Hi, my Fender American Deluxe noiseless SCN pickups hums. Anybody knows what's the problem? I just bought my guitar recently and it started humming whenever its in overdrive or distortion. Even clean, it hums when I max out the volume. It's like a 60cycle hum. I have never experience humming it before with this guitar until recently. I am using a noiseless cable from Fender. It's a Professional OFC Noiseless cable.

Several scenarios come to mind. Regardless of the quality of your cable, the fact that you have shielding paint and humbuckers inside your guitar, some of which are:

Contrary to popular belief SCNs are in the weaker spectrum of Strat pickups and are very transparent tonally as well. Consequently, for them to have any kind of 'oomph', a decent amount of amplification (and oftentimes, preamplification) is required which segues into the fact that preamps create line noise and maxing out on an amp's volume creates line noise in spite of how many precautions one might take to prevent it. This is especially true when one tries to make a Strat sound as close to a a roaring guitar with full sized humbuckers. There could be a deficiency in the guitar's wiring too but I strongly doubt it. There's a possibility too that it may not be just your guitar or it at all. Rather, it could be house wiring, appliances in the same circuit, your amp, preamps, etc. The list goes on and on.

Sight unseen and unheard, I strongly suspect that you're trying to get way too much gain out of your guitar than your pickups are capable of handling and this is the root cause of your problem.

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See your other post RE same.

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Hi Martian, is the N3 pickups really better than the SCN pickups?
I was wondering whether it's worth the upgrade.

Sure!

I've heard a clip of a US Deluxe Sunset Metallic SSS Maple Neck Strat and I was really impressed for the improved single-coil sounds these beauties delivered, either played clean or dirty.

I can honestly say that the N3s are indeed a huge improvement over the previous Fender noiseless pickups, which sounded awful, sterile and bland.

Fender should use a better-sounding humbucker for the HSS. The stock DH1/Atomic is very crappy.

Is it compatible with my american deluxe which is a 2008 american deluxe? I heard that the 2010 american deluxe has different S-1 configuration.

I'm asking the same question concerning the 2010 upgrades for the "older" Deluxe models (guitars and basses). Actually Fender doesn't supply the necessary components to upgrade an older Deluxe guitar or bass as an affordable kit.

I really like the current upgrades of the 2010 American Deluxes, but dislike the absence of a locking bridge option on the HSS and the black/white pearloid dots on the fretboards.

It would really suck if it's too expensive to upgrade. BTW, I have the same guitar colour as your profile picture, Montego Black. It seems they discontinue the Montego Black for American Deluxe. The Tungsten colour option seems pretty cool but I still prefer Montego Black cause it has gold specks in it. XD

Another I would like to ask, whenever I plug in my marshall amp foot switch it has a loud annoying static sound but when I unplug it reduces the volume of the static. Then I was wondering whether my Fender guitar cable has something to do with the 60cycle hum and static? Maybe it's faulty or something. Its really frustrating cause I am paying for a noiseless pickup and I didn't get what I pay for.

Greetings.

To my ear, they are better by comparison to the SCNs. However, in comparison to what all else is out there, they wouldn't be my first choice. Rather, the DiMarzio Virtual Vintage Area series would be. The price is very right and with the wide variety of models offered in the series, you can tailor a set to your specific requirements.

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I have 5 guitars with noiseless pups that includes SCN, Vintage and Hot and I dont find any of them to be sterile or bland. Mike Eldreds favorite Strat has them in it and I think he knows something about pulling out a good tone. Forget all those factory specs and play with them till you hit the sweet spot. I am not a big fan of Lace Sensors which are in my Strat Ultra and only when I realized you have to raise them as high as possible did I like them. I will admit a true single coil has a better tone but I dont want to deal with the 60 cycle hum and I just love the guys who say they like 60 cycle. To be honest I would rather have Dimarzios in two thirds of my Strats as that is the sound I favor and to each there own.