Buzz after Installing a Pickup

psesinkclee · Aug 17, 2009

Hi everyone,

I just finished installing an internal piezo style pickup with endpin jack in my Cordoba Concert. The problem is, that when I'm playing it unplugged, I get a weird buzz noise now when I play certain chords. I've reached inside and moved the wire (running from the piezo elements tot he jack) and it fixes it for a moment, but then it returns.

When installing pickups, do you typically strap-down the excess wires to the inside somehow? Or any other thoughts on fixing this?

I was thinking of maybe putting a small bit of tiny foam (like in a cushion) around the cable where it touches the body.

Thanks,
Paul

NukeDOC · Aug 17, 2009

take a small piece of masking tape and tape the wire down to the side. hopefully you can get your fingers in deep enough to do it.

if not,try pulling the wire out a little bit toward the sound hole. not completely out. just near enough to be able to work with it from the sound hole. and tape it down somewhere around there to the side of the body (inside).

if you are relieving it by moving it... but its returning... that just means that the wire's "memory" is returning it right to the place where it can vibrate against the uke's body. tape it down out of the way and it should take care of it.

E-Lo Roberts · Aug 18, 2009

Yeah, those wires do tend to find their way right up next to the wood somehow if not secured creating the buzzing sound on some notes more than others. Drives you nuts trying to figure out how to stop it. I switched out my battery powered piezo unit with a mi-si simple jack and fishman piezo. Less overall wiring to deal with. Seems like every time I reached in to change out the battery, i ended up moving another wire out of place and the problem would come back once more... with the mi-si no more battery changing....simple...e.lo..

cornfedgroove · Aug 18, 2009

I'm sure it's the wires too, you can also try plasty-tac to coat it...but for future reference I had a ukulele one time with a crazy buzz off certain strings and positions...I checked it and checked it, tapped it and all that crap.

came to found out that the jack just needed tightened and the hardware was rattling a little bit.

psesinkclee · Aug 18, 2009

Thanks everyone!

I got some masking tape, and taped it to the side, and it seems to have fixed the problem. I also tightened the jack, so it might have been that as well.

The tape looks like it isn't staying stuck too well, do you guys think I should try a different kind of tape? I was thinking that duct tape might be too much and could damage the wood inside, but I'm not to sure on this.

koalohapaul · Aug 19, 2009

I have a ton of extra clips from Fishman and L.R. Baggs at the shop. Send me an e-mail next week and I'll mail you a few. They're padded aluminum clips, with a padded adhesive on a tab. Basically, you roll them on the wire, peel the back, and stick to the position of your choice.

If you're busy reworking the wires, I would suggest putting a small bead of CA on the shield jack, as well. They tend to come loose over time, and can be yet another cause of buzz. Once I determine the position of the shielding, I unscrew it slightly, put a small bead of CA, and move it back to the desired position. Just a little bit of insurance that you might as well do, if you're poking around in there. Loctite, or similar products will work as well. The active ingredient in most of those is CA.

I'll be on a trip from Thursday through Monday and I have a funeral to attend tomorrow, so I can't get you anything before then. If you want some clips, I'll send them to you when I get back. You can reach me at: pokami(replace with at mark)koaloha(dot)com.

vahn · Aug 19, 2009

koalohapaul said:
I have a ton of extra clips from Fishman and L.R. Baggs at the shop. Send me an e-mail next week and I'll mail you a few. They're padded aluminum clips, with a padded adhesive on a tab. Basically, you roll them on the wire, peel the back, and stick to the position of your choice.

If you're busy reworking the wires, I would suggest putting a small bead of CA on the shield jack, as well. They tend to come loose over time, and can be yet another cause of buzz. Once I determine the position of the shielding, I unscrew it slightly, put a small bead of CA, and move it back to the desired position. Just a little bit of insurance that you might as well do, if you're poking around in there. Loctite, or similar products will work as well. The active ingredient in most of those is CA.

I'll be on a trip from Thursday through Monday and I have a funeral to attend tomorrow, so I can't get you anything before then. If you want some clips, I'll send them to you when I get back. You can reach me at: pokami(replace with at mark)koaloha(dot)com.

What a guy!! Seriously Paul now your just trying to lure us to koaloha with your awesomeness...

Buzz after Installing a Pickup

psesinkclee

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NukeDOC

Retired Mod

E-Lo Roberts

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cornfedgroove

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psesinkclee

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koalohapaul

Well-known member

vahn

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