Tbird and or Bob or other geetartist

So, my seven-year-old son's strat has noise (buzz) when the pick up selection is in one , three or five (the single pickup position). It does not have this in 2 or 4 which would be bridge in middle or middle and neck) .

It could be his crappy Ibanez practice amp ( I know, he needs a giant Marshall stack or a big Orange amp, but I'll let him get his chords down better first). 

Any thoughts? I dont think its a bad pickup as it is clean when its paired, but only buzzes when a single pickup is selected. 

He's ok for now as he also has his drum kit. I think he going the Dave Grohl route. Let's just hope his future lead singer isnt murdered by that singers wife...

 

 

 

Does the power cable to the amp have a good ground? 3 prongs. Is the house receptacle have a good ground? Sometimes also the guitar cable could be bad. Just guessing.

Yeah, I was considering those causes Dave. But wouldnt it be audible with any selection of pickup?

I guess I cantake the rig downstairs and test it through a GFC outlet...thanks!

2 and 4 are hum-cancelling on modern Stratocasters.

1 3 5 always hum a bit because they are single coils and pick up (pickup) all EM activity, but I'm guessing you have some bad source of 60hz radiation like a florescent light nearby. Try plugging her in outside away from the house to verify.

If that's it it's time for a Les Paul.

Actually you can get a noise gate pedal or find a better practice area.

Edit: Yeah, if the amp has no actual ground it could be poorly shielded which could reach his pups. Maybe.

And yeah, when I build him a Marshall head when he's a teenager I'll make sure it's well shielded.

So 2 and 4 positions use the paired pickups 

to act like the pair on a humbucker?

Wow.  Of course, I'm easily impressed

but that's pretty cool.

 

 

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Strats have a pair!

The middle pickup is reverse polarity/reverse wound like the second pup in a 'bucker. Only in modern Strats.

Never heard that before, looked up reverse polarity reverse wound.  

So you can also do that with a pair of P90s, Les Paul-ish style. 

Hmmmmmmm....

this is fun: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OT-YBvlIOuw

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If only my LP with P-90s had that. It hums on every position.

But it's a good sounding axe and easy to play.