It is currently Mon Mar 16, 2020 9:09 am

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 8 posts ] 
Author Message
Post subject: Humming in just one location
Posted: Fri May 09, 2008 11:00 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2008 1:09 pm
Posts: 99
I've got a Squier SE Strat, and it works great except that the hum is quite loud when I use it in my house. It's much quieter in the other locations I've played it (with my own amp), like the guitar store - just my house is loud. And it's fine with other amps in other locations.

The hum is much reduced when the switch is in the 2 or 4 positions, so I'm pretty sure it's coming in via the pickups.

I checked my house wiring, and it seems to be grounded properly. I turned off all the appliances and lights, and the hum's still there. I tried it in other rooms, and the hum was there - except in the basement, where it was much decreased. My theory about that is that for some reason, there's a lot of noise above ground that gets attenuated underground.

I know about shielding, but before I go in for that effort for just one location, I was just wondering if there's anything else to try (I like the single coils, so I'm not interested in changing to humbuckers). I haven't tried playing it at my neighbor's house, I guess that would narrow it down. I guess my question is: Is it possible to live in a "bad neighborhood", with lots of ambient EM noise, or do I need to really reexamine my house's wiring?


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject:
Posted: Fri May 09, 2008 11:08 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2007 7:02 am
Posts: 8609
Location: Vacaville, CA USA
From everything you said it sounds like a grounding issue in your house to me.

If it was the guitar you would have the same issue no matter where you played it.

_________________
Chet Feathers

Authorized TonePros Dealer
Authorized WD Music Products Dealer
F/A Official Southpaw Compliance Certification Tester http://faamps.com/

http://www.facebook.com/cafeathers


I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri May 09, 2008 2:13 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Sun Jun 24, 2007 8:08 pm
Posts: 2472
Location: Virginia
I gotta agree with CAFeathers. Definitely sounds like a grounding issue in your house as any issues with pickups would happen at other places. Unless you live under some high frequency power lines or something, I just don't see any other reason as to why it could happen. If you have not tested your house using an AC outlet ground tester, I suggest getting one of those. For me grounding can be a bit confusing just by looking at things, and you'll need something more precise like the AC outlet ground tester, if you haven't tried that already.

_________________
RAMA LAMA FA FA FA


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri May 09, 2008 7:29 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2008 1:51 pm
Posts: 2503
Location: Bucks County, Pennsylvania, USA
Hello Rjim,

I feel you pain pal, I live next to
High tension power lines.
Sometimes there's some wicked interferance.

Copper roof and siding?

Cheers.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Thanks...
Posted: Fri May 09, 2008 8:08 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2008 1:09 pm
Posts: 99
Thanks for the comments. I tested the outlets this evening, and they checked out fine. Which is nice to know, from a home ownership standpoint. I checked one other thing I had read about, the possibility of the cable and the electrical being at different grounds, but they're at the same ground.

I just seem to live in a "noisy" house.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri May 09, 2008 8:15 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2007 7:02 am
Posts: 8609
Location: Vacaville, CA USA
Try having a "dedicated circuit" put in for your amp. Your refrigerator and if you have a non central air conditioner should be on "dedicated circuits" too.

_________________
Chet Feathers

Authorized TonePros Dealer
Authorized WD Music Products Dealer
F/A Official Southpaw Compliance Certification Tester http://faamps.com/

http://www.facebook.com/cafeathers


I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 2:41 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Sun Jun 24, 2007 8:08 pm
Posts: 2472
Location: Virginia
I am wondering if a power conditioner might help. If the grounding in your home is fine, perhaps the AC is fluctuating at times a bit off the 120v at 60hertz? And maybe the power fluctuations, or maybe too much or too little power out of your outlets might make the amp act weird....I mean its just an idea, but might be worth looking into. I know that if you live in a rural area, that sometimes there are issues with getting consistent AC voltage and current at times.

_________________
RAMA LAMA FA FA FA


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Humming in just one location
Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 8:26 am
Offline
Roadie
Roadie
User avatar

Joined: Sun Feb 17, 2008 11:42 am
Posts: 258
rjim wrote:
I know about shielding, but before I go in for that effort for just one location, I was just wondering if there's anything else to try (I like the single coils, so I'm not interested in changing to humbuckers). I haven't tried playing it at my neighbor's house, I guess that would narrow it down. I guess my question is: Is it possible to live in a "bad neighborhood", with lots of ambient EM noise, or do I need to really reexamine my house's wiring?


I know you don't want to talk about shielding, OP, but it may be worth it to check into getting some shielding in the underbelly of that strat and around the pickguard. I like to use the middle single coil at times and where I live, I used to get a lot of hum....once I got a shielded pickguard and the underbelly shielded, it made a big difference.

(I also can state that my SD pickups don't hum as loudly as the stock pickups. But...that's modding. Not for everyone...)


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 8 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: