[BluesJam]

https://www.sweetwater.com/insync/eq-conquer-hum/

This is an interesting article.  I wonder if single coil pickup designs and frequency response reduce 60 cycle hum if wound to a specific frequencies.  From my experience, overwound DiMarzio singles have less hum than my Fender vintage wound singles.  Devices like HumX also help with issues.  Luckily, I don’t experience electrical 60 cycle hum from the electrical outlets.  I used it years ago and it helped with a problematic guitar.

[buddroyce]

Thanks for posting that. I'm sure it'll help some people here.

[darkbluemurder]

Cutting low end in a guitar tone is beneficial in a band setting anyway - low end is the bass player's job.

Nevertheless, sometimes the playing venues are so hummy that I doubt that this helps. I had that problem in two different venues when I gigged with a country rock band. My main guitar was a strat, and it was equipped with Lollar Specials at that time. Loved the sound but had an unbearable hum when I used overdrive of any sort. We tried everything, including using a different amplifier - no luck. it was only after I set the pickup selector switch to #2 I noticed that the hum was gone (middle pickup RWRP). So out went the pickups for noiseless ones, and no problems ever since. I happily trade the extra 5% of tone for 100% of useability.

Cheers Stephan

[Guitar74]

Cutting low end in a guitar tone is beneficial in a band setting anyway - low end is the bass player's job.

I couldn't agree more. I really never thought about eqing out 60 cycle hum. Really no different than what a soundman would do for feedback with mics. hmm....

[HarlowTheFish]

Cutting low end in a guitar tone is beneficial in a band setting anyway - low end is the bass player's job.

I couldn't agree more. I really never thought about eqing out 60 cycle hum. Really no different than what a soundman would do for feedback with mics. hmm....

I've tried it, but the amount you have to EQ to get the hum to chill out completely kills the tone IMO. It's not just 60hz, it's 60 and every other octave too. Less problematic clean, but the minute you start adding dirt it becomes impractical in the best of scenarios.

[darkbluemurder]

I've tried it, but the amount you have to EQ to get the hum to chill out completely kills the tone IMO. It's not just 60hz, it's 60 and every other octave too. Less problematic clean, but the minute you start adding dirt it becomes impractical in the best of scenarios.

You nailed it there - that is exactly what happens if the hum source is from lights or similar heavy radiating sources. If it only were the 60 hz hum then the low end trick would work but from these sources it is all octaves of 60 hz which results in a super nasty buzz. And most of the time you cannot escape it by turning around or stepping aside because the radiating field is so large compared to normal environment. These dodging remedies are impractical anyway if you also have to sing in the band and are "tied" to the microphone.

Cheers Stephan

[Guitar74]

As Paul Harvey used to so eloquently put it,"And now you have................The rest of the story".

[BluesJam]

Many people just turn down the volume to reduce hum. Obviously, you cannot get rid of all types on interference, but a moderate reduction would be tremendous.  The HS designs are humbucker, but when split in single coil mode they are much quieter than a traditional single coil.  Perhaps the RW shunt coil and shielded spacer between the coils makes a difference.  The HS in single coil has a nice sound, but you need to boost the amp volume.

[Guitar74]

I just go noiseless single coil. There are too many that really capture that single coil vibe without the noise to warrant dealing with it otherwise.

[HarlowTheFish]

I just go noiseless single coil. There are too many that really capture that single coil vibe without the noise to warrant dealing with it otherwise.

Honestly, me too. I'm not attached enough to "vintage" or "single-coil" to justify the hassle. It just has to sound good.