hi all,
have a mystery in hands, hoping someone can shed some light:
I rehearse with the band in a place where they rent rooms by the hour, most of them are pretty decent. Recently we played in one (the best they have, kind of a studio) where my Stratocaster started making a lot of static, kind of cracking noise.
I was using a Peavey amp they there, so I tried a Marshall. Same noises. Now the other guitarist, also with a Strat had no noises at all with any of them. I tried his cable, still had noises, so eventually blamed the guitar (shame on me...). Got home, plugged it to my Fender amp, no noise at all. Took my Les Paul, no noise at home, same problem in that room with any amp, cable. Quite annoying, really.
Been doing some googling, it seems it could be a mix of that room being carpeted; the AC that reduces humidity; my clothes and shoes; etc.

Has anyone else had problems with static electricity? How did you get passed them? Do my findings make sense?

thanks

PS: the other guitarist doesn't let me touch his Strat now, he's afraid I'll charge it with static

Simple. Could be two things or a combo of them.

First, and the most likely. What is your pick up configuration and where was your selector switch set? If you are running one pick up alone you will get what is called "single coil hum". The other guitarist may have a Strat with humbuckers, or was simply running with his circuit in a configuration to where he was using two single coils at the same time. Which bucks hum. (A humbucker in it's simplest form is two single coils wired together) You are in close quarters with another guitar and amp emitting freqs that your pick up will "hear".

Also, is the LP and LP with buckers, or an LPjr with a soap bar. For this theory to work it would have to be a single coil.

This is an issue with single coil instruments such as early model Precisions (1951-1956), Strats and Teles that are in the single coil alone configuration and Esquires among many others. Some of us believe it's actually a good thing. When you are playing with a drummer it'll get lost in the cymbals anyhow.

The other possibility is poor shielding around your pots. Some copper tape can fix that, but I'm willing to bet it's just hum.

The only other possible explanation I could think of is a bad ground at the outlet or powerstrip you are plugged into. Good luck! I'm sure the guitarists will have more useful info!

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2012 Fender Custom Shop 55 Precision Bass
2012 Fender American Vintage 57 Precision Bass RI
2014 Fender Super Bassman and Bassman 100T/410 Neo

Could also be a bad soldering point in your electrics which doesn't show up every time, but just sporadically.
I have that problem with one of my strats and have to give it a go soon.

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Kindest regards from Germany, Dee
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STRATS ROCK!!! but Teles and Firebirds, too!

are you talking about a constant hum or allot of quick static discharge pops?

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Breaking it down. If both guitars have it, and the LP has humbuckers. Both amps have it, and switching out your instrument cable doesn't fix it. Then I can only conclude a few things. First, what else is in your signal chain? Tuners, pedals, other effect? Again, check your outlet or powerstrip. Are you and your other guitarist running off the same strip or outlet? If not try switching outlets. If he doesn't inherit your problem, and it doesn't solve yours. Then try eliminating things in your signal chain one by one.

_________________
http://www.reverbnation.com/casanovafrankensteinandthevoodoomachine
https://www.facebook.com/CFandtheVM

2012 Fender Custom Shop 55 Precision Bass
2012 Fender American Vintage 57 Precision Bass RI
2014 Fender Super Bassman and Bassman 100T/410 Neo

before you start taking things apart, and shielding, and wiring, and switching, etc., try getting a ground-lift adapter for your amp... you know, the ol' 3-prong to 2-prong thing that goes on the plug that goes into the wall outlet.
you might be experiencing a simple ground loop. the adapter eliminates one of the grounds, and most (if not all) of the noise.
I take one with me wherever I go. sometimes I use it, sometimes I don't have to.

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if it is static electricity, It is also possible its you. did anyone else play your setup on that day? its just a possibility, everyone generates static differently under certain conditions.
if it is you, ground yourself to your guitars bridge with a bare wire and alligator clip.

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hey guys, thanks for all the replies!
adding some more details:


The Strat is a Mexican HSS, the LP is a Traditional with a ’57 Classic and BurstBucker 3, both can be split can each be split via a push/pull switch on the volume knob. I got the noise with pretty much any pickup and combination of pickups.


he's has an American 50th anniversary with SSS


considered it, but would be too much coincidence that it always happens in the very same room, never anywhere else...


static discharge pops


when I first noticed it I was using a Dunlop Jimi Hendrix Wah and a T-Rex Mudhoney Distortion. plugged the guitars straight to the amp, the noise is the same.


we tried with the same amp without changing plug


will try it. definitely don't want to touch the LP circuitry, since I bought only 3 months ago...


strong possibility, actually. will try the grounding to the bridge. found this article about it as well http://www.wikihow.com/Remove-Static-Electricity, will try some of the tricks there as well. at some point it says "Shaving or clipping the hair on hairy legs will cause less static electricity to build up in the first place.", not going that far BUT it's a fact that I'm much harrier than the other guitarist

thanks again, I'll let you know how it goes!!!