Just some another hints - change the pots and tonecap. HB has by default wrong pot values, they used 500K pots (same as on passive guitars) on these active. You need replace all pots with 25K, which are standard values for active pickups. This simple mod will radically reduce the hiss, which is generated by active electronics output, connected into improper impedance. Now, impedance of pickups will be suitable with impedance of rest of guitar electronics. And, you can also suppress the hiss to even lower level, if you connect a small value resistor (about 10k) between middle pin of volume pot and wire, which was originally soldered into this middle pin. This will suppress hiss also when pot is open to full volume, because active circuit has limited output current, so it will generate significantly less of noise, even on high gain settings. After these two mods, you will got really quiet guitar, nice clean sound, and more detailed drive without flabby bass strings, and with precise reaction to pick hit even on lower notes. HBZ are not bad pickups, but they need sorted out rest of electronics, for squeeze the best from them.

Thanks a lot for experimenting with every possible cause of this issue and taking the time to share the results, I’m about to purchase this model and now I know what to do as soon as I get it 🤘🏻

Maybe there is still room left for some improvement of the string-bridge-connection. You have sanded down the back of the bridge plate (where it connects to the grounding wire) and the part of the saddles the strings connect to. BUT: There is still a "paint barrier" between the saddles and the bridge plate since the saddle screws and the threads in the bridge plate are most likely coated too. Unfortunately, here it gets a bit more tricky... If that can't be fixed, you should probably buy another black aftermarket bridge. There are some cheap ones around (e.g. from musiclily, although I don't know if they are any better than the HB ones). This could finally clarify if the noise we can still hear after your last fix really comes down to the pickups or not. EDIT: Glenn Fricker has the solution: You don't have to file down the saddles but the holes in the bridge plate where the strings go through and inevitably make contact to the bridge plate anyways: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/fNuBa7uQ25qsp3U.html

Asking cause I don't know. My Ibanez is around 15 years old and has two single coil and a humbucker at the bridge. Playing through a Boss Katana 2X12. It is very much quieter. Possibly active pickup vs non active?

have you tried to play with out the computer on, or usb unplugged?

Hello, I got the ST 20hh from Harley Benton, same issues here as everyone, bad setup, scratches and marks on the neck and body, grounding issues. After fixing everything is impossible for me to get a 3 semitone bend on the thinner strings, even a half step bend requires more effort than any other guitar I have played, the only way I can do that is by raising the action to 2.25mm witch is insane. I have 10 - 52 strings (skinny top, heavy bottom from Ernie Ball) in drop D. I tried a lower tunning, but nothing changes. When I bend the string, at some point it does not make any sound at all. Anyone knows what the problem is, or should I just return this thing?

Would I have the same issue if I just swap the pickups for a pair of EMGs?

Yeah man that’s not quiet maybe it’s better but that’s some serious noise you’ve got there i wouldn’t be able to do it am I crazy 😂

That's very odd. It seems the frequency of the noise has changed too. What happens if you are on a very clean channel? Might be the amount of gain or perhaps the pickups are garbage.

Change pickups .. pickups passive in P.A.F. style and the guitar retun ok !!! 🤟🎸🤠🎸🤟

This is still far from being quiet! Have you even found out, what is causing the high noise level in your room? Use the guitar as a detector to find the source (electronic dimmer, switching power supply .... or externally street cars?). It is always better to cure the source of the problem instead of reducing the effects ... One more hint: please also cover the pick guard with the copper foil and make sure that you use a copper foil with a CONDUCTIVE sticky side. If you have used a non conductive glue type of foil for the inner shielding use some small solder joints to make sure that the whole shield is connected to ground (measure the resitance!).Then ground the pick guard foil and the inner foil layer - otherwise they are not really effective.

I got much more problems with noises after i put foil into it, do you know why?😂 I took the foil out again

Also, dann habe ich wohl mit meiner ST 20HH Active absolut Glück gehabt, denn hier noist gar nichts und das in Stock und ohne Mod! Nichtsdestotrotz sind die Maßnahmen, die du an der Gitarre im Video durchgeführt hast, leider nicht ausreichend, um ernsthaft eine Kauf dieser Gitarre zu erwägen. Dennoch danke für das Video und so kann wenigstens CO2 für das Versenden und Retournieren eingespart werden. Danke an Thomann dafür, dass ich offenbar eine der wenigen perfekten Gitarren erhalten habe. 🤟

If its powder coated it has metal in it!!!

i think i found waldo

Still the same 😆 🤣 😂

Sorry .. this electronic system Is a very disastre .. change every .. two pickups Alnico 5 in P.A.F. style change this Guitar in a very Rock Guitar. Bye my Guitar Friends. 🤟🎸🤟