tele buzz (1 Viewer)

[mark]

the other day i started getting a really loud buzz when i my hand touched the back pickup on my tele. i did a multimeter test and it seems the pickup isn't earthed. i took off the bridge this evening but there nothing obviously wrong that i can see. all wires are in place. whats more, the underside of the pickup is earthed as are all points on the pickup except the poles on top.

could it be that the pickup is just bollixed?

 

[GO]

Its a distinct possibility given that you've noticed no broken/frayed etc wiring and all the joints look decent.This kinda thing happens to pickups I think but I think more often over a long period of time.I think this is why some people dip their pickups in wax.For an extra level of insulation.

On the upside,if you a spare few quid you could buy a super gnarly new pick up.Like one of them single coil humbuckers...fits into the slot without a hitch apparently...tasty.

 

[PaoloJM]

Have you insterted a cable into the jack and measured DC resistance between the tip and sleeve?
Should be reading around the 7.5k region for a Tele.

Is the pickup casing showing 0 to the bridge?

Just a by the by but guitars don't have an earth, the have a common or return which usually does eventually get connected to earth when it's plugged into a live amp. I'm guessing you were checking for continuity between the return and bridge of the guitar?

You can measure whether the pick-up is ok by probing the connections on the pick up itself with the volume control on 10. Again it should read 7.5k ish. If it reads 0 or no read the pick up is f*cked but this would be unusual.
This is not always possible (measuring directly across the pickup) so the next best thing it to probe the two outer lugs of the volume pot itself. This is effectively the same thing as directly accross the pickup except it assumes the wiring from the pickup to the pot is ok.
As well as this your meter should read 0 between the middle lug of the volume pot and the "hot" of the output jack. The common side should be connected to the bridge and one side of the pick-up.

Sorry for the long post but it's hard to help without understanding exactly what has been measured, how and what isn't been looked at.

 

[mark]

Have you insterted a cable into the jack and measured DC resistance between the tip and sleeve?
Should be reading around the 7.5k region for a Tele.

do you mean the tip and sleeve of the cable when its inserted?

Is the pickup casing showing 0 to the bridge?

Just a by the by but guitars don't have an earth, the have a common or return which usually does eventually get connected to earth when it's plugged into a live amp. I'm guessing you were checking for continuity between the return and bridge of the guitar?

yeah, i've been checking for continuity all over the guitar. everything goes to 0 (or beeps, depending on the multimeter setting) except the top of the pickup, the underside beeps just fine

You can measure whether the pick-up is ok by probing the connections on the pick up itself with the volume control on 10. Again it should read 7.5k ish. If it reads 0 or no read the pick up is f*cked but this would be unusual.
This is not always possible (measuring directly across the pickup) so the next best thing it to probe the two outer lugs of the volume pot itself. This is effectively the same thing as directly accross the pickup except it assumes the wiring from the pickup to the pot is ok.
As well as this your meter should read 0 between the middle lug of the volume pot and the "hot" of the output jack. The common side should be connected to the bridge and one side of the pick-up.

Sorry for the long post but it's hard to help without understanding exactly what has been measured, how and what isn't been looked at.

thanks man, more stuff to check. will let you know how i get on!