MartyGrass Posted October 19, 2012 Posted October 19, 2012 Big fan of the P90s but hate the hum. On other posts I raved about P92s. But I stumbled on another solution.I got this Super Eagle back that has Lollar P90s. I previously posted my struggles with it partly because the bridge pup is no where near the strings while the neck is much closer.http://www.heritageownersclub.com/forums/topic/14015-super-eagle-electronic-makeover-saga/page__hl__%20p90%20%20superSo I shimmed the bridge pup up to balance the pickups. The thing is that the bridge pickup is not used that often in jazz. So I mainly had it on just the neck pickup. Then there was the hum. With both pups on, the hum is cancelled.I sold the guitar and got it back a year later. The interim owner took the shims out. So the original problem was back. Or should I say the original solution is now plain.With the bridge pickup so distant from the strings, it has little effect on tone. But the hum is cancelled with both pups on. Brilliant!I doubt this will help anyone else on HOC, but in 2045 someone who is not yet born may search HOC and find this useful.
Gitfiddler Posted October 19, 2012 Posted October 19, 2012 Damn, that is a pretty archtop!!!!! Your tip about hum cancelling is spot on. I always keep both P90's on and use the volume knobs for balance as well as tone. Both tone pots are typically turned all the way up.
Guest HRB853370 Posted October 19, 2012 Posted October 19, 2012 Big fan of the P90s but hate the hum. On other posts I raved about P92s. But I stumbled on another solution. I got this Super Eagle back that has Lollar P90s. I previously posted my struggles with it partly because the bridge pup is no where near the strings while the neck is much closer. http://www.heritageo...0p90%20%20super So I shimmed the bridge pup up to balance the pickups. The thing is that the bridge pickup is not used that often in jazz. So I mainly had it on just the neck pickup. Then there was the hum. With both pups on, the hum is cancelled. I sold the guitar and got it back a year later. The interim owner took the shims out. So the original problem was back. Or should I say the original solution is now plain. With the bridge pickup so distant from the strings, it has little effect on tone. But the hum is cancelled with both pups on. Brilliant! I doubt this will help anyone else on HOC, but in 2045 someone who is not yet born may search HOC and find this useful. The hum on a P90 or any single coil pickup should only be prevalant if you are facing the amp. Otherwise, it should be almost negligent.
MartyGrass Posted October 19, 2012 Author Posted October 19, 2012 The hum on a P90 or any single coil pickup should only be prevalant if you are facing the amp. Otherwise, it should be almost negligent. That's not true in my world. There is 60 Hz. hum all over. But often I am near my amp, which is worse. The noise is not horrible and can't compare to losing the ground. But if you're working on soft jazz, it can be noticeable.
big bob Posted October 19, 2012 Posted October 19, 2012 Volume controll to 0 between songs works for me.
DetroitBlues Posted October 20, 2012 Posted October 20, 2012 Volume controll to 0 between songs works for me. +1
Kuz Posted October 20, 2012 Posted October 20, 2012 Screw all this hum debate! What I have a hard time with is that EVERY guitar Mark has...... I want to OWN!!! Now there is a real problem!!!!
tbonesullivan Posted October 20, 2012 Posted October 20, 2012 I loves me some p-90s. so what if they hum. so do strat pickups, and everyone loves them.
bolero Posted October 20, 2012 Posted October 20, 2012 Screw all this hum debate! What I have a hard time with is that EVERY guitar Mark has...... I want to OWN!!! Now there is a real problem!!!! hahaha....yes I would have to agree with you!!
MartyGrass Posted October 20, 2012 Author Posted October 20, 2012 Volume controll to 0 between songs works for me. That may work when playing loud but not for soft jazz. At least the hum can be heard during the tune. I'm far from alone in this opinion. Reverse wrapping of single coil pairs and the whole dominance of humbuckers are efforts to conquer that hum.
fretless Posted October 20, 2012 Posted October 20, 2012 Stunning instrument op . Well I've been back and forth with the P90 and I love it in the neck position but I cannot take the hum in the bridge , if there is any gain at all it's unbearable and if recording unuseable . I had to pop in a SD custom sized 'bucker to tame it down , in fact I think my all time favorite setup is a HB in the bridge and a P90 in the neck , it flat out rocks . I've also spent some time with the dogear dilemma it's such an oldschool setup with very litle adjustability but with tweaks and patience it can be out of this world .
