Radio Interference

[jalevinemd]

My two gigging Alembic guitars have modified Darling electronics. When my finger rests on the brass plate of the pickup selector on one of them, I get radio broadcast through my amp. This is intensified when the bright switch is engaged. It doesn't happen if I touch any other part of the guitar. It is also more prominent with the neck pickup. I tried a few different guitar cables and the problem was still there. The other guitar, which is pretty much identical in every respect, does not have this issue. Is something not grounded properly? Is it something my local guitar guy could fix? Where should he begin to look?


Thanks...


Jonathan

[rv_bass]

From what I just read online, sounds like either the shielding is compromised or something is not properly grounded.  Maybe the first step is to take a look inside around the pickup selector switch and see if a connection/ground looks loose.

[jalevinemd]

Rob...


Thanks...given the way the Alembics are shielded with paint and not copper tape, I’d think it would be strange for that to be compromised, though I could be wrong. If anyone wants to share a picture of what the grounding wire looks like or where it is, that’d be great. I have no clue what to look for.

[lbpesq]

Jonathan, I would open up both at the same time and compare.

Bill, tgo

[jalevinemd]

Bill...so I did that. I took the backplates off both. Between the standard electronics, plus the built in blaster with its own gain knob, the pickup selector switch and LED's it's VERY busy under there. Unfortunately, despite the electronics being exactly the same, they are packed in quite differently. So a 1:1 comparison to see which one might have the errant wire is virtually impossible. Hopefully Mica can post a guts picture of the Darling electronics and label the ground wire. I can't figure out what's going on in there. I'll email her in case she doesn't follow these threads.

[mica]

Is the shield under the edge of the selector switch plate intact? Can you compare the ones that have to problem to the one that doesn't? Also, did this just come up or has it been an issue the whole time you've had them?

I follow the Club and emails everyday - the Facebook groups might take me a day or two to find a message, but a direct Facebook message reaches me quickly. Instagram direct message from a new person sometime takes me a few days to see.  I answer the phone everyday too!

[jalevinemd]

Mica...Thanks for the reply. When you say "shield" are you referring to the silver/gray paint? I'll check it. It's been a problem for as long as I can remember. Just never bothered to address it.




Thanks,


Jonathan

[mica]

Yes, the silver paint is what I'm asking about.