Pickup noise...buzz...is this common to all Pedal Steels?

[Brian Tong]

Hey all,

I'm new to pedal stell and after I did some recording direct the other night, I went back to audition the take, I heard what seems like pickup buzz...like you would with a single coil pup.

What was odd was that my Goodrich volume pedal (L10K) seem to amplify the buzz cause when I went to an old Ernie Ball...it wasn't as obvious. I then went straight in but heard it still.

I have Pre Royal Precision Mullen D-10.

I do notice that the buzz takes on a different character when I switch between necks.

I'm a rookie to pedal steel...is this just what I have to expect...some level of pickup buzz? It was there as well on my MSA.

Any ideas, guys?

[James Morehead]

Is it there with the reverb turned off? I'd play through a second amp to see if it's not your first amp. Try a couple different chords, too. Then I'd check your ground wires coming off your jack and switches and your pickups in your guitar. I play single coils and they are quiet as a church mouse, through a fender tube amp.

[Tucker Jackson]

Brian, if you are recording direct to a computer and your guitar is near the video monitor, try turning off the monitor to see if that's causing the buzz.

It's not just a single-coil pickup thing... even a humbucker will pick up a little buzz from the monitor if the guitar is close enough.

[Steve Hitsman]

Fluorescent light fixtures will do it to mine sometimes.

[David Doggett]

I heard what seems like pickup buzz...like you would with a single coil pup.

Does that mean both your pickups are dual coil humbuckers? All single coils will hum to some extend as you stomp down on the volume pedal. Even humbuckers have a little buzz with the VP all the way down. If it turns out to be the pickups, you can minimize the hum by moving the pickup close to the strings (the thickness of two quarter coins, or one quarter if the pickup has a cover). Picking harder also improves the signal to noise ratio.

[Bo Legg]

Single coil PUs hum, buzz, feedback and a lot of other nasty things. I still don't know why they don't make a noiseless single coil PU for Steel Guitar like I have on my Strat.

[Bill Patton]

Run a vacuum cleaner next to your amp - totally fixes the problem.

[Terje Brattsveen]

I have 110V dimmers for some lights in my control room. When I record (any instrument)I have to turn off those lights because the dimmers emit RF interference. The reverb in my steel amp(Peavey Nashville 112) has always had an annoying hum, so I use an Alesis Microverb instead.I have a 1964 Fender 400 with a single coil pick-up and several primitive Tele-style guitars as well as a Danelectro Baritone with single coil lipstick pick-ups, and even though I sometimes have to turn and face "just the right direction" when I record the Danelectro, I get a very acceptable S/N ratio on all my instruments. I used an Edwards (110V) volume pedal in the old days, and it often added noise. I now use a Hilton. Try experimenting with everything. Switch out cables. Try higher end shielded cables if you use regular cheapies like most of us do. It's usually something simple, and the audio chain is only as good as its weakest link.
Good luck!
Terje.

[Brian Tong]

Thanks for all the comments...I tested all of them...other locations, different amps, locations, everything I could think of and still get a bit of buzz.

It's true about the reverb in the Nashville 112. Even more pronounced since I put the Burr Brown op amps in. Better tone...but noisier.

Not sure how to check the 'ground' on the pups. Sure seems like a shielding/ground issue. And you're right...why not make noiseless pups for pedal steel.

Don't honestly know if my pups are humbuckers or not...guess I should call Mullen...

Just wish I knew how to fix it...it's a bit annoying.

I do hear it sometimes on some guitars that Bobbe plays with on You Tube...

In a band, no big deal. IN recording...not so good.

Thanks guys...!!!

[Terje Brattsveen]

One last thing: Have you tried a ground lift on your amp?
Terje

[Billy Tonnesen]

If your amp is plugged into a line that also powers flourescent lights, you can get a very bad "Buzz" in the Amp that has nothing to do with the pickups.

[Jim Sliff]

One last thing: Have you tried a ground lift on your amp

Do NOT do this - it's an easy was for an amateur to get hurt or killed. Ground lifts are a way to fix a symptom - NOT a problem...and they can make YOU the path to ground. not recommended under any circumstances - find the source for the hum and fiz it - "quick-and-dirty ground lifts are dangerous and stupid.

Two things:

1. How close is your guitar to your amp (if you are using one?)

2. Have you used a circuit tester to ensure your outlets are wired correctly and actually ARE grounded? May houses and apartments have 3-prong outlet with the 3rd prong connected to nothing.