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#1
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Basic Cabling Question for Home Recording Studio
Greetings, all:
My apologies if this newsgroup is too high-powered for a novice question about home recording; I surfed around trying to find a more appropriate forum for beginners, without much success. If anybody knows a great place for home recording newbies like myself to compare notes, I'd welcome any suggestions! What I'm dealing with right now is a question of cabling. All I'm trying to do is record some simple tunes using a Shure SM58 and a Guild electric/acoustic guitar. I'm trying to run both the vocals and guitar through a Behringer UB802 mixer and into my sound card. Unfortunately, when I use my existing 1/4" cables, I'm getting a pretty good hum coming through the system. Oddly, however, the moment I physically touch the side of one of the plugs on these cables the hum practically disappears. Is this a grounding issue of some kind? Or a sign of a vastly inferior or damaged cable? It's gotten to where I have to awkwardly hold my foot up and wrap my toes around the input plug while I play if I want to get a decent sound; hardly an optimal arrangement! So I'm wondering a couple of things. First of all, would using an XLR-to-XLR connection from my microphone produce a better sound, instead of the XLR-to-1/4" connector I use now? Secondly, should I buy a premium 1/4"-to-1/4" cable for my guitar as a likely resolution to the "humming" problem? And should this be of the "balanced" or "unbalanced" variety? Any help or tips would be greatly appreciated! |
#2
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"Matt from Seattle" What I'm dealing with right now is a question of cabling. All I'm trying to do is record some simple tunes using a Shure SM58 and a Guild electric/acoustic guitar. I'm trying to run both the vocals and guitar through a Behringer UB802 mixer and into my sound card. Unfortunately, when I use my existing 1/4" cables, I'm getting a pretty good hum coming through the system. Oddly, however, the moment I physically touch the side of one of the plugs on these cables the hum practically disappears. Is this a grounding issue of some kind? ** The guitar is the problem - likely the bridge is not wired to the earth of the electrics. It is essential that the strings of the guitar are wired to ground - so that when you play the strings earth YOU. Is the guitar a steel string acoustic with some kind of bug pickup fitted ? If so, hum is a common problem. So I'm wondering a couple of things. First of all, would using an XLR-to-XLR connection from my microphone produce a better sound, ** No. Secondly, should I buy a premium 1/4"-to-1/4" cable for my guitar as a likely resolution to the "humming" problem? ** No. And should this be of the "balanced" or "unbalanced" variety? ** All guitar leads are unbalanced. ......... Phil |
#3
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"Matt from Seattle" What I'm dealing with right now is a question of cabling. All I'm trying to do is record some simple tunes using a Shure SM58 and a Guild electric/acoustic guitar. I'm trying to run both the vocals and guitar through a Behringer UB802 mixer and into my sound card. Unfortunately, when I use my existing 1/4" cables, I'm getting a pretty good hum coming through the system. Oddly, however, the moment I physically touch the side of one of the plugs on these cables the hum practically disappears. Is this a grounding issue of some kind? ** The guitar is the problem - likely the bridge is not wired to the earth of the electrics. It is essential that the strings of the guitar are wired to ground - so that when you play the strings earth YOU. Is the guitar a steel string acoustic with some kind of bug pickup fitted ? If so, hum is a common problem. So I'm wondering a couple of things. First of all, would using an XLR-to-XLR connection from my microphone produce a better sound, ** No. Secondly, should I buy a premium 1/4"-to-1/4" cable for my guitar as a likely resolution to the "humming" problem? ** No. And should this be of the "balanced" or "unbalanced" variety? ** All guitar leads are unbalanced. ......... Phil |
#4
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Matt from Seattle wrote:
Unfortunately, when I use my existing 1/4" cables, I'm getting a pretty good hum coming through the system. Oddly, however, the moment I physically touch the side of one of the plugs on these cables the hum practically disappears. Is this a grounding issue of some kind? Or a sign of a vastly inferior or damaged cable? It's gotten to where I have to awkwardly hold my foot up and wrap my toes around the input plug while I play if I want to get a decent sound; hardly an optimal arrangement! So I'm wondering a couple of things. First of all, would using an XLR-to-XLR connection from my microphone produce a better sound, instead of the XLR-to-1/4" connector I use now? Secondly, should I buy a premium 1/4"-to-1/4" cable for my guitar as a likely resolution to the "humming" problem? And should this be of the "balanced" or "unbalanced" variety? First thing