Static and hum probs

[Ms Stubs]

Hi folks,
I just bought my 1st electric, a short scale (23" ) Eastwood Warren Ellis 6.
Maybe I should have just bought a mini Strat or a Mustang, though the Mustang has slightly longer scale...
Anyway, I don't have a proper amp yet, but bought a Danalectro Honeytone, which operates off 9 volt battery. And I have a headphone amp/DAC I've played it through since it has a 1/4 inch line in jack, and then I use headphones.
Well, with Both units I get a lot of crackle and hum.
On the little battery powered amp, the power light actually flickers while it's doing the bad thing.
Running it just through the headphone amp, the problem is somewhat lessened, and turning the tone knob (on the guitar) down seems to help somewhat.
I have a normal amp (small Fender) on order, should be here next week sometime.
Am praying it doesn't occur with that amp, too.
If it does, I'm not sure what to do. I hate the thought of sending the guitar back.
I've emailed Eastwood, let's see what they say.
If anyone has any ideas, I'd appreciate hearing what you think.
The cord jack is not loose, it's nice and tight.

I probably should have just bought a Mustang, but I really liked the look of this guitar, and it does "feel" really good.

TIA for any input you might have for me.

Em in Tampa, aka Ms Stubs

[Steel and wood]

Single coil pickups are susceptible to hum. (Not noticeable to being noticeable depending on where you are playing and what's around you). Your Warren Ellis (looked it up on YouTube) and/or Fender Mustang both have single coils so either way. The amp you are using and/or its setting might be exacerbating the problem but I couldn't say.


Try the in-between pickup position (assuming it has one), try playing in different locations around the house and/or borrow another amp which will give you a clue as to what the problem is.

I love single coils and haven't had a noticeable problem and there's no reason why you should have.

Good luck!

[Steel and wood]

Just looked the guitar up on YouTube and it looks like it has a mini hum-bucker in the bridge and a single coil in the middle/neck.

Use the hum-bucker and if you are still getting static/hum then it has to be the amp/setting or the guitar itself. (Although I'd be very surprised if it was the guitar). If you want to play the single coil (and the hum-bucker) try playing in different locations around the house to see if it can be minimised.

Again, good luck!

[Ms Stubs]

Ok, thanks.
It'll be really helpful when the "real" amp arrives. Will play around with it some more tomorrow in any case.
If I find some obvious solution or answer I will post it.
Thx again.

Ps: no in-between position, just a sliding on or off switch for each pickup.

Originally Posted by Steel and wood

Just looked the guitar up on YouTube and it looks like it has a mini hum-bucker in the bridge and a single coil in the middle/neck.

Use the hum-bucker and if you are still getting static/hum then it has to be the amp/setting or the guitar itself. (Although I'd be very surprised if it was the guitar). If you want to play the single coil (and the hum-bucker) try playing in different locations around the house to see if it can be minimised.

Again, good luck!

[macoshark]

the wiring in your house might be a factor. One of the outlets in one of the rooms in my house promoted a hum off my amp.

[scegla]

... and, of course, it might just be a bad cable.

[Ms Stubs]

A happy follow up: I got wireless transmitters, one plugs into the guitar, the other into the amp - voila! No more static or hum!
I hope they last. Chinese cheapos that took forever to arrive.
Sometimes good things happen!

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by Ms Stubs

A happy follow up: I got wireless transmitters, one plugs into the guitar, the other into the amp - voila! No more static or hum!
I hope they last. Chinese cheapos that took forever to arrive.
Sometimes good things happen!

So the wireless transmitter removed the hum? I wouldn't have expected that. I wonder (as mentioned above) if you had a bad cable? Was there anything else that you changed in your signal chain?

BTW - congrats on your first electric! Very exciting.

[Ms Stubs]

I’d tried two cords previously, the cheap thatbcame withe little Fendrnpractice amp, and then a better one I bought later to try and rule that out. I guess there’s a chance both were bad anyway. Dunno! 🤓
But I’m quite happy.