I know some of you guys in here have both single coil and humbucker guitars, do you with your single coils ever have any noise problems? I'm thinking a lot about buying a strat at some point, how big is this noise problem?
JHX - Well if you've bought a decent guitar and amp, and you aren't imitating your guitar hero by standing next to your Marshall stack, you should get very little or no hum at all.
Quote from: 0jimihendrix0 on July 07, 2009, 02:04:31 PMI know some of you guys in here have both single coil and humbucker guitars, do you with your single coils ever have any noise problems? I'm thinking a lot about buying a strat at some point, how big is this noise problem?
Single coils will almost always make some noise when in the 1,3 or 5 position. 2 and 4 are hum canceling like Humbuckers(by combining 2 single coils that are reverse wound and reverse polarity).
There are things you can do to reduce this 60 cycle hum/noise...like turning off nasty appliances near your guitar or amp, computers and TVs are pretty nasty, and so is some lighting. Also, as mentioned, dont sit too close to a tube amp either.
You could also shield the body and cavity better, I use cooper foil tape sold at StewMac(specifically)...but Im not totally convenced "star grounding" is necisarry, as I did that once and havent done it since(5 guitars later) and I still get remarkable resuslts from the additional shielding.
On my Robert Cray Strat Ive taken a hard stance(with myself) not to mod it in any way(as an exercise in restraint)...so its not shielded. I kinda like leaving the noise on some guitars...if that makes sense? Id totally forgotten about 60 cycle hum...until I got the MBR and could see it registering on the meter while the guitar was sitting idle.
But the reality of it all is: if your fingers are on the strings, or you are playing and sound is coming out of the amp then you wont hear it, ever.
Also, what I do with my Robert Cray thats not shielded...I sit in a swivel computer chair...if it starts to make noise while trying to record, I just turn a few degrees clockwise or counter clockwise til the noise is gone(and stay in that direction)...this is also fool-proof.
Here are a couple of the guitars Ive shielded...and it has improved each and every one of them.
My current partscaster:
(http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w10/ShortBuSX/100_2207.jpg)
MIM #2(sold it)
(http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w10/ShortBuSX/100_2054.jpg)
MIM #1(sold it)
(http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w10/ShortBuSX/Pickguard3.jpg)
BTW, noiseless pickups are also an option.
Wow a long well formulated answer, looks like the noise isn't that big a deal anyway! i have thought about noiseless pickups but i was just for single coil sound, and maybe noiseless pickups wouldn't give me that clairity. Thanks :D
Quote from: 0jimihendrix0 on July 07, 2009, 02:40:28 PMWow a long well formulated answer, looks like the noise isn't that big a deal anyway! i have thought about noiseless pickups but i was just for single coil sound, and maybe noiseless pickups wouldn't give me that clairity. Thanks :D
They do say that there is some loss with the noiseless...I wouldnt really know.
Ive got a Powerhouse Strat with a dummy coil to get rid of the 60 cycle, so its technically noiseless, but different.
you can stand certain ways in relation to your amp until the noise is less-
also on a 5 way selector switch, the 2 and the 4 positions are hum cancelling
one of my strats has classic stack seymours that sound great and are hum cancelling as well-i get a lot compliments on the tone
once the music starts no one hears the hum anyway
noise gates are an option as well-although i avoid them if i can
Quote from: guitarron on July 07, 2009, 03:28:40 PMnoise gates are an option as well-although i avoid them if i can
Why avoid noise gates?
With heroes like Clapton and Hendrix, you NEED a Strat. Forget the noise - this is the guitar for you!!!!!! :)
Quote from: Greeny on July 08, 2009, 03:14:32 AMWith heroes like Clapton and Hendrix, you NEED a Strat. Forget the noise - this is the guitar for you!!!!!! :)
Guess your right. I'm just in a little economics crises for now :(
Quote from: 0jimihendrix0 on July 08, 2009, 02:44:48 AMQuote from: guitarron on July 07, 2009, 03:28:40 PMnoise gates are an option as well-although i avoid them if i can
Why avoid noise gates?
