Trouble in S-100 heaven...

Ok, so "James", the '93/94 white S-100, is having some trouble...namely, with the bridge pup. It sounds fine, but if I touch it or the adjustment screws, there's a helluva lot of noise. Now, I am guessing this means a bad ground somewhere. The problem is, I can't find it. I'm handy with a soldering iron, but the last thing I want to do is go poking around willy nilly on this bad boy...I took electronics so long ago, that most of it has filtered out of my brain. Anybody got any ideas and maybe a step by step I can follow to track down the offending solder joint or bad wire? Instructions I can follow. :wink:

I've been in a dozen if I've been in one S-100. You should get some pics of each component so the connections are all clear. It sounds like trouble with the four-conductor wire. Green and Bare should make up the ground connections. If one of those is loose, you'll probably get a weird ground like that.

danerectal said:

I've been in a dozen if I've been in one S-100. You should get some pics of each component so the connections are all clear. It sounds like trouble with the four-conductor wire. Green and Bare should make up the ground connections. If one of those is loose, you'll probably get a weird ground like that.

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Thanx for the info. I popped the back cover and did a quick once over and didn't see or feel anything loose, but I'll have to give it a better going over later.

Ok, been a while since I have had time to even look at this, so...more info. The hum/buzz only happens if:

1. the bridge pup is on, either by itself or in combo with the neck
2. I touch the bridge pup or any of its screws...touching any other part just eliminates the regular low almost non-existent hum you hear with almost any humbucking pup guitar with no cavity shielding
3. the phase switch is in the up position

So I am thinking maybe a couple of the wires wired to the phase switch may be crossed or touching somehow...only problem is they are so short and the area on the back of the switch is so small. Oy! I am assuming the phase switch's ground is ok, otherwise it would be happening in both positions...would that be accurate? If so, that's only two points of contact I would need to try resoldering, which isn't such a big deal.

If you are getting such a lot of noise from just touching the pup,does this include the height adjustment screws?, then it sounds like there is a short because touching the pup should help the grounding whereas if you touch the live it will buzz just like you describe.Changing the phase shouldn't change this but it obviously is. Have you had the pickup out? You may need to isolate it and run a meter over it to see if there is any shorting.
Has this just started to happen?
Steve.

wright1 said:

If you are getting such a lot of noise from just touching the pup,does this include the height adjustment screws?, then it sounds like there is a short because touching the pup should help the grounding whereas if you touch the live it will buzz just like you describe.Changing the phase shouldn't change this but it obviously is. Have you had the pickup out? You may need to isolate it and run a meter over it to see if there is any shorting.
Has this just started to happen?
Steve.

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It happens if I tough the height adjustment screws or the pup cover itself. It sounds just like it would if you popped open the back and touched the output jack while plugged in and live. I have had the pickup out. I'm thinking it may be one of the ground wires crossing over the phase switch...there are two that cross over each other, one is very short and tight, so the shielding may have been worn away or burnt off in the original soldering process...I dunno. It's been doing it since I received it, but I am not the original owner, so who knows...I've just been leaving the phase switch in the downward position and it's all happy.

I have a namesake S-100 guitar? Here's hoping the other 'James' is back to good health soon.

Which one am I in this photo? I'm guessing, if your 'James' is anything like me, it's the one lying down on the couch. :lol: :lol:

Thunderface said:

I have a namesake S-100 guitar? Here's hoping the other 'James' is back to good health soon.

Which one am I in this photo? I'm guessing, if your 'James' is anything like me, it's the one lying down on the couch. :lol: :lol:

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007 is the one standing up next to the black 74...the one laying down is the double goose egg and the one in the corner is the 94 with the repaired headstock.