Newbie Question:
When I dime my Blues Jr. (volume 9 - 12; master > 4; guitar volume > 8 ) the bite/crunch is wonderful but the hum is excessive with single coils. I should also mention I use a Weber Mini-Mass to keep the relative volume at reasonable levels so my wife isn't coming after me with a baseball bat. Will I be able to reduce the hum with an EQ pedal such as the Danelectro Fish & Chips or is this simply a characteristic of driving a tube amp?
/dwayne
I would think it's more a "feature" of your single coils. You might try a noise gate.
Jason
"Rock And Roll Ain't Noise Pollution"
+1 for what CnJ said. A noise gate will help eliminate the hum. I also find playing with two single coils on (2 or 4th toggle position) helps reduce the hum.
That's the thing, the hum doesn't reduce that much in 2 & 4. It's worst on my Squier Strat modified with the pickups from a Fender 60's reissue and my new Squier '51 when using the single coils or with the coil tap. Using the '51 humbucker is relatively silent. My Epi Les Paul with Seymour Duncans also has a small amount of hum at high (guitar) volume levels.
I'll research a noise gate.
/dwayne
A noise gate will reduce hum when you're not playing. Won't reduce hum mixed with your playing. It just mutes the amp whenever the signal drops below a certain level. It's the same as the squelch on a two-way radio.
"A cheerful heart is good medicine."
You need something like this:
If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis
You sure it's 60-cycle hum? You actually might do well to ground your guitar - I did this to my Tele and it helps quite a bit. Most of them hum will be gone from your single coil pickups.
As for the actual AC hum from the wall, I haven't figured out what to do with that yet...
A noise gate or something similar will cost you quite a bit, whereas grounding and shielding your guitar will only take about an hour's work. IT's worthwhile and very fulfilling, especially after you pick up and play after you're finished - you'll be amazed. Trust me.
-lunchmeat
