Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

At The Back => Time Out => Topic started by: Searcher on February 03, 2006, 07:40:24 PM

Title: My guitar is possessed
Post by: Searcher on February 03, 2006, 07:40:24 PM: Last night at rehearsal my guitar picked up the local classical music radio station! I couldn't make it go away. It was kinda funny at the time, but if it happens during a gig I won't be impressed. Has anyone had this happen to them? How can I avoid it in future? Would a noise gate help?

I was using a single-coil equipped guitar, but even in 2 and 4 positions (which are supposed to be hum-cancelling) it was still a problem. Come to think of it, every time I play there my guitar seems to hum more. :(

Usually I just use a Vox Tonelab SE through the PA and I've never had the radio pop up before, but this time I had a Hughes and Kettner preamp and I plugged it into the PA for a while, then through a bass amp. I had the same problems either way.

Thanks!
Title: My guitar is possessed
Post by: 38thBeatle on February 03, 2006, 07:43:44 PM: sounds like it is the H & K preamp . I have had amps do it over the years ( including a hilarious blast from a passing cabby during the quiet bit of a song once) but never a guitar. I am sure more knowledgeable brethren will enjoin the discourse forthwith.
Title: My guitar is possessed
Post by: Searcher on February 03, 2006, 07:52:11 PM: Thanks 38th! That's what I was thinking, but I just remembered that I plugged straight into the bass amp at one point and it still picked up the radio. Weird. :?
Title: My guitar is possessed
Post by: sambo on February 03, 2006, 07:53:35 PM: yer dude thats happened to me before!!! except it was some dodgy foreign station... :?
Title: My guitar is possessed
Post by: schmendict on February 03, 2006, 08:23:56 PM: I had my computer speakers pick up a wierd foreign station just 2 days ago.
I was scared...
Title: My guitar is possessed
Post by: Steve-Mr Pig 2U on February 03, 2006, 08:25:06 PM: Ive had my amp pick up radio.... but I was messing around with 3 overdrive pedals running at once!
Title: My guitar is possessed
Post by: PhilKing on February 03, 2006, 09:24:21 PM: Hendrix had it at the Isle of Wight!!!
Title: My guitar is possessed
Post by: Searcher on February 04, 2006, 05:48:53 AM: Hmm. So no one knows how to avoid this? This could suck if it happens again. Maybe I can look into some kinda shielding or something.
Title: My guitar is possessed
Post by: indysmith on February 04, 2006, 10:37:53 AM: haha - Spinal Tap syndrome strikes again on the forum!
Title: My guitar is possessed
Post by: tewboss on February 04, 2006, 12:13:56 PM: likely to be bad shielding somewhere along the line. it will be noise from the mains and one part of your equipment is picking it up and amplifying it (instead of your guitar).
Title: My guitar is possessed
Post by: rinse_master on February 04, 2006, 02:05:37 PM: Quote from: PhilKing
Hendrix had it at the Isle of Wight!!!

I was gonna mention that, 1st time I heard it I though it was an announcement over the PA!
Title: My guitar is possessed
Post by: steve on February 04, 2006, 02:34:16 PM: I had a a george dennis wah that always picked up french radio when it was in line.I had a engineer look at it and he changed a small part inside which sorted it.
Title: My guitar is possessed
Post by: JamesHealey on February 16, 2006, 09:53:21 AM: every amp i've owned has done it.. must just get a good reception in my room.
Title: My guitar is possessed
Post by: Muttley on February 16, 2006, 10:07:34 AM: My first ever amplifier, a Carlsbro combo that cost me £25 second had, used to pick up police radio when it was cranked up (the only way to get a slighty not-cr@p sound out of it). :)

Muttley
Title: My guitar is possessed
Post by: Ratrod on February 16, 2006, 11:43:47 AM: Quote from: Muttley
My first ever amplifier, a Carlsbro combo that cost me £25 second had, used to pick up police radio when it was cranked up (the only way to get a slighty not-cr@p sound out of it). :)

Muttley

That's cool! You'll know when the cops are coming when you play too loud.
Title: My guitar is possessed
Post by: Searcher on February 16, 2006, 04:50:37 PM: Well, I think I've traced it to the multiboard thingy that we all plug in to at that end of the stage. I used a hefty noise gate for the gig, but I'll buy a Monster multiboard to hopefully get rid of it altogether.

Just in case anyone else ever has this problem and wants to know how to fix it.