Will a different pedal eliminate hum? help!

Ken Thompson · From: Great Falls, Montana, USA

I had my TrueTone pickup put in my Carter but now I have a terrible hum in my NV 112. From what I have read, that is normal. But I don't know if it is worth the improvement in tone to deal with the hum. We run everything through a board and I can only imagine the problems that it will raise. My question is, will a non-pot volume pedal eliminate the hum? I have read that the Hilton is an excellant pedal. Will that make a difference? I love the sound but I hate the hum.

Kevin Mincke · From: Farmington, MN (Twin Cities-South Metro) USA

Ken, scroll down to the topic "hum with tube amp" maybe this will answer some questions.

Ken Thompson · From: Great Falls, Montana, USA

I did read that and that is why it seems that the hum is normal. However, it appears that the hum may also be related to the pot in the pedal since it only hums when you open the pot up. That's why I was wondering if a non-pot pedal would eliminate the problem. Thoughts?

David Nugent · From: Gum Spring, Va.

Is the hum in question more or less noticeable if you eliminate the Volume pedal and plug directly into the amp? If it is less in this mode, you might try running the volume pedal through the pre gain circuit on the 112. Hope this suggestion is helpful.

John Daugherty · From: Rolla, Missouri, USA

There is a possibility that the pickup was installed improperly. The reason the hum increases when you push the pedal down, is the fact that the hum is coming from the pickup.

Craig A Davidson · From: Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin USA

You might also try a Ricky Davis trick and set the amp hotter than you need so you don't have to open the pedal as far.

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1985 Emmons push-pull,S-10 Marlen,Evans SE200,Hilton pedal

Ricky Davis · From: Bertram, Texas USA

Yes if you don't ground the pickup to a point that eventually goes to the strings...you will get a overly amount of hum. Email me and tell me exactly how you have it wired.
Ricky

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

Bill cole · From: Cheektowaga, New York, USA

Lawrence pickups will LXR-16 Great

David Doggett · Posted 29 Aug 2004 9:59 am

Ken, it sounds like your hum is from the single coil pickup. They all hum, even Truetones (I have them on two guitars). The hum will come through just as strong with any type of volume pedal. The hum will increase as you increase the volume, whether with the pedal or the amp.

This is a signal to noise problem. The only solution is to increase the signal, which is the vibrating strings, without increasing the noise (the hum). I only know of two ways to do this. One is to pick harder. The other is to raise the pickup closer to the strings. You want it to be a distance of the thickness of one or two quarters. Raising the pickup will have no effect on the constant noise of the hum, but the pickup will get a stronger signal from the vibrating strings. Finally, some locations in some buildings create more hum, because of the electrical surroundings.

If none of the above make your problem tolerable, then you should consider using a dual coil humbucking pickup. Single coil pickups work pretty good in playing live with a group, because the volume of the whole group covers the noise. But quiet humbuckers are easier to work with in the studio, and sound better when practicing alone at home. However, some top players get there signal far enough above the noise to use single coils even in the studio. It sort of depends on your touch.

David L. Donald · From: Koh Samui Island, Thailand

What RIcky said, plus if the pickup was wired so that the ground went to the hot and vica versa, it also could contribute to the hum.

I have 2 TT's and I only get hum when I bring a bad hum source right up to the instrument.

There shouldn't be a general hum from these pickups, just a greater suseptability around bad hum sources.

Bob Tuttle · From: Republic, MO 65738

One thing no one has mentioned is, the closer the pickup is to the amp, the louder the hum will be. Try moving your amp farther away and in different positions in relation to the guitar.

Ron Randall · From: Dallas, Texas, USA

Ken

I like the sound of the True Tone, but like all single coils, the hum was a problem.
Here are some things that worked for me. I think if you will search on this topic you will find a lot more info.
If your guitar is plugged into two amps, you will have hum. The old way is to lift the ground; meaning use a 2 prong adapter.
My nice rack efx unit causes hum. Lift the ground.
IF a CRT, computer is nearby, turn it off to see if it causes hum. Flourescent lights, dimmers, etc.
Check all your hookup cables. Keep the distances as short as possible. Keep your cables separated from power lines. When you have to cross them, go at right angles.
Like others have said, The volume pedal is not the cause.
Ken Fox had a post a few weeks ago about this problem and, there is a new product called HUMX or something like that. Ken knows!

Single coil pickups hum. Just a matter of how much.

Ron

Ken Thompson · From: Great Falls, Montana, USA

Thanks to all of you. Jerry W. also provided me good imput. The pickup is awesome sounding. I was just spoiled with non-hum of the pickup I used. I will deal with it and learn from it. There is a wealth of experience on this forum. I have learned more in two weeks than the previous years of just playing and learning from mistakes.

Thanks again to all of you.

Hal Higgins · From: Denham Springs, LA

I was having the same problem with my SKH LeGrand, because of the single coil pickup. Then I got a stomp box sized unit called "Decimator Noise Reduction" from ISP Technologies. It works great....reducing the hum of the single coil almost to nothing. It works like a gate....having a various threshold levels from a -70 to a +10. For more info you can go to www.isptechnologies.com and go to products.

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Be Blessed........HAL
'85 Emmons LeGrande D-10,(8 & 6) Hilton Vol. Pedal, BJS Birthstone bar, Rack w/Evans Pre-amp, Lexicon MPX500; (2)1501-4 BW's in custom built cabs by T.A. Gibson, & Sound Tech PL802 Digital Power Amp.

John Daugherty · From: Rolla, Missouri, USA

Hal, it seems to me that a noise gate would would affect the sound in some way. Do you notice a difference with it in line? ....JD

Hal Higgins · From: Denham Springs, LA

John....not a bit of difference....I connect it this way. out of my guitar into the gate, out of the gate into the vol. pedal (Hilton), from the Hilton into my Korg tuner from tuner into Evans pre-amp. Gives me a great sound with no hum........

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Be Blessed........HAL
'85 Emmons LeGrande D-10,(8 & 6) Hilton Vol. Pedal, BJS Birthstone bar, Rack w/Evans Pre-amp, Lexicon MPX500; (2)1501-4 BW's in custom built cabs by T.A. Gibson, & Sound Tech PL802 Digital Power Amp.

Bobby Lee · From: Cloverdale, California, USA

I have a TrueTone but I don't use it much because of the hum. It's part of the nature of single coil pickups. I'm willing to sacrifice a small amount of presence to get rid of hum, which is why I use the Lawrence 712 most of the time.

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