, the hum should cancel out, as one is reverse-wind, reverse-polarity ot the other.If you're still getting hum in this situation, then you may have a problem, otherwise they are working as designed with a nice little hum buzzing away in single p/u mode.
I like the tone rolled down, so this isn't a problem for me, but if you really like the sound of using just one pickup with the tone wide open, you may want to look into some noiseless pickups.

danolovesjesus · Post by **danolovesjesus** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 10:55 pm

honkyjonk wrote:As far as I know it's not a grounding issue. The bridge is grounded to the tone pot (which seems a little wierd, but i tried grounding it to the ground between the other pots and things got worse, so I returned it to it's original place.

Or is this a shielding issue? Should I line the insides of the electronics pit with some copper foil? (And then ground the bridge to that?)

Single coils will have induced hum from your electronic environment, but eliminating the ground loops in the bass' circuit and shielding the pickguard and cavitives in the bass will go a very long way. Ground everything to one central point, with no common in-betweens.

honkyjonk · Post by **honkyjonk** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 7:25 pm

What does "no common in-betweens" mean?

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How do I get rid of buzz in my Jazz Bass?

How do I get rid of buzz in my Jazz Bass?

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