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Post subject: What is single coil hum and how do I induce it?
Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 9:19 am
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I've read that single coil pickups like the ones on my Strat cause hum. I've never had a problem that I could detect. How does the hum manifest itself? Is there a way I can induce it to hear what it sounds like?


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Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 10:25 am
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That hum is called the "60-cycle hum," and yes, its pretty annoying. I've been asking around lately for a pedal that can equalize the hum at high gain. I really want one since my 61 Melody Maker only has one single-coil and is extremely sensitive to high gain and prone to feedback. It performs spectacularly on clean channels though! :D


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Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 10:35 am
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I use a Boss NS-2 (as the first pedal in my pedal chain) to cut down on single coil hum from my Teles bridge PUs...

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Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 11:03 am
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You don't want to "induce" that hum..since "induction" is what is causing it.
You want to reduce or eliminate it if possible. The previous post mentioned 60 cycle hum..which refers to the typical frequecy or cycle of AC electric which you plug the amp into.

Unfortunatly, it is inherant with single coils to pick up this hum..and the problem can be worse depending on how "clean" the system is you plug into..or problems with the guitars wiring/grounds. If your amp has a "ground lift" I have found that on occasion that will cut down the noise..but not always enough.

Assuming all else is normal..the invention of the "humbucker" pickup was designed to combat this issue..which featured and addition pickup/winding next to the other wired out of phase which helps to cancel the noise. However most purists believe a humbucker compromises the "Strat" tone..so more or less live with the hum..or use in between pickup positions on the 5way..as posted. They do offer a "stacked" humbucker which works on the same principle as a standard humbucker..but the coils are stacked rather then side by side so it will fit in a stock strat location without having to route or cut.

As also posted..shielding techniques and noise reduction pedals/noise gates can help as well if you can't live with the noise. So there are other options.

Hope I wasn't too technical..actually I oversimplified it as best I could.

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Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 11:52 am
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Just in case you do mean what you posted, to "induce" the hum, stand next to a TV, under flourescent lights, next to the computer etc. Crank your amp up and guitar knobs up and woohoo.....hum.


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Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 12:39 pm
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I use a Morley "Hum Eliminator" and it works to an extent. It helps in conditions where my cable or pups are what are picking up the hum, but not of course if the amp itself is picking it up. It's also not sufficient to suppress a very strong electrical field.


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Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 5:03 pm
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get a highest quality guitar cord
and also full shield head power cord for the amplifier
(that type used for a pc)
and you will not hear the hum


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Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 6:07 pm
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cush66 wrote:
Just in case you do mean what you posted, to "induce" the hum, stand next to a TV, under flourescent lights, next to the computer etc. Crank your amp up and guitar knobs up and woohoo.....hum.


Yeah, that's the ticket. The guy wanted to know how to get some hum going since he said it's never been a problem and he's never heard it. Hum reduction wasn't the point.

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Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 6:24 pm
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Did he say what kind of pu he is using now? Or what model strat? Maybe he has noiseless pups :wink:


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Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 6:32 pm
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fhopkins wrote:
Did he say what kind of pu he is using now? Or what model strat? Maybe he has noiseless pups :wink:


Good point. It never crossed my mind.

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Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 6:34 pm
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The way I read his post he wants a hum because he has never heard it on his guitar, I have no idea why ! :?


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Posted: Sun Oct 05, 2008 9:20 am
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fhopkins wrote:
The way I read his post he wants a hum because he has never heard it on his guitar, I have no idea why ! :?


He's never had smallpox either!! :shock:

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Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 7:00 am
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I must be lucky. Now I know what it is. I was able to induce it with my Fender G-DEC Jr, but not with my Roland Cube 30x. Even with the G-DEC, I had to get very close to it to get the hum. Perhaps this is because I use my amps at relatively low volume.


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Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 7:33 am
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If you really want to "induce" the hum crank up the volume on the guitar and amp then stand near it when you're playing.

To "reduce" the hum, shield the control cavities and the back of your pickguard with copper foil tape.

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