Guest HRB853370 Posted October 20, 2012 Posted October 20, 2012 That may work when playing loud but not for soft jazz. At least the hum can be heard during the tune. I'm far from alone in this opinion. Reverse wrapping of single coil pairs and the whole dominance of humbuckers are efforts to conquer that hum. Well Mark I agree with Kuz. You have enough selection in your inventory to switch to something else if the hum bothers you! You are truly the Eric Johnson of this forum with your highly discriminate ear!
Kuz Posted October 20, 2012 Posted October 20, 2012 I am not being critical of the hum Mark is talking about. He plays (from what I understand) solo fingerstyle jazz, and in this application, hum could be a major issue! It is not an issue for me, but that doesn't mean it doesn't affect others. But I do agree that P-90s were used for years in jazz archtops and the hum was tolerated. I will also add that the current (no pun intended) state of the electricity system used at the facility where the guitar with p-90 is used, makes ALL the difference. I must have very good clean electric current at my home and at Church where I have played my P-90 guitars because I don't have any hum (no hum with my Strats/Tele either).
Kuz Posted October 20, 2012 Posted October 20, 2012 Stunning instrument op . Well I've been back and forth with the P90 and I love it in the neck position but I cannot take the hum in the bridge , if there is any gain at all it's unbearable and if recording unuseable . I had to pop in a SD custom sized 'bucker to tame it down , in fact I think my all time favorite setup is a HB in the bridge and a P90 in the neck , it flat out rocks . I've also spent some time with the dogear dilemma it's such an oldschool setup with very litle adjustability but with tweaks and patience it can be out of this world . Huh, I have had the opposite problem. Hum is allowing when clean, but with gain the hum seems to just become part of the mix. But I agree the tone with P-90s is worth the inconveniences.
Gitfiddler Posted October 20, 2012 Posted October 20, 2012 Martygrass~ Have you considered swapping out the Lollars to Fralin noisless P90's?
Bombassa Posted October 21, 2012 Posted October 21, 2012 That thing is going to hum, so don't stop playing.
MartyGrass Posted October 21, 2012 Author Posted October 21, 2012 That thing is going to hum, so don't stop playing. My point is that I stumbled on a way to get the sound of a single neck P90 pickup without hum. That's it.
bolero Posted October 22, 2012 Posted October 22, 2012 I must have very good clean electric current at my home and at Church where I have played my P-90 guitars because I don't have any hum (no hum with my Strats/Tele either). .ka if a tree falls in a forest....if they are humming hymns in a church, does anyone hear the P90 hum?
Kuz Posted October 22, 2012 Posted October 22, 2012 .ka if a tree falls in a forest....if they are humming hymns in a church, does anyone hear the P90 hum? LOL!!!
nachogrande Posted October 22, 2012 Posted October 22, 2012 Just FYI, Lindy Fralin wounds some hum cancelling P90s http://www.fralinpickups.com/p90s.asp
fxdx99 Posted October 22, 2012 Posted October 22, 2012 Seems a good solution. I've a 525 with 'spec' spacing of pu to string and use all 3 positions, but do prefer living on the neck. The in between is very nice, tho, and along w/hum cancelling has a nice 'honk' to it. Playing fender guits for so long I kinda naturally gravitate to the guitar to amp position that minimizes the hum, but yes - it's distracting when there's not volume/other instruments covering it up or when recording. Does maxing the neck vol pu and backing off the bridge help with that, too?
MartyGrass Posted October 22, 2012 Author Posted October 22, 2012 Turning the bridge pup down diminishes the hum canceling effect then cuts out the volume of both pups. But you can get some help with that approach.
mark555 Posted October 23, 2012 Posted October 23, 2012 Screw all this hum debate! What I have a hard time with is that EVERY guitar Mark has...... I want to OWN!!! Now there is a real problem!!!! Well John, every guitar you have, I want to own. By the way, have you got back in to work yet?
Kuz Posted October 24, 2012 Posted October 24, 2012 Well John, every guitar you have, I want to own. By the way, have you got back in to work yet? Probably after the first of the year. I signed a contingency offer with a company for a Pharmaceutical to be approved anytime between now and mid-Feb. It is 99.999999% certain to be approved. Thanks for asking.
koula901 Posted October 24, 2012 Posted October 24, 2012 The hum on a P90 or any single coil pickup should only be prevalant if you are facing the amp. Otherwise, it should be almost negligent. I beg to differ. A lot of things cause hum: power lines, bad electrical wiring in the house, computers, tvs, refridgerators, florescent lighting, poor grounds in the walls or pickups. It all depends upon the environment.
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