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Post new topic Excel JB D8 and hum .. what to do ?
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Author Topic:  Excel JB D8 and hum .. what to do ?
Mitch Crane


From:
1000 Oaks, CA
Post  Posted 6 Nov 2011 11:07 am    
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Really enjoying the JB Frypan so decided to aquire the D8 Excel JB console. Overall, I really like it a lot ! Built like a tank and I like the tone of the pickups... BUT it's about 4 to 5 times noisier than my Frypan. The hum makes me shy away from playing it.

I've already tried different positions, farther from the amp, straight from guitar to amp (no pedals)... I use high quality cables as well.

So.. my options

1. Take it to my guitar tech to evaluate if everything is wired / shielded properly. Going to do this first

2. Pick up one of those EHX Hum Debugger units (done). Not thrilled about having to do this, but worth a try, especially if it may help.

3. Ponder replacement pickups, which I hate to do as I like the tone of these Excels, but can't live with the hum. My considerations would be the Alumitone 3.5 bass bar or George L's E66 or 10-1

Any Excel console owners care to chime in about the hum, or lack thereof of your guitars ? (Erv, you have a couple, right ?) Any of you swap out the Excel pups for something else ?

Thanks !


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Last edited by Mitch Crane on 6 Nov 2011 2:56 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Ray Montee


From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
Post  Posted 6 Nov 2011 12:59 pm     I have one of those...............
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My Excel is an Orange Mica model and is really pretty to look at.

I'm not encountering any type of hummmmmm, as you describe. Like you say, it's a fine g'tar to play.

My near fret board has curled upward between the nut and the second fret. Don't know why. Can't see any causative factor that is apparent.

As an afterthought........ Surely you're not using a right angle cord from the guitar to the amp, are you? I understand the sharp angle can have a negative impact on the otherwise wholesome, melodic signal.

It's been determined by trial and error that posting an 8x10 photo of JERRY BYRD in the lid of your g'tar case will tend to reduce all hummmmmmm, provided the photo is in clear view of the player at all times.
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b0b


From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
Post  Posted 6 Nov 2011 1:02 pm    
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If you raise the pickup closer to the strings, it will improve your signal-to-noise ratio and there will be less apparent hum.
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Mitch Crane


From:
1000 Oaks, CA
Post  Posted 6 Nov 2011 1:09 pm    
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THAT'S what I'm missing ! The 8x10 glossy of Mr. Byrd in my case ! Thanks Ray ! Confused

b0b, pickups are as close as they can be. There's something definately not right somewhere, hopefully my tech will solve it all. I sure love the guitar and hope I can get it fixed without having to consider swapping out the pickups, which I'm sure JB had a hand in designing.
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Rick Aiello


From:
Berryville, VA USA
Post  Posted 6 Nov 2011 1:18 pm    
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Those are the same pickups ... that are in the Excel Frypans ... they just don't have the faux magnets.

Something is going on with the ground ... your tech guy will find it.
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Mitch Crane


From:
1000 Oaks, CA
Post  Posted 6 Nov 2011 1:29 pm    
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Thanks Rick... yep, just looked and the frypan pup looks identical. The frypan pickup is almost dead quiet so something is not wired correctly I guess... off to the tech for sure.
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Erv Niehaus


From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
Post  Posted 7 Nov 2011 8:47 am    
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I have that model guitar also and have never encountered the problem you're having.
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Bill Hatcher

 

From:
Atlanta Ga. USA
Post  Posted 7 Nov 2011 9:14 am    
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you did not say where you are playing the guitar, but if the pickups are single coils, dont get anywhere near a computer monitor or a tv set or any neon lights, wall rheostats, power supplies /wall warts etc. so many things affect the 60 cycle hum from single coils.

byrd seemed to not have a problem with it...Winking
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Mitch Crane


From:
1000 Oaks, CA
Post  Posted 7 Nov 2011 10:01 am    
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Thanks guys. All my guitars have single coils but only this one is 3 times the hum as the others I have in the same environment. Hopefully my tech will track it down.
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Bill Creller

 

From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
Post  Posted 7 Nov 2011 4:36 pm    
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I believe it's a ground issue also. The one I had was quiet....
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Billy Tonnesen

 

From:
R.I.P., Buena Park, California
Post  Posted 7 Nov 2011 9:20 pm    
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Could you be plugged into a circuit with a fluourescent light also on ? This can put a real Hum in an Amp.
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Mitch Crane


From:
1000 Oaks, CA
Post  Posted 9 Nov 2011 10:28 am    
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None of my other 5 single coil steels have this issue in the same environment. It's with my tech right now along with the Excel JB Frypan (same pickup) for comparison. Anxious to hear that he has tracked it down and corrected it Question
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Mitch Crane


From:
1000 Oaks, CA
Post  Posted 9 Nov 2011 1:01 pm    
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OK, so update...

Tech calls and says the Console is quieter than the Frypan ! Opposite of my experience...so I drive over there. Sure enough, in his shop, cheap cable into a solid state amp (I have Nashville 112), the JB console was quiet, with more output than the Frypan. The Fyrpan hum was more than the JB D8 ? So, now I'm totally baffled. Going to bring my amp with me to the tech tomorrow so I have exact equip, just in a different place ? I dunno ?...

Tonight, going to take the amp to a different room / outlet in the house etc. and see what happens. Confused Confused Confused
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James Quackenbush

 

From:
Pomona, New York, USA
Post  Posted 12 Nov 2011 5:37 am    
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Hi Mitch ,
Steels with single coil pickups act like antenna's .......Try turning your steel at a different angle to the amp and see if the hum clears ......Your other steel guitars that have no hum may be facing the amp at a different angle ....Another thing is if your pickups are near the transformers in your amp, you will get hum too ....Jim
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Mitch Crane


From:
1000 Oaks, CA
Post  Posted 12 Nov 2011 8:52 am    
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Thanks Jim. I've tried everything. Cables, proximity, different rooms, outlets. The guitar hums... bad. I'm at the point of considering Alumitone pickups or George L's etc.
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James Quackenbush

 

From:
Pomona, New York, USA
Post  Posted 12 Nov 2011 11:35 am    
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Try an ISP Technologies Decimator .....It's a noise reduction pedal ....Jim
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Mitch Crane


From:
1000 Oaks, CA
Post  Posted 12 Nov 2011 12:32 pm    
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EHX Hum Debugger just arrived today... NO HUM ! but I'll need to see what side-effect it has on tone etc. First impression is pretty good.
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James Quackenbush

 

From:
Pomona, New York, USA
Post  Posted 12 Nov 2011 4:03 pm    
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Hope it works out for ya ....Jim
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