Hum from BMI Guitar with an Original BL705
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- Ken Mizell
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- Joined: 13 Feb 2005 1:01 am
- Location: Lakeland, Florida, 33809, USA
Hum from BMI Guitar with an Original BL705
I just bought a used, refurbished, BMI SD-10 (3/4 body). It's in very nice shape, in all regards. It has an original Bill Lawrence 705 in it - the original with the chrome around it. There are no signs of damage.
The pickup works, however, when I get my hands near the pickup, it starts to hum, and is rather annoying. It's even worse when I actually touch the chrome surrounding the pickup. The volume of the hum varies with the volume pedal position. When experimenting, I eliminated the volume pedal, plugging directly into the amp, and I've also tried more than one cable between the guitar and the amp. Everything I try gives me the same noise.
I haven't messed with the pickup or the jack on the guitar yet.
I'm hoping there is nothing wrong with the pickup, since this is an original BL705, and any replacement isn't cheap. If it's a problem with the wiring at the jack, that will be easy.
Any ideas or guidance will be most appreciated.
The pickup works, however, when I get my hands near the pickup, it starts to hum, and is rather annoying. It's even worse when I actually touch the chrome surrounding the pickup. The volume of the hum varies with the volume pedal position. When experimenting, I eliminated the volume pedal, plugging directly into the amp, and I've also tried more than one cable between the guitar and the amp. Everything I try gives me the same noise.
I haven't messed with the pickup or the jack on the guitar yet.
I'm hoping there is nothing wrong with the pickup, since this is an original BL705, and any replacement isn't cheap. If it's a problem with the wiring at the jack, that will be easy.
Any ideas or guidance will be most appreciated.
Steeless.
- Mike Auman
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- Ken Mizell
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- Joined: 13 Feb 2005 1:01 am
- Location: Lakeland, Florida, 33809, USA
- Ken Mizell
- Posts: 1160
- Joined: 13 Feb 2005 1:01 am
- Location: Lakeland, Florida, 33809, USA
- Mike Auman
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- Location: North Texas, USA
- Ken Mizell
- Posts: 1160
- Joined: 13 Feb 2005 1:01 am
- Location: Lakeland, Florida, 33809, USA
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Check to see if there is a wrap around shield around the blk and red wire back at the first see-through strap/screw connector. If there is, connect that wrap to the same connection as the black wire on the jack. If this doesn't help after you've done all the work previously mentioned, Measure the ohms of the pick up with an ohm meter and let us know. Should be somewhere between 12k-20k ohms. Very high or very low readings spells trouble. RP
Emmons SKH Le Grande, '73 P/J bass, Tick tack bass, Regal high strung, and a Coral Sitar, USA Nashville 112.
- Ken Mizell
- Posts: 1160
- Joined: 13 Feb 2005 1:01 am
- Location: Lakeland, Florida, 33809, USA
Update: I put in a new jack. Red to tip. Black to ground. I pealed off the black electrical tape and I find no shield. I did, however, find a green and white wire soldered together. Per info I found on another thread, connecting the white and green wires turns ON the single coil. Disconnecting the white and green turns ON the humbucker. So, the pup should be wired correctly now. The hum and sensitivity to touch is better, and may have decreased 75-80%. It is still noticeable enough to be annoying, kind of like a single coil pup in a bad electrical environment. Solution. - New pickup. A friend of mine has several spare, barely used pickups (almost a shoe box full), and he gave me a few to try. He will sell me what I want. I’m going to decide between a George L E66, and a BL 710 or LxR-16 (labeling is messed up, not sure what it is). I don’t have an ohm meter, yet.
Steeless.
- Ken Mizell
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- Ken Mizell
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