Eliminating buzz

[Manhattan2025]

Hi, I’m getting a lot of buzzing in the place where I rehearse with my band… may be a stupid question, but just trying to figure out how to get rid of it. This is a loud buzzing that mostly goes away when I touch the metal on my bass (Fender Jazz through an Aguilar rig).

I thought this was my bass at first, but there’s zero buzzing in other situations with my rig, so it must be something in this particular space. Just don’t know anything about electricity and how I might eliminate this, which would be nice since it’s really distracting when we practice.

Thanks

 

[eottjake]

If it's when you touch your bass, it's a ground issue. Do your guitarists have the same issue? You can try using a different power outlet somewhere in the room (i.e. whatever your guitarists are plugging into if they don't have ground issues)

 

[bootstrap]

https://www.talkbass.com/threads/i-shielded-my-squier-p-bass.929361/

Be careful with the copper foil tape; it will, in fact, cut the p1$$ out of you.

 

[DiabolusInMusic]

Hi, I’m getting a lot of buzzing in the place where I rehearse with my band… may be a stupid question, but just trying to figure out how to get rid of it. This is a loud buzzing that mostly goes away when I touch the metal on my bass (Fender Jazz through an Aguilar rig).

I thought this was my bass at first, but there’s zero buzzing in other situations with my rig, so it must be something in this particular space. Just don’t know anything about electricity and how I might eliminate this, which would be nice since it’s really distracting when we practice.

Thanks

If the hum stops when you touch metal/strings/bridge, then you are getting RF interference. Your bass requires shielding to resolve this. This is s pretty common issue for Fender basses.

You can test the rig in other locations and check out some different cables but odds are the bass needs shielding. With RF interference (what shielding addresses) you might get it in one location but not in another. There are a lot of environmental factors at play (like dimmer switches and neon lights) so just because you get no buzz in one location does not mean your bass has adequate shielding.

 

[abarson]

I know you say you're not versed in electrical work, but using this simple tester may uncover wiring issues at your rehearsal space. I'd want to have minimal certainty that I'm playing in a safe location. If any kind of fault is indicated contact the rehearsal space owner immediately.
Klein Tools Receptacle Tester RT110 - The Home Depot

 

[Aloe]

buzz when you're not touching the strings or other metal parts is pretty normal for any bass. as well as a 'pop' when you touch them. some basses might have it very quiet, shielding generally helps. but will it help enough for you on a specific bass? unpredictable.

if you have the buzz when you touch your strings, but don't touch any other metal part -- either you use coated strings or your bridge ground is not working.

that's it. many have this question, many have to learn on always touch some strings either by right or left hand. it's not that hard. and yeah, the same problem is on electric guitars. and even electroacoustic (but there you cannot touch the strings to make the hum go away).

it's actually not the guitar, it's you that catch the RF interference as a big antenna and when touching the strings you're grounding yourself. some players are desperate enough to ground themselves via a wire attached to their leg and it's not a matter of their instruments are bad.

p.s. another good reason to always touch some strings is to mute them. well, unless you're using a sort of fretwraps.

and yes, it's all (hum and other parasite sounds like ringing unmuted strings) much more noticeable at band volume. if you go louder -- the parasite sounds also go louder.

 

[micguy]

If the hum stops when you touch metal/strings/bridge, then you are getting RF interference. Your bass requires shielding to resolve this. This is s pretty common issue for Fender basses.

It's electrostatic interference. RF interference comes from RF sources - radio stations, wireless units.

 

[panzerfaust]

Hi, I’m getting a lot of buzzing in the place where I rehearse with my band… may be a stupid question, but just trying to figure out how to get rid of it. This is a loud buzzing that mostly goes away when I touch the metal on my bass (Fender Jazz through an Aguilar rig).

I thought this was my bass at first, but there’s zero buzzing in other situations with my rig, so it must be something in this particular space. Just don’t know anything about electricity and how I might eliminate this, which would be nice since it’s really distracting when we practice.

Thanks

100% percent buzz eliminated for single coil ? forget about it

that's the true nature of your bass with single coil pickup, don't cut its wings

what you should looking for is excessive buzz....it could be cables, electrical problem and amp

go to tech and see what he can tell, is that "natural" buzz or not,

if he/she/ whatever gender that creature choose since they said human can decide to be rafflesia arnoldii plant as well nowadays, you can use noise gate pedal but I HIGHLY SUGGEST YOU DON'T DO THAT since buzz is single coil's wings....


live with it

 

[u2brothr]

LED lights... dimmer switches..... lack of grounding.....there are so many variables.

