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Thread: New Mandocaster Ground Hum

  1. #1

    Default New Mandocaster Ground Hum

    Just took this Eastwood of the box and love it, but the thing hums like crazy unless I am touching knobs or strings. I understand ground hum is common, but is this OK for a brand new instrument?

    I have plugged the amp into a different outlet, turned off other electrical devices nearby, walked in circles, etc. My other instrument, a cigar box 6-string with a single humbucker is completely quiet with this setup, as was the Airline electric mandola i just sold.

    I do not have the skills or time to take it apart and do the shielding people describe is necessary to reduce/fix it.

    What do you think?

  2. #2

    Default Re: New Mandocaster Ground Hum

    If you don't have the time, take it to your local shop (a good one) and have them fix the buzz.

    However, fixing the buzz isn't generally that hard to do. If you have any experience soldering, there are plenty of sites with good troubleshooting guides that can help you with the job. Frankly, it might be good to walk through one of those before you take it to someone else.
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  3. #3
    Registered User Tom Wright's Avatar
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    Default Re: New Mandocaster Ground Hum

    Offer more info on this. Does the hum change with volume setting, does it change with both pickups on as opposed to using only one?

    If the hum is constant over pickup settings, but stops when you touch it, I'm kinda stumped. I suppose it is possible that the ground is good from the bridge, but has a bad solder joint at the volume control. The signal could get out but the ground side would have a long route.

    Not surprising for a humbucker to be quiet when single coil pickups are buzzy, but that hum will change with volume setting. But you could go to a store and compare it to a single-coil pickup guitar to be find out if it is defective.
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  4. #4

    Default Re: New Mandocaster Ground Hum

    turn off your wireless internet

  5. #5

    Default Re: New Mandocaster Ground Hum

    Hum is constant over all pickup settings.

  6. #6
    Registered User Tom Wright's Avatar
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    Default Re: New Mandocaster Ground Hum

    Quote Originally Posted by pekoe1111 View Post
    Hum is constant over all pickup settings.
    Volume up or down? How much amp gain or distortion?

    The Airline is also a humbucker, could be you just have to live with single-coil hum. But compare it to similar setups at a store, or send it back, or have someone evaluate the ground connections. Many guitars will hum or buzz a bit when not grounded by your touch, that is why they ground the strings even on humbucking setups. Shielding the cavity reduces free hum/buzz, maybe .
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  7. #7

    Default Re: New Mandocaster Ground Hum

    I turn on the amp to a level that is reasonable to play and it hums. Does not matter what pickups are selected. Hum gets louder with volume. Hum goes away when I touch either the knobs or strings. Hum is worse when use the amp settings with gain or distortion. The amp is a Fender Mustang 1 with modeling.

    I'm starting to learn that the cost of an instrument is really the purchase price plus setup cost! The Airline was good out of the box. Maybe I just got lucky. Just wondering whether it is appropriate to return and ask for one that doesn't hum, or whether everyone knows you have to tweak an intrument when you buy it. I can understand having to tweak an acoustic, but should every customer have to tweak grounding issues?

    Don't want to be a whiner. Thanks for your suggestions!

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  8. #8
    Registered User MandoSquirrel's Avatar
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    Default Re: New Mandocaster Ground Hum

    I would think it would be entirely acceptable, & should be preferred by the seller, that you inform them of a problem with a new instrument. I would expect that they'd prefer to make it right, rather than risk negative comments by dissatisfied customers.
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