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Topic: FSK Hum? |
Ben Turner
From:
Myrtle Beach, SC, USA (deceased)
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Posted 20 Jul 2009 8:57 pm |
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So this is my first time using single coil pickups and I get my new guitar home and plug it into my rig and all of the sudden I get a really annoying loud hum from my Fender Steel King. I have ruled out everything else in line with trial & error plugging/unplugging. It seems to be the pickups. I tried all of the same stuff plugged into a 6-string with a humbucker and I get no hum. I've tried 2 other amps with the steel and still get the same annoying hum. What can I do to fix this? I thought it was the volume pedal at first, but it works fine with a guitar that has humbuckers. I was hoping for a solution without having to change out the pickups but hey, give it to me straight.
Thanks. 
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Benjamin Turner |
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Don Brown, Sr.
From:
New Jersey
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Posted 20 Jul 2009 9:29 pm
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Ben, it sounds to me like ya have pickups that aren't grounded or aren't making a good clean, tight, ground.
I played with only single coil pickups my entire time of playing and never, had any hum.
But the shield has to be grounded to the changer, as well as to any switches, (such as the pickup selector switch, etc.) that you have, as well.
If all of the above checks out, then try setting up in a different room. As I said, I never had a problem, but I guess others have had hum, but not as bad as what you're describing. That's "NOT" normal, regardless of it (them) being single coil pickups.
Is the steel new or used? Cold solder joints on the switches can cause that as well. As can the pickups themselves. But again, a well designed, and installed, single coil pickup, should not hum.
PS: Also, dirty switch contacts could cause it. Make sure your output jack is grounded as well.... Don |
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Ben Turner
From:
Myrtle Beach, SC, USA (deceased)
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Posted 20 Jul 2009 9:48 pm
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At lower volumes I get no hum, it's only when I pump the volume pedal about half way does it start. The wiring looks OK. to me, I will take a couple pics.
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Benjamin Turner |
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Ben Turner
From:
Myrtle Beach, SC, USA (deceased)
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Don Brown, Sr.
From:
New Jersey
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Posted 21 Jul 2009 1:01 am
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Ben, it sure looks to me as if that's where you're picking up the hum from.
You need very, small wire. There is no current to speak of, so the smaller the wire, coming out of the pickup, the better. The entire braided shield, coming out of my single coil pickups, is about 1/16 inch diameter, and that's with the two wires, inside it.
All of the soldered places, need to be smooth, with no sharp points. Any sharp peak of solder, will act as an antenna, to pick up hum.
It was hard to tell from the exploded views, but that looked to be the center conductor used in Coax? If so, that's not good. I'd do a thorough rewiring and your problem will probably not be there any longer.
Also, remove all of the old solder with a Wick so it cleans off all of the old solder.
I'd start back at the pickup/s and rewire from there on out. The shield must be in tack, and the entire shield, neatly covered under a washer and screw squashing it flat, (preferrably) on the changer block, (with the wires still inside the shield). Don't unbraid any shielding until you get the wires up to the switches. Keep all the wiring as short and direct as possible.
For instance, on a D-10, with the neck selector switch, after going to the (three position neck selector) swith, make a good ground (soldered connection of the Braided Shield) to that switch housing too.
Note: Use only "Rosin Core" Solder. (Not Acid Core).
Hope that helps,,,,,,, Don
Last edited by Don Brown, Sr. on 21 Jul 2009 6:56 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 21 Jul 2009 2:53 am
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| Don Brown, Sr. wrote: |
All of the soldered places, need to be smooth, with no sharp points. Any sharp peak of solder, will act as an antenna, to pull in hum. |
With all due respect, that's not true. Sharpness or peaks in solder joints have nothing to do with hum. Hum is picked up by any unshielded (or unbalanced) input wire. Since the vast majority of the unshielded wire is found in the single-coil pickup, that's where the hum comes from. |
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David Nugent
From:
Gum Spring, Va.
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Posted 21 Jul 2009 2:55 am Hum
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| You may want to check your pickup clearance also. The distance between the strings and the top of the pickup should be approximately the width of two stacked quarters. |
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jay thompson
From:
east peoria, il USA
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Posted 21 Jul 2009 8:58 am Single coil hum
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If you can find one, try an Electro-Harmonix Hum Debugger. If the source is the wiring or fixture induced interference, it should reduce the hum to an very acceptable level.
Regards, Jay Thompson |
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Brint Hannay
From:
Maryland, USA
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Posted 21 Jul 2009 9:27 am
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Checking grounds is a good idea, but as Donny said, single coil pickups pick up hum. Simple fact of life. Don, if you were using single coils, it's impossible that you had no hum--what you had was not enough hum to bother you. That's much more possible with steel guitar, using a volume pedal, than with standard electric guitar.
What a steel player can do to minimize the effect of single-coil hum is a) experiment with different orientations of the steel in relation to the amp, b) make sure the pickup is close to the strings (approx. two U.S. quarters, as David N. said), as this will give a better signal-to-noise ratio, and mainly c) set the amp volume high and play with the volume pedal backed off to no more than 1/3 volume as picking position, using volume increase from that point only to sustain long notes--it's really never necessary to have the pedal even approach the maxed-out point. |
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Ben Turner
From:
Myrtle Beach, SC, USA (deceased)
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Posted 21 Jul 2009 10:12 am
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I figured out something interesting today. If I unplug my Profex II the hum isn't quite as bad. It makes since, the Profex II power supply is a 2-prong. I hadn't been playing through the PFX2 but it's still been plugged in my power strip so when everything is turned on it's on as well. The hum is still bad at louder volume but I can tell a difference. And these pickups are so close to the strings I'm not so sure one quarter will fit under, I haven't had a chance to adjust them yet but I will this afternoon.
