Amp Hummmmmmmmmmm

Paul December

Paul December

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Recently my amp has started to hum very noticeably. If I touch the end of the cable (the end plugging into the uke) the humming goes away. I haven't changed anything in my set-up: cables, power source, and etc.
Additionally, I haven't plugged anything new into other outlets (florescent lights and such). I tried it with a friends uke, and it had the same hummmmmmmmmmmmmm, only louder.
Any ideas? :confused:
 
Are you sure something hasn't changed? The fact that touching the tip stops the hum instead of increasing it makes me think there's something wrong in the ground path. Either a different cable is being used and the wiring is reversed, or you lost ground on your power cord (or the outlet itself, worth a check before you electrocute somebody). Or, something came loose somewhere, possibly at the jack wiring as it enters the amp, or the cable connections have gone bad simply from normal flexing. Have you tried a different cable yet?
 
I have this problem too when I plug my micro cube in, but not when I use it on batteries. I read around the net a bit and the general consensus is that the grounding in the house is screwy (technical term).

I live in a 100 year old rented house and I'm moving in a few months and it's just not worth it to address these issues. My terrible "don't try this at home" solution was to take a piece of wire from the inside of a cat5 cable and attach one end to a metal screw on my amp and the other looped around my toe. It grounds the amp and the hum goes away. It's basically like touching the cable all the time, just with your toe.
 
leftovermagic84 said:
I have this problem too when I plug my micro cube in, but not when I use it on batteries. I read around the net a bit and the general consensus is that the grounding in the house is screwy (technical term).

I live in a 100 year old rented house and I'm moving in a few months and it's just not worth it to address these issues. My terrible "don't try this at home" solution was to take a piece of wire from the inside of a cat5 cable and attach one end to a metal screw on my amp and the other looped around my toe. It grounds the amp and the hum goes away. It's basically like touching the cable all the time, just with your toe.
Click to expand...

OK.. that is the goofiest solution i have ever heard..

try a ground isolator plug... ie.. a 3 prong to 2 prong adapter.
 
leftovermagic84 said:
I have this problem too when I plug my micro cube in, but not when I use it on batteries. I read around the net a bit and the general consensus is that the grounding in the house is screwy (technical term).
Click to expand...

My problem is with the Micro Cube also... and I live in a old house too. I'm going to tries batteries and see if it fixes-it-up. If so, then it may be the house I assume.
 
As stated above - grounding. An isolated powerstrip / plug can help, as can minor internal surgery on the amp to remove the two prong cable and properly isolate and ground.
 
JT_Ukes said:
OK.. that is the goofiest solution i have ever heard..
Click to expand...

Whether it is goofy or not depends on which foot you attach it too.
If a surfer has their right foot foward, they are a "goofy footer", so I assume the same applies here.
 
leftovermagic84 said:
My terrible "don't try this at home" solution was to take a piece of wire from the inside of a cat5 cable and attach one end to a metal screw on my amp and the other looped around my toe. It grounds the amp and the hum goes away. It's basically like touching the cable all the time, just with your toe.
Click to expand...

Could give you a shock, if the amp is the source of the grounding woes. If you tried this with a tube amp, it could quite easily kill you, as the voltages are extremely high.
 
Paul December said:
Recently my amp has started to hum very noticeably. If I touch the end of the cable (the end plugging into the uke) the humming goes away. I haven't changed anything in my set-up: cables, power source, and etc.
Additionally, I haven't plugged anything new into other outlets (florescent lights and such). I tried it with a friends uke, and it had the same hummmmmmmmmmmmmm, only louder.
Any ideas? :confused:
Click to expand...
What DaveV said. Sounds very much like a bad cable between your uke and amp. Have you tried another?
 
Skrik said:
Could give you a shock, if the amp is the source of the grounding woes. If you tried this with a tube amp, it could quite easily kill you, as the voltages are extremely high.
Click to expand...

no more than touching the cable would. This is just completing a circuit the same way touching the cable does, but this way, you have both hands free to play.
 
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