Author Topic: ARGH! bad hum or normal hum? (Read 8243 times)

sambo · « **on:** February 14, 2006, 03:56:13 PM »

ok ive spoken to some guys on here about this already, just wondered what everyone thought- this is my new tapped p-90 through my crate gt65 amp. its 65 watts and the volume is on 2, gain at 5... this is the background hum i was getting off those settings:

is this really bad or am i just over-reacting? theres two hums- the main background one then a higher pitched one that you can hear flicking on and off- thats me touching the pickup so its a grounding problem which im gonna sort soon- its the main loud background hum im worried about though....

Searcher · « **Reply #1 on:** February 14, 2006, 05:04:13 PM »

So you only get the hum when the pickup is switched to the tapped setting?

sambo · « **Reply #2 on:** February 14, 2006, 07:02:29 PM »

the hum is there when the pickup is tapped/untapped it makes only a tiny bit of difference...

Kilby · « **Reply #3 on:** February 15, 2006, 09:39:56 AM »

Silly question but are you near any computer equipment or flourescent lights when the humm occurs ?

Does the hum change pitch or volume when you move around ?

rob...

sambo · « **Reply #4 on:** February 15, 2006, 09:43:45 AM »

not near computer equipment but it changes as i turn around- philking said that could/would be 'RFI'???? anyone know what this is and if so what can i do about it?

Kilby · « **Reply #5 on:** February 15, 2006, 10:00:57 AM »

If it changes when you move it could be RF.

I'd suggest turning off every piece of electrical equipment you can (it's half term morning you can get away with it ;) ) and see what happens.

This includes lights, TVs in nearby rooms etc and especially anything with brick or wall wart PSUs then see if you are picking up the same amount of hum.

It should only take a few minutes to check this out.

Many years ago a friend and myself where able to play (very primitive) tunes on radios from the RF interference from some single board (shows how old I am) computers. Though we did manage a version on the Sinclair Spectrum.

Rob...

sambo · « **Reply #6 on:** February 15, 2006, 10:04:36 AM »

lol ok cheers rob ill try that...

just discovered that theres some pretty bad hum when my guitar isnt even plugged in.... amp problem??

the tone of it sounds great at the moment and its solid state so it couldnt be valve problems. anyway ill keep you posted...

Kilby · « **Reply #7 on:** February 15, 2006, 10:09:51 AM »

Is the hum there when you remove the lead from the amp ?

I vaguely remember that you mentioned a laney that you own, is the hum there when you use that ?

Rob...

sambo · « **Reply #8 on:** February 15, 2006, 10:11:04 AM »

yup the hum is there through the laney and when i pull the lead out.. ill just go check but i think its not quite as bad when the guitar is unplugged though...

yer just checked - the hum is bad when the guitar is unplugged and plugging it in just makes it worse... but im pretty sure now that its the amp not the guitar.. or at least the interference with the amp.... gonna try the laney now - its just warming up...

when the guitar is plugged in though it doesnt increase the hum by THAT much it just kind of adds the normal background hum you would expect from a p-90 on top of the already bad hum... if ya see wot i mean

booboo_bass · « **Reply #9 on:** February 15, 2006, 01:15:31 PM »

what lead you using sam...its not some dodgy jack connection is it?

sambo · « **Reply #10 on:** February 15, 2006, 01:16:05 PM »

nope its not! its a perfectly good lead thank you very much!

Searcher · « **Reply #11 on:** February 16, 2006, 02:06:12 AM »

All single coils hum a bit, but your amp shouldn't hum all on its own. How was it when you turned all the lights and everything off?

Take the power lead from your amp and pull it out of the wall. Then it'll be quiet. :P

sambo · « **Reply #12 on:** February 16, 2006, 09:01:01 PM »

AHAH! didnt go to the extent of turning EVERYTHING off but had the amp turned on and then remembered what you said about turning stuff off so i unplugged the tv power cable from the extension lead and BAM! hum reduced significantly!!! :D guess its this crazy electrical problem then.... anything to combat that other than turning everything off all the time... because that could get just a little annoying...

blue · « **Reply #13 on:** February 16, 2006, 10:47:17 PM »

i wonder, when you unplug the guitar, do you pull the lead from the amp, or just from the guitar? i find if you leave the lead plugged into the amp the jack tip can pick up all kinds of interference.

sambo · « **Reply #14 on:** February 16, 2006, 10:48:20 PM »

i know what you mean blue, but it was humming when the lead was pulled out of the amp as well....