At a wedding as we speak - Amp Buzz - SOS

[MattyH]

Hey all, I'm literally set up at a wedding. I'm running a Hartke LH1000 through a Ampeg 410HLF, just a tuner, no effects. I'm getting some nasty hum, especially when I turn up the highs. Any suggestions on a quick fix? Or any suggestions on what you guys set your dials at?

Matt

[voodoobassist]

Throw a ground lift plug on your power cable. One of the three prong to two prong deals.

[electracoyote]

Originally Posted by MattyH

Hey all, I'm literally set up at a wedding. I'm running a Hartke LH1000 through a Ampeg 410HLF, just a tuner, no effects. I'm getting some nasty hum, especially when I turn up the highs. Any suggestions on a quick fix? Or any suggestions on what you guys set your dials at?

Matt

Is it the venue's AC?

Have someone else plug their rig into your AC outlet and see if it does it to their amp.

Ground lift might do the trick.

[bassplayerbob]

Are you using the di on the head? I hath same problem last week on my lh1000. Also find another outlet to plug into.

[MattyH]

Originally Posted by voodoobassist

Throw a ground lift plug on your power cable. One of the three prong to two prong deals.

That what I was afraid of. We of course didn't bring any!

[Selta]

Describe the hum? Could be lots of things... is everyone plugged into one outlet? Is it always there, or does it go away when you touch the strings/bridge on your bass?

[andydye]

U got a ground lift switch on the back of the head?

[rovito]

If you do unground your rig be careful when touching anything else. Mics, other electrical stuff.

[BassmanPaul]

Originally Posted by voodoobassist

Throw a ground lift plug on your power cable. One of the three prong to two prong deals.

BAD ADVICE!!!!

It's one of the better ways of getting yourself killed. Trust me, that would really put a damper on the night!

[MattyH]

Originally Posted by Ray Salamon

Describe the hum? Could be lots of things... is everyone plugged into one outlet? Is it always there, or does it go away when you touch the strings/bridge on your bass?

Seems to come and go. I had it last week at a wedding. But the monitors are in the same outlet as my power conditioner, running my head. They have a buzz also. So I'm thinking that may be the problem. I'm thinking I need a ground lift.

Also, as someone said, I am using the DI, but just diagnosed it, and that's not the problem. As far as describing it, it's your standard buzz/hum. Kind of loud. And seems to react when I raise the highs, or switch on the bright.

[MattyH]

Yea I'd rather not die when using the ground lift. But it's annoying! Haha

[Freddels]

Call Larry Hartke!!

[MattyH]

Also, when I turn the horn control on the back of the cab to infinity, the hum disappears, but I don't get the desired tone.

[BassmanPaul]

Not much use for tonight but you should get yourself an XLR cable with the shield isolated at one end to lift the ground from the PA safely.

[worxforme]

I take a plug tester with me to my gigs to check to make sure the plug that I'm hooking to is wired correctly and I also have a heavy duty extension cord that I always try to make a home-run with so I'm not using a socket that is powering much if anything else.

That said, do/did you test the source and do you have an extension with you? When you tell them it's so you can sound the best for them, the "in charges" will usually go the mile to find you a clean plug.

Good luck.

[MattyH]

Bridge mode on my head is off, and I'm running 1/4inch out to the speakon on the cab.

[markdax]

Ive found that sometimes if you have a lighting rig dimmed you might get a consistent buzz.
If you can set you gear up at home in a room without many electrical appliances switched on, is it still there? and does the problem become apparent when the monitors are switched on? As it may not be your rig as such.
I brought a pedal pad pedal board and that caused a huge earthing problem, the power lead it came with had the earth removed (or some similar tweak) as the guy said thats how he got round the problem...i never had the balls to use it for fear of frying myself

[Phendyr_Loon]

Is all of your equipment, amp and tuner, on the same outlet? If you have them plugged into separate outlets it will create hum IME.

[john m]

You need a DI box with a ground loop switch or a XLR to XLR cable with the shield clipped at one end (your amp end) ,i.e. no continuity between the shells of the xlr,s.

If that's not it, turn all of the dimmers in the venue to full bright---including the band's lighting system and the venue's dimmers.

jm

[froghat]

Originally Posted by john m

If that's not it, turn all of the dimmers in the venue to full bright---including the band's lighting system and the venue's dimmers.

Yes, dimmers in theaters where I play cause all kinds of hum.