Hi all,
I have a 2008 HWY I & I notice when I flick the 5 way toggle I get a loud buzz on 1, 3, & 5, 2 & 4 are dead quiet, amy idea what causes this?
thanks,

Hi beatles1909: this is none other than the dreaded 60 cycle hum, which single coil pickups are susceptible to. You can't get rid of entirely - but it shouldn't be intolerably bad.

Maybe something is exacerbating it. Badly shielded sources of interference are notorious culprits; including florescent lighting, computer screens, TVs, kitchen equipment - even mains wiring in your house.

First thing to do is move around the room as you play and see if it is worse in some places than others. Perhaps it comes and goes as you turn to left and right. Track down possible sources of interference and switch them off, or move elsewhere to play.

If that don't work there's other treatments available - but first things first...

Cheers - C

The reason why switch positions 2 and 4 are quiet is that your middle pickup is reverse wound and has reverse polarity magnets. That means that when the middle pickup is in the circuit with either the neck or bridge pickups, there is a hum-canceling effect. It is, in fact, the same principle upon which humbuckers are built.

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Shielding will help if all Ceri recommends fails :

From my friend Goran's page :

http://myfolder.se/myspace/?m=5

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Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

Your Highway One is OK. Don't attempt to try to fix the hum on position 1,3, and 5. It is normal to have a hum on those position as the single pickups are not hum canceling.

The reason you do not have hums on postion 2 and 4 is because the middle pickup is reversed polarity and cancels humming just like what soggycrow already stated. The highway one is not wired like your American Standard Strat.

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Effect manufacturers make Noise Gate-type pedals the help reduce this hum. As everyone has stated it is a normal thing, but it should not over power your actual playing. If I am playing loud, I usually switch the selector switch to 2 or 4 if there is a pause or at the end of songs. However; I am looking into the Boss Noise Gate, but I am fearful of signal degregation.

RK

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RK

2007 Fender Highway 1
2012 American Deluxe
2015 MIM Dave Murray HHH
2010 Fender Blacktop
1987 Fender Avalon Acoustic
2012 Marshall DSL 15 watt head