Post by bobcarter on Nov 18, 2023 12:54:17 GMT
I have a Vintage Roger Williams nylon string crossover guitar fitted with Fishman Ink undersaddle pickup/on board pre-amp.
There's a problem with mains hum, which I think has always been there, but as it only occurs in certain situations I haven't paid it much attention till now. With the gear I want to use now, it needs sorting out.
It goes away completely when touching the jack lead.
If it's just the guitar straight into the combo amp, there's no hum (or at least so little as to be no issue). That's how I've mostly used the guitar in the past.
However, if I go through other components, even if the guitar isn't connected to them, there's a significant low frequency background hum. For example, if the guitar is plugged into my mixer through headphones, and I turn on the power supply for the monitor speakers (even if the speakers are off), or if I go through my pedalboard, the hum appears and cuts off again as soon as I switch off the offending equipment.
None of my other guitars (various pickups) has any issue with hum.
I've tried all of the following without success:
- Changing the battery.
- Plugging the components all into the same wall socket.
- Plugging the components into different wall sockets.
- Running the guitar through a DI box which has a ground loop switch (Behringer ADi 21).
- Taking the strings off and removing/cleaning the saddle a bit (I read on some forums that dirt underneath the saddle or incorrect contact with the pickup strip could be the issue). Touching the saddle can make the hum a bit louder. Admittedly I haven't messed about with the piezo pickup strip itself, but I'm a bit loathe to do that. The pickup strip could be faulty of course, but I think I've only changed the strings once (I know, shame on me) so it hasn't had much chance to be damaged.
I'm reluctant to take it to the shop as they might have difficulty replicating the issue.
Any suggestions for anything else to try before I cave in and take it to the shop? Any thoughts much appreciated! :-)
There's a problem with mains hum, which I think has always been there, but as it only occurs in certain situations I haven't paid it much attention till now. With the gear I want to use now, it needs sorting out.
It goes away completely when touching the jack lead.
If it's just the guitar straight into the combo amp, there's no hum (or at least so little as to be no issue). That's how I've mostly used the guitar in the past.
However, if I go through other components, even if the guitar isn't connected to them, there's a significant low frequency background hum. For example, if the guitar is plugged into my mixer through headphones, and I turn on the power supply for the monitor speakers (even if the speakers are off), or if I go through my pedalboard, the hum appears and cuts off again as soon as I switch off the offending equipment.
None of my other guitars (various pickups) has any issue with hum.
I've tried all of the following without success:
- Changing the battery.
- Plugging the components all into the same wall socket.
- Plugging the components into different wall sockets.
- Running the guitar through a DI box which has a ground loop switch (Behringer ADi 21).
- Taking the strings off and removing/cleaning the saddle a bit (I read on some forums that dirt underneath the saddle or incorrect contact with the pickup strip could be the issue). Touching the saddle can make the hum a bit louder. Admittedly I haven't messed about with the piezo pickup strip itself, but I'm a bit loathe to do that. The pickup strip could be faulty of course, but I think I've only changed the strings once (I know, shame on me) so it hasn't had much chance to be damaged.
I'm reluctant to take it to the shop as they might have difficulty replicating the issue.
Any suggestions for anything else to try before I cave in and take it to the shop? Any thoughts much appreciated! :-)