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Celebrity Loud hum pickup no sound

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SteveM
Posted 2017-05-20 3:28 PM (#535245)
Subject: Celebrity Loud hum pickup no sound
Joined:
April 2017
Posts: 1

Hello I'm a new member. I have a Celebrity C26 made in Korea. Two problems:
1: The plastic saddle does not fit snug.. if I string up to tension.. it "tilts" very slightly so it does not stand up true vertical. Is this meant to be like that?. I contacted Ovation and asked for a compensated saddle.. as the one that came with the guitar ( I bought it used) was a straight saddle, no compensation.. albeit is placed diagonal when fitted into the bridge slot. Were Celebrity models from Korea fitted with non compensated saddles? When strung up to tension.. the guitar plays fine with the compensated saddle kindly sent by Ovation...

2: My second problem;
When I plug the guitar into a small practice amp.. there is no sound from the pickup .. jsut a loud hum / buzz..
Tested the amp at store where I bought it a few days ago.. no such buzz/hum.. and when amp is turned on with no cable / guitar attached.. it is very quiet .. so in good working condition. When I plug the cable into the amp.. no hum / buzz..but when I connect the guitar to the cable, that is when the hum/buzz starts. I have a thinline pickup installed.. it is a thin strip of metal housed in a metal channel..(there is no set of crystals in a plastic strip that I have read about.. I presume the thinline does not use them?.. Just a metal strip in contact with the 6 pressure points of the saddle? )

The saddle fits snugly into the top of the metal housing and the contact points on the saddle all touch the metal strip of the peizo..

There were some dark brown thin shim strips of plastic material that were already installed under the pick up in the bridge slot when I got the guitar ( I think they are about 1/64th each, not the 1/32 that is described in the Ovation Owners manual..) and also there was a white strip that is jsut over 2/64ths at the thick end and 1/64th at the thin end...

What is the order for shims?... White piece at bottom and brown on top or vice versa?
Does it make a difference if the white is on top of the brown?
If any of these shims are not touching the bottom of the piezo metal housing .. does that make it buzz/hum?

As the Saddle is not a "snug" fit, (but it is exactly the right length of the diagonal bridge slot and fits the piezo housing perfectly) but it is very slightly thinner in depth ... and as mentioned above when the strings are tightened up the tension seems to pull the saddle ever so slightly toward the headstock end of the guitar) could this cause the pickup to hum/buzz?.. I think the space between the saddle wall and bridge slot is 1/64th as one of the brown plastic shims will fit into the space and I tried this to see if it would make the saddle stand vertical .. it seems to do that.. but what could be the cause of having no sound coming from the guitar and making this loud hum/buzz?.

I have checked the internal plug that connects the piezo to the preamp unit.. it is firmly seated..
The preamp on this guitar is basic.. with treble / bass and volume sliders.. and a battery button that lights up when I press it.. Battery compartment very clean and not corroded.. When I turn up the volume slider that hum/buzz gets louder.. and the treble and bass seem to work as well..

Not sure why the guitar pickup is not transmitting sound ?

Any help would most sincerely appreciated please.

Thank you.

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Old Man Arthur
Posted 2017-05-20 9:40 PM (#535250 - in reply to #535245)
Subject: Re: Celebrity Loud hum pickup no sound



Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777

Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR
Is it NEW? (if so return it)

The order of the shims under that saddle is irrelevant.
So long as the desired height is achieved.

When you tap on the saddle does it go "thump"?

You could contact Ovation and ask about getting a new CP-100 saddle/pickup combo.
http://www.ovationguitars.com/contact
You can email them today...
But I would call them during normal East Coast USA Business hours.
So... Do both.

I hope that this helps, a little.
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