Pickup Hum at Different Angles + Sustainer Problem

B

bullo

New member
Hi,

As we know, pickup hum is usually less sensitive at certain angles, where it seems to cancel out, and more pronounced at other angles. This even happens with humbuckers. I have a weird problem.

I have a Sustainianc sustainer in the neck that acts as an active pickup when sustainer is off. For some reason, when acting as a pickup, it hums much more than my TB-4 Bridge humbacker! (it is supposed to be a noise cancelling active PU).

The weird thing is that if I put the guitar so strings face the floor, the noise seems to disappear/cancel. And that position seems to be the one that pronounces the hum if i select the bridge pickup. it is like if there was a magnetic 'offset'?

Does anyone know how to solve it? happened to anyone with Sustainiac?

Cabling is neat, not touching each other, etc.

I'd appreciate any comment!

Regards,
Danny Bullo
 
Re: Pickup Hum at Different Angles + Sustainer Problem

Hum has two main sources ether born and mains born. Ether born hum is radio frequency interference that travels through the air and can come from any electrical device. Mains born hum comes from the electrical power system and also is generated by other electrical devices. Mains born hum is exacerbated by poor quality wiring that isn't grounded well.

Since you are not getting the hum when the guitar is face down that leads me to believe the interference is ether born RFI. In order to reduce the amount of RFI you can build a farraday cage by shielding the control and pickup cavities. You can shield control cavities with conductive paint or adhesive metallic foil. Another important part of shielding is grounding. The ground takes the RFI and directs that signal to ground which removes the interference from the circuit so it doesn't get amplified. If the bridge, strings, shielding and controls are not well grounded they act as antennas.

You should make sure your guitar wiring is well grounded and then you might consider shielding the cavities. If there's a lot of wiring inside the cavities you should shorten them as much as possible and braid the wires to attenuate hum. Braiding wires creates cancels hum via phase cancelation.
 
Last edited:
Re: Pickup Hum at Different Angles + Sustainer Problem

idsnowdog, thank you very much!

I know about the faraday cage, etc. In this case i didnt do anything. I sent the guitar to Sustainiac so they installed it. also, it is a godin with HEX pickup so the cavity is pretty packed..something i dont wanna touch. The hum only happens with the Sustainiac when acting as an Active NECK Pick up. i dont think i can shield that pickup/driver. it came like that from factory. probably i'd need someone to check all cabling....

regards,
Danny Bullo
 
Re: Pickup Hum at Different Angles + Sustainer Problem

There are two versions of the Sustainiac system currently available. One has a neck position pickup that looks like a single coil. The other has a neck position pickup that looks like a humbucker with a weird metal bit under the E and B strings. The second version also has an additional control pot. Which version is under discussion, please?
 
Re: Pickup Hum at Different Angles + Sustainer Problem

thanks Funkfingers!
I have the regular sustainiac in the humbucker size. i think it is the SAME as the single coils size as the second half part is a dummy cover. no strange metal here. mine looks exactly like this:

sustainiac.gif
 
Re: Pickup Hum at Different Angles + Sustainer Problem

Well, that is another version of the Sustainiac.
 
Re: Pickup Hum at Different Angles + Sustainer Problem

IIRC the two version of sustainiac Funkfingers told us about are actually the same single coil,with a dummy coil in HB version. The equalization board that made them different because they are preset from factory.
Have you tried contact them?
 
Re: Pickup Hum at Different Angles + Sustainer Problem

I bought the single-coil version and it came with a metal tab about 1/2" square with a slight lip on it. This, as the guy explained, was so if you had it next to another single coil to do something about something....I forget :lol:

Anyway, I did find it to be a weak single coil, but don't recall if it was noisy. I also was not aware it was supposed to be an active pickup when not in Sustain mode.
 
Re: Pickup Hum at Different Angles + Sustainer Problem

hi,

yeas, both models are active neck pu. i contacted alan at maniac music but he could not tell me much...

I dont know who can revise my guitar since it is a godin that has an hex/pieza pu so the cavity is pretty packed and 'special' cabling.....
 
Re: Pickup Hum at Different Angles + Sustainer Problem

It's either the wiring in the building, or you're too close to something electrical. Computer, amp, TV, rack, etc.
 
Re: Pickup Hum at Different Angles + Sustainer Problem

i tried everything. i dont think it is 'classic' interference as hum only happens with the neck pickup, which is the sustainiac when acting as active neck pikcup
 
Re: Pickup Hum at Different Angles + Sustainer Problem

hi,

just an update:

if you have H-S-H, the middle S PU goes to the circuit board. Y have a a Duncan Duckbucker in the middle so my middle S is actually a humbucker.
I realised that the hum problem also affects the middle S duckbucker so the problem IS in the board, not the Sustainianc PU.

Yes...i must have a ground problem...but how to check it?? i checked with the schemetic and all that ahs to be connected to ground IS effectivelly connected to ground..

Danny Bullo
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top