Cutting down on Strat noise/hum

Sleeping Martyr

Sleeping Martyr

New member
Hey guys, so I have my beloved Waynes world strat with a surfer antiquity set in it running through my mesa 50 Cal+ half stack, I love the tone but theres alot of tone in the bridge/middle/neck alone positions . . . the in between positions are okay but I prefer the tone of the bridge and the neck. Theres alot of hum coming from the amp when I'm in those positions though. I've had the guitar shielded but its still there. I have a noise gate but since the pickups aren't very high output it completely sucks out the sustain. Any thoughts on what I can do to help?? I am just using generic Yorkville patch cords, would high quality shielded ones help?? The hum seems to be better or worse depending on where i stand in any given room, any ideas guys?? Thanks!!
 
Re: Cutting down on Strat noise/hum

I use 4/5 coats of shielding paint on the electronics cavities. You can also shield your pickguard easily with some heavy duty aluminum foil and spray adhesive. It's important that the shielding is grounded, otherwise it's just a antenna.
 
Re: Cutting down on Strat noise/hum

The suhr plate looks cool but my middle pickup unfortunately is RW/RP so it says it wont work . . . dang, I had it copper foil shielded by a luthier and it helped tons but not all the way, any other ideas folks?? how much will cables affect the hum??
 
Re: Cutting down on Strat noise/hum

As good as the Suhr backplate is (and it is good) it still isn't a perfect solution. I have one installed into one of my favorite Strats and even just this past weekend at a gig there were a few songs that I wanted to but couldn't use it on, simply because of the noise. Another Strat with noiseless pickups bailed me out.
 
Re: Cutting down on Strat noise/hum

I have put one of these on every strat I've owned since I discovered them. I no longer have to mess with shielding tape, shielding paint or any other time consuming things. They fit under every pick guard I've ever tried and in my experience cuts down on the vast majority of strat noise. They will never be completely quiet, but this shield helps a lot.

http://www.callahamguitars.com/partsstr.htm

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Re: Cutting down on Strat noise/hum

You got 60 Hz cycle hum or random wizzwazz buzzing?
 
Re: Cutting down on Strat noise/hum

60hz I believe, its not feedback or microphonic or anything and it is fine with humbucker guitars and the in between positions on the strat
 
Re: Cutting down on Strat noise/hum

idsnowdog said:
I use 4/5 coats of shielding paint on the electronics cavities. You can also shield your pickguard easily with some heavy duty aluminum foil and spray adhesive. It's important that the shielding is grounded, otherwise it's just a antenna.
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How do you ground the pickguard?
 
Re: Cutting down on Strat noise/hum

YOu might want to try one of these

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I bought two of these and have them on both of my amps. I use two amps and the differnce in frequencies was causing some hum. These killed about 85% of all the Hum, BUT the 60 cycle hum is STILL there. I just feel you have to get used to it, after all its a Strat
 
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Re: Cutting down on Strat noise/hum

Jeff_H said:
I have put one of these on every strat I've owned since I discovered them. I no longer have to mess with shielding tape, shielding paint or any other time consuming things. They fit under every pick guard I've ever tried and in my experience cuts down on the vast majority of strat noise. They will never be completely quiet, but this shield helps a lot.

http://www.callahamguitars.com/partsstr.htm

pgs2.jpg
Click to expand...

or half the price- http://www.guitarfetish.com/Aluminum-Strat-Pickguard-Shield-Universal-Screw-Holes_p_90.html
 
Re: Cutting down on Strat noise/hum

Verify no ground loops in the entire rig. Multiple amps, CRT monitors and daisy chain power supplies are big culprits. Fluorescent lights can be a big source of hum (the long shop lights - not the bulbs themselves, the ballasts). Believe me, a ground loop can make an EMG based rig extremely noisy.

The Suhr backplate solution is very good, but as said before not perfect. The tone of the pickups is preserved but the hum cancel is not 100%, 70 to 80 is more like it. Its not cheap, but for someone picky like me the cheapest in the long run.

The built in Suhr solution is very transparent and very effective, but $490 and requires a route.

I'm pretty positive on Vintage Rails but another solution is the Stack Plus with a RWRP middle (Frank Falbo mentioned this a week or so ago). You'll need a superswitch to split the pickups in the combo position. Its a solution used on older Tyler guitars in the '80s. The only real issue is I don't like the slight thinning in the combo positions with RWRP, but since you already have RWRP I don't think its a problem.
 
Re: Cutting down on Strat noise/hum

You could get a power conditioner. Those will get rid of most of the line noise going into the amp from the power source. The noise from stay frequencies in the air is another story. I'd say the combo of a good Furman or APC PC and something like the Suhr backplate would help tremendously. And like was said, if you MUST have true single coils, you're just going to have to live with some hum.
 
Re: Cutting down on Strat noise/hum

How in the world can you go and recommend a power conditioner when the OP doesn't even answer the question about whether he has 60 Hz cycle hum or random buzzing? And I don't think he said the rig is buzzing with no guitar connected which is the only thing a power conditioner would (maybe) help with.

And no matter what if there are single coils the 60 Hz cycle hum is there to stay and a power conditioner will do nothing about it. And that's assuming the power is dirty in the first place, which we have no indication for.

You work for a power conditioner vendor or what's your problem?

Stupid thread. Another OP who doesn't deliver and speculation goes berserk.
 
Re: Cutting down on Strat noise/hum

If your hum tends to change with your position in the room it sounds more like a shielding issue than a wall power problem. I just finished doing this with my Charvel . . . using the single coils the noise is VERY minimal. I'd start with something similar (Jeff H seems to have an alternate good solution as well) . . .

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Re: Cutting down on Strat noise/hum

uOpt said:
How in the world can you go and recommend a power conditioner when the OP doesn't even answer the question about whether he has 60 Hz cycle hum or random buzzing? And I don't think he said the rig is buzzing with no guitar connected which is the only thing a power conditioner would (maybe) help with.

And no matter what if there are single coils the 60 Hz cycle hum is there to stay and a power conditioner will do nothing about it. And that's assuming the power is dirty in the first place, which we have no indication for.

You work for a power conditioner vendor or what's your problem?

Stupid thread. Another OP who doesn't deliver and speculation goes berserk.
Click to expand...

Dude lay off the caffeine or remove whatever sharp jagged object is stuck in your rear end. Or... put the "stupid thread" on ignore.

For the record, I've had a lot of improvements in reducing noise using a simple Monster power strip with a noise filter.
 
Re: Cutting down on Strat noise/hum

I use copper tape on the back of the pickguard and in the pickup cavity and in the input cavity on my strat. Its quiet as a mouse. You can get copper tape from flea bay
 
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