I use a Boss Noise Suppressor Pedal so my bass goes silent when I'm not touching the strings and I filter my signal through an SPB-8C Furman pedal board/powerconditioner.

Overkill I know but hey.

 

[BlackCrow]

I would start with the basics. Swap outlets if you can, and turn off any fans, fridges, tv's etc that may be on the same circuit. Try a Furman power block with EFI/EMI filtering, 40$ @ Sweetwater/GC. Its not a true "power conditioner" but its way better than plugging amp direct into wall socket or cheap power strip. My next suggestion is kinda weird, and i have been made fun over it, but it has worked for me better than any amount of shielding or copper tape or grounding. If your bass has a pickguard or a backplate, try a laundry product called "Static Guard". Spray a little on a paper towel and rub it on the plastic pickguard and backplate. Maybe spray a little on your shirt and the bottom of your shoes. Laugh if you want but remember the kindergarten trick of rubbing your feet on the carpet and sticking a balloon to yourself? Imagine what that can do to a below average shielded/grounded bass with single coil pickups. Just IMO/IME.

 

[mikewalker]

More useful for recording than gigging, but you can often completely "null" the buzz out by rotating in a circle slowly to just the right spot and then staying faced in that direction...)

 

[BlackCrow]

Only another bassist would ever understand why the bass player onstage is standing facing the wall with his back to the audience shuffling in a circle, every now and then he reaches out and touches the wall, or the stage, or rubs himself and then fondles his cables...he is not tripping on acid, he is trying to ground himself to get rid of the "hum"....

 

[moon-bass]

This is a great thread here - https://www.talkbass.com/threads/so-your-bass-has-a-hum.1079579/

If it turns out to be single coil hum, and many Jazz Basses co.e with single coils, the EHX Humdebugger works like a charm,also works for other noises. Simple and works great.

 

[andare]

I agree with what @DiabolusInMusic wrote, once again (there's a thread like this every other day).

Shielding should be done to every instrument. Having to touch metal on a guitar to make it quiet is not acceptable. Sooner or later you'll be in a room that is so noisy you'll go crazy.

A guitar with hum cancelling pickups and all the knobs open should make no noise whatsoever, no matter where you are.

 

[MotorCityMinion]

Bring your gurl to the next gig or rehearsal. That will kill the buzz.

 

[sawzalot]

If you have a wireless, try using it and see if it goes away. If it does, there may be a cheap dimmer switch or some other device in the building putting interference out on the AC power line. The solution I've found works best is...use a wireless all the time.

 

[KevInDaBassment]

...the EHX Humdebugger works like a charm,also works for other noises. Simple and works great.

My suggestion too...

Even if it's a bass experiencing noise for some other reason (grounding or RF), a Noise Gate pedal can take care of this quickly and easily. Yes, you can crack it open and mitigate issues with shielding tape or resoldering, but IME it's easier/cheaper/more flexible to sink the money into a good always-on Noise Gate pedal (or rackmount/amp-top one). Just my $0.02 after cracking open tons of basses trying to fix the various buzzes in all these places.

 

[moon-bass]

My suggestion too...

Even if it's a bass experiencing noise for some other reason (grounding or RF), a Noise Gate pedal can take care of this quickly and easily. Yes, you can crack it open and mitigate issues with shielding tape or resoldering, but IME it's easier/cheaper/more flexible to sink the money into a good always-on Noise Gate pedal (or rackmount/amp-top one). Just my $0.02 after cracking open tons of basses trying to fix the various buzzes in all these places.

What I love about the Humdebugger is that it's not a traditional noise gate, it's literally a hum/buzz remover. It doesn't work in all cases and doesn't remove al interference, but it works extremely well to remove buzz and hum - it works especially well to remove single coil (60hz) hum.

My house is located in a terrible, terrible place for interference. I live within LOS of radio and TV transmission towers, large industrial lights, and a massive pumping station. I'm also one of the few people in the country that has to deal with 50hz interference ...

 

[bootstrap]

Over the past week I've shielded with copper tape the control cavities in three P basses as linked in post #3. This includes grounding the tape-constructed Farady cage to the back of a pot.

The electrostatic buzz I previously encountered on all three basses, irrespective of location / power source, is entirely eliminated. The difference is astounding and so bears repeating.

 

[tom-g]

Over the past week I've shielded with copper tape the control cavities in three P basses as linked in post #3. This includes grounding the tape-constructed Farady cage to the back of a pot.

The electrostatic buzz I previously encountered on all three basses, irrespective of location / power source, is entirely eliminated. The difference is astounding and so bears repeating.

This is correct. It is always a good idea to make sure your bass is shielded correctly and completely.