2003 Les Paul Ground Issue

[BuckTennington]

Hey Guys,

I don't know how to fix a grounding issue with my 2003 Les Paul Standard. It's the typical issue where there is hum until I touch the strings.

I believe that the problem is the black wire going from the input jack to the pickup selector. It's the only wire that doesn't give me continuity when I use my multimeter. After re-soldering twice I still have the hum and I don't pickup up anything on the multimeter. I get a reading everywhere else with the multimeter.

I have made no modifications to the wiring in the 19 years of owning the guitar.

Thanks!

EDIT: I apologize, I should have given a little bit more information.
1. The first thing I checked was continuity between the ground wire and tail piece (at my local luthier's recommendation) and I DO have continuity.
2. You will notice some burn marks on the white wire and the black sleeve of the input jack. This was From Me AFTER re-soldering the black wire. As careful as I tried to be, the side of the soldering iron nicked the wires. Neither of these are affecting the sound.
3. All pots get a continuity reading, although I have to push down and tilt the probes a little bit to get a reading.

EDIT 2: So this is interesting with the instrument, and I should have done this at the beginning, but I now get a continuity reading with the black wire when I have an instrument cable plugged into the input jack.

EDIT 3: I think it's coming from both tone pots. The majority of the buzzing goes away when I roll the tone knobs to 0.

EDIT 4: I removed the tailpiece bushing, cleaned the the ground wire and reinserted the bushing. I'm still have the problem. I'm not sure what I should investigate next.

 

[drmmrr55]

How about the ground wire to the tailpiece? Is there continuity from the tailpiece to the ground on the pots?

 

[monty john]

Huh looks like a burn? to the large outer black wire??? dunno....have you tried the continuity of the jack??? maybe an issue with jack ? I am NOT an expert but have you tried cleaning the pots , switch etc...sounds weird it would just suddenly crop up...good luck man

 

[monty john]

try a different amp???

 

[BuckTennington]

try a different amp???

It's happening on my brand new amp and amp plugins.

 

[BuckTennington]

How about the ground wire to the tailpiece? Is there continuity from the tailpiece to the ground on the pots?

There is continuity.

 

[Uncle Vinnie]

I have the same problem with my R6. When the volume is < 8 it hums, and when it hums, it stops when I touch metal.

I assume I need a volt meter to check continuity? What setting would I use and where would I place the leads?

 

[DelawareGold]

I have the same problem with my R6. When the volume is < 8 it hums, and when it hums, it stops when I touch metal.

I assume I need a volt meter to check continuity? What setting would I use and where would I place the leads?

An Ohm Meter. One lead on ground, the other lead on the stoptail.
Full deflection is good connection, anything less is a problem, no
deflection is a open circuit.

 

[Uncle Vinnie]

An Ohm Meter. One lead on ground, the other lead on the stoptail.

Thank you! If I do have continuity and everything in the control cavity looks good, ground-to-tailpiece stud issue most likely?

 

[DelawareGold]

Thank you! If I do have continuity and everything in the control cavity looks good, ground-to-tailpiece stud issue most likely?

You (or your Luthier) will have to pull the bushing to repair it. Not a fun job without hurting the top finish. Good luck.

 

[emoney]

Is the hum the same in all 3 positions of the toggle switch?

 

[geezbill]

the ground from your input jack normally would be grounded to a pot case not to the switch. Unless the black wire you describe is the positive lead.

 

[monty john]

Deep clean the pots??? I mentioned this earlier....

 

[BuckTennington]

Is the hum the same in all 3 positions of the toggle switch?

Yes. It occurs in all three positions.

 

[BuckTennington]

the ground from your input jack normally would be grounded to a pot case not to the switch. Unless the black wire you describe is the positive lead.

You make a good point. There are four wires that go to the switch. Red, Green, and White on the right side and a Black soldered to two bent prongs on the left side.

 

[BuckTennington]

How about the ground wire to the tailpiece? Is there continuity from the tailpiece to the ground on the pots?

There's pretty good continuity between the ground wire and the tail piece. With that being said, could it still be that ground wire to the bushing being the issue?

 

[BuckTennington]

How about the ground wire to the tailpiece? Is there continuity from the tailpiece to the ground on the pots?

I removed the tailpiece bushing, cleaned the the ground wire and reinserted the bushing. I'm still have the problem. I'm not sure what I should investigate next.

 

[drmmrr55]

I removed the tailpiece bushing, cleaned the the ground wire and reinserted the bushing. I'm still have the problem. I'm not sure what I should investigate next.

Well, I'm convinced from your posts that you have a lost ground issue somewhere, where it is, is the key issue. My only suggestion is to trace ALL grounds and shields to find the culprit, the grounds/shields should be a closed system. Any break in that system will cause the symptoms you describe.

 

[the great waldo]

Hey Guys,

I don't know how to fix a grounding issue with my 2003 Les Paul Standard. It's the typical issue where there is hum until I touch the strings.

I believe that the problem is the black wire going from the input jack to the pickup selector. It's the only wire that doesn't give me continuity when I use my multimeter. After re-soldering twice I still have the hum and I don't pickup up anything on the multimeter. I get a reading everywhere else with the multimeter.

I have made no modifications to the wiring in the 19 years of owning the guitar.

Thanks!

EDIT: I apologize, I should have given a little bit more information.
1. The first thing I checked was continuity between the ground wire and tail piece (at my local luthier's recommendation) and I DO have continuity.
2. You will notice some burn marks on the white wire and the black sleeve of the input jack. This was From Me AFTER re-soldering the black wire. As careful as I tried to be, the side of the soldering iron nicked the wires. Neither of these are affecting the sound.
3. All pots get a continuity reading, although I have to push down and tilt the probes a little bit to get a reading.

EDIT 2: So this is interesting with the instrument, and I should have done this at the beginning, but I now get a continuity reading with the black wire when I have an instrument cable plugged into the input jack.

EDIT 3: I think it's coming from both tone pots. The majority of the buzzing goes away when I roll the tone knobs to 0.

EDIT 4: I removed the tailpiece bushing, cleaned the the ground wire and reinserted the bushing. I'm still have the problem. I'm not sure what I should investigate next.

I think you've got a normal pickupbuzz. If the noise is a higher pitched buzz then it's normal for most pickups and if it goes away when you touch the strings/tailpiece then your ok. If it's a low pitched 50/60Hz buzz then thats more an earthing problem although that might change with orientating the guitar relative to the amp. Is your problem happening at high gain? If the buzz goes away when you touch the strings don't worry about it (who plays guitar without touching the strings?) Coated strings sometimes make things worse as in theory they are electrically insulated, although in practice i've not noticed a difference. Maybe you can post a video of your problem?
Cheers
Andrew

 

[geddy]

If the noise goes away when you touch the strings then the gnd is there. The guitar grounds you not the other way around. It sounds like EMI to me . Try grounding yourself to a seperate earth point to show that you are an antenna picking up in interference