Noise Suppressor Question

[JacksonDean]

While I'm not sure that noise suppression is an effect per se, I do have a question.

I've up till now been mainly using my bridge humbucker (an SD TB-6) and haven't had a problem with any humming. However, I recently started using my single coil (it's a default Jackson SC that came with my PS-4) for some slight distortion effect.

I haven't noticed it at home when I play, but I did start noticing it at my church. At home, I plug into a Behringer V-Amp2 into a 10W practice amp (however, as I said, I don't generally use the SC at home).

At church, the V-Amp2 goes into a direct box (I plug into the Ground Lift input) and I noticed a hum yesterday.

So the question (finally): would it be worthwhile to get a noise suppressor? Would this help? Or is this something else?

Thanks for any info y'all might be able to provide.

[MetalMedal II]

Well, if you only get the hum with the single, then it's likely good ol 60-cycle hum that causing your prob...something inherent in all true passive single coils. The exceptions are some singles specifically designed to eliminate it. Also, this is specifically why Seth Lover designed the humbucker, to get rid of that annoying noise!

Usually the noise is loudest when not playing and is less offensive during playing. Your best bet, outside of changing pickups, is getting some kind of gate/supressor.

[JacksonDean]

Okay, thanks. What would you suggest I look at?
I tested it out and it is indeed doing it here at home as well, though it's not as noticeable because I don't play as loudly here.

I have considered (as in "the thought has crossed my mind, but I haven't done any research yet") replacing the pickup, but it's not on my priority list at the moment.

I'm open to suggestions there too.

[Riscchip]

Sometimes you can find a spot where 60 cycle hum won't get you. "Facing Mecca" as they say--there is sometimes a direction you can find to face that will greatly reduce the hum. In my home studio I have sweet spot where I get virtually no 60 cycle hum--I put a chair right there in the middle of the room, and it doesn't move, hehe.

I don't know how practical that will be in church--if you're up in a choir loft or something people may not care which way you are facing, but if you're on display up front it might look stupid. Also, flourescent lights and dimmers will seriously enhance the audibility of 60 cycle hum. If you have those in your church, see if you can re-position yourself away from them.

If that doesn't help--you're looking at a new pickup or a noise gate (suppressor) of some kind as the solution. You may find a pickup is the cheaper option. Gates will alter your dynamics some, but good ones like the ISP Decimator (my recommendation) do it less than others. There is also a non-gate solution from Electro Harmonix called the "hum debugger," but that thing screws with your attack in a bad way, so I don't suggest it, personally. It does take a lot of the hum out, though.

[yard dawg]

get a different pickup. its the easiest thing to do IMHO.

[ozzuk1]

There's a noise gate on the vamp itself...

hold the two arrow buttons down then tap d or e whichever is the nosie gate then add it untill the hum goes, this will decrease sustain though but it is effective...

Singles can hum more than other pickups but if they are shielded properly they arent too bad...

[JacksonDean]

Thanks for all the responses. I did start looking around at pickups last night, and I'll try the noise suppressor thing on the V-Amp (I didn't know I had it).

Another guitar player suggested the fluorescent lights issue and there aren't any of those, however there are dimmers (they are on the opposite side of the auditorium).

Also, I did plug it in at home and do have the hum there as well. So it looks like a replacement pickup and that V-Amp feature will be my next steps.

[ozzuk1]

The pickup itself might be fine, it could be the wiring unshielded cavity etc

Dimmers are terrible for adding nosie I had the same problem in a studio at college...

It was fine using the v-amp with the noise gate...

[JacksonDean]

The pickup itself might be fine, it could be the wiring unshielded cavity etc

Dimmers are terrible for adding nosie I had the same problem in a studio at college...

It was fine using the v-amp with the noise gate...

The pickup itself is probably okay, actually, but it's the standard Jackson J135 that comes with the PS-4. As I've started using the middle pickup more, I have begun to think more often about replacing it ( was actually looking at the Duncan SSL-4 after looking around a little last night ).

It's got a TB-6 in the bridge and I'm sure I'll end up replacing the neck pickup soon enough as well. While I'm envious of a lot of collections I've seen here, I can't afford to own a similarly large collection of guitars; so I simply plan on making the ones I have do what I want.