you should do is turn down everything but the microphone and see if the hum is still there. Second thing you should do is turn down everything but the guitar and see if the hum is still there. Most likely it's your guitar, but that's not for sure. As for cabling, unless the cable is defective, replacing your 1/4" to 1/4" instrument cable with a higher-quality one isn't going to make any difference as far as hum goes, as long as they are of the same basic construction (and 1/4" instrument cables are pretty simple). As for the microphone, your XLR-to-1/4" cable is probably not balanced. It is possible to build a 1/4" cable that carries a balanced signal[1], but it is not usually done that way with microphones and anyway I don't think most mixers' 1/4" channel inputs are balanced inputs. Anyway, balanced is generally better in that if there is noise external to the cable, the balanced circuit will reject it. (In a balanced circuit, the microphone or other sound source produces two signals that are identical except for being opposite voltage, i.e. basically one is positive when the other's negative. The input on the mixer or whatever then presents two identical loads, one to each "leg", and it reverses one of the two signals before it adds them together. Since the two wires carrying opposite signals run alongside each other, they pick up virtually the same noise, and the balanced input cancels the noise out when it inverts and adds.) So, balanced doesn't really sound "better", but the one thing it does do is that it rejects noise that might be picked up by the *cabling*. Aaaanyway, not having a balanced cable on your microphone is probably not the source of your hum. So it would be a good idea to go with a balanced cable (which typically means XLR on both ends), but it's unlikely to eliminate your hum problem. If I were you, I'd do some experimentation. If you can borrow other cables from a friend, that would be a good idea. You might also want to make sure your equipment (particularly your mixer) is plugged into a properly-grounded outlet. Also, listen to your mixer's output with headphones or something when it's not connected to your sound card. - Logan [1] The 1/4" phone plug will then have three contacts instead of two on it. That's commonly called TRS, for Tip, Ring, and Sleeve, which are the names of the three different contacts. |
#5
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Matt from Seattle wrote:
Unfortunately, when I use my existing 1/4" cables, I'm getting a pretty good hum coming through the system. Oddly, however, the moment I physically touch the side of one of the plugs on these cables the hum practically disappears. Is this a grounding issue of some kind? Or a sign of a vastly inferior or damaged cable? It's gotten to where I have to awkwardly hold my foot up and wrap my toes around the input plug while I play if I want to get a decent sound; hardly an optimal arrangement! So I'm wondering a couple of things. First of all, would using an XLR-to-XLR connection from my microphone produce a better sound, instead of the XLR-to-1/4" connector I use now? Secondly, should I buy a premium 1/4"-to-1/4" cable for my guitar as a likely resolution to the "humming" problem? And should this be of the "balanced" or "unbalanced" variety? First thing you should do is turn down everything but the microphone and see if the hum is still there. Second thing you should do is turn down everything but the guitar and see if the hum is still there. Most likely it's your guitar, but that's not for sure. As for cabling, unless the cable is defective, replacing your 1/4" to 1/4" instrument cable with a higher-quality one isn't going to make any difference as far as hum goes, as long as they are of the same basic construction (and 1/4" instrument cables are pretty simple). As for the microphone, your XLR-to-1/4" cable is probably not balanced. It is possible to build a 1/4" cable that carries a balanced signal[1], but it is not usually done that way with microphones and anyway I don't think most mixers' 1/4" channel inputs are balanced inputs. Anyway, balanced is generally better in that if there is noise external to the cable, the balanced circuit will reject it. (In a balanced circuit, the microphone or other sound source produces two signals that are identical except for being opposite voltage, i.e. basically one is positive when the other's negative. The input on the mixer or whatever then presents two identical loads, one to each "leg", and it reverses one of the two signals before it adds them together. Since the two wires carrying opposite signals run alongside each other, they pick up virtually the same noise, and the balanced input cancels the noise out when it inverts and adds.) So, balanced doesn't really sound "better", but the one thing it does do is that it rejects noise that might be picked up by the *cabling*. Aaaanyway, not having a balanced cable on your microphone is probably not the source of your hum. So it would be a good idea to go with a balanced cable (which typically means XLR on both ends), but it's unlikely to eliminate your hum problem. If I were you, I'd do some experimentation. If you can borrow other cables from a friend, that would be a good idea. You might also want to make sure your equipment (particularly your mixer) is plugged into a properly-grounded outlet. Also, listen to your mixer's output with headphones or something when it's not connected to your sound card. - Logan [1] The 1/4" phone plug will then have three contacts instead of two on it. That's commonly called TRS, for Tip, Ring, and Sleeve, which are the names of the three different contacts. |
