Hoot Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 Hello all, I have a '95 American Standard Strat, all stock, and in one particular club, I've had a terrible problem with hum, buzz..etc when having the pickup selector in the bridge position. Other clubs don't present the same problem. Since my band has been asked to do a weekend a month at this same club, I'd like to find a way to solve this problem. I've checked for flourescents plugged into the same circuit...no luck...,etc. I usually have a chain of effects that involve all or part of an MXR Distortion +, a Tube Screamer, a Boss Tremelo pedal, and a Boss Digital delay...chained in that order...going to either a Roland JC-120 amp, or a Blonde Blues Jr. Perhaps I should note that I also use an AC adaptor pedal chain kit..forget the name but it's advertised in GP mag, and yes, I know batteries don't hum, but still? I also own a Hush pedal, but since the hum comes back as soon as you play, I'm not satisfied with the sound. I'm looking into purchasing the SCN single coil noiseless pickups as a replacement for the stock pickups now in my Strat. Is this a good option, and do these pickups alter the sound of the Strat in any way? I'd appreciate any response, or reccomendations from any with experience with these pickups. Thanks for any and all replies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caevan O’Shite Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 The chief problem is the dirty or mis-wired AC power there at that club. This is pretty common. Have you used an outlet tester on the outlets that you're plugging into? Something's not right; and things other than neon and fluorescent lights on the same circuit can introduce bad hum and noise... refrigerators, pumps, air-conditioners, fans, dimmer-switches, radios used to communicate with evil alien invasion forces hiding behind Saturn and Mercury (yeah, the Saturn and Mercury parked out back)... Using the best outlet available to you- or better yet, getting any faulty wiring corrected, etc.- and a good power-conditioner is your best bet, with or without hum-canceling pickups... it's the first-line for better sound, not to mention safety! Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caprae Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 Check into Bill (and becky) Lawrence singles. His first rule is pickups shall not hum. http://www.billlawrence.com/ Raise your children and spoil your grandchildren. Spoil your children and raise your grandchildren. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caevan O’Shite Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 If you do wind up getting some hum-canceling single-coil sized pickups, you'd be remiss to overlook Kinman pickups. I'm 99.99% sure that they're what I'd get; a good friend loves 'em, and he has some hifalutin taste in gear- they sound like real-deal Fender style single-coils, just minus the hum. Probably the best out there for that. Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tone Taster Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 Ahhhhhhh, but Hendrix and Blackmore's strats hummed - What's the big deal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
headlow Posted July 9, 2008 Share Posted July 9, 2008 If you do wind up getting some hum-canceling single-coil sized pickups, you'd be remiss to overlook Kinman pickups. I'm 99.99% sure that they're what I'd get; a good friend loves 'em, and he has some hifalutin taste in gear- they sound like real-deal Fender style single-coils, just minus the hum. Probably the best out there for that. Yep they would be the best by a long shot. Only thing is though that they have went up in price by a long way. I'm upgrading the pups in my Tele, and looked at the Kinmans. Over here in the UK it would cost me £200 for the set. Not sure how much they are in the US though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caevan O’Shite Posted July 9, 2008 Share Posted July 9, 2008 hey, headlow! How are ya! Good to see you here; imagine my surprise, having just cited our mutual friend! Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strategery Posted July 9, 2008 Share Posted July 9, 2008 Have you tried a FULL CAVITY search? Check the cavity of yer Strat underneath the pickguard and make sure the wooden area & the back side of the pickguard have some kind of electrical insulation ie..foil or whatever. I have an SD JB.Jr. and 2 duck buckers in one strat, and hand wound single coils in another but the middle pickup is reverse wound and helps in that area as well. Just my opinion. Randy "Just play!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
headlow Posted July 9, 2008 Share Posted July 9, 2008 hey, headlow! How are ya! Good to see you here; imagine my surprise, having just cited our mutual friend! I'm not bad Caevan. I'm here quite a bit...although I usually just lurk, until I find a topic that even my uncomprehending mind can add to Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilthrill Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 I'd second the Bill Lawrence recommendation. He designed the noiseless single coils pickups for Fender. I haven't used any of his single coils but his humbuckers sound damn good (the L500 and R500), they are relatively cheap (2 years ago they were $50 a piece) and when I called with questions I got to speak to the man himself (not some tech assistance from India) as he runs his operation as a small family business. As to the Hendrix and Blackmore Strats hummed what is the big deal argument... Well if you want to look at it that way the Beatles used such a underpowered CRAPPY PA system that one could not hear them over the screaming girls at Shea Stadium. I guess all touring bands should go back to crappy underpowered PA's because "if it was good enough for the Beatles then surely it is good enough for your band". Blackmore and Hendrix were using technology that is over fifty years old. Now granted you can get some good sounds out of those old strats but let's be honest, those old strats DID have weaknesses. The last time I checked 60 cycle hum was NOT musical. I'm sure there is someone who has figured out a way to use it musically but for most applications I'd prefer the sound of a vibrating string or silence as opposed to hum. Hoot, if you do find something that works let us know. I have a Peavey Predator (strat clone) that I like the sound of except for the hum. I've shielded the cavity but must still have some wiring/ground issues because it did not reduce the hum. I'm going to take it to Nashville and have them look at it but if that doesn't work I'll be looking for other ideas. I haven't tried the Eb tech hum eliminator because I hear it messes with your sound. I haven't tried John Suhr's pickguard (which one of the guitar mags said was dead silent and didn't affect tone) because it costs like $300!!! So if you find something I may be interested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caevan O’Shite Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 It is entirely possible that even the best hum-canceling pickups will still not eradicate all of the hum and noise issues at that one particular venue that is cited above, the place where the problem is so severe while not being such an issue at the other places played at... So, even if you get Lawrence, Kinman, Fender, EMG, whatever hum-canceling/"noisless" pickups, you should still use an outlet-tester (they're CHEAP, you can get'em at Radio Shack or Wal-Mart, etc., and very simple to use; good, cheap "insurance") and some kind of power-conditioning. Not only for your sound, but for the safety of your equipment and yourselves. It's almost certain that there's something wrong going on with the AC at that one place... Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darcy H Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 My 52RI Tele hummed like nobody's business, I shielded the entire thing with that copper shielding tape from Stewart-McDonald, all the cavaties, the back of the pickguard, etc. and voila, not a whisper of a hum. Just an idea. www.myspace.com/darcyhoover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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