[caspercody]

I have a SD 59 (2 wire) pick up that sounds awesome, and I have a Duncan Designed pick up which is a SD distortion, but I get a lot of 60 HZ noise.

I have (2) Dimarzio pick ups, a X2N (4 wire) and a Super distortion (4 wire). Both of these pick ups do not have any 60 HZ noise.

I have put copper foil tape in the guitar cavity, and grounded everything.

Is there something different in the construction of Dimarzio that makes them quiet?

Is there something I can do to the SD 59 to make it quiet?

Thanks
Rob

[buddroyce]

Hi Rob,

Welcome to the forum. It actually sounds like your Duncan Designed pickup is a bit defective as there's nothing that DiMarzio or Duncan do to their pickups that other manufacturers don't do to cut the 60hz hum.

Cheers,

Budd

[caspercody]

The 59 and (2) DD's both give me 60 hz noise. I have replaced them with either of the DiMarzio's and both of the DiMarizio's are a lot quieter then the 59 and DD's.

I did not change anything in either guitar's I tried this in. Just swapped pick ups. And in (2) different guitars I get 60 hz hum when using the 59 or DD pick ups, but the (2) DiMarzio's are quieter.

It is weird to me, but that is why I am wondering if DiMarzio does something to their pick ups to help get rid of noise that SD or DD do not do?

[DarthPhineas]

#1. Are you following the proper color codes for the wiring of each brand?

#2. Do you change them yourself or do you have a tech (or someone else) change them?

[caspercody]

Yes, I am following each manufactures wiring.

I am installing them my self.

I did get the SD 59 to be quitter, but it still is just a little louder then the DiMarzio pick ups.

I have not tried anything with the DD's, I do not think I will use them at all.

One thing I need to look at is if the Dimarzio's have something covering the pole pieces? Reason I want to look at this is when I meter the SD's and DD's poles to the shield wire I get tone. When I meter the pole pieces to shield on the DiMarzio's no tone.

One other thing I am looking for is if someone knows the voltage out put of the SD, and DD's?

The (2) DiMarzio pick ups i have are X2n (510mv) and Super Distortion (425mv). These are higher output pick ups, and does that help with reducing hum?

[DarthPhineas]

a few ideas come mind, but it's really a bit of a boondoggle without photos to see what's going on with the control cavity and the wiring.


sounds like it might be worth your time to call the tech support line for one (or both, if you like) of those companies and run it past them.  going back and forth with wiring issues on a forum like this can take a long time and there is really nobody here that is an official rep of either company.

[caspercody]

Okay, thanks.

[Guitar74]

I have Duncan’s in some guitars and Dimarzio in others. I have NEVER had noise issues with my ‘59 or PG+. Period. I have also never had issues with my X2N, Tone Zone, HS-3s, or with my Heavy Blues II.  Something isn’t right. One thing: mMy Pg+ is more feedback prone than my X2N, as well as my J.B. that's in my Jackson Dinky. But as far as being noisy, no.