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Post subject: Annoying hiss from pickupsin position 1,3 and 5.
Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2014 9:35 pm
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I have an American Standard Strat and I am getting an annoying hiss when the pickup selector switch is in position 1, 3 and 5. This seems to happen regardless of where my amp and I are in the house. Amp is a Roland Cube 30x. Anything I can do about this? Why is this happening? Is there something wrong with the guitar and do I need to take it in to the dealer? . Thanks for your help!!


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Post subject: Re: Annoying hiss from pickupsin position 1,3 and 5.
Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2014 9:44 pm
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Faulty ground wiring, poor soldering and improper cavity shielding are the most common culprits.

One possibility is the pickup selector either is damaged or dirty and needs a replacement or cleaning.

Since your guitar is under warranty take it back in the store you purchased it.

If possible ask for a complete setup in place.


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Post subject: Re: Annoying hiss from pickupsin position 1,3 and 5.
Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2014 1:34 am
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Hiss could be normal with single coil pickups . Is your is normal ? Hard to say without hear it .

Is it your first single coil guitar ?

Do you use overdrive pedal ?

Hiss test must be done with no effect pedals , guitar direct in amp .

Best is to test with other Stratocaster guitar , bring it to the dealer to test it .More test is needed


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Post subject: Re: Annoying hiss from pickupsin position 1,3 and 5.
Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2014 2:10 am
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stratele52 wrote:
Hiss could be normal with single coil pickups . Is your is normal ? Hard to say without hear it .

Is it your first single coil guitar ?

Do you use overdrive pedal ?

Hiss test must be done with no effect pedals , guitar direct in amp .

Best is to test with other Stratocaster guitar , bring it to the dealer to test it .More test is needed


+1

Is the offending noise a "hiss" or a "hum"?

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Post subject: Re: Annoying hiss from pickupsin position 1,3 and 5.
Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2014 2:19 am
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If the noise has appeared suddenly, then there may be a fault, but if the hiss...or buzz, or hum, has always been there, then it may be what is normal with the single coil pickups, as has already been suggested.
Positions 2 and 4 are usually less noisy on a Strat as there is a certain amount of hum cancellation with two pickups together, and then in 1, 3 and 5 it sounds noisier.


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Post subject: Re: Annoying hiss from pickupsin position 1,3 and 5.
Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2014 6:41 am
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HI, Thanks for all the replies. Yes it is my first strat. The guitar is plugged straight into the amp.
I have noticed the following :
The noise is a higher pitched hum not a hiss.
If I crank the tone knob down the noise reduced.
The hum is dramatically reduced depending on how the guitar is positioned in the room. This tells me it is picking up some kind of magnetic wave?
Its an American Standard Strat - I would assume it would be shielded?
Guess I should take it back to the dealer and see what they say/try it on some of their amps.
Thanks


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Post subject: Re: Annoying hiss from pickupsin position 1,3 and 5.
Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2014 6:53 am
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Mowgli77 wrote:
HI, Thanks for all the replies. Yes it is my first strat. The guitar is plugged straight into the amp.
I have noticed the following :
The noise is a higher pitched hum not a hiss.
If I crank the tone knob down the noise reduced.
The hum is dramatically reduced depending on how the guitar is positioned in the room. This tells me it is picking up some kind of magnetic wave?
Its an American Standard Strat - I would assume it would be shielded?
Guess I should take it back to the dealer and see what they say/try it on some of their amps.
Thanks


That is most likely normal for a Strat with single coils. Although they are "somewhat" shielded they still pick up hum (could be from lights and the electrical system where it is plugged in etc). The solutions are to A) live with it....B)replace the pickups with noiseless type or humbuckers, or C) properly shield the cavity and electronics in the guitar. To do the latter is a bit of work and time consuming but can make a huge improvement if done right to help eliminate or greatly reduce the hum. Research "how to shield a guitar" to get some ideas.

Also to note the reason the noise is less apparent in the 2 and 4 position is Fender has used a reverse winding on the middle pickup which acts kind of like a humbucker to help cancel the noise when used with the neck or bridge pickup. And the reason the noise is lower when you lower the tone is the cap is acting as a filter at those frequencies where the noise is prevalent.

As well the amplifier could be contributing which is why some have ground lifts or phase reversal features but if other non single coil guitars do not have the same hum when used on the same amp it is the single coils and lack of sufficient shielding that is the culprit.