#6
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So I'm wondering a couple of things. First of all, would using an XLR-to-XLR connection from my microphone produce a better sound, instead of the XLR-to-1/4" connector I use now? Secondly, should I buy a premium 1/4"-to-1/4" cable for my guitar as a likely resolution to the "humming" problem? And should this be of the "balanced" or "unbalanced" variety? You have two XLR microphone inputs on your Behringer. Use them. The hum is almost certainly your guitar. Does it occur when the guitar is NOT plugged in to the mixer? You need a correctly wired undamaged lead. You don't need an expensive one. The output isn't balanced, so a balanced cable is unnecessary. What sort of guitar? What pickup? CubaseFAQ www.laurencepayne.co.uk/CubaseFAQ.htm "Possibly the world's least impressive web site": George Perfect |
#7
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So I'm wondering a couple of things. First of all, would using an XLR-to-XLR connection from my microphone produce a better sound, instead of the XLR-to-1/4" connector I use now? Secondly, should I buy a premium 1/4"-to-1/4" cable for my guitar as a likely resolution to the "humming" problem? And should this be of the "balanced" or "unbalanced" variety? You have two XLR microphone inputs on your Behringer. Use them. The hum is almost certainly your guitar. Does it occur when the guitar is NOT plugged in to the mixer? You need a correctly wired undamaged lead. You don't need an expensive one. The output isn't balanced, so a balanced cable is unnecessary. What sort of guitar? What pickup? CubaseFAQ www.laurencepayne.co.uk/CubaseFAQ.htm "Possibly the world's least impressive web site": George Perfect |
#8
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Matt from Seattle wrote:
Greetings, all: [snip] appropriate forum for beginners, without much success. If anybody knows a great place for home recording newbies like myself to compare notes, I'd welcome any suggestions! Sounds like a description of alt.music.home-studio. It's on google. See you there :-) -- ***My real address is m/ike at u/nmusic d/ot co dot u/k (removing /s) np: http://www.unmusic.co.uk http://www.unmusic.co.uk/Top_50_Films.html - favorite films http://www.unmusic.co.uk/amh-s.html - alt.music.home-studio |
#9
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Matt from Seattle wrote:
Greetings, all: [snip] appropriate forum for beginners, without much success. If anybody knows a great place for home recording newbies like myself to compare notes, I'd welcome any suggestions! Sounds like a description of alt.music.home-studio. It's on google. See you there :-) -- ***My real address is m/ike at u/nmusic d/ot co dot u/k (removing /s) np: http://www.unmusic.co.uk http://www.unmusic.co.uk/Top_50_Films.html - favorite films http://www.unmusic.co.uk/amh-s.html - alt.music.home-studio |
#10
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Laurence Payne wrote in message . ..
You have two XLR microphone inputs on your Behringer. Use them. Sounds like that's the consensus on the microphone inputs; I'll switch to a pure XLR setup, just for the improved connection mechanism even if I can't tell a major difference in the sound quality. The hum is almost certainly your guitar. Does it occur when the guitar is NOT plugged in to the mixer? You need a correctly wired undamaged lead. You don't need an expensive one. The output isn't balanced, so a balanced cable is unnecessary. What sort of guitar? What pickup? I have narrowed the hum down to the guitar, as you suspected. It hums not only when I go though the mixer, but also when just plugged in directly to my amp using a single 1/4" cable. And still, as soon as I touch one of the plugs, the hum virtually disappears. The model of the guitar is a Guild F4CE-NTHR and I'm simply using the built-in pickup that came originally with the guitar when I bought it. I don't any specific make or model information on the pickup unit that I can pass along. I did try switching cables, however, just to make sure that wasn't the problem, and I got the same hum with another "known good" cable. So assuming it's some malfunction with the guitar, is there anything I might be able to do to fix it or is this a job for the repair shop? I've had the guitar for years, and barely used it, so I'd be surprised if there was actual damage to the instrument in any way. Any further suggestions would be appreciated -- you (and your colleagues) on this board has already been a great help in diagnosing the problem... |
#11
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Laurence Payne wrote in message . ..
