Another Thread about Guitar Hum/Buzz

R

Relic1882

New member
It's more of a louder buzz that makes you want to punch a baby, but here's the situation. The buzz seems to have come out of nowhere because I'm positive it wasn't there a few days ago. It's to the point where if I use noise reduction I can still here it before the guitar tone fades out. Without noise reduction the guitar sounds awful. I'm pretty positive too that my tone would be a whole lot better if this buzz wasn't cramming its way into the sound.

I tried my Strat (running Hotrails & Coolrails), and my Les Paul Studio (stock pickups), and three different cables. I am running from the guitar to my Zoom G5 effects pedal into a Behringer PMP Europowered 12 channel mixer, into a Crate 4x12 cabinet.

There are no computers or monitors where I'm playing. The computer is upstairs. I'm in the basement.
I disconnected the CFL bulb in the ceiling.
The buzz is not there when I plug in the guitars directly to the amp.
It's not there when I have the Zoom plugged in by itself. (no input cable or guitar)
It's there when I plug just a cable into the Zoom, into the amp. No guitar. (it's even there if I'm not going into the amp and using headphones from the pedal)
It's there when the guitar is attached to the cable.
It's not there when I turn off any distortions on the Zoom pedal. At least it's really, really low.
It's there when any distortions are on. Even when the gain levels are very low.
I tried different guitars.
It's still there if I turn the volume pots on the guitar down very low.
I tried 3 different guitar cables. (2 Monster cables and a no-name one)
I've tried 3 different power cables from the amp.
I tried plugging everything in to different outlets too. Even the ground fault outlet right on the circuit breaker box.

What the hell?! I can't figure it out because if it was the pedal I would think the buzz would be there WITHOUT having to plug a cable into it. If it was a cable what are the odds that all 3 are bad? If it was the guitar I tried 2 different ones. Plus the buzz is there if just a cable is plugged in without having a guitar on the other end. It can't be the amp because I have the same noise when I use headphones in the Zoom pedal. Should I just suck it up and try buying a new high quality cable and see what happens? I'm lost. Somebody please help me.

If in fact I should buy a new guitar cable, can you tell me what's a very good quality without the insane prices of Mogami?
 
I'd look closer at the Zoom. Maybe the adapter? Maybe a loose jack in the Zoom? Not everyone has one, but I have isolation transformers that I use for two-prong AC equipment. However you are plugging in the adapter for the Zoom, try flipping the AC cord over 180º and plugging back in. It's probably not going to cure the problem, but maybe worth a chance that it does.
 
ranjam said:
I'd look closer at the Zoom. .
Click to expand...

This. ^^^^

It seems like there is a problem with the input of the Zoom. The only time you have noise is with something plugged into the Zoom. That input jack might be dirty or damaged or something in that input circuit has gone bad.
 
Yes! But it doesn't have to be a Marshall. I personally prefer Marshalls, but it can be any quality tube amp. Fender, Mesa, Orange, Marshall, Blackstar, Vox, Bogner, ENGL, whatever. Any one of them will probably sound better than a Zoom and a SS amp....and you won't have to do all that silly routing. A good amp, good cab, a few pedals, and you're set.

But that doesn't solve your immediate problem. Well, it would, but I digress. My unprofessional internet opinion is I think your Zoom is jacked.
 
Yep, the Zoom is the problem from your descriptions of how you tried everything. Is it still under warranty? I bought an early generation Zoom on ebay for $23 last year. The sounds sucked. I sold it for $28. :thumbs up:
 
I went to record my drums today. The mixer for the drums was unplugged yesterday. I put the headphones on when I went to begin and I am getting the same buzz from the mixer. Apparently I have an AC ground loop problem somewhere. I'm not sure on what to do to fix it because I've never had this issue before. Time to start checking my cables and outlets I guess.

P.S. - I like my Zoom. I don't need bashing. You don't see me telling everyone that their Marshall amps and Line 6 pedals suck. :) It's not all about the equipment, it's the skill that you play it.
 
Ive got a Zoom H4n. Great for what it does, but the AC adapter sucks. All kinds of hum, so I use batteries.
Never used their effects, but it wouldn't surprise me if it used the same adapter.
 
Greg_L said:
No one bashed you. Don't be that guy.
Click to expand...

Sorry. Not trying to be. :) I was referring to the guy that told me to throw my pedal in the garbage.

Anyway, I'm thinking it's an AC hum of some sort because I recorded a blank track with the hum that's coming from my mixer board and if I play with the EQ it dies when I drop the 50-70hz range. The mixer and the pedal have the same hum when plugged in separately. I don't know where it's coming from. It never did this in my basement before and I can't think of anything anywhere that's plugged in that wasn't there before this problem. I'm stumped. I need to get rid of this buzz so I can get good recordings. Does anyone have any good references that are reliable? I'd rather not read a hundred articles if someone who's dealt with this before and fixed it can steer me in the right direction.
 
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