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Post subject: Re: Annoying hiss from pickupsin position 1,3 and 5.
Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2014 7:36 am
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Try turning off any fluorescent lighting that may be on.
Try turning off any lights that may be on a dimmer switch.
Try turning off any fans or other things driven by electric motors.
Try using less gain in your drive stage.
If you feel you must use lots of gain try using your amp to provide the gain and lose the pedals.
Try slowly turning your body around so you are facing different directions. You may find a sweet spot where there is less hum.

Report back and let us know if any of it works.

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Post subject: Re: Annoying hiss from pickupsin position 1,3 and 5.
Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2014 7:41 am
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BMW-KTM wrote:
Try turning off any fluorescent lighting that may be on.
Try turning off any lights that may be on a dimmer switch.
Try turning off any fans or other things driven by electric motors.
Try using less gain in your drive stage.
If you feel you must use lots of gain try using your amp to provide the gain and lose the pedals.
Try slowly turning your body around so you are facing different directions. You may find a sweet spot where there is less hum.

Report back and let us know if any of it works.


+1

Virtually all electrical devices generate an electromagnetic field to one degree or another. This would include television sets (regardless of screen type), computers, blackberry's and other PDA's, video game consoles, and perhaps certain cell phones.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Annoying hiss from pickupsin position 1,3 and 5.
Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2014 7:57 am
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BMW-KTM wrote:
Try turning off any fluorescent lighting that may be on.
Try turning off any lights that may be on a dimmer switch.
Try turning off any fans or other things driven by electric motors.
Try using less gain in your drive stage.
If you feel you must use lots of gain try using your amp to provide the gain and lose the pedals.
Try slowly turning your body around so you are facing different directions. You may find a sweet spot where there is less hum.

Report back and let us know if any of it works.


I have no pedals (although I'm now thinking of getting a noise reducing pedal now...;-)). There are no fluorescent lights, or fans etc or anything that may obviously be causing the noise. But it is location specific and the area that gives me noise free sound is too narrow to be workable. My home is 75 years old so Im guessing its the wiring but I will drop by the shop just to make sure.


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Post subject: Re: Annoying hiss from pickupsin position 1,3 and 5.
Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2014 8:17 am
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In that case, a Furman power conditioner may help.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Annoying hiss from pickupsin position 1,3 and 5.
Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2014 8:24 am
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Retroverbial wrote:
In that case, a Furman power conditioner may help.

Arjay

There are swaying power cables right in front of my home. That could also be the cause so not sure if a conditioner will alleviate that?


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Post subject: Re: Annoying hiss from pickupsin position 1,3 and 5.
Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2014 8:41 am
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BMW-KTM wrote:
Try turning off any fluorescent lighting that may be on.
Try turning off any lights that may be on a dimmer switch.
Try turning off any fans or other things driven by electric motors.
Try using less gain in your drive stage.
If you feel you must use lots of gain try using your amp to provide the gain and lose the pedals.
Try slowly turning your body around so you are facing different directions. You may find a sweet spot where there is less hum.

Report back and let us know if any of it works.


Turning cell phone and PC Off.

Guitar look normal to me


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Post subject: Re: Annoying hiss from pickupsin position 1,3 and 5.
Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2014 9:05 am
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stratele52 wrote:
BMW-KTM wrote:
Try turning off any fluorescent lighting that may be on.
Try turning off any lights that may be on a dimmer switch.
Try turning off any fans or other things driven by electric motors.
Try using less gain in your drive stage.
If you feel you must use lots of gain try using your amp to provide the gain and lose the pedals.
Try slowly turning your body around so you are facing different directions. You may find a sweet spot where there is less hum.

Report back and let us know if any of it works.


Turning cell phone and PC Off.

Guitar look normal to me


I turned off everything in the house. Still have the noise.


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Post subject: Re: Annoying hiss from pickupsin position 1,3 and 5.
Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2014 10:25 am
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If you are not well-versed in this kind of troubleshooting, the best recommendation would be a trip to the dealer. Normally, we'd recommed poping off the pickguard and snooping around, but If you don't know what to look for, it's just be more frustrating for you.

At the dealer, it may show the problem there or not. I'd recommend you have your amplifier in your car just in case it is needed to really reproduce your electrical setup at home. Play one of the other guitars they have on the rack as a comparision.

More casually, go to a friend's house in another neighborhood with your guitar and amp, preferably one with more modern wiring...again, just to rule out things. Know anyone else with a Strat (or Tele)? Invite them to your house...


HTH.

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