https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/hum-when-no-strings-are-touched/ Guitar Noise Discussion Board en-US Thu, 04 Jun 2026 12:26:57 +0000 wpForo 60 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/hum-when-no-strings-are-touched/#post-318231 Sat, 10 Jan 2009 03:52:15 +0000 Guitar Repair and Maintenance Ricochet https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/hum-when-no-strings-are-touched/#post-318231 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/hum-when-no-strings-are-touched/#post-318201 Fri, 09 Jan 2009 18:58:41 +0000
(oh, if you really feel bad about it, use the short knife :wink: )]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance gnease https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/hum-when-no-strings-are-touched/#post-318201 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/hum-when-no-strings-are-touched/#post-318198 Fri, 09 Jan 2009 18:39:39 +0000 Guitar Repair and Maintenance kent_eh https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/hum-when-no-strings-are-touched/#post-318198 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/hum-when-no-strings-are-touched/#post-318174 Fri, 09 Jan 2009 06:52:49 +0000 Guitar Repair and Maintenance Ricochet https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/hum-when-no-strings-are-touched/#post-318174 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/hum-when-no-strings-are-touched/#post-318167 Fri, 09 Jan 2009 06:05:46 +0000 A shield with a hole in it is as effective as a bug screen with a hole in it. :wink:
not true. depends upon wavelength of signal/interference one is trying to shield. Yup, that's a much better way of explaining it.
A shield with holes can work fine, as long as the holes aren't too huge or numerous.



To beat my metaphor to death: a holey screen can let in the mosquitos, and keep out the wasps.]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance kent_eh https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/hum-when-no-strings-are-touched/#post-318167 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/hum-when-no-strings-are-touched/#post-318161 Fri, 09 Jan 2009 05:20:08 +0000 Guitar Repair and Maintenance Ricochet https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/hum-when-no-strings-are-touched/#post-318161 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/hum-when-no-strings-are-touched/#post-318155 Fri, 09 Jan 2009 04:20:19 +0000 A shield with a hole in it is as effective as a bug screen with a hole in it. :wink:
not true. depends upon wavelength of signal/interference one is trying to shield. ever notice that a bridge superstructure will kill AM radio reception, but not FM. all about relative dimensions of holes and wavelengths.

the insidious holes most people leave in shields are the slots where cover shielding or metalization does not contact the control cavity shielding often enough around the periphery -- maybe even only one place.

the Guitarnuts site is good, but does contain mistakes. examples are: the ground loops between the pots are fairly benign. doesn't hurt to remove them, but probably not necessary. and the shielding of a pup often does indeed change its tone -- didn't see that noted, but maybe I missed it.]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance gnease https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/hum-when-no-strings-are-touched/#post-318155 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/hum-when-no-strings-are-touched/#post-318152 Fri, 09 Jan 2009 01:37:11 +0000
Here's an article about shielding. He uses a Strat for an example, but it should translate fairly easily to your Peavey.]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance kent_eh https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/hum-when-no-strings-are-touched/#post-318152 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/hum-when-no-strings-are-touched/#post-317931 Tue, 06 Jan 2009 19:03:24 +0000
To the single coil question: yes, it's a jazz bass style Peavey and does have single coil pups. I don't think this hum is coming from that because when I have the volume up on only one pup, I get a different sort of hum and that hum gets less and less as I raise the volume on the second pup (and that makes them act more like a humbucker, right?).

It does look like the covers to the pickups are indeed plastic. The back of the guitar has a big cavity for all the pots and the input jack covered by a piece of plastic, but it has some shielding on it. Probably not enough, but there is some there. If I wanted to shield all that further, what sort of material should I use?]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance banre https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/hum-when-no-strings-are-touched/#post-317931 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/hum-when-no-strings-are-touched/#post-317898 Tue, 06 Jan 2009 05:57:12 +0000
Ric's identified the most likely cause: the bridge ground connection is probably broken or non-existent. use an ohm meter to measure the resistance between the strings or bridge to the jack nut to check for this connection. if the reading is any more than a few ohms, the connection is not there. long shot: it's also possible -- but very unusual -- this bass has a fuse between the bridge and the signal ground to prevent accidental electrocution. if so, the fuse probably needs to be replaced.]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance gnease https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/hum-when-no-strings-are-touched/#post-317898