Old Gretsch Single Coil Problem

[gcapel]

I did manage to buy a vintage Gretsch Electromatic Lap Steel Guitar. I;m having some noise issues. I opened up the guts and found the single coil pickup is grounded only throught the chassis parts. The noise isn't super terrible but when you do mostly homerecording, its a big deal.

Would it be a good idea to replace 1/4 jack, pots, and cap?

Would it be a good idea to add a ground wire from the single coil chassis to ground connections @ pot\jack wiring? Though i did try this with a bannana clip jumper with no help.

I would replace the pickup but the problem with that the single coil pickup is in cover that looks like a humbucker cover with a mounting tab on the broad side of it. A humbucker will not line up with the six screw holes at the top and fit in the cover at the same time.

I guess i could have the pickup re-coiled.

 

[Light]

It's a single coil pickup; it's going to be noisy. That's simply the way it works, and there isn't really anything you can do to completely get rid of it, short of replacing the pickup.

There are a few things that may help; shield the cavities, a better ground connection, and - most importantly - being carful about your location and which direction you are facing while you play. Try to find the quitest place in your room, and play it there (and don't expect it to stay the same from day to day).



Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[gcapel]

shield the cavities, a better ground connection, and -

Thanks lighto! What is a good material for shielding? Tin Foil??

 

[Light]

Thanks lighto! What is a good material for shielding? Tin Foil??

Aluminum foil and some spray adhesive works fine. I think grounding paint is easier to use, and does the job just as well as any kind of foil (including the adhesive backed copper foil which they sell for this purpose). However, shielding paint is kinda pricey, so if you're doing only one guitar it doesn't make much sense.