You have two XLR microphone inputs on your Behringer. Use them. Sounds like that's the consensus on the microphone inputs; I'll switch to a pure XLR setup, just for the improved connection mechanism even if I can't tell a major difference in the sound quality. The hum is almost certainly your guitar. Does it occur when the guitar is NOT plugged in to the mixer? You need a correctly wired undamaged lead. You don't need an expensive one. The output isn't balanced, so a balanced cable is unnecessary. What sort of guitar? What pickup? I have narrowed the hum down to the guitar, as you suspected. It hums not only when I go though the mixer, but also when just plugged in directly to my amp using a single 1/4" cable. And still, as soon as I touch one of the plugs, the hum virtually disappears. The model of the guitar is a Guild F4CE-NTHR and I'm simply using the built-in pickup that came originally with the guitar when I bought it. I don't any specific make or model information on the pickup unit that I can pass along. I did try switching cables, however, just to make sure that wasn't the problem, and I got the same hum with another "known good" cable. So assuming it's some malfunction with the guitar, is there anything I might be able to do to fix it or is this a job for the repair shop? I've had the guitar for years, and barely used it, so I'd be surprised if there was actual damage to the instrument in any way. Any further suggestions would be appreciated -- you (and your colleagues) on this board has already been a great help in diagnosing the problem... |
#12
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"Matt from Seattle" I have narrowed the hum down to the guitar, as you suspected. It hums not only when I go though the mixer, but also when just plugged in directly to my amp using a single 1/4" cable. And still, as soon as I touch one of the plugs, the hum virtually disappears. The model of the guitar is a Guild F4CE-NTHR and I'm simply using the built-in pickup that came originally with the guitar when I bought it. I don't any specific make or model information on the pickup unit that I can pass along. I did try switching cables, however, just to make sure that wasn't the problem, and I got the same hum with another "known good" cable. So assuming it's some malfunction with the guitar, is there anything I might be able to do to fix it or is this a job for the repair shop? ** The STRINGS ARE NOT EARTHED !!!!!! Take it to a guitar shop if you cannot fix it yourself. ............... Phil |
#13
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"Matt from Seattle" I have narrowed the hum down to the guitar, as you suspected. It hums not only when I go though the mixer, but also when just plugged in directly to my amp using a single 1/4" cable. And still, as soon as I touch one of the plugs, the hum virtually disappears. The model of the guitar is a Guild F4CE-NTHR and I'm simply using the built-in pickup that came originally with the guitar when I bought it. I don't any specific make or model information on the pickup unit that I can pass along. I did try switching cables, however, just to make sure that wasn't the problem, and I got the same hum with another "known good" cable. So assuming it's some malfunction with the guitar, is there anything I might be able to do to fix it or is this a job for the repair shop? ** The STRINGS ARE NOT EARTHED !!!!!! Take it to a guitar shop if you cannot fix it yourself. ............... Phil |
#14
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Matt from Seattle wrote:
I have narrowed the hum down to the guitar, as you suspected. It hums not only when I go though the mixer, but also when just plugged in directly to my amp using a single 1/4" cable. And still, as soon as I touch one of the plugs, the hum virtually disappears. The model of the guitar is a Guild F4CE-NTHR and I'm simply using the built-in pickup that came originally with the guitar when I bought it. I don't any specific make or model information on the pickup unit that I can pass along. I did try switching cables, however, just to make sure that wasn't the problem, and I got the same hum with another "known good" cable. So assuming it's some malfunction with the guitar, is there anything I might be able to do to fix it or is this a job for the repair shop? I've had the guitar for years, and barely used it, so I'd be surprised if there was actual damage to the instrument in any way. Well, as luck would have it, I have a 9 or 10 year old Guild F4CE-NT, so I just tried it with my cheap Epiphone practice bass amp and a cheap Guitar Center cable I have that I would guess is maybe 15 or 20 feet long. Cranked everything up as much as I could (having to vigorously mute the strings to avoid feedback, actually), and basically no hum. Well, there is just a little, but that occurs even if I have nothing plugged into the amp's input. As I said, it's a cheap amp. However, then I got one of those two-prong to three-prong adapters that one uses if one wants to avoid proper grounding. Mine conveniently has the ground screw tab thing broken off so I am assured of no connection. I plugged the bass amp into the wall with that thing. With it, I get a noticeable hum. Not atrocious, but still definitely there. So I guess the only information I have is that a Guild F4CE guitar shouldn't normally have a hum problem. That doesn't necessarily mean your guitar's pickup is bad. Have you checked to ensure you have a good ground on the outlet your mixer is plugged into? You could try moving the mixer to a different outlet or a different circuit, or even a different house if that's convenient. Another totally different idea is to just not record with the built-in pickup. Pickups usually sound OK but not great. Supposedly these days you can buy basically decent condenser mics for pretty cheap, so you might be able to get a cheap instrument mic and just use that. - Logan |
