Guitar hum

IceCreamMan

Right , first time i noticed this on one my guitars. It makes a huming noise thru the amp but when i touch any string , or any metal part of the guitar the humming stops which leads me to believe its an electrical issue somewhere. Checked all wiring and everything looks good but i suspect a pot has gone faulty somehow...question is , is it possible ? and where else should i be looking?

Cheers

dee

Possibly a grounding issue, hence why it stops when you are touching the string or any metal part. Only way I know how to fix it is to check each wire and makes sure it is connected properly. Check the wire grounding the bridge as well, that is easily overlooked.

TomCat

What make/model of guitar is it?

ryanguit

Check this does not happen on any other guitar first... As then im fairly certain that your amp is not grounded.
If it only happens on that 1 guitar then yes, something aint right. Try each pickup as it may isolate the problem before you even open it up. Cool good luck

TomCat

Check that your amp is grounded. Very important from a noise and safety perspective.

Also remember that Single Coil guitars have the bridge grounded and will often hum until you touch the strings (another reason why using a grounded amp is important).

Also, are you playing near fluorescent lights as these create a lot of hum/buzzing.

DonovanB

I'd make sure your guitar learns the words. That way it can sing instead of hum...

I'll get my hat and go now... :-[

Sean

Donovan Banks wrote: I'd make sure your guitar learns the words. That way it can sing instead of hum...

I'll get my hat and go now... :-[

? Donovan, that's so dry

IceCreamMan

ok , it seems to be on the amp side ....my other guitars dont make this noise on the this amp (vox) and the offending guitar V does nto make the noise on my other amp (orange) .

Vox has one of those 2 pin jobbies ...i think a combonation of tha V and Vox is the cause.

strange but lifes like that i guess.

nxt trick is teaching the V to make me coffee and sing for its supper

ryanguit

you need to put a 3 pin on there. for safety. i bet that the 2 pin has an earth wire in the cable that is begging to be grounded.
is the other guitar (not the V) active? just out of curiosity...

Norman86

my cube also has only a 2pin plug and not a 3 pin, but you can see its only twin flex and not proper 3 wire ripcord!

Kalcium

yeah im having the same issue and also have a 2 pin plug for my amp. How would I go about grounding it and putting it on a 3 prong plug? If I cut the 2 prong end off will i find 3 wires inside which i can attach to a 3 prong or will it only have 2? Its on of those things that plugs into the wall on one end and into the amp on the other, its not attached to the amp really, so i need to keep the side of the wire that plugs into the amp...

[deleted]

Kalcium wrote: yeah im having the same issue and also have a 2 pin plug for my amp. How would I go about grounding it and putting it on a 3 prong plug? If I cut the 2 prong end off will i find 3 wires inside which i can attach to a 3 prong or will it only have 2? Its on of those things that plugs into the wall on one end and into the amp on the other, its not attached to the amp really, so i need to keep the side of the wire that plugs into the amp...

What does the amp side of the "thing" look like? Is it a 'kettle cord'?

If that is the case and if your cord happens to have only two wires in it, replacement cords (with three pins) are freely available at music stores, hardware stores, wherever.

Kalcium

Stratisfear that is exactly what it is ? haha thanks ?

AlanRatcliffe

Yeah those plugs have an earth, but most two pin adaptors don't have the extra pin that connects to it. So it's always best if you chop the plug off and replace with a regular three pin.

Norman86

Alan Ratcliffe wrote: Yeah those plugs have an earth, but most two pin adaptors don't have the extra pin that connects to it. So it's always best if you chop the plug off and replace with a regular three pin.

would this be wise if your power cable doesnt disconnect from your amp, and your amp is stll under warranty?
wouldnt putting a normal plug on void the warranty?

deefstes

Norman86 wrote:
Alan Ratcliffe wrote: Yeah those plugs have an earth, but most two pin adaptors don't have the extra pin that connects to it. So it's always best if you chop the plug off and replace with a regular three pin.
would this be wise if your power cable doesnt disconnect from your amp, and your amp is stll under warranty?
wouldnt putting a normal plug on void the warranty?

I'd be furious if it does! As if selling me a product in South Africa with a European plug isn't bad enough (making it impossible to earth the device), they add insult to injury by voiding the waranty if I replace it with a South African plug so that it can be earthed? Go figure! Maybe they expect you to run an extension cord to Europe if you want to earth your amp. ???

RobK

If I'm not mistaken, isn't it law that all electrical appliances (which I assume amps would fall under) have to be supplied with an SA plug. Not that it always happens, but if it is a legal requirement, replacing the plug should not void your warranty.

Rob

IceCreamMan

RobK wrote: If I'm not mistaken, isn't it law that all electrical appliances (which I assume amps would fall under) have to be supplied with an SA plug. Not that it always happens, but if it is a legal requirement, replacing the plug should not void your warranty.

Rob

Thats my view on it , legally all electrical items sold in ZA are required to have the 3 pin plug. But in the case of the Vox, its a Vox mini it comes with a w pin wall wart magodi and not sure the legality of that to be honest.

Dropped the guirtar off at Andy's just to be get it given the once over to be sure to be sure kinda thing.

AlanRatcliffe

RobK wrote: If I'm not mistaken, isn't it law that all electrical appliances (which I assume amps would fall under) have to be supplied with an SA plug. Not that it always happens, but if it is a legal requirement, replacing the plug should not void your warranty.

+1. Some distributors (but not all) replace the plugs themselves before they send them out to the shops. I have to laugh with the ones that don't, as it makes many amps a lot noisier and that does affect their sales. I've seen it happen.

I think it might also open them to lawsuits if anything happens. I was testing a PA last weekend and was getting shocks from both the mic and my guitar (not the PA itself though - turned out my extension cable was faulty).

Norman86

i dont suppose someone here could find out from MIDI if we could do that and still have our warranty in tact?!

i would do it myself, just need an address for MIDI! (which i cant find!)