I've got one -i rarely use it-the mxr i have tends to cut notes off in quieter passages-
there are better gates available
Quote from: Sprocket on July 07, 2009, 02:30:00 PMSingle coils will almost always make some noise when in the 1,3 or 5 position. 2 and 4 are hum canceling like Humbuckers(by combining 2 single coils that are reverse wound and reverse polarity).
Not all are, my Fender Strat doesn't have a reverse wound middle pickup (all wiring, pickups etc.. as from the factory) and doesn't cancel hum - not through fault or bad workmanship, it happens to be designed that way.
So maybe make sure if you expect position 2 and 4 to cancel hum that the strat you buy does it.
Quote from: guitarron on July 07, 2009, 03:28:40 PMonce the music starts no one hears the hum anyway
Guitarron has a very good point as well.
Yeah, don't worry about the noise - it's only usually a livingroom/bedroom playing problem. When you start playing your part, and especially when the other parts kick in, you won't notice...
On the list of "appliances" that interfere/hum - I'm afraid you have to add the MBR!! At present, that's the biggest culprit when I'm recording :D
On the strat being noise-cancelling on positions 2 and 4, that's only if the middle pickup is reverse-wound and reverse-polarity in relation to the other two pickups. So you have to watch out when mixing and matching different pickup manufacturers... Also, my current strat has a rw/rp middle, I ordered them specifically that way - and it turns out I don't really like it. I understand it affects the tone in general for the guitar, this is no big deal for me, but it definitely affects the 2 and 4 tones, they're less "open" sounding and there's a bigger volume drop than I'm used to... and considering I don't value the hum-cancelling properties at all, it's a bit of a downer :D ...however, and this is the reason I ordered rw/rp, 2 and 4 are slightly more "quacky" than the traditional arrangement. I wouldn't go for rw/rp middle again though.
Noise gates... I have to use one on my vocals (or anything else mic'd up) where I live at the moment, I use it to cut out background noise from neighbours, the street, wife calling me for dinner, etc...
The problem with them is that they cause strange artifacts on the track - it's basically the noise made when a sound is loud enough to "open the gate". So if you were able hear my vocal takes without the band, you'd hear quiet pulsing and gurgling noises (this is better and a lot quieter than the noises I'm trying to get rid of). I set my gate so that it cuts the extra shouting, car doors etc, but lets through my breathing. If you take it much further, it starts to affect the actual performance itself. It does mean that I have to do most vocal takes without a shirt (or a well chosen one :D), because fabric rustle on the singer is particularly annoying on the gate opening artifacts and I found that these can be audible in a mix, whereas most others I experience aren't.
I never use a gate for anything else (except maybe gated reverb on a snare drum - but that's not possible on the MBR :D).
Shirtless singing?! I've seen orh doing much the same thing!
Quote from: Greeny on July 08, 2009, 06:34:32 AMShirtless singing?! I've seen orh doing much the same thing!
don't you mean shitfaced singing ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
OHR I'm only joking I love you really!
Quote from: 48 on July 08, 2009, 06:41:00 AMQuote from: Greeny on July 08, 2009, 06:34:32 AMShirtless singing?! I've seen orh doing much the same thing!
don't you mean shitfaced singing ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
OHR I'm only joking I love you really!
Bit of both probably... drawn-on six pack plus a real six-pack of Stella, lol
Seriously back to the plot...IMO you loose the character of Single coils when you go noiseless they sound very clear and quite but somehow loose the Strat character!.....
BTW does anybody know if my new baby "Classic 60's Player" has reverse wound pick ups?
:D Yep I've seen that video :D
Quote from: 48 on July 08, 2009, 06:44:47 AMBTW does anybody know if my new baby "Classic 60's Player" has reverse wound pick ups?
No the middle isn't reverse wound on 'em (same model as my Strat)
Wow thanks guys, turns out that the noise problem isn't that huge anyway huh? Really thanks, for the advice on the noiseless pickups too 48, i've been thinking of buying them, now i might not..
Quote from: 0jimihendrix0 on July 09, 2009, 10:38:32 AMWow thanks guys, turns out that the noise problem isn't that huge anyway huh? Really thanks, for the advice on the noiseless pickups too 48, i've been thinking of buying them, now i might not..
Don't take my word go to your local dealer and try a load of em
(I would if I were fit)