Les Paul noisy when plugged in, and on clean.

[Jackangus]

My Les Paul is quite noisy when not playing the guitar.
I can get almost all the humming to stop when I touch the strings.
My guitar tech has checked, and says the bridge is earthed.
Any ideas?

 

[workerunit]

Bad cable or maybe one pot not grounded??

 

[Jackangus]

I

Any difference when you try different outlets in different locations?

Are all the grounds good throughout (pickups, switch, pot cases, etc?)

Did this just start happening, or something new?


Are all the parts original?

If you have had a "guitar tech" look at it, why is it back in your hands, instead of on his bench being sorted out?

It sounds fine in his workshop but not good in my house. Probably should have mentioned that. He thinks because his workshop is in an industrial area they could have stronger earth wires or something like that.
I have tried moving around the house in different outlets. Tried 3 leads, and 2 amps.
I know it's not the cable or the amp.
The hum happens with my Gibson Les Paul, my cheapo Les Paul and with my new Guild hollow body.
But my US Strat is almost silent, what's up with that?

 

[ToneasaurusRex]

. . .
But my US Strat is almost silent, what's up with that?

Shielding?

My Gibson Les Paul 1950s Tribute has see-through plastic control covers, and unsurprisingly, it is very noisy. It's cool to see the electronics but it does hum.

If it doesn't hum at the music shop but hums at your house, then obviously there's something different in your household environment that's causing the noise. Try playing away from fluourescent lights or major appliances.

That's all I got! Good luck.

 

[Cdntac]

It's the electrical system in your house --- fans, lights, tv, air conditioning, etc. Something is causing electrical interference.

If I have a fan on or our hot tub kicks on I have the same issue.

 

[Classicplayer]

I still have a bit of the same issue all of you mention. I've posted here before concerning my '10 Studio Deluxe with uncovered 490R/BB Pro pickups. I had my tech look at it a couple times of years ago, but he said that it was a good factory wiring job; went on to shield the control cavity and its cover with copper foil. The hum is still noticeable, although reduced in the annoyance factor. I use the guitar, but I have to run the volume controls (is this normal?) between 9 and 10 to be rid of it. Is this how many of you do it? The pickups are coil tapped and access via a pull-up on the guitar volume knobs.

I'm heading out tomorrow to another tech for inspection of the wiring. I still think that it could be one of the pickups, or both perhaps. The guitar is completely stock save for the shielding work. Do many of you keep your volume controls near 10, as a rule? The hum I speak of nearly goes away when I touch the strings, but running volumes @ say 7 to 8, I can hear hum even when touching the strings.


Classicplayer

 

[grayd8]

It's the electrical system in your house --- fans, lights, tv, air conditioning, etc. Something is causing electrical interference.

If I have a fan on or our hot tub kicks on I have the same issue.

I had the same issue in my old house, a power strip with a built in line conditioner killed 90% of the noise. Cost me about $25 at lowes.

 

[Leña_Costoso]

take a few leads and an amp to another spot... a chums house. try it there

 

[Jackangus]

I had the same issue in my old house, a power strip with a built in line conditioner killed 90% of the noise. Cost me about $25 at lowes.

I will try one of these, could you recommend one? Looked at Lowes website, was not sure which one. That is if they deliver to NZ.
Cheers buddy.

 

[XpensiveWino]

Power conditioner is what you need. When I play gigs, fluorescent lights in bars do it to mine. This has been a fairly successful answer for me, and relatively cheap. You can google other way more expensive options.

I use this, which after looking just says 'noise attenuation' http://www.guitarcenter.com/Furman/SS-6B-Surge-Block.gc#productDetail

This is probably even better, but maybe not necessary:
http://www.guitarcenter.com/Furman/PST-26-Power-Station-Series-AC-Power-Conditioner.gc

 

[Jackangus]

I do have a surge protector that my amp plugs into, is that the same as a conditioner?
I also have a one spot pro that all my pedals plug into. buzz gets a lot worse depending on how much overdrive/distortion I use from my pedals.

 

[Mockbel]

I was on same boat last year... please go through my previous thread... I wish it helps...

http://www.mylespaul.com/threads/ground-noise-in-my-r8.369498/

 

[rogue3]

If the op touches the strings,and it eliminates the hum,he is grounding the circuit?...so ground issues? Correct me here,if i have this wrong,but,Guitar cable should be the ground route,through the amp and the wall receptacle?idk.

 

[chasenblues]

https://www.jaycar.co.nz/power-point-and-earth-leakage-tester/p/QP2004

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-5...0001&campid=5338014323&icep_item=112115053200

 

[grayd8]

Just look at the ones sold in NZ, the brand of mine was Belkin; I just looked for the ones that had a power conditioner in it