sh-5 problem - please help

[redhouse]

Hello.

Excuse my English.

Guitar: prs tremonti se
Amp: marshall valvestate vs65r

I put one duncan 59 on neck and one duncan sh-5 on bridge.
In clean chanell they all sound good, but when I put distortion ( boss metal zone) they all sound bad, and the sh-5 makes a "hum hum" type noise when im away from the amp, in the front of the amp the noise stops (strange).
And the E string looks to have no clarity (too dark and fuzz) sounds bad to make palm-mute.
I tweak the knobs in the amp and in the pedal but nothing results, the distortion is not to height, so is not the problem.

The pickup height is 3/32 inchs (is what i see in the seymour duncan site)
That is the right height for sh-5 pickup??

What makes the noise??


Please help.
Thanks

 

[hamerfan]

Re: sh-5 problem - please help

Yeah stragnge. I would give your wiring the culprit, since rarely a coil or the internal wiring is bad. Mostly the angle of the guitar to the amp - not the distance - is it. Are there any big sources of interferences (like neon lights, big trannies, computers etc.)?

 

[redhouse]

Re: sh-5 problem - please help

hey there, tanks.

The wiring are made by a pro and he just make what cames in wiring schematics.
yes, is not the distance but the angle of my guitar that makes the noise.
My computer is in the same room that my guitar but I turn it off and the noise
still the same.

 

[Imp]

Re: sh-5 problem - please help

try using a different wall socket for power, maybe on a different floor of your house?

tom

 

[redhouse]

Re: sh-5 problem - please help

Hey.

I just use it, I try another wall socket for my amp in another room but the noise continues.
In my metal zone I use a battery 9v type, I dont need a wall socket.

Thanks

 

[redhouse]

Re: sh-5 problem - please help

Hi there
How can I see if the pickup is broken??
I read that the sh-5 is a very good pickup but I cant make a good sound with this pickup I dont understand.

Thanks.

 

[fab.regnaut]

Re: sh-5 problem - please help

The Custom as the 59 is heavy in the bass so if you use a Metal Zone witch I
supose is EQ for metal with a lot of bass and treebles and scooped in the mids you are reinforcing the EQ curve of your pickups and they become muddy because to have a defined tone under distortion you have to hit the distortion stage with a bright sound .
Try something like a Boss OD-1 , it will clean the low end and you can add bass after the preamp , in the power stage .

 

[Dirtyking]

Re: sh-5 problem - please help

The pedal may be the culprit here. Did you try your amps OD channel to see if the hum is still there.

I had a Boss HM-2 do that to me out of the blue. Which was a blessing in disguise. I found that my amp's OD was WAY better when EQ'ed right.

 

[Dave Z]

Re: sh-5 problem - please help

For the noise, check the following:

1) Does it get softer if you turn down the guitar volume? If so, then your guitar is picking up "EMF" (radio waves, from electrical sources). Could be a bad ground, so have the tech check the grounds with an ohm-meter. From any ground point (strings, bridge, back of pot) to the "ground" tab on the output jack should be no more than about .1 ohm. Also check the cable. (Try a different cable - I had a wierd problem like this, was a bad cable).

2) Does it stay the same if you turn down the guitar volume? Then it is not the guitar! Cables are most likely. Also jacks - try cleaning them and check contacts.

For the muddiness: try a treble booster. you can build a simple boost pedal, with a bass cut REALLY easily, there is a plan on my website

http://hot-muffin.com/StompLab/index.html
check out the 'Tristan' pedal.

You can make it even more simple, instead of a switch for the capacitor, just use .22uF (microfarad) cap, that's the best all around for treble boost. Or a .02 uF for a more modest treble boost. That cleans up the signal enough so that a overdrive pedal sounds much tighter.

 

[pol]

Re: sh-5 problem - please help

Throw away the metalzone and get a better amp or pedal.
Or just play on the amps od channel, that'll sound at least better then a metalzone.

 

[redhouse]

Re: sh-5 problem - please help

Thanks to all.

Yes, I try the amp od and other cables but the "hum" stills.
DAVE Z, I think is a bad ground after I read your post, the noise turn
down when I put the volume down and I pick some radio in lower volume.
Awswer me one thing please, I notice that when I put my Hand in the
pickup the "hum" stops, its a bad ground??
If its true I/you find the problem.

Thanks a lot.
(Excuse my English)

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: sh-5 problem - please help

It does seem like you may have a bad ground inside the guitar. Check that all your connections to ground are solid.