#15
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Matt from Seattle wrote:
I have narrowed the hum down to the guitar, as you suspected. It hums not only when I go though the mixer, but also when just plugged in directly to my amp using a single 1/4" cable. And still, as soon as I touch one of the plugs, the hum virtually disappears. The model of the guitar is a Guild F4CE-NTHR and I'm simply using the built-in pickup that came originally with the guitar when I bought it. I don't any specific make or model information on the pickup unit that I can pass along. I did try switching cables, however, just to make sure that wasn't the problem, and I got the same hum with another "known good" cable. So assuming it's some malfunction with the guitar, is there anything I might be able to do to fix it or is this a job for the repair shop? I've had the guitar for years, and barely used it, so I'd be surprised if there was actual damage to the instrument in any way. Well, as luck would have it, I have a 9 or 10 year old Guild F4CE-NT, so I just tried it with my cheap Epiphone practice bass amp and a cheap Guitar Center cable I have that I would guess is maybe 15 or 20 feet long. Cranked everything up as much as I could (having to vigorously mute the strings to avoid feedback, actually), and basically no hum. Well, there is just a little, but that occurs even if I have nothing plugged into the amp's input. As I said, it's a cheap amp. However, then I got one of those two-prong to three-prong adapters that one uses if one wants to avoid proper grounding. Mine conveniently has the ground screw tab thing broken off so I am assured of no connection. I plugged the bass amp into the wall with that thing. With it, I get a noticeable hum. Not atrocious, but still definitely there. So I guess the only information I have is that a Guild F4CE guitar shouldn't normally have a hum problem. That doesn't necessarily mean your guitar's pickup is bad. Have you checked to ensure you have a good ground on the outlet your mixer is plugged into? You could try moving the mixer to a different outlet or a different circuit, or even a different house if that's convenient. Another totally different idea is to just not record with the built-in pickup. Pickups usually sound OK but not great. Supposedly these days you can buy basically decent condenser mics for pretty cheap, so you might be able to get a cheap instrument mic and just use that. - Logan |
#16
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Phil Allison wrote:
"Matt from Seattle" the guitar is a Guild F4CE-NTHR and I'm simply using the built-in ** The STRINGS ARE NOT EARTHED !!!!!! Take it to a guitar shop if you cannot fix it yourself. Are the strings normally grounded on acoustic guitars with pickups? I just verified with a multimeter that there is no connection between ground and the strings on my own Guild F4CE, so one would assume that is the normal state for such guitars. And yet, mine does not hum, so does it really seem that having ungrounded strings would be the problem? - Logan |
#17
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Phil Allison wrote:
"Matt from Seattle" the guitar is a Guild F4CE-NTHR and I'm simply using the built-in ** The STRINGS ARE NOT EARTHED !!!!!! Take it to a guitar shop if you cannot fix it yourself. Are the strings normally grounded on acoustic guitars with pickups? I just verified with a multimeter that there is no connection between ground and the strings on my own Guild F4CE, so one would assume that is the normal state for such guitars. And yet, mine does not hum, so does it really seem that having ungrounded strings would be the problem? - Logan |
#18
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"Logan Shaw" Phil Allison wrote: "Matt from Seattle" the guitar is a Guild F4CE-NTHR and I'm simply using the built-in ** The STRINGS ARE NOT EARTHED !!!!!! Take it to a guitar shop if you cannot fix it yourself. Are the strings normally grounded on acoustic guitars with pickups? ** Yes - it is standard practice on all electric guitars. I just verified with a multimeter that there is no connection between ground and the strings on my own Guild F4CE, so one would assume that is the normal state for such guitars. ** One example proves nought about others. And yet, mine does not hum, so does it really seem that having ungrounded strings would be the problem? ** Did you read the OP at all ???? The hum goes away when the OP touches ground !!!!! Earthed strings will do that for him automatically. ........... Phil - Logan |
#19
