Tube amp humming

jiagap

Inspired
I have both a Fender 65 Princeton RI and a Fender Blues Deluxe RI. Both wonderful amps. If I plug directly into them from my guitars they are quiet and lovely. If I plug into them from the AX8 they hum noticeably. I use a Fractal Humbuster cable. On the Blues Deluxe I have tried the direct in and also the effects input. Both hum if the humbuster is coming from the AX8 but do not hum direct from guitar to tube amp. I can have the volume off on the guitar and it still hums. It is in the connection itself.

I also have a Xitone 12" powered wedge, if I plug into it from the AX8 it is quieter than a church mouse. So it only happens with the tube amps. Again, if I plug direct into the amp from the guitar, very quiet. It is only when the connection is coming from the AX8. Any clues as to why and if there is any way to get rid of the hum?

Thanks
 
I would guess that it is a ground issue. Do you have earth/ground connection on your power plugs? Have you tried the ground lift button on your AX8?
 
I've not used an Axe Fx with a traditional amp, but I seem to recall that humbuster cables are "directional" - there is a side specifically for the Fractal product and a side specifically for the amp. Are you doing that correctly?

Is there any difference in the hum if you use a regular instrument cable instead?
 
Thanks for the trouble shooting tips.

I did try the ground lift and it had not effect. And isn't that for the XLRs?
I tried the humbusters both ways just to see, but I usually have it hooked up correctly. And either way I had the hum.
I did try normal cables, same issue.

THEN........ I unhooked the AX8 to use it at church. When I brought it home and hooked everything back up it works great.

But I still wonder why it would hum into the fender amps but not the powered Xitone wedge.
 
Are you plugging into front of the amps or in the loop?

At the front you're going through another preamp that will amplify any noise.
 
Back
Top Bottom