Buzz, Hum, Noise

[meadeam]

I have terrible noise issues with my guitar setup. It's so bad that I don't even bother plugging in until I sort it out. Here's my setup: Epiphone DOT, Small pedal board including OD, Analog Delay, Phaser, Vox AC4TV, mic'd and going to a Presonus AudioBoxUSB connected to a docked laptop. Pretty simple.

When I turn the amp on I get an terrible buzz and hum, which decreases slightly if I keep my hands on the strings. Not normal, tolerable hum, but so loud that it is pointless to try to play. I get the same if I plug straight into the amp. I get the same if I plug straight into the AudioBox with monitors attached. That led me to believe it is my guitar, but I get the same buzz and hum without a guitar connected to the AudioBox. I should note that ALL of these things... Guitar straight into amp, guitar to pedal board to amp, guitar to AudioBox, were all working hum free a couple weeks ago. So I ask myself what change... nothing that I am aware of. I hadn't been playing electric or recording for a couple weeks, and the other day I plugged in and it was noise city. Oh, and I noticed that if my laptop is docked, I get an additional amount of buzzing and crackling. That never happened before. It's like aliens landed at my house or something. Anybody know what might be happening, and how I can begin to solve it? I should note that I live in an old house that does not have grounded circuits. Back then I guess they just didn't do it. I think that might have something to do with it, but that doesn't explain why it only recently started happening.

Sorry for writing a novel. Hopefully somebody can help.

 

[mjbphotos]

Yeah, it sounds like you have some major ground issues. Can you take the gear over to a friend's house and try it there?

Your guitar may have a loose wire inside, too. One of the wires to the output jack came off my DOT (Studio), because the jack was loose and twisting around.

 

[meadeam]

Yeah, it sounds like you have some major ground issues. Can you take the gear over to a friend's house and try it there?

Your guitar may have a loose wire inside, too. One of the wires to the output jack came off my DOT (Studio), because the jack was loose and twisting around.

I solved one part of the problem, and yeah, it is definitely grounding issues. I remembered that a few weeks ago I installed a dimmer switch in the dining room. This morning I did some experiments with the dining room light, and sure enough the dimmer switch controls the level of hum coming through my amp. Even though they are on different floors of the house, the dining room light and my amp must be on the same circuit. My house was built in 1946 and although the elecrtic service has been upgraded, the switches and receptacles are not grounded. I've been replacing them, but there are only two wires coming into each box. I've been told I should connect a ground wire from the receptacle to the metal box in lieu of a proper ground. My electrical boxes are plastered into the wall, so it may act like a ground. I'll try that on this circuit and see what happens.

I'm also going to have my guitar looked at. You aren't the first person to mention the DOTs input jack coming loose. Mine never has been loose on the outside, but there is definitely something going on inside.

 

[Victory Pete]

I solved one part of the problem, and yeah, it is definitely grounding issues. I remembered that a few weeks ago I installed a dimmer switch in the dining room. This morning I did some experiments with the dining room light, and sure enough the dimmer switch controls the level of hum coming through my amp. Even though they are on different floors of the house, the dining room light and my amp must be on the same circuit. My house was built in 1946 and although the elecrtic service has been upgraded, the switches and receptacles are not grounded. I've been replacing them, but there are only two wires coming into each box. I've been told I should connect a ground wire from the receptacle to the metal box in lieu of a proper ground. My electrical boxes are plastered into the wall, so it may act like a ground. I'll try that on this circuit and see what happens.

I'm also going to have my guitar looked at. You aren't the first person to mention the DOTs input jack coming loose. Mine never has been loose on the outside, but there is definitely something going on inside.

Dimmers can be a major nuisance, even if they are in a different building. My studio is 100 ft from my house and for years I had intermittent noise. It was dimmers in my house causing the problem. The studio even has its own 60 amp service. The EMI/RFI noise travels through the air as well as through service conductors, neutrals, and equipment grounds. Even proper grounding may not help, my studio has an Isolated Technical Ground System with 6 ground rods around the building, dimmer noise still got through. I have since installed 3' wide aluminum flashing in the roof and walls and have it all bonded and connected to ground rods, the studio is basically a "Faraday Shield" now. It has helped alot, no more funny satellite noises, nor many cell phone calls from angry wives!

VP

 

[Milnoque]

I'm going to assume you've tried a different guitar cable. Do don't recall seeing it mentioned.

Attaching a ground to the box in the wall won't do anything. You'd need to get a conductor back to the breaker panel (or fuse box) grounding strap.

 

[Victory Pete]

I solved one part of the problem, and yeah, it is definitely grounding issues. I remembered that a few weeks ago I installed a dimmer switch in the dining room. This morning I did some experiments with the dining room light, and sure enough the dimmer switch controls the level of hum coming through my amp. Even though they are on different floors of the house, the dining room light and my amp must be on the same circuit. My house was built in 1946 and although the elecrtic service has been upgraded, the switches and receptacles are not grounded. I've been replacing them, but there are only two wires coming into each box. I've been told I should connect a ground wire from the receptacle to the metal box in lieu of a proper ground. My electrical boxes are plastered into the wall, so it may act like a ground. I'll try that on this circuit and see what happens.

I'm also going to have my guitar looked at. You aren't the first person to mention the DOTs input jack coming loose. Mine never has been loose on the outside, but there is definitely something going on inside.

If your house is wired with BX, MC or AC metallic cable the metal box should be grounded. If it is wired with 2 wire "Romex" the box wont be grounded. Sometimes old Romex had a very small ground wire connected to the box. Consult with a local licensed Electrician.

VP