How do I test for a poor ground wire as opposed to a bad ground wire on electric guitar wiring?

More in likely it is, although I owned one years ago that I changed the pickup in, to make a good sounding travel guitar, so you could check the wiring to see if it looks original and not tampered with?
really hope that helps?

It is a US strat! Congrats! Guitar Info This guitar is from the U.S. Vintage Series
made at the Corona Plant (Fender), USA
in the Year(s): Cannot be determined from serial number,
however you can consult this chart showing the
corelation between serial numbers and dates found on the neck
Fender MIA RI Serial Number vs. Neck Date


Fender: Corona Corona factory was opened in 1985, Corona California, with major guitar production starting in 1987. With the addition of a custom shop in 1987 the plant currently employs about 700 workers. Apart from general and Custom Shop Fender instruments and amplifiers, it also encompasses Guild acoustic & electric guitars.

with or with out a guitar plugged in

here's a link to a Starcaster wiring diagram...just scroll down through the forum entries until you see it:
http://www.tdpri.com/forum/other-guitars-other-instruments/372877-70s-starcaster-schematic.html

If the humming ONLY happens when a cable is plugged into the amp, the problem is in the cable or the guitar. Poor quality cables or wrong cables will result in hum. Defective wiring or connectors in the guitar OR having the guitar near a source of magnetic fields will result in hum. We cannot diagnose these possibilities remotely.

"Noise" is not a very good deescription... is it hum? is it static like? is it a buzz? Hum pickup by the pickups of guitars are common and some pickups are worse. If it is hum move the guitar away from magnetic sources like amps, motors, flourescent lights, dimmers... etc. Sme guitars have grounding problems and touching them varies hum. Also, do NOT let the guitar "hear" the amp as it can feedback at frequencies above your hearing even. Do some "sniffing" by moving the guitar and the orientation around the area seeing if you can find hot spots of noise to avoid.

"Hum" is usually caused by a bad ground or poor shielding. Try a different cord, and if you can, inspect the wiring in the back of the guitar for loose ground wires.

You are looking at the WRONG end of the guitar cable. You have a VERY unsafe guitar amplifier OR the mixer that is connected to that mic has an UNSAFE grounding condition.

If your guitar amp is an old one that has a two wire cord and a switch you change to reduce hum, take it in to have a three wire power cord installed IMMEDIATELY. Only plug into grounded receptacles. This is needed to reduce electrical noise and hum but MORE importantly is personel safety.

If the problem is with the mixer and the electrical service to the mixer, better get a professional in to analyze the problem before somebody is injured.

AS A START do this: VERIFY that ALL interconnected equipment INCLUDING your guitar amp iis powered from the same source or receptacle. This includes the venue power amps, mixer, any CD players, etc. Professionals run power back from the stage source to the mixer alongside their snake to avoid just the problem you are seeing. When they need more power at a venue, a power distribution box is used that conditions the building power and insures grounding.

The Fender pick up has two wires, blue and white. The Jackson has four: red, green ,black, and white.

1st. Determine the hot wire and the ground wire on the Jackson pick up and then just replace the Jackson pup with the Fender pup. White on the Fender is the hot lead and blue is for the ground. If you hook it up backwards it will be out of phase with the other pup's and will sound thin and weak when selected with either the rhythm pup or the lead pup. Of course, by itself it will sound normal because switching the wires only changes the phase of the Fender pup.
On the Jackson pup, the green and black are ground while the white and red are the hot side. Just solder the white lead of the Fender pup to the pup selector hot side and the blue lead to the ground.