5e3 Debugging...

[fsuman]

Bolt on the pt lug is tight, still humming. I'm starting to get annoyed.

[passfan]

Try removing the ground wire(s) to the input jacks and installing star washers between the jack and chassis. Then carefully tighten the jacks to the chassis with a socket and ratchet. The metal switchcraft style jack can actually create a ground loop wired the way you have them. They ground naturally through the jack body. Star washers promote this grounding as well. Follow the fender 5e3 circuit diagram to the T and you'll eliminate all noise problems. I had the same issues you had on my deluxe build and these steps , plus a brass plate, ended all my trouble.

[JHow]

Maybe post a picture? Someone here might spot something. From experience, I personally end up messing with jacks more than any other ground connection. The input is the most sensitive area. If turning the volume knob increases the hum, then the hum must be getting in somewhere before the volume pot. Input jacks, the leads to the first stage grids, the leads off the vol. pot to the next stage grid are the usual suspects. ALso, just re-checking filter and cathode ground solder and location.

[passfan]

Bolt on the pt lug is tight, still humming. I'm starting to get annoyed.

Pull your preamp tube and see if the hum goes away. If not put it back in and pull your PI tube and see if the hum goes away. You can narrow down the section this way. Is your 6.3 volt center tap to ground at the PT bolt ? Or , if you don't have a 6.3 volt center tap , have you installed the 100 ohm "lift resistors" to ground off your 6.3 volt winding ? I'm still betting on the input jacks myself just like JHow. They were a constant source of aggravation for me right up until I changed them out to cliff jacks. I've not had a problem since.

[fsuman]

Hope these photos help. Hum totally goes away when I pull v1. And I'm not sure if it's important or not but when I use a chopstick and push open the jacks both bright 1 and normal 1 hum like mofo's while both #2 jacks stay silent.

[JHow]

Two things I would try first would be to relocate the first tube cathode bias resistor ground to a location other than the input jack. Try a longer run back to your bus wire.

Second thing that stuck me is that the grid inputs for the first tube seem to be pressed down close to the chassis. If you use a chopstick to make them run straighter off the board avoiding other wires that might help some. You might also shorten them a bit when you do that.

[fsuman]

So I moved some wires and shortened others and got rid of the hum! I'm so stoked...thanks for all the help JHow and passfan. It's nice to have an amp that sounds like this.