Help! :(

Reinhardt

I get allot of noise when I use my Crybaby and my tuner? My signal goes from my guitar, too my volume pedal, too my wah (crybaby) too my amp. And I have a TU2 (tuner) which goes from the tuner output on my volume pedal.
Do you guys think I should maybe buy a boss noise supressor? or could it be my dc brick?
I have a Hughes & kettner switchblade 50, as soon as I remove the wah and the tuner, then the noise is gone?
I'll die if I have to hear that noise again ???

Jack-Flash-Jr

Can you describe the noise?
Tuner is in the right place but you can try put it before the volume pedal and see if that helps. Most likely your wah needs a look under the hood. I defer to the experts on this one, however a noise suppressor isn't the answer.

Reinhardt

It's weird because all my gear is brand new, the noise from the tuner is the same as the wah. It's like a hum noise hmmmmm it's difficult to discribe. It almost sounds like when there is no guitar plugged in your amp and the amp is on and you touch the cable...?

mattyd

Check to see that you are using the correct power supplies for both pedals.
Also make sure that you're using the cleanest power possible (i.e. stay away from fluorescent lighting and the like).

Sounds like an earthing issue.

kayDUB

Sounds like a ground loop, are you using a daisy chain from one output or a seperate output for each pedal?
is it fine if you use the tuner or wah seperately?

Reinhardt

I have a Dunlop dc brick, I bought it this weekend (those adapters are Chicken teeth rare ?). You guys are using terms I don't understand, what is "fluorescent lighting" and how can I earth my pedals or get clean power? Thanx for the help btw

MIKA-the-better-one

Firstly a noise suppresor is not needed in this case or the majority of cases. Take your rig and try it in a variety of different places, and power outlets, even houses. Try a multitude of different pedal combinations. It must be either the tuner or the wah as you have said. I use a tu2 in the actual effects chain with NO noise, and have used wahs with no issues. So perhaps take your wah and tuner if the problem continues to the buys you bought from and show them that there product is defective.

kayDUB

is there no noise if you only use the wah, or only use the tuner? maybe post a pic of your setup...
what volume pedal is it? (do you have to plug it it (active) or not (passive)?)

AlanRatcliffe

kayDUB wrote Sounds like a ground loop, are you using a daisy chain from one output or a seperate output for each pedal?
is it fine if you use the tuner or wah seperately?

+1. Sounds like a ground loop problem to me too. Daisy chaining power is an easy way to run into the problem, which is why the better multiple supplies have isolated outputs. Try running one or the other on a different power supply or battery and if that cures the noise then it is definitely a ground loop. If so, ideally get a better power supply or disconnect the earth at one end of the cable linking the two effects (which works, but there is always the chance that you get cables mixed up and try use the ground lifted cable somewhere where you need a ground).

Reinhardt

I found the problem ? I didn't mention I had a delay pedal which I ran through my send and return. But I don't understand, I bought this dc brick, and as soon as I give power to the delay pedal it makes that noise? but I have a seperate power supply wich I use now, and I don't get that noise anymore. Alan what is a "ground lifted cable"? and how can one disconnect the earth ???

AlanRatcliffe

Reinhardt Matthysen wrote But I don't understand, I bought this dc brick, and as soon as I give power to the delay pedal it makes that noise?

The (vastly simplified) problem is basically that all the audio negatives are connected to ground and the power negatives are too. With separate power supplies, this means your grounding looks like this:

And when you use a daisy chain to power all the effects from one PSU, you get this:

See the way the audio and power grounds now create a big "loop"?

Alan what is a "ground lifted cable"?

A ground lifted cable is exactly that - an audio patch cable that the earth is disconnected on one side. You still have an earth connection between the two via the PSU ground, but you break the ground loop. The only problem is the cable will not work where there isn't a ground loop, so mark any groundlift cables clearly.

and how can one disconnect the earth ???

Reinhardt

wow, I think I can pass science now. I have a plannet wave cable, and on the one jack, there is written "ground" or something. Does this have anything to do with this whole teaching?

Alan I know this is of the topic, I have a Sennheiser Chordless unit, that's powered with a 9v battery. But it lasts like 30min or something (which is a very short timespan). I wanted to sell it, but its kinda koel not to have a chord ? is there someway I can get proper recharge batteries, or is there a solution to make the unit work longer?

The other question I wanted to ask you is, I saw that Adam D uses a noise supressor, why? Does it remove those hums thats in the background, dose it affect your tone in a bad way, because I was planning on buying one?

Thanx!

AlanRatcliffe

Reinhardt Matthysen wrote I have a plannet wave cable, and on the one jack, there is written "ground" or something. Does this have anything to do with this whole teaching?

I honestly don't know. AFAIK, there is no-one who makes a lifted cable stock (ideally you use a DI to lift earth, but with guitar pedals, we don't like extra stuff in between our pedals) and it's usually the short interconnects that you do it to. Every good engineer will have a few lifted cables in his collection to handle loops in a pinch.

I have a Sennheiser Chordless unit, that's powered with a 9v battery. But it lasts like 30min or something (which is a very short timespan). I wanted to sell it, but its kinda koel not to have a chord ? is there someway I can get proper recharge batteries, or is there a solution to make the unit work longer?

There was another thread recently with a lot of great info on this from a couple of guys. The problem is the rechargeable 9V batteries are not really 9V and their mAh ratings are lower than alkaline batteries, so they drain a lot faster. Most pros seem to regard using up a 9V alkaline a night as part of the cost of business. Also bear in mind that the cheaper wireless options also affect your tone. Myself, I rarely play out and I'm usually running two or three cables (and the third is a 13-pin), so wireless makes no sense. I honestly think that many people who use them don't need them anyway.

I saw that Adam D uses a noise supressor, why? Does it remove those hums thats in the background, dose it affect your tone in a bad way, because I was planning on buying one?

They do work to clean up a lot of noise, but you still need to get rid of as much noise as possible (especially ground loops) before you let the suppressor/gate clean up what is left - if it has to be set aggressively to get rid of a lot of noise it will affect your tone.

Reinhardt

I had a look at the cable last night, there were no discription of "ground", it was something like, "shielded point" or something, my bad.

I agree with you on the cordless unit, most of the people I saw (except Adam D ?) don't actually need it. And I can hear that you lose some gain if you use the unit. I'm gonna sell it...

Alan, last night I switched my amp on, and that noise was there again. I think what happened the other night was that the delay pedal made it worse, so as soon as I disconected my delay pedal I thought it sounded better. I got so frustrated, because, as soon as I use the single ac adapter on my wah (no other pedals connected) there were no noise, but with the dc brick I get allot of noise, and it's only 1 pedal?
Where can I get a lifted cable? I'm confused :'(

AlanRatcliffe

OK - with only one pedal connected you get the noise? Not a ground loop then. Sounds more like a cheap or faulty power adaptor. Wah pedals seem to be more sensitive to such things for some reason.

Reinhardt

Damn, I payd R1900 for this one, it's the Dunlop DC brick? do you think I should go and swop it or is there another solution?

AlanRatcliffe

Well if you paid R1,900 for it, you have every right to take it and the wah pedal into the shop and ask them to try it out with another PSU and that PSU with another Wah and other effects.

Reinhardt

hmmmm they only had the one? but i'll call them. Thanx Alan