A parts build issue

grungebob

Hello Gents, 

ive been slowly putting together a partscaster and ive come across a few issues.

wired it all up today put both E strings on to check it and it seems there is loud grounding noise that only goes away when i touch the input jack. Have I got the 2 leads to the jack back to front or ground issue elsewhere?

Also the high E doest run parallel to the fretboard and is almost falling off by the time it reaches the heel end of the neck. The bridge looks straight and all bridge holes lined up with the pre-drilled holes in the body and the strings pass through the body perfectly. The neck looks to sit flush along the walls of the pocket. 

the body pocket is square like a tele but the neck heel is rounded as a strat, could this be the issue or do you think the bridge is at fault?

first time I've built a guitar from parts so forgive me ignorance, any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

DrBob

Not sure about the earthing issue but much as the neck looks like it's a tight fit in the neck pocket you might find that a tug on the neck might pull it back into alignment !

paulnb57

Worth a try swapping the connections around on the output jack, to see if that cures it before delving deeper....

ThePrettyDamned

You've got the earth and hot connections the wrong way on the jack I think - something I've done loads of times.

Try giving the neck a bit of a tug - it'll creak a touch. That said, you've put a strat neck heel into a Tele pocket - it won't be ideal, but I think it should intonate.

grungebob

Thanks guys will give it a go when I get home, it'll intonate fine according to my ruler plenty of travel to move saddles from 25-26.2" so Im good there. what is odd is the low E runs true the entire length of the neck ( maybe a little too far away from the fretboard edge) but as mentioned before the high E runs off the edge by the time it reaches the 22nd fret.

ThePrettyDamned

Actually, have you earthed the bridge/strings? That could be an issue, I forget that one too!

grungebob

ThePrettyDamned;757361" said:

Actually, have you earthed the bridge/strings? That could be an issue, I forget that one too!

Yes I have, well I think I have. I've run a wire from underneath the bridge plate through the rear pickup cavity into the control cavity and to the back of the volume pot. I've also copper taped everywhere coz it looked nice.

Rhoadhouse_Music

Have you shielded the Jack socket hole?

If you have that's probably your problem: clean it out back to bare wood, then twist the output wires to counter RFI.

As for the neck, hold a steel rule against each side of the neck to see how it aligns with the bridge?

As others have said, loosening off the screws and twisting the neck as you retighten them can sometimes do the trick.

grungebob

Thanks everyone. It was the hot ground that needed switching around. I've shielded everywhere so now it's very quiet.