60 Cycle Hum and the AX8

F

fuzzy

Member
Hey everyone, I've been racking my head about this for a little while and I'm not sure what to do..maybe you guys can help.

Since the AX8 now has replaced all my other pedals, and I'm selling the rest of my old guitar pedal rig, I'm trying to figure out what to do about the 60 cycle hum on my single coil guitar(s).

My first thought is to switch to humbuckers instead of single coils, my second thought is the noiseless" single coils, but my third thought is to somehow keep my noise suppressor pedal (currently the ISP Decimator G version 1) in the chain somehow, but I'm not sure if this is what I should do or how to go about it.

The Decimator G, for anyone that doesn't know, basically cuts of any noise/hum, but if dialed in too high can quickly "decay" or lower the guitar tone so there's no ringing left. Traditionally, it's done after the OD pedals, and before the modulation/delay pedals to have the fullest effect. I was thinking about maybe throwing this into my FX loop pedal via my guitar signal, but I wanted to use a different pedal in that spot instead, and I'm not sure if this is right or the best option.

Anyway that's just my little background on where I've been thinking these last few days...and I'm more curious what you guys are doing and if you found a better way to do all of this because I'm sure there are some AX8 single coil guitar players out there, and I'm just out of ideas beyond what I listed above. And I also know there's a noise gate in the pedal itself, but according to what I read, it's not for noise like the 60 cycle hum, but rather for something else?

Any help/suggestions are more than appreciated. Thank you
 
Weird. I never put a noise gate behind any drive pedal/pre-amp but always in front. Like smittefar suggested you can either use the noise gate of the input block or place an extra gate block on the grid wherever you deem it fits.
 
My main gigging single coil guitar is a Suhr Classic. It does have their silent system pickups. I have my Classic loaded with ML pickups, which I really like. On stage where there are a lot of par cans, hum can be an issue. You can try a humbuster cable. That may help. Prudent use of noise gates is good up to a point, but I don't like gates as they may chop off the end of reverb tails.
 
Noise gate on the input block is what I use when I play my Nash.

Sometimes I notice that when I roll the guitar volume down, it is too aggressive in clipping off the notes and I get some distortion. I am probably not setting it up right.

This there a definitive guide out there on the input block?


My opinion. Noiseless strat pickups do not sound as good. I have not tried everything on the market.

The Illitch or the suhr silent coil system works awesome.
 
Markstull said:
Sometimes I notice that when I roll the guitar volume down, it is too aggressive in clipping off the notes and I get some distortion. I am probably not setting it up right.
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Well, that's how a gate works. Once the input signal drops below a given threshold level it will close it's output. I suggest to use the gate/expander block and use a footswitch to turn it off when you're rolling down the git volume.
 
I've also started doing this:
(from Sweetwater)

By nature, hum-causing electricity in the United States has a fundamental frequency of 60Hz (hence the name 60-cycle hum) and harmonics of different volume at 60Hz intervals such as 120Hz, 180Hz, etc., running throughout the frequency spectrum. EQ set to any harmonic frequency of 60Hz can be used to filter out offending frequencies. It should be noted that the narrowest Q possible should be used in order to cause as the least amount of damage to the overall sound quality of the audio. Using a high-pass filter dialed in to 60Hz or 120Hz you can effectively reduce a good portion of the hum. Of course, on bass-heavy instruments, the high-pass filter could remove crucial low frequencies, and must be used cautiously. On a single-coil equipped electric bass, setting the high-pass filter to 120Hz would pull a substantial amount of the low end out, causing a weaker bass sound. But since it’s not uncommon to cut the bass at around 50Hz, a cut a 60Hz would probably handle any hum issues with little impact on the overall integrity of the tone. On the other hand, with an electric guitar equipped with single-coil pickups, the high pass filter could be set to 120Hz without causing substantial damage to the sound.
 
Thanks everyone for the info. I did some more searching into the noise gate from the forum, and it looks like some of the posts were before the "intelligent switch." I played with the settings that Yek recommended, and it actually works quite well.

Re some of the comments:
-It wasn't before the OD by itself, it was both from the guitar input -> ISP decimator -> OD/Distortion -> ISP Decimator -> rest of the chain. Similar to that 4 cable method that I've read about here
-I'm still looking into Kinman pickups--namely the Woodstock Plus (because they sound soo good) and this is on my to-do list, while I at least have a short term enough solution with the noise gate
-The Suhr single coil system it looks like used to use the Illitch system, but not anymore I guess? I came across this system too, but saw that it needed a battery so I decided I'm not really for that I think.
-I thought about EQing the 60hz off, but you'd definitely loose some low end and I think not worth it, since I'm pretty particular of my sound if given the chance. The noise gate takes care more of my hum, so I think it's good enough for now.

I have to look into the "extra gate block" but I think it should be somewhere on the Axe-edit software? Then maybe using ChrisThePhone's suggestion and linking it with an expression pedal or footswitch for some variability could be really cool

Also from what I read, the humbuster cable doesn't really focus on this part of the "hum" sound? It does something else? I haven't read many positive reviews on the cable, so I never got it...if anyone has other opinions, please share.
 
