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Post by boptometrist on Apr 14, 2024 14:28:04 GMT -7
Hello AMA,
I used a single coil equipped guitar at a friend's house and couldn't find the source of strong "hum". At my home studio it is quiet as a mouse.
When you turn or tilt the guitar and cancel the noise is the source then coming from the direction parallel or in the plane of the neck/body or perpendicular to the neck/body? Maybe it is more complicated than this?
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Post by adam on Apr 16, 2024 7:01:54 GMT -7
Good question. Maybe multiple sources making it hard to figure out. I suppose if you had one source of know noise, you could “maybe” figure it out.
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Post by premiumplus (Dave) on Apr 16, 2024 7:32:39 GMT -7
I'd try shutting off the house circuit breakers one by one to test any effect on hum, and use a battery powered practice amp for the guitar to isolate it from the house power.
I did this many years ago and it turned out to be a step down transformer out on the power lines.
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Post by boptometrist on Apr 16, 2024 8:37:44 GMT -7
I'd try shutting off the house circuit breakers one by one to test any effect on hum, and use a battery powered practice amp for the guitar to isolate it from the house power. I did this many years ago and it turned out to be a step down transformer out on the power lines. Yeah, shutting down power in small bits should locate the noise if it is singular. Trying to figure out the direction sounds difficult to impossible. I will be going back to my friend's house for rehearsal in a couple of weeks. Maybe I can invite myself over to test in the mean time. I'll update the post if we figure it out (or not).
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Post by GuitarZ on Apr 16, 2024 9:25:34 GMT -7
Yea. I'm not sure how directional the antenna effect of a pickup might be. Here in my little home studio, if I get close to an obvious source, the hum increases. I stay away from any obvious source and then adjust my angle/position to minimize hum as I'm recording. As premiumplus (Dave) points out, it can be tough finding the source. My Les Paul is a P90 single coil machine which does pick up hum. So, one day I decided I'd find the stinking source. I hooked up my battery amp and turned off circuit breakers one by one. I flipped the last one, and ... the stinking hum was still there. So, it's coming in with the electric into the house. Ugh!
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Post by premiumplus (Dave) on Apr 16, 2024 14:34:22 GMT -7
Yea. I'm not sure how directional the antenna effect of a pickup might be. Here in my little home studio, if I get close to an obvious source, the hum increases. I stay away from any obvious source and then adjust my angle/position to minimize hum as I'm recording. As premiumplus (Dave) points out, it can be tough finding the source. My Les Paul is a P90 single coil machine which does pick up hum. So, one day I decided I'd find the stinking source. I hooked up my battery amp and turned off circuit breakers one by one. I flipped the last one, and ... the stinking hum was still there. So, it's coming in with the electric into the house. Ugh! Exactly what I found out. In my case, the "Pole Pig" step down transformer out on the power pole in front of my house is the problem. Toting my battery amp and Strat, I followed the hum out to the street and walked up and down the street to confirm that it was indeed the transformer.
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Post by boptometrist on Apr 16, 2024 15:21:31 GMT -7
Yea. I'm not sure how directional the antenna effect of a pickup might be. Here in my little home studio, if I get close to an obvious source, the hum increases. I stay away from any obvious source and then adjust my angle/position to minimize hum as I'm recording. As premiumplus (Dave) points out, it can be tough finding the source. My Les Paul is a P90 single coil machine which does pick up hum. So, one day I decided I'd find the stinking source. I hooked up my battery amp and turned off circuit breakers one by one. I flipped the last one, and ... the stinking hum was still there. So, it's coming in with the electric into the house. Ugh! Exactly what I found out. In my case, the "Pole Pig" step down transformer out on the power pole in front of my house is the problem. Toting my battery amp and Strat, I followed the hum out to the street and walked up and down the street to confirm that it was indeed the transformer. That's a funny image. Like you are in the electric guitar section of a marching band. Also, WOW, I had no idea the noise could be that far away.
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Post by mule43 on Apr 17, 2024 17:44:53 GMT -7
Yea. I'm not sure how directional the antenna effect of a pickup might be. Here in my little home studio, if I get close to an obvious source, the hum increases. I stay away from any obvious source and then adjust my angle/position to minimize hum as I'm recording. As premiumplus (Dave) points out, it can be tough finding the source. My Les Paul is a P90 single coil machine which does pick up hum. So, one day I decided I'd find the stinking source. I hooked up my battery amp and turned off circuit breakers one by one. I flipped the last one, and ... the stinking hum was still there. So, it's coming in with the electric into the house. Ugh! Exactly what I found out. In my case, the "Pole Pig" step down transformer out on the power pole in front of my house is the problem. Toting my battery amp and Strat, I followed the hum out to the street and walked up and down the street to confirm that it was indeed the transformer. I had not considered the transformer on the pole, I always thought that it was from the pumps on my wife's fish tanks. Testing it tonight it does not seem to be her current pumps but the transformer out back for the neighbor! At one point she was running this big pump motor and that caused quite a bit of hum. I was happy when she quit using that one! I will need to test some more and see if the new transformer they put in on the other pole when we upgraded our electric and had the line buried has hum.
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Post by John on Apr 18, 2024 3:59:33 GMT -7
Toting my battery amp and Strat, I followed the hum out to the street and walked up and down the street to confirm that it was indeed the transformer.
I bet the neighbors thought you looked a little weird...
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Post by premiumplus (Dave) on Apr 18, 2024 8:29:31 GMT -7
Toting my battery amp and Strat, I followed the hum out to the street and walked up and down the street to confirm that it was indeed the transformer.
I bet the neighbors thought you looked a little weird...
That they did!
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