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"Logan Shaw" Phil Allison wrote: "Matt from Seattle" the guitar is a Guild F4CE-NTHR and I'm simply using the built-in ** The STRINGS ARE NOT EARTHED !!!!!! Take it to a guitar shop if you cannot fix it yourself. Are the strings normally grounded on acoustic guitars with pickups? ** Yes - it is standard practice on all electric guitars. I just verified with a multimeter that there is no connection between ground and the strings on my own Guild F4CE, so one would assume that is the normal state for such guitars. ** One example proves nought about others. And yet, mine does not hum, so does it really seem that having ungrounded strings would be the problem? ** Did you read the OP at all ???? The hum goes away when the OP touches ground !!!!! Earthed strings will do that for him automatically. ........... Phil - Logan |
#21
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#22
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"Mike Rivers" I don't kno why electric guitars don't hum more than they do, but some of them are actually pretty quiet. ** Hey Mr NG parrot - remember these words: " Hum bucking pickups" . I expect to see them again real soon - from you. Pretending they are yours. .......... Phil |
#23
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"Mike Rivers" I don't kno why electric guitars don't hum more than they do, but some of them are actually pretty quiet. ** Hey Mr NG parrot - remember these words: " Hum bucking pickups" . I expect to see them again real soon - from you. Pretending they are yours. .......... Phil |
#24
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Phil Allison wrote:
"Logan Shaw" Phil Allison wrote: "Matt from Seattle" the guitar is a Guild F4CE-NTHR and I'm simply using the built-in ** The STRINGS ARE NOT EARTHED !!!!!! Take it to a guitar shop if you cannot fix it yourself. Are the strings normally grounded on acoustic guitars with pickups? ** Yes - it is standard practice on all electric guitars. Doesn't that seem like a red herring since we are talking about an acoustic guitar and not an electric? Anyway, my point is that neither a guitar shop nor he nor anyone else can fix the guitar, because the guitar is not broken. It is working as designed. ** Did you read the OP at all ???? The hum goes away when the OP touches ground !!!!! Actually, the hum goes away when the OP touches the connector on the cable (or the mixer? some connector...). It has not yet been verified that this connector is actually connected to any ground. Earthed strings will do that for him automatically. That would only affect the hum while he's touching the strings. I personally find that effect not much better than just having the hum all the time. What happens when you play a couple of harmonics and leave all the strings open? You have to take your fingers off the strings, and then the hum comes back. - Logan |
#25
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Phil Allison wrote:
"Logan Shaw" Phil Allison wrote: "Matt from Seattle" the guitar is a Guild F4CE-NTHR and I'm simply using the built-in ** The STRINGS ARE NOT EARTHED !!!!!! Take it to a guitar shop if you cannot fix it yourself. Are the strings normally grounded on acoustic guitars with pickups? ** Yes - it is standard practice on all electric guitars. Doesn't that seem like a red herring since we are talking about an acoustic guitar and not an electric? Anyway, my point is that neither a guitar shop nor he nor anyone else can fix the guitar, because the guitar is not broken. It is working as designed. ** Did you read the OP at all ???? The hum goes away when the OP touches ground !!!!! Actually, the hum goes away when the OP touches the connector on the cable (or the mixer? some connector...). It has not yet been verified that this connector is actually connected to any ground. Earthed strings will do that for him automatically. That would only affect the hum while he's touching the strings. I personally find that effect not much better than just having the hum all the time. What happens when you play a couple of harmonics and leave all the strings open? You have to take your fingers off the strings, and then the hum comes back. - Logan |
#26
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(snip)
So I guess the only information I have is that a Guild F4CE guitar shouldn't normally have a hum problem. That doesn't necessarily mean your guitar's pickup is bad. Have you checked to ensure you have a good ground on the outlet your mixer is plugged into? You could try moving the mixer to a different outlet or a different circuit, or even a different house if that's convenient. Thanks for all of your advice, Logan and Phil. Having tried the guitar in another outlet, and still gotten the hum, it sounds like Phil's original diagnosis of the strings not being "earthed" is likely the source of the problem. At this stage, since I'm not very handy about these types of electrical issues -- and am not really sure what "earthed" means, even -- I'll have to take the unit into a guitar store and see if they can make the needed adjustments. I've thought about using a condenser mike to record some guitar tracks, instead of an actual pickup, but the pickup setup is obviously a lot more convenient and I don't have the $$$ for a decent condenser. I'd also prefer to have a fully functional guitar since it's a pretty nice instrument and it would bother me knowing that it's got an internal malfunction. If you have any other final thoughts, pass 'em along. Otherwise, I'll probably be hitting the repair shop in a couple of days... |