Humbuster cables take care of noise induced on the connection between the AX8 and the amp. They don't stop your guitar from picking up hum. Also a 120Hz highpass will not entirely eliminate the hum but attentuate it by e.g. 24db at 60Hz. With a high-gain amp block following driving the signal back up by let's say 60db you will definitely still hear the hum.
 
Shielding the control cavities and back of the pickguard did wonders for my Strat with vintage wound pickups.
Another vote for the Kinman's.
Noise gate - of course
High pass filter, check
Get the bar to turn off the neon beer sign you're standing under for the duration of the gig.

Perhaps a showmanship approach?: A portable Faraday cage as part of the stage set?
 
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Fuzzy said:
Re some of the comments:

-I'm still looking into Kinman pickups--namely the Woodstock Plus (because they sound soo good) and this is on my to-do list, while I at least have a short term enough solution with the noise gate
-The Suhr single coil system it looks like used to use the Illitch system, but not anymore I guess? I came across this system too, but saw that it needed a battery so I decided I'm not really for that I think.
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The Kinman Woodstock plus set is very nice, but you will lose that sweet single coil top end on cleaner sounds. Great for rock tones.

I would also recommend Zexcoils; they are completely hum free and retain the top end of a traditional single coil. You may or may not like how they look as they do not have the traditional pole pieces.

(Dimarzio Areas are another option which are often recommended, and are very reasonably priced; I have not tried the Areas but there are lots of demos on Youtube).

The Ilitch system is very nice and does not have a battery, it is completely passive. It works great with no perceptible change in sound, (I can't tell the difference, ymmv). It is easier to wire up if your middle pickup (or neck if putting it in a tele) is not RWRP.

Lots of great options these days.
 
blackmoreguitar said:
The Kinman Woodstock plus set is very nice, but you will lose that sweet single coil top end on cleaner sounds. Great for rock tones.

I would also recommend Zexcoils; they are completely hum free and retain the top end of a traditional single coil. You may or may not like how they look as they do not have the traditional pole pieces.
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That's why I suggested the Kinman Impersonators, they have what mr Kinman calls "non-aged sound", basically he found a way to retain the top end and make them sound exactly like single coils. And I know it's true cuz my Fat 50s sound glorious.
A bit expensive maybe but they're worth it and look like traditional pickups.
 
Wow I definitely learned something new on these, I appreciate all the help!

Re- some of the comments:
-Zexcoils - I heard them when Anthony from Stevie Snacks and Robert Renman (I think that's his name) got a couple of them and demo-ed them when they first came out. I wasn't a huge fan of the tone of them as I saw them missing something..it could be just be the style they demo-ed (like a pseudo-SRV), but it was a miss for me..at least for now
-I heard the Dimarzio's too when I was looking into the noiseless, definitely an option, but need to look more into them (I don't know how well dimarzio's do with like classic rock kind of stuff, they sound very steve vai/joe satriani kind of style)
-Thanks for the thoughts and suggestions for the Kinmans. I read about that in some googling I did, but they sounded more open on the video I heard. I'm going to check out the Impersonators momentarily (thanks!)
-I'm also going to look more into the Ilitch system...I have no idea where I saw they need a battery, but I think if they don't then they're probably the ideal system since it's just a couple of wires to a backplate from what I've seen, and most likely something I can do myself.

You guys truly rock, thanks again.
 
Fuzzy said:
Wow I definitely learned something new on these, I appreciate all the help!

Re- some of the comments:
-Zexcoils - I heard them when Anthony from Stevie Snacks and Robert Renman (I think that's his name) got a couple of them and demo-ed them when they first came out. I wasn't a huge fan of the tone of them as I saw them missing something..it could be just be the style they demo-ed (like a pseudo-SRV), but it was a miss for me..at least for now
-I heard the Dimarzio's too when I was looking into the noiseless, definitely an option, but need to look more into them (I don't know how well dimarzio's do with like classic rock kind of stuff, they sound very steve vai/joe satriani kind of style)
-Thanks for the thoughts and suggestions for the Kinmans. I read about that in some googling I did, but they sounded more open on the video I heard. I'm going to check out the Impersonators momentarily (thanks!)
-I'm also going to look more into the Ilitch system...I have no idea where I saw they need a battery, but I think if they don't then they're probably the ideal system since it's just a couple of wires to a backplate from what I've seen, and most likely something I can do myself.

You guys truly rock, thanks again.
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Kinman's are highly recommended, of course that's my subjective opinion. I have an Avn69 in my 1989 Strat at the neck, Avn62 in the middle and a Hx85 at the bridge.

Together with Kinman's K9 circuit, I have everything I need, in an impressive quality of sound. And almost completely without hum
 
I have the Kinman Blues set in my Strat and Fralin Split Blades in my Tele. Both great pickups. I was able to directly compare the Kinmans to a set of Fender Custom Shop 54's and they were incredibly close. I've compared the Fralins to Fender CS Nocasters and they retain more of the single coil feel a little better than the Kinmans. If I were in the market for strat pickups, noiseless or otherwise, I'd go with the Fralin split blades hands down.
 
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