Geni Swing Guitars

Cable Guitar

Want To Avoid Guitar Hum and A/C Power Noise?

Any time you hook up a multitude of complex electrical components with lots of cables, the rig or setup is probably going to have some annoying electrical noise. It's a problem electric guitar players have faced forever with varied success.

One of the prime reasons for hum is the ground loop, caused when the sound system has two or more different ground points. This is easy to do if, for example, you plug your guitarist's amp into the onstage socket, and your mixer into the socket at the back of the house. These separate points will have different electrical potentials, causing electrical current to flow. The result is easy to hear, but how do you fix the problem?

The best solution is to ensure that all AC power is supplied from one single circuit from the power mains. If that's not enough juice, at least make sure that all your circuits come from the same panel with the same ground.

The ground loop can also be broken by the use of a ground lift adapter, but it's not a very good idea, as this method is potentially fatal. Breaking the ground means that the signal could potentially find its way to earth directly through you!

Poor or damaged cables can also be a source of problems as hum can be picked up from crappy power supplies (like most equipment has), light fixtures, motors, and other usual electrical items. Stay away from cheap molded-head connectors, and take time regularly, especially if you gig, to check your cables for good solder joints, clean connectors, and undamaged shielding.

There is another cable-based source of hum induced from power cabling into signal cabling. Briefly, when the two types of cables are running parallel, the AC signal can be picked up by the signal cable, amplified, and broadcast for the world to hear! Keep your power and signal cables well separated; and, if they must cross, always cross them at right angles to each other.

Note: Perhaps, we can learn from the million dollar car stereo audiophiles some of there hum/noise shielding tricks. I know they have some secrets up their sleeves.

"Beware of Proprietary Connections When Buying Guitar Gear and Equipment" discusses another big time and tremendously baffling problem that produces hum. Power supplies. Some of the other issues discussed in the document help provoke some good thinking patterns pertaining to background noise and hum.

Not sure if these strategies will work? After doing some digestion on both articles enjoy the solutions on how you eliminate hum from your guitar. Lots of people have have empathy for you, everyone knows the subject is important and frustrating at times.

Do you have a structure and strategy in place that works with the equipment and components that comprise your rig? Please Share It with other guitar players. If these strategies don't work for you, comment on what does! No one has the absolute answer, do you?

Suggestion: You can always run off of battery power. An interesting idea on setting up a battery power station using a hidden remote charger to keep the batteries juiced. Has any one tried that, and what were the results?

About the Author

For more information about Guitar Players Center Guitar Articles or Guitar Reviews. Feel free to visit our website, ask questions, make comments or simply enjoy.

Vox Professional Guitar Cable 13' $32.99 Vox Professional Guitar Cable 13'

Ampridge Ma-202 Guitar & Microphone Mixer Cable $29.95 AmpRidge MA-202 Guitar & Microphone Mixer Cable

Audio-Technica At-Gcw-Pro Wireless Guitar Cable $29.99 Audio-Technica AT-GCW-PRO Wireless Guitar Cable

Digital Reference Dr-Gcw Guitar Input Cable $15.99 Digital Reference DR-GCW Guitar Input Cable

Vox Premium Straight Guitar Cable 5 Meters $16.99 Vox Premium Straight Guitar Cable 5 Meters

Ampridge Ga-101 Dual Guitar Mixer Cable $14.95 AmpRidge GA-101 Dual Guitar Mixer Cable

Mogami Platinum Guitar Cable 12 Foot $109.95 Mogami Platinum Guitar Cable 12 Foot

Mogami Platinum Guitar Cable 40 Foot $239.95 Mogami Platinum Guitar Cable 40 Foot

Sennheiser E609 Dynamic Guitar Mic With Stand And Cable $129.99 Sennheiser E609 Dynamic Guitar Mic with Stand and Cable

Vox Professional Guitar Cable 19 Ft $39.99 Vox Professional Guitar Cable 19 FT

Vox Professional Bass Guitar Cable 19' $45.99 Vox Professional Bass Guitar Cable 19'

