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Home recording studio - noise with guitar amps - who to call?

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fourfathom:
Back to the magnetic fields, remember that a guitar pickup is *supposed* to convert magnetic fields to electrical signals.  Grounding, shielding, aren't going to fix that, nor should they.  Humbucker pickups (think Les Paul) are less sensitive to these external fields, but are not completely insensitive. Single-coil pickups (Strat, Telecaster, etc.) are particularly vulnerable.  Transformers, motors, some lighting, some wiring can generate these fields.  If the hum changes when you change the guitar orientation then this is not a grounding problem -- you are picking up these fields.  Perhaps there are additional sources of noise, but you do have to address the magnetic field problem.

DaveNJ:
Agreed. Which brings me back to my topic title - are there any specialists I can work with to try to identify the source (in addition to the electric company)?

fourfathom:

--- Quote from: DaveNJ on November 20, 2022, 11:00:28 pm ---Agreed. Which brings me back to my topic title - are there any specialists I can work with to try to identify the source (in addition to the electric company)?

--- End quote ---
Sorry, I'm no expert and I don't know anybody who is.  Just speculating wildly, but you might try hooking a solenoid coil (or guitar pickup?) to a battery-powered headphone amp and walk around the area trying to locate the source(s).  A solenoid coil can have a fairly sharp null which might help in triangulating the offender.  If you can deal with this at the source that has to be way easier than paneling your basement in Mu-metal.

BrianHG:

--- Quote from: DaveNJ on November 20, 2022, 07:02:40 pm ---4. Power in my development is underground. but is fed from above ground wires about 0.2 mi from my house. There're above ground transformer boxes on my block or around the corner.

--- End quote ---


--- Quote from: fourfathom on November 20, 2022, 07:21:02 pm ---
--- Quote from: DaveNJ on November 20, 2022, 07:02:40 pm ---2. The loud buzzing and clicking only happens when a guitar with passive pickups is connected and the volume on the guitar turned up.
--- End quote ---

I previously suggested that you spin the guitar around and see if the noise changes.  Have you tried that?  This sounds like magnetic fields hitting the guitar pickup, rather than conducted electrical noise.
--- End quote ---


--- Quote from: DaveNJ on November 20, 2022, 07:25:38 pm ---Yes, it does change when I rotate it but as you can see in the video, it‘s actually the worst when it’s flat on the floor.

I just reached out to my power company again to request that they assist with locating the source. I think it’s outside of my house, as well.

--- End quote ---

I am so sorry, but it looks like to me that you are to close to the transformers in your area as I had a similar problem at my old address.  (Even worse, with all power turned off at my old location, you could hear my ducts humming/vibrating during the coldest winter days.)  I do not know if there is much you can do other than metal shielding your entire room where you play your guitar, and even that may not work if your pickups are responding to a raw magnetic field.

I wonder if you should look into electric guitars with piezoelectric pickups.  They will probably be immune to magnetic fields, however, they might have a different sound characteristic.

DaveNJ:

--- Quote from: BrianHG on November 21, 2022, 01:06:47 am ---
--- Quote from: DaveNJ on November 20, 2022, 07:02:40 pm ---4. Power in my development is underground. but is fed from above ground wires about 0.2 mi from my house. There're above ground transformer boxes on my block or around the corner.

--- End quote ---


--- Quote from: fourfathom on November 20, 2022, 07:21:02 pm ---
--- Quote from: DaveNJ on November 20, 2022, 07:02:40 pm ---2. The loud buzzing and clicking only happens when a guitar with passive pickups is connected and the volume on the guitar turned up.
--- End quote ---

I previously suggested that you spin the guitar around and see if the noise changes.  Have you tried that?  This sounds like magnetic fields hitting the guitar pickup, rather than conducted electrical noise.
--- End quote ---


--- Quote from: DaveNJ on November 20, 2022, 07:25:38 pm ---Yes, it does change when I rotate it but as you can see in the video, it‘s actually the worst when it’s flat on the floor.

I just reached out to my power company again to request that they assist with locating the source. I think it’s outside of my house, as well.

--- End quote ---

I am so sorry, but it looks like to me that you are to close to the transformers in your area as I had a similar problem at my old address.  (Even worse, with all power turned off at my old location, you could hear my ducts humming/vibrating during the coldest winter days.)  I do not know if there is much you can do other than metal shielding your entire room where you play your guitar, and even that may not work if your pickups are responding to a raw magnetic field.

I wonder if you should look into electric guitars with piezoelectric pickups.  They will probably be immune to magnetic fields, however, they might have a different sound characteristic.

--- End quote ---

It could be, but I’m holding onto hope. If you look at the video I posted from that other guitarist, his power company in Canada was able to address it. I’ve reached out to him asking for any detail he can provide.

Non-magnetic pickups certainly sound different - the EMGs I have in that one guitar are not susceptible to interference, but they aren’t regarded as “the best sounding”. Now, vintage guitars with old p90 pickups are some of the best sounding, but also the most susceptible.

I’ll definitely circle back if I find more details or a solution to close the loop. I really do appreciate you all looking over this and offering suggestion and insights.

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