In reply to Jay above, I figured some company had to make some kind of hum-eliminator I just haven't researched that route yet, I will if nothing else works.
Thanks Guys, I appreciate the help so far.
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Benjamin Turner |
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Chris LeDrew
From:
Canada
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Posted 21 Jul 2009 10:23 am
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Home electricity can be noisy. My Twin is a racket at home, but usually fine at the venues. Single coils can get noisy. The only sensible solution is a humbucker.
You should hear my Strat through the Twin at home! What a racket!
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Jackson Steel Guitars
Web: www.chrisledrew.com |
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Ben Turner
From:
Myrtle Beach, SC, USA (deceased)
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Brint Hannay
From:
Maryland, USA
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Posted 21 Jul 2009 11:29 am
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| If you're playing a simple setup, i.e. guitar>volume pedal>amp, probably not. They don't do anything about single-coil pickup hum--only hum from ground loops in setups involving multiple amps and/or effects devices. |
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Ben Turner
From:
Myrtle Beach, SC, USA (deceased)
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Posted 21 Jul 2009 12:41 pm
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OK. So here's my next question. If I wanted to get the sound that these Emmons single coil p/u's produce which Humbucker make/model would I search for? And would changing them out affect the overall value of the guitar? 
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Benjamin Turner |
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Don Brown, Sr.
From:
New Jersey
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Posted 21 Jul 2009 2:41 pm
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Brint,
Sorry to disagree with you on the Single Coil Pickup hum (that I never had).
I'll be using those same pickups, on the final reasemmbly if you'd like to come give a listen, you're welcome.
They're now 41 years old, 10.6K Tapped at approx 6.4 (if my memory serves me right). Hand made by the one who built my G.E.S., and it simply did NOT have any hum whatsoever. And I sure played in tons and tons of places, that would have caused it.
But, as I said, you have the right to your opinion, I'm simply telling you a fact. Hell, I'm quite certain there are folks on here who've been on the same band stands, with me who could tell you the same.
I never used gimmicks, as they do today, simply a Pot Pedal, straight into my old Fender Twin. Any hum I got in a few places, (upon powering on the amp) was 60 cycle hum, until I'd hit the Polarity switch, and no more hum whatsoever. Volume pedal wide open or closed.
It may have been due to the polarity of the magnets used, being staggered, but I hardly think so. What it was, were well designed pickups, with the proper shielding, etc.
I always used a curley cord, don't know if the cords they have today, would have given me hum or not? But I know they do change the tone, as do some of the electronic volume pedals. I proved that to Chick Meyers, about four months back. When he took his (volume pedal) out of line and tried my old pot pedal. His steel went from sounding like a tin can, with no lows to a great sounding steel.
That's another true fact, that I don't suppose is possible either.  ........ Don |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 21 Jul 2009 3:20 pm
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| Ben, there's a few things you might try. Move the steel and amp away from any other device. Computers, flourescent lights, televisions, dimmers (on incandescent lights) and anything with a transformer (wall-wart) or motor all can create excess hum. I've had cases where I just moved the guitar or turned it on an angle, and the hum subsided considerably. Just picking harder can also help. |
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Ben Turner
From:
Myrtle Beach, SC, USA (deceased)
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Posted 21 Jul 2009 4:36 pm
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Hmm.. So I had my steel sitting changer end toward my Steel King & Deluxe 112SE piggyback, with Profex II sitting on top and.. I moved the steel straight in front of the stack with my back facing it, as you normally would sit on stage and all of the sudden the hum has about 80% stopped. 
Although when I still plug in my Profex II I get a lot of added hum which wasn't there before. Even if it isn't plugged into the guitar when it's plugged into the power strip I get hum. I'm thinking one of the hum eliminators might help with this, but since I got this guitar I haven't needed the preamp or effects. The guitar sounds so good I don't even use the matchbox anymore.
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Benjamin Turner |
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Jim Bates
From:
Alvin, Texas, USA
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Posted 21 Jul 2009 4:56 pm
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Have you tried setting the amp to the laft side of you? Also, I do not recommend sitting directly in front of your amp, it kills the sound to the audience, plus it can make you 'deaf' after an hour or two.
As said before make sure you have no dimmer switches or ceiling fans with rheostats for speed control which put can hum onto any line in the house.
Thanx,
Jim |
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Hook Moore
From:
South Charleston,West Virginia
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Posted 21 Jul 2009 5:51 pm
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I have never used single coils that did not have some hum or noise. If the profex being plugged in increases the hum, maybe a simple ground lift to the profex could help.
Nothing really sounds quite the same as Emmons single coil pickup. Emmons does have a good Emmons humbucker too though. I use Bill Lawrence 710s in most every guitar I have but they can be hard to fit into some Emmons guitars..
Hook
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Blaine Moore |
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Dennis Wallis
From:
Arkansas
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Posted 21 Jul 2009 6:08 pm
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MOST of the time ProFexes do produce SOME hum. Might be the power supply but they all do produce hum in my experience. So does the Blue Tube. A hum eliminator will take care of that but probably NOT the hum created by the single coil pickups. Worth a try tho. You can get one for around 35.00 to 40.00 .
THe EBTECH is a good one. |
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