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Post subject: I have a Telecaster humm
Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2011 7:36 pm
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I have noticed that sometimes I get a humming sound out of my amp when I play. And then all of a sudden it seems to go away. It can come and go in a second. I have heard of the 60 cycle hum but this is strange to me and I don't know if that is what this is. I bought the guitar used so I'm not sure if someone tinkered with it or not.

First off this is with me sitting in the same spot a few feet from the amp. No change in position for me or the guitar. Really no change in anything. When it starts, I can touch the guitar's metal parts (strings, knobs, bridge plate, ends of my cable either at the guitar or amp) it stops! Let go and it's right back. Then I'll just keep playing and all of a sudden it's gone.

I'm kind of wondering if I should take it back to the store and return it. Even though it's used I can still return it. Maybe I should have sprong for the extra $120 and bought a new one.

Any ideas or help will be apprechiated.


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Post subject: Re: I have a Telecaster humm
Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 7:52 am
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I bet what you are experiencing is completely normal for a single coil Tele.
But I got a couple of questions:
1. What model Tele is it? Some are better shielded than others.
2. Do you have any other Teles or single coil guitars? Does the noise occur with those guitars in the same spot at the same amp settings?
3. Is the noise more of a buzz than 60 cycle hum?
4. What amp are you using?
5. Are you using lots of gain/distortion? The more gain you use, the noisier things become.

Guitars are always going to be prone to noise when you are just a few feet in front of your amp. I suggest standing further away from your amp or walk around the room with the guitar and find the spots in the room where the noise is less and mark those spots. I do that in every room I play.

Since you say the noise diminishes when you touch the metal parts is a good thing. It means your guitar's ground is still intact (a broken ground connection would mean the noise starts when you touch the strings or metal parts). The solution to avoid the buzz while you are not playing is any or a combination of: a) keep your hands on the strings between songs. b) turn your volume knob down between songs. c) shield the pickup and control cavities of the guitar.

I have a Baja Tele that buzzes like a hive of bees when I take my hands off the strings. It has no shielding like a vintage Tele. No big deal since I just turn my volume knob down when I'm not playing and I find a less buzzy and hummy area onstage like Tele players have been doing for 60 years now. My American Series Strat buzzes MUCH less when I take my hands off the strings, it is shielded. I can even get my humbucker guitars to buzz also when I take my hands off the strings and stand in one of the buzzy and hummy areas near my amp.

I hope my rambling post was of some help to you. And I hope it's just the normal "hands off the strings buzz" you are experiencing.

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Post subject: Re: I have a Telecaster humm
Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 8:14 am
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Hey thanks for the reply. I'm a total noobie to electric guitars and amps. So to answer your questions

1. Standard tele MIM
2. No other single coil guitars.
3. Not sure how to answer this, but yes I'd call i more of a buzz
4. Mustang II
5. Not using very much I play mostly clean sounds.

Yes I can touch any metal part, strings, bridge, tuning pegs, volume or tone knobs, the control plate, even the metal cable end going into my guitar or amp and it stops. Weird thing is setting in exactly the same position the sound will come and go. I mean when I stop playing and take my hands off the guitar the buzz may be there. I can play some more and take my hands off and it is totally gone. I have turned the volume up and of course when the buzz is there it gets louder when its gone there is no buzz at any volume.

I sort of expected some single coil noise it just seems strange that it comes and goes at will and with no apparent changes to anything on my part.

I was just trying to figure out if it was normal or not. If not I can return the guitar or exchange it.

Thanks
Tony


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Post subject: Re: I have a Telecaster humm
Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 8:45 am
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It's quite normal and the buzz will usually increase when using distortion
or overdrive settings.

You can try shielding the guitar better, live with it, or get one of these :

http://www.google.com/products/catalog? ... DkQ8wIwAA#

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Post subject: Re: I have a Telecaster humm
Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 10:03 am
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I had single coils in my Strat and had that same hum. My Tele has noiseless pups and I don`t experience anything like that any anymore.

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Post subject: Re: I have a Telecaster humm
Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 10:40 am
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Also be aware of any electrical interference from lights/dimmers and/or appliances in the same room that you are in while playing. I found that some light dimmers will increase the chances of hum when being used. Fluorescent lights will also increase hum.

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Post subject: Re: I have a Telecaster humm
Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 10:44 am
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tyronne wrote:
Also be aware of any electrical interference from lights/dimmers and/or appliances in the same room that you are in while playing. I found that some light dimmers will increase the chances of hum when being used. Fluorescent lights will also increase hum.

True...If I played too close to my computer I got a hum also...

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Post subject: Re: I have a Telecaster humm
Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 6:02 pm
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+1 on the fluorescent lights. I brought a new Tele (my first one) home last month and almost cried when I plugged it in. Didn't sound like at the store. After I calmed down a little, I turned off the fluorescent light on my desk and amazingly it got real quiet. Never had that problem with a new Strat but "live and learn". But - I never had a problem with touching or not touching the strings. It is a new Baja MIM Tele "Custom Shop Designed".

Good luck with the problem.


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