#27
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(snip)
So I guess the only information I have is that a Guild F4CE guitar shouldn't normally have a hum problem. That doesn't necessarily mean your guitar's pickup is bad. Have you checked to ensure you have a good ground on the outlet your mixer is plugged into? You could try moving the mixer to a different outlet or a different circuit, or even a different house if that's convenient. Thanks for all of your advice, Logan and Phil. Having tried the guitar in another outlet, and still gotten the hum, it sounds like Phil's original diagnosis of the strings not being "earthed" is likely the source of the problem. At this stage, since I'm not very handy about these types of electrical issues -- and am not really sure what "earthed" means, even -- I'll have to take the unit into a guitar store and see if they can make the needed adjustments. I've thought about using a condenser mike to record some guitar tracks, instead of an actual pickup, but the pickup setup is obviously a lot more convenient and I don't have the $$$ for a decent condenser. I'd also prefer to have a fully functional guitar since it's a pretty nice instrument and it would bother me knowing that it's got an internal malfunction. If you have any other final thoughts, pass 'em along. Otherwise, I'll probably be hitting the repair shop in a couple of days... |
#28
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#29
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#30
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"Logan Shaw"
Phil Allison wrote: Are the strings normally grounded on acoustic guitars with pickups? ** Yes - it is standard practice on all electric guitars. Doesn't that seem like a red herring since we are talking about an acoustic guitar and not an electric? ** Bull**** - it is an "electric" guitar. It has a pickup - it is being used with an amplifier - so it is an electric guitar. Anyway, my point is that neither a guitar shop nor he nor anyone else can fix the guitar, because the guitar is not broken. It is working as designed. ** The OP's one hums, that is a fixable fault - you imbecile. ** Did you read the OP at all ???? The hum goes away when the OP touches ground !!!!! Actually, the hum goes away when the OP touches the connector on the cable (or the mixer? some connector...). It has not yet been verified that this connector is actually connected to any ground. ** Of course it is ground - you imbecile. Grounding his body is what stops the hum since it prevents AC electric field injecting into the pickup and wiring of the guitar. Earthed strings will do that for him automatically. That would only affect the hum while he's touching the strings. ** Guitarists tend to do that. ............. Phil |
#31
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"Logan Shaw"
Phil Allison wrote: Are the strings normally grounded on acoustic guitars with pickups? ** Yes - it is standard practice on all electric guitars. Doesn't that seem like a red herring since we are talking about an acoustic guitar and not an electric? ** Bull**** - it is an "electric" guitar. It has a pickup - it is being used with an amplifier - so it is an electric guitar. Anyway, my point is that neither a guitar shop nor he nor anyone else can fix the guitar, because the guitar is not broken. It is working as designed. ** The OP's one hums, that is a fixable fault - you imbecile. ** Did you read the OP at all ???? The hum goes away when the OP touches ground !!!!! Actually, the hum goes away when the OP touches the connector on the cable (or the mixer? some connector...). It has not yet been verified that this connector is actually connected to any ground. ** Of course it is ground - you imbecile. Grounding his body is what stops the hum since it prevents AC electric field injecting into the pickup and wiring of the guitar. Earthed strings will do that for him automatically. That would only affect the hum while he's touching the strings. ** Guitarists tend to do that. ............. Phil |
#32
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"Mike Rivers" Phil Allison wrote: ** The STRINGS ARE NOT EARTHED !!!!!! ** Yes - it is standard practice on all electric guitars. Doesn't that seem like a red herring since we are talking about an acoustic guitar and not an electric? You were talking to the master of red herrings here. ** What a desperate liar you are - Mike. Smelly red fish are your staple diet. Plus parrot food. ........... Phil |
#33
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"Mike Rivers" Phil Allison wrote: ** The STRINGS ARE NOT EARTHED !!!!!! ** Yes - it is standard practice on all electric guitars. Doesn't that seem like a red herring since we are talking about an acoustic guitar and not an electric? You were talking to the master of red herrings here. ** What a desperate liar you are - Mike. Smelly red fish are your staple diet. Plus parrot food. ........... Phil |
#34
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Logan Shaw wrote:
