Help me figure out where this hum is coming from

mal paso · Post by **mal paso** » Tue Dec 06, 2011 8:46 pm

So I was playing with my new Boss Space Echo and I noticed this loud hum. I guess this pedal has some notoriety for being "hummy", so I tried another pedal, same thing. Then I tried switching cables and the same thing. I noticed when I held the guitar around the neck or touched the volume knob or the base where the cable goes into the guitar that the hum went away. Luckily I had another guitar and tried that and had the same result! I then tried plugging into my little Vox practice amp, and the same thing. What's goin' on here?

The only thing I haven't tried is a different outlet.

Help!
(Sorry if this is a dumb question with an easy answer. In my defense, I have been drinking)

Jero · Post by **Jero** » Tue Dec 06, 2011 9:04 pm

Sounds like you're having ground issues...if it stops when you touch metal on the guitar.

wsas3 · Post by **wsas3** » Tue Dec 06, 2011 11:05 pm

No hum when the pedal isn't in the chain?

transients · Post by **transients** » Tue Dec 06, 2011 11:10 pm

if you have dimmer lightswitches in the house/apartment/whatever you live in, it could be coming from those. Also if you have a soldering iron plugged in that will generate a fair bit of noise too.

Jero · Post by **Jero** » Wed Dec 07, 2011 1:11 am

transients wrote:if you have dimmer lightswitches in the house/apartment/whatever you live in, it could be coming from those. Also if you have a soldering iron plugged in that will generate a fair bit of noise too.

I have one of those in my jam room and never really notice. I got lucky.

The4455 · Post by **The4455** » Wed Dec 07, 2011 1:15 am

You could always try one of those three prong to two prong ground adapters, it usually works for me.

colin · Post by **colin** » Wed Dec 07, 2011 2:05 am

The4455 wrote:You could always try one of those three prong to two prong ground adapters, it usually works for me.

Now I'm no electrical expert, but doesn't that sort of increase your risk of electrocution?

theavondon · Post by **theavondon** » Wed Dec 07, 2011 4:25 am

colin wrote:
The4455 wrote:You could always try one of those three prong to two prong ground adapters, it usually works for me.

Now I'm no electrical expert, but doesn't that sort of increase your risk of electrocution?

Yeah, what? That's literally like...unsolving the problem.

mal paso · Post by **mal paso** » Wed Dec 07, 2011 10:52 am

I'm no electrical expert either.

And it seems like you guys are trying to kill me!

dubkitty · Post by **dubkitty** » Wed Dec 07, 2011 11:37 am

single-coil PUs or humbuckers?

you could also be picking up RF interference from a cathode-ray monitor or TV set, or a fluorescent light fixture. my ex's big CRT television used to drive my Gretsch Dynasonics crazy, and the Fenders didn't like it much either.

O Drones · Post by **O Drones** » Wed Dec 07, 2011 2:08 pm

Turn your fuzz up.

The4455 · Post by **The4455** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 12:33 am

I don't want to kill you.

On a serious note, it could be that your electrical outlest are wired wrong, you can pick up an electrical outlet tester for $5 at any hardware store, totally worth it.

ilovefuzz.com

Help me figure out where this hum is coming from

Help me figure out where this hum is coming from

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Re: Help me figure out where this hum is coming from

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