New hum

[Gunn_Slinger]

Hi all
Not sure where to post this
I have 3 rigs all using Korg AX3000g effects pedals
Had them for about 10 years
About 5 months ago, I started to get a lot of hum on all 3 rigs
But......only with certain guitars!
I have 16 guitars
6 out of 16 hum loudly ( like bad single coils )
All my guitars are humbuckers except 1
I have tried everything I know, with no results
I run all rigs thru a voltage regulated power supply
Voltage is constant at 116.7
Thanks for looking
Clay

[Enzo]

Do the rigs all three do it with the same guitars? And do these rigs travel, and if so, does the hum happen everywhere or just certain locations?

Noww, strap on a guitar that hums like this. STand there and listen to the hum. Now turn 90 degrees and face sideways, in other words aim the guitar to the side. Does the hum stay teh same or does it get stronger or weaker. We want to find if the guitar direction matters. It may be environmental.


HAve we recently added light dimmers or something? ANy other electrical changes?

[Gunn_Slinger]

The hum gets louder when I turn 90 degrees
Rigs stay in my basement
No new electrical
All rigs hum with same guitars
Thanks
clay

[Enzo]

Since your guitar aiming changes it, it means your guitars are picking it up from somewhere. Is there anything in the room above you that has recently changed or been added? Portable dehumidifier, room fan, computer gear?

Aim the guitar one way, not walk closer and farther from your amplifier. Does distance matter? My guitar picks up fields from power transformers when I get within a few feet.

[Gunn_Slinger]

Distance makes a difference
Walking closer to the amp has almost no hum
Hum seems to be coming from the left side of my basement
No hum facing right
Walking farther away doesn't change the hum
Hum is only facing the left side of basemant
Also, amount of seems to change from hour to hour and day to day
Seems you're on the track

[Gunn_Slinger]

1st pic is str8 on to amp and cab
2nd is left of amp
3rd is left side of basement

[Enzo]

I grew up in Silver Spring, and I know the weather there. Does this possibly correlate to heat? On those really hot days, the power lines can sag and you get low mains voltage. ANy possibility?


best I can suggest is to continue to use the guitar as a direction finder and nearness sensor. See if you can localize the source to a particular place, maybe near some power wiring in the walls?

[Gunn_Slinger]

Funny, I grew up in rockville md!
Heat doesn't seem to be an issue
My buddy who is an electrician thinks it could be a new relay station
I like the idea of using the guitar to track the hum
Just don't know why the other guitars have little to no hum
Thanks
Clay

[Enzo]

What we do is track down the source of the problem. That tends to make clear the WHY of things. Some pickups may be more sensitive to area fields that others. Some guitars are better shielded inside. Who knows at this point?

[Enzo]

My sister still lives in Gaithersburg, that is where the family gathers for Xmas.

[Gunn_Slinger]

I hustled pool all over md dc va area. silver spring is a tough area now
gaithersburg is a nice place.
thanks for the help
when my electrician gets back from vegas we'll look for the hum in the house
thanks for all your help
clay

[mozz]

Old Heathkit amplifier i see there? What are you powering the pedals with? Have you plugged straight in and see if the hum is there?

[nosaj]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]49708[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]49709[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]49710[/ATTACH]
1st pic is str8 on to amp and cab
2nd is left of amp
3rd is left side of basement

On left side of the basement turn off that Flourescent light in the picture then play and also turning your guitar 90 degrees. Sometimes the light will start to put out some hash as they get older.. We used to have some of the exit sign that would interfere with the dvr camera systems if they were mounted to close. You could hear them hum if you put your head near them.. Only solution was to replace exit sign or move camera farther away.

nosaj

[Chuck H]

The reason some of your guitars hum more/less than others is likely a combination of specific properties. Some guitars are shielded better than others. Some conductive paints are better than others. Some humbuckers have more symmetrical coils and will cancel hum better. The higher a pickups output the more it can transfer any noise it picks up. So...

Let's say you have a guitar with less than great shielding and a high-ish output humbucker that has a small offset in the coil windings. At face value it looks to be appointed similar to another of your guitars. But that one may have more ideal shielding and somewhat lower output pickups with symmetrical coils. The former will hum more than the latter.

[nosaj]

The reason some of your guitars hum more/less than others is likely a combination of specific properties. Some guitars are shielded better than others. Some conductive paints are better than others. Some humbuckers have more symmetrical coils and will cancel hum better. The higher a pickups output the more it can transfer any noise it picks up. So...

Let's say you have a guitar with less than great shielding and a high-ish output humbucker that has a small offset in the coil windings. At face value it looks to be appointed similar to another of your guitars. But that one may have more ideal shielding and somewhat lower output pickups with symmetrical coils. The former will hum more than the latter.

This is why I honed in on the pic with the flourecscnet light.
nosaj

I have 3 rigs all using Korg AX3000g effects pedals
Had them for about 10 years
About 5 months ago, I started to get a lot of hum on all 3 rigs
But......only with certain guitars!