Problems with Paranormal

#1

So two problems, both of them can be fixed I believe.

First one is when I adjust either volume or tone, I get static from the amp. Just a little bit. I turned the volume and tone knobs on the neck pickup and its pretty much gone away. Did the bridge pickuo and still there. I have some contact cleaner on the way…any thoughts? Going down the right path?

Second thing is I get a hum when I plug into the amp. The pickups are linear humbuckers, they shouldn’t have a hum. So I am thinking its a shielding issue. When I open her up and address the static, I plan to add copper tape where I can. Should I do the bottom of the pickguard too? It’s aluminum.

Anyway, am I looking at this the right way? What would you do?

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#2
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#3

Thanks. I called my sales guy at Sweetwater and he sent me a bottle of Deoxit free of charge. Probably will be here for the weekend.

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#4

I think you are on the right track.
Maybe google or search over in talkbass to see if anyone else is having issues with them.
New electronics shouldn’t really scratch and hum. That said, with shipping lanes the way they are these days maybe it went though a lot of humidity and heat to get to you.

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#5

Yeah, it shouldn’t, but it’s also been open on the luthiers bench when they swapped out the pickups. Wil search, thanks

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#6

I forgot I did search on this, but “paranormal” and “hum” gives you all sorts of ghost hunters stuff.

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#7

Well there you go, there is a ghost in every bass.
Go learn “Spooky” and call it a day.

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#8

Dirty pots are super common, even with relatively new ones. Just twist it a bunch to full stop both ways, like 50-100 times. Scratch might go away even without the deoxit.

One drop of deoxit in the pot hole with more twisting should do it if not.

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#9

Update:
I got the Deoxit in, gave each pot a squirt. Twisted each knob quite a few times.

Addedd some copper tape to the cavity.

Results: Hum is gone completely.

Still get static when I turn the knobs, but when I touch the strings, the static goes away. Grounding issue?

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#10

I guess?

check the solder connections at that pot and see if they look suspicous.
If you have a meter check resistance from bridge to the pot back, should be zero or darn close to it.

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#11

Update - everything is fine and it’s in good shape now. Just had a luthier resolder the ground, that issue is fixed. Turning the knobs back and forth a bunch, the static is gone. We are cooking with gas.

She plays like a dream, thinking of rebooting the course with her.

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#12

Awesome!

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#13

Brilliant - still very keen on the Paranormal. Just can’t justify the $$ ATM