Vox Professional Bass Guitar Cable 13 Ft $36.99 Vox Professional Bass Guitar Cable 13 FT

Rapco Horizon Standard Guitar Cable 6 Foot $8.99 Rapco Horizon Standard Guitar Cable 6 Foot

Rapco Horizon Standard Guitar Cable 10 Foot $8.99 Rapco Horizon Standard Guitar Cable 10 Foot

Rapco Horizon Standard Guitar Cable 20 Foot $10.99 Rapco Horizon Standard Guitar Cable 20 Foot

Rapco Horizon Standard Guitar Cable 15 Foot $9.99 Rapco Horizon Standard Guitar Cable 15 Foot

Rapco Horizon Standard Guitar Cable 3 Foot $7.99 Rapco Horizon Standard Guitar Cable 3 Foot

Vox Professional Acoustic Guitar Cable 13' $36.99 Vox Professional Acoustic Guitar Cable 13'

Vox Professional Acoustic Guitar Cable 19 Ft $45.99 Vox Professional Acoustic Guitar Cable 19 FT

Audio-Technica Gcw Guitar Input Cable $19.99 Audio-Technica GCW Guitar Input Cable

Mogami Platinum Guitar Cable 20 Foot $164.95 Mogami Platinum Guitar Cable 20 Foot

Vox Premium Straight Guitar Cable 3 Meters $13.99 Vox Premium Straight Guitar Cable 3 Meters

Vox Professional Guitar Cable 13 Ft $32.99 Vox Professional Guitar Cable 13 FT

Taylor V-Cable Guitar Cable With Built-In Volume Control 6 Ft $62.99 Taylor V-Cable Guitar Cable With Built-In Volume Control 6 FT

Taylor V-Cable Guitar Cable With Built-In Volume Control 3 Ft $61.99 Taylor V-Cable Guitar Cable With Built-In Volume Control 3 FT

Taylor V-Cable Guitar Cable With Built-In Volume Control 15 Ft $67.99 Taylor V-Cable Guitar Cable With Built-In Volume Control 15 FT

Taylor V-Cable Guitar Cable With Built-In Volume Control 18 Ft $59.99 Taylor V-Cable Guitar Cable With Built-In Volume Control 18 FT

Taylor V-Cable Guitar Cable With Built-In Volume Control 10 Ft $65.99 Taylor V-Cable Guitar Cable With Built-In Volume Control 10 FT

Taylor V-Cable Guitar Cable With Built-In Volume Control 20 Ft $69.99 Taylor V-Cable Guitar Cable With Built-In Volume Control 20 FT

Taylor V-Cable Guitar Cable With Built-In Volume Control 25 Ft $73.99 Taylor V-Cable Guitar Cable With Built-In Volume Control 25 FT

Evh Premium Electric Guitar Cable - Angled Ends 6 6 $24.99 EVH Premium Electric Guitar Cable - Angled Ends 6" 6"

Evh Premium Electric Guitar Cable - Sraight Ends 1' $19.99 EVH Premium Electric Guitar Cable - Sraight Ends 1'

Evh Premium Electric Guitar Cable - Sraight Ends 6 Ft $24.99 EVH Premium Electric Guitar Cable - Sraight Ends 6 FT

Evh Premium Electric Guitar Cable - Sraight Ends 20 Ft $39.99 EVH Premium Electric Guitar Cable - Sraight Ends 20 FT

Audio-Technica At-Grcw Wireless Right Angle Guitar Cable $14.99 Audio-Technica AT-GRCW Wireless Right Angle Guitar Cable

Audio-Technica At-Grcw-Pro Premium Wireless Right Angle Guitar Cable $29.99 Audio-Technica AT-GRCW-PRO Premium Wireless Right Angle Guitar Cable

Rapco Horizon 1F-2M Mono 1/4 Guitar Y Cable 6 Ft $31.99 Rapco Horizon 1F-2M Mono 1/4" Guitar Y Cable 6 Ft