Happy new year all,
Apologies if this isn't the correct part of the forum to use. It relates to my guitars, so...
Despite having lived in the same house for ten years, it's only recently that I've begun to really think I have a problem with my electricity/wiring. It's an 1860s cottage and, I suspect, hasn't been properly rewired for some time - or, if it has (based on the standard of other jobs that have been done), it was probably not done very well. In the time I've lived here, I've spent a lot of time recording directly into Logic, using amplifiers at home only at quiet levels, and don't feel like I've been plagued with problems but do have a sense of the penny finally dropping. I suspect if I look back through my posts, I'll find a number which relate to noisy guitars (I know I posted about my Mesa Boogie Mark V: 25 a month or so back).
Anyway, the long and short of it is that I've taken the time to lug the amp around the house and connect it up to different sockets and have found that every one produces the same results: the amp is noisy, especially on channel two. It isn't just this amp though, I've also hooked up a Laney Ironheart 15 head and it suffers similarly. Observations were that when I touch the metal knobs on the Mesa when it's switched on, you can hear that noise interference is worse and when touching the sides of my pickups it also gets worse.
Before I go ringing electricians, can anybody advise me on what the actual problem might be - and if it's likely as drastic as requiring rewiring?
Any advice welcome.
Thanks.
Comments
A major problem is that in the past, the electrical earth was quite often connected to the water main - this was perfect, when the water pipes were made of metal… but modern mains water piping is made from plastic, so if yours has been replaced at any time in the past twenty to thirty years this may be the cause. If so, you will need an earth spike fitting.
If it's not that - or even if it is, as well - are you near overhead power lines? If so your body may be acting as an aerial and picking up noise that way.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
There's a telegraph pole not far from the house with a line leading directly to the wall next to my music room!
My band, Red For Dissent
It sounds to me like the guitar isn't grounded properly... That's the sort of symptom you describe.. When a guitar isn't grounded properly that's exactly what happens. Theres more noise when you touch any metal part of the guitar where as if its grounded properly there will be hum when not touching the guitar and it goes away or gets quieter when you touch a string or whatever.
I would open the back up and have a wiggle on the joints and see if any are loose.... that would be the first thing to check.
http://www.rabswoodguitars.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/RabsWoodGuitars/
My Youtube page
@Rab, I've tried a bunch of guitars. All the same. Definitely not that.
My band, Red For Dissent
Hmm fair enough... Cant help much more than that apart from I know that stuff like dimmer switches and laptops and things like that can interfere with the signal.... But as you say if the wiring is old it may be worth getting checked out regardless..
http://www.rabswoodguitars.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/RabsWoodGuitars/
My Youtube page
I agree with ICBM, I reckon it's far more likely to be an earthing issue on the mains. A Martindale type tester (like Barney suggested) will give you a rough indication if there's any problems but it really won't pin down specific earth issues, edit: unless the earth is completely missing! Seeing as how it's a cottage with old wiring you might find you don't have a proper electricity board supplied earth... it could just be hooked up to an earth spike driven into the ground outside and these can degrade/corrode with time. Tbh I think it's worth getting a sparky to have a look. Be prepared to get lots of teeth sucking and the suggestion of a full house rewire though.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01D2SGG90/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_cKKAyb4EGM0P5
I'm going to use my British Gas Homecare to see if they'll test it. Worth trying.
Thanks for all comments.
My band, Red For Dissent
Good luck with getting BG to test things, worth a try I suppose but I think that's more for sorting emergencies than anything else.
My band, Red For Dissent
Iff its a TT system...earth rod ...i think thats your responsibility...
https://s30.postimg.org/soff8l6tt/20170102_133311.jpg
My band, Red For Dissent
My band, Red For Dissent
T= Earth or Terre
N= Neutral
C= combined
S= Sheath or Shared
so it's an earthing system where the neutral and earth are combined utilising the sheath.
My band, Red For Dissent