WCR Pickups are humming?....little advice please

[lgehrig4]

I just finished installing my WCR DB bridge and CR neck with an RS electronics upgrade kit. They sound great, but there is too much hum, especially for humbuckers. I wired everything according to the RS diagram with the exception of the toggle and input jack, which I just left the same as before.

The guitar hums less with my hands on but still too much for humuckers (even single coils for that matter). The guitar was fine before I installed these. Since I didn't change the toggle and jack wiring and the rest are wired according to diagram I can't figure out what is wrong. I cleaned all the contacts prior to soldiering and the connections look solid.

Any advice?

Thanks
Jeff

 

[HarryJ]

If the hum or buzz changes based on whether you are touching the strings or not, it makes me question the grounding

HJ

 

[lgehrig4]

I have to agree that it is the grounding, but I don't know what. The switch and jack are wired exactly the same as before and the pickups are wired according to the diagram.

The only difference with the diagram is that they have a braided wire connected to all switch connections in addition to the switch ground. I didn't feel like rewiring the switch so I just left the old wire in and it didn't hum before so I don't know what is causing it.

thanks
Jeff

 

[HarryJ]

It sometimes helps to have all ground connections soldered to a single spot as well.

Have you tried connecting the pickup directly to the output to see if it has issues?

HJ

 

[lgehrig4]

Originally posted by HarryJ
It sometimes helps to have all ground connections soldered to a single spot as well.

Have you tried connecting the pickup directly to the output to see if it has issues?

HJ

Everything is wired in so I would like to avoid taking it apart unless it was the last resort. Although I wouldn't rule them out, I highly doubt that the pups are the cause. I was hoping someone have some grounding tips.

I'll try to post a picture of the wiring later.

 

[RSRelic]

Originally posted by lgehrig4
Everything is wired in so I would like to avoid taking it apart unless it was the last resort. Although I wouldn't rule them out, I highly doubt that the pups are the cause. I was hoping someone have some grounding tips.

I'll try to post a picture of the wiring later.

Can you e-mail me a clear photo of your wiring at [email protected]? If so I'm sure I can tell you what is going on. There are three key ground points on the wiring that is not done correctly will cause you problems.

Roy

 

[lgehrig4]

Originally posted by RSRelic
Can you e-mail me a clear photo of your wiring at [email protected]? If so I'm sure I can tell you what is going on. There are three key ground points on the wiring that is not done correctly will cause you problems.

Roy

email with pics sent. thanks Roy!

 

[johnny q]

I think WCR's buckers are unbalanced coils, could that be causing the extra hum? I have the WCR/RS Shredder and it hums quite a bit under heavy gain/high volume and I have been told this is normal and directly caused by the coils being unbalanced.

JQ

 

[Weldaar]

I have Goodwoods, Crossroads, and Fillmores. I only had a hum in my LPGT, but that was there with all of the pups, even the stock ones. It was a poor solder connection with a ground.
Sure sounds like a ground problem to me too.

 

[tjs]

I think WCR's buckers are unbalanced coils, could that be causing the extra hum? I have the WCR/RS Shredder and it hums quite a bit under heavy gain/high volume and I have been told this is normal and directly caused by the coils being unbalanced.

JQ

If I'm not mistaken, the only ones with unbalanced coils are the Shredders and the Black Magics.