60 cycle hum and the single pickup.

Mark Wein

Mark Wein

Grand Poobah
Staff member
Well, I didn't get noiseless pickups for my tele and it showed on last nights gig. I refuse to use a noise gate and when I posted about it on Facebook I got two suggestions:

71GdKO6MBFL._SL1000_.jpg



ulh9f54prmtn5izd49rw.jpg


I'm leaning towards the Hum X because it doesn't actually go in the signal chain. The EHX pedal seems to do something to the actual audio signal and I'm not very crazy about that.
 
Will the Hum-X eliminate single coil hum, or just the hum coming from the electrical socket? I remember looking at it years ago, and I thought I remembered that it had to do with eliminating the hum due to wiring.
 
Stratguy said:
Will the Hum-X eliminate single coil hum, or just the hum coming from the electrical socket? I remember looking at it years ago, and I thought I remembered that it had to do with eliminating the hum due to wiring.
Click to expand...
Thas a good question. BRB.
 
I think this is where I trot out a story I've previously posted around the interwebs, so if you're hearing the spouse tell the same joke for the umpteenth time, apologies in advance.

I bought a Hot Rod Deville off CL in Boston from a nice guy. Got it home - hum city. Swapped guitars, amps, cords, etc. etc. etc. and came to same conclusion: it's the HRD. Guy was super nice and let me return it, expressed surprise, etc. I swore up and down that nope, I tried everything and sir, your amp has an electrical leak.

Two weeks later, bought a new HRD. Get it home and ... you know where this is going: hum. Go through same motions - nope, HRD hums. Since I'm smarter than Sherlock Holmes, cleverly deduce that there is some piece / part in HRD's that hates the rest of my then-rig(s). Feel smug; decide to return amp to GC and save myself trouble by getting something else.

Digression: I'm very gentle with gear (I think this comes from working on punk/indie tours where I saw gear take too much abuse). I use standby switches, place things gently, etc. Ergo, I always turn an amp on/off before moving it. No sense in not doing it, since I'm not on stage, and why risk dropping it with the tubes glowing? etc. etc. etc.

As I walked towards the humming HRD, about to turn it off and pack it up to go back, a girl (I'd been chasing) called. In my urgency to not miss her call, I brain-locked and picked up the HRD and turned and answered the phone, amp in hand. After speaking with her and hanging up, I looked down and noticed a red light - and no hum whatsoever. By turning that sucker 90 degrees, I eliminated all hum.

Moral: electricity is a dynamic situation. Before you go "solving" a problem, recreate it predictably in several settings. Just saying.
 
I've been using the HumDebugger for a couple of years now. My understanding is that it generates an equal but opposite noise signal that cancels the hum and it seems to do that very well. It does seem to slightly effect the signal but I'm not sure whether that's due to a change in tone or the lack of noise I was accustomed to hearing. In any case there's nothing unpleasant about it and it's easily compensated for at the amp and guitar.
 
mikesr1963 said:
If it's coming from the wall/lights then your strat should have been humming also. You think?
Click to expand...
The strat has Kinman noiseless pickups specifically for this reason. I didn't want noiseless
Danhedonia said:
I think this is where I trot out a story I've previously posted around the interwebs, so if you're hearing the spouse tell the same joke for the umpteenth time, apologies in advance.

I bought a Hot Rod Deville off CL in Boston from a nice guy. Got it home - hum city. Swapped guitars, amps, cords, etc. etc. etc. and came to same conclusion: it's the HRD. Guy was super nice and let me return it, expressed surprise, etc. I swore up and down that nope, I tried everything and sir, your amp has an electrical leak.

Two weeks later, bought a new HRD. Get it home and ... you know where this is going: hum. Go through same motions - nope, HRD hums. Since I'm smarter than Sherlock Holmes, cleverly deduce that there is some piece / part in HRD's that hates the rest of my then-rig(s). Feel smug; decide to return amp to GC and save myself trouble by getting something else.

Digression: I'm very gentle with gear (I think this comes from working on punk/indie tours where I saw gear take too much abuse). I use standby switches, place things gently, etc. Ergo, I always turn an amp on/off before moving it. No sense in not doing it, since I'm not on stage, and why risk dropping it with the tubes glowing? etc. etc. etc.

As I walked towards the humming HRD, about to turn it off and pack it up to go back, a girl (I'd been chasing) called. In my urgency to not miss her call, I brain-locked and picked up the HRD and turned and answered the phone, amp in hand. After speaking with her and hanging up, I looked down and noticed a red light - and no hum whatsoever. By turning that sucker 90 degrees, I eliminated all hum.

Moral: electricity is a dynamic situation. Before you go "solving" a problem, recreate it predictably in several settings. Just saying.
Click to expand...

I've been playing in the room from last night monthly for over a year. Also do our recitals there. The other of our two regular rooms I've been playing in for 18 years on a monthly (or more) basis so I've been through the grinder with this issue in those rooms over a long period of time with multiple amp and guitar setups.
Chad said:
Did you do any sheilding before installing the pickups?
Click to expand...

Actually on this guitar @smurfco was entertained with the massive amount of shielding I had added previously with the stock pickups. BRB with pics.
 
The hum X an kin only eliminate hum due to ground loops. I'd explain, but I'm typing this on a phone. Google "ground loop"
 
I tried that HumX once, didn't do a thing at this one bar I played at with awful power. That bar was so bad I couldn't use my regular strats - had a squire w/3 rail humbuckers I took that place. It was the only guitar that was playable there.

Some places just have shit wiring and a bad or no ground. Played at one tonight with interesting power. Had a bit hum on my tele, but it wasn't overbearing.
 
I think you may have a break in you shielding some place. The shielding in the body has to be connected to the shielding on the pickguard in order to work.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top