Hi Spacey,

  I got a guitar in the mail yesterday and this morning I've been playing it and having some fun.

 I've noticed that when I touch the chrome pickup cover on the bridge pickup that I get a buzz and very slight feeling of vibration... as if the magnetic field and the coil are making some very slight motion.

 The bridge pickup doesn't do it at all.

 If I touch the neck pickup and the strings, which are connected to the trapeze bridge and the jack plate, the buzz and vibration go away.

 I figure it's a bad ground somewhere but I'm wondering if it's possible to diagnose where before pulling anything apart.

 Do you have any thoughts on it?

 I recall reading that the Schallers have connections that make it easy to coil tap... these aren't coil tapped but maybe the extra connections have something to do with it?

 It sort of acts like a Strat bridge when the ground wire falls off... or rather the opposite. The noise only happens when my pinky hits bridge pickup cover and isn't touching anything else.

 Right now it's just a minor inconvenience but I'll want to improve the situation.

 Thanks in advance for any thoughts you might have on the matter.

best regards,
mike

I can only guess Mike...

I would first imagine that they are not potted pickups as they probably didn't
think the guitar of this type would be used in high gain situations. Now that is not
a problem except that potting is to help stop vibrations.

It does sound like you're on the right track in a search for a gounding issue.

It may also be that somebody messed with the wiring. Here is some help with that.

The other issue as you already know is that you will want to remove the electronics
and check everything anyway....so be sure and tie some string to all the controls
so it will be easy to fish everything back in place. No need really but I'll mention it anyway...
make sure to cover the top LOL.

Now if it were mine....I'd replace those and put some of these and of course save 
those originals. 

Well I wish ya a fun time and also that I wish I were there....would love to play that beauty.
(or at least make a template LOL)
 
 
fixed that second broken link.  Well I tried numerous times and even tried to include a new link...won't
do it.....I was linking to some Joe Barden HB. His pups have been getting some fantastic reviews...
easy to spend somebody elses money LOL.

Thanks spacey,
 I think you may have linked to some other pickups but I don't see the link.

 I wonder if what your thinking is what I'm guessing your thinking. :-)

 I'm about to hit the road for work and when I get back I'm gonna dig in to it.

 best regards,
mike

Probably...but I didn't want to get carried away and really...
you want to get the basics squared away right now so you
can just play it. :)

I found a explanation that suggested the possibility that the cover may be connected to the signal lead rather than the ground lead.

It may turn out to be a real simple fix.

I'll bet if the previous owner played with a pick it may have never been and issue.

I was hitting the cover with my pinky as I play with my fingers more often than not.


I'll ask again about the pickups when I get that squared away. ;-)




Thanks for bouncing some ideas around with me.


best regards,
mike

If they messed with the wiring.....I'd check everything.
Including polarity.
 
 
 
I'd also like to add that I don't think of myself as a "guru" of anything.
For the record I've always loved trying to play a guitar and in the last
few years I've traded time of playing and recording to learn how to build
an electric guitar or bass that anybody would love to learning how to construct
"scatterwound" pickups.
And for those that may be interested about "scatterwound" it is simply hand control
of guideing the wire rather than a mechanical traverse.
Naturally there are opinions about both methods and one would/could benefit from
having both capabilities. Many of the "pros" believe that one is better off knowing
how to handwind before relying on a controlled machine. I personally don't know but
will hopefully acquire an opinion based on experience which I currently don't have the
means to acquire.
 
Recent activities in this forum compelled me remark about "actual guru" inclusion
and as one may feel it's a compliment-
It's one I'd rather not receive right now.