in need of help fast, EMG pickups

[SRD86]

I'm not a fan, but a buddy of mine does ZW in an Ozzy tribute and his EMGs were wired wrong, so I said I'll straighten it out, should be no problem.
Of course it's a big pain in the ass and he's got two shows this weekend!

My problem is that I have the electronics working the way they should now, but it buzzes LOUDER if I touch the hardware to the point of if I try to play a note with a distorted channel, it's just a fuzzy mess, but if I let go, and let the open string ring out, about 5 seconds after I've stopped hitting the string, it's like someone flips a switch and the sound clears up and sounds like it should.

I'm gonna feel like crap if I can clear this up for him in time, can anyone give me a clue what it might be?

[charvel750]

Make sure that the pickups' ground wire is soldered to a common ground. Also, make sure that the output jack's ground wire is soldered there too. You don't necessarily need to ground the tremolo bridge, but you must ground the pickups.

[Speiro]

On the wiring instructions it says to make sure the bridge is NOT grounded with the EMG's. Sounds like it could be that.

[SRD86]

On the wiring instructions it says to make sure the bridge is NOT grounded with the EMG's. Sounds like it could be that.

Oh, no kidding?
I hopefully that's it, I brought the guitar with me, so i'll try unhooking it at lunch.

I'm still open to try other stuff just in case that doesn't do it.

[SRD86]

ok, the verdict is in...

I didn't redo the output jack, the hot and the ground were reversed

Thanks for the suggestions though.

[Speiro]

ok, the verdict is in...

I didn't redo the output jack, the hot and the ground were reversed

Thanks for the suggestions though.

Just looked on the spec sheet on the EMG http://www.emginc.com/downloads/wiri...rams/ZWset.pdf
and it does say "DO NOT CONNECT THE BRIDGE GROUND WIRE"

[SRD86]

Just looked on the spec sheet on the EMG http://www.emginc.com/downloads/wiri...rams/ZWset.pdf
and it does say "DO NOT CONNECT THE BRIDGE GROUND WIRE"

I wasn't doubting you, I was just saying the problem was fixed and this is what it was.

[emperor_black]

ok, the verdict is in...

I didn't redo the output jack, the hot and the ground were reversed

Thanks for the suggestions though.

that would have been my suggestion, but you already got it. I had the EXACT same thing going on in a guitar of mine when I tried to replace pickups. but it wasnt an active pup though. Good job figuring it out for your friend.

[Speiro]

I wasn't doubting you, I was just saying the problem was fixed and this is what it was.

Just thought I'd post it in case anyone else looked in with a similar problem

[SRD86]

Cool!

[straycat]

SDLPLTD you are now officially the MAN!!!