Hello Gang. I am finally putting the finishing touches on my first build and much to my dismay, when i plugged in to make sure the electronics were working ok i am getting major hum and some squealing interference which gets worse if i touch the volume knob. I am pretty sure the pickup worked fine when i tested it after it's arrival from CB Gitty, but since then i have had to fit it into the groove i cut into my bridge bolt and it took on some heat which melted a bit of the heat shrink tube around the edge of the pickup. 

I am just wondering if any of you more experienced builders can give me some advice as to whether or not i may have ruined the pickup, and if the hum on these things is common. Thanks again for any input you guys can offer. 

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Replies to This Discussion

hmmmmmm, not sure what you actually did! It shouldn't humm! Did you follow the wiring diagram?

Try switching the leads...

Sounds like it could be a grounding issue; I would try re-soldering all connections. You may not have a clean connection somewhere. Solder everything up, and test it out before you install it. If it works that way, you know it works and the problem may be in the way it is installed. Commercial guitars have a grounding lead, going from the ground soldered on the pot and connected to something metal, like a bridge, or even a screw ... if it should be a grounding issue that needs further tweaking.

Thanks for the input guys. As far as solder joints, it is a pre-soldered harness from CB Gitty with the mini jacks on it which i'm sure are no fun to pull apart but if that is a possibility i will try it. I'm sure it tested out fine when i first received it in the mail. So as far as the Heat issue, does anyone think that could have ruined it? 

I bought some and two of them didn't twork.

Hey Marmelade. So you got no sound at all or had issues with noise?

try moving away from the amp and turn the volume down?

The rod ones rely on presure from the strings to make them work well

check back you wiring. have you earthed it

and turn any flourescent lights off or things that could give any interference

Pick remember that issue you had once with something being on causing noise?

A piezo only works when there is vibrations to make shake the crystals and produce electricity.

have you twisted you cables as that help or sheath them in copper?

Normally piezos are fairly easy to work with.. It could be you have melted it? but I have never seen that before.

is the rod piezo jack fully pushed home?

also try it all in a different room to see if there is something in the room cusing interference etc

with China a percentatge of stuff doesnt always work but its usually failed internal solder joints.

I have had a couple of maplins piezos where the connection comes off the piezo material and then there are binnable.

Get an earth wire from your metal? bridge to the outer of your jack socket, a grounding wire

for example a telecaster has one under the metal plate normally.

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