Phil Allison wrote: "Logan Shaw" Are the strings normally grounded on acoustic guitars with pickups? ** Yes - it is standard practice on all electric guitars. Doesn't that seem like a red herring since we are talking about an acoustic guitar and not an electric? The OP referred to his guitar as a "Guild electric/acoustic guitar". I assume that means an electric guitar with a voice box rather than a solid body type - and *not* an acoustic guitar with an added pickup. snip Actually, the hum goes away when the OP touches the connector on the cable (or the mixer? some connector...). It has not yet been verified that this connector is actually connected to any ground. If nothing else ( e.g. with Class II isolated equipment ) , it's connected to 'electronics ground'. This is the clue. If the guitarist is grounded the problem goes away. Graham |
#35
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Logan Shaw wrote:
Phil Allison wrote: "Logan Shaw" Are the strings normally grounded on acoustic guitars with pickups? ** Yes - it is standard practice on all electric guitars. Doesn't that seem like a red herring since we are talking about an acoustic guitar and not an electric? The OP referred to his guitar as a "Guild electric/acoustic guitar". I assume that means an electric guitar with a voice box rather than a solid body type - and *not* an acoustic guitar with an added pickup. snip Actually, the hum goes away when the OP touches the connector on the cable (or the mixer? some connector...). It has not yet been verified that this connector is actually connected to any ground. If nothing else ( e.g. with Class II isolated equipment ) , it's connected to 'electronics ground'. This is the clue. If the guitarist is grounded the problem goes away. Graham |
#36
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Logan Shaw wrote: However, then I got one of those two-prong to three-prong adapters that one uses if one wants to avoid proper grounding. Mine conveniently has the ground screw tab thing broken off so I am assured of no connection. Do you have good life insurance ? Do your gigging friends have good life insurance ? The ground connection isn't there just to look pretty ( nor to be snapped off ). If you read the manual or back panel - expect to see a notice saying something like "this equipment must be grounded". There's a good reason for that. Graham. p.s. some equipment doesn't need grounding - but instead has to be manufactured to much higher levels of shock protection and insulation to meet safety regulations - don't assume all gear is the same. Lifting an earth ( especially cutting a ground lug ) to cure hum is a sure sign of possible trouble coming your way. |
#37
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Logan Shaw wrote: However, then I got one of those two-prong to three-prong adapters that one uses if one wants to avoid proper grounding. Mine conveniently has the ground screw tab thing broken off so I am assured of no connection. Do you have good life insurance ? Do your gigging friends have good life insurance ? The ground connection isn't there just to look pretty ( nor to be snapped off ). If you read the manual or back panel - expect to see a notice saying something like "this equipment must be grounded". There's a good reason for that. Graham. p.s. some equipment doesn't need grounding - but instead has to be manufactured to much higher levels of shock protection and insulation to meet safety regulations - don't assume all gear is the same. Lifting an earth ( especially cutting a ground lug ) to cure hum is a sure sign of possible trouble coming your way. |
#38
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"Mike Rivers"
Earth your strings and get humbucking pickups. That's the ticket for sure. ** The Parrot only took 8 hours to regurgitate my words. Is this a record ? Quote from 8 hours ago: ** Hey Mr NG parrot - remember these words: " Hum bucking pickups" . I expect to see them again real soon - from you. Pretending they are yours. ........... Phil |
#39
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"Mike Rivers"
Earth your strings and get humbucking pickups. That's the ticket for sure. ** The Parrot only took 8 hours to regurgitate my words. Is this a record ? Quote from 8 hours ago: ** Hey Mr NG parrot - remember these words: " Hum bucking pickups" . I expect to see them again real soon - from you. Pretending they are yours. ........... Phil |
#40
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Pooh Bear wrote:
Logan Shaw wrote: Phil Allison wrote: "Logan Shaw" Are the strings normally grounded on acoustic guitars with pickups? ** Yes - it is standard practice on all electric guitars. Doesn't that seem like a red herring since we are talking about an acoustic guitar and not an electric? The OP referred to his guitar as a "Guild electric/acoustic guitar". I assume that means an electric guitar with a voice box rather than a solid body type - and *not* an acoustic guitar with an added pickup. Just to clear things up, here are some photos of a Guild F4CE: http://home.austin.rr.com/logan/guild-f4ce/ Unfortunately, it's just about impossible to see inside to tell what the pickup is like. All I can tell is that it there is a relatively thick (compared to the super-thin one that goes to the 1/4" output plug) cable headed towards the bridge. It's probably more than two conductors based on thickness. I can't see anything more because the X-brace blocks the view. - Logan |
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