Dylan McKerchie

60Hz Hum Vs EMI/RF Hum in your guitar comes from a few different sources. We discussed how shielding can minimize RF/EMI noise HERE. Electromagnetic interference exists anywhere there is electricity. This is compounded by the fact that anything with a transformer in it, TVs, Fluorescent lights, Power supplies, all emit a lot of EMI because they contain coils. This means that you can have noise from devices that neither share a circuit with your guitar, or are connected in any way. This is because this interference travels through the air. No matter how effectively you have shielded your guitar, you...

Hum is bad.... No matter where we are, Radio Frequency interference is there. In the worst case scenario, It could be severe enough that you could hear voices or music from a radio station. More often, neon and fluorescent lights, dimmer switches, Televisions and all sorts of other devices can cause unwanted hum and crackling. High impedance guitar circuits are susceptible to this. Humbucker Pickups cut down on a lot of this. Learn more about how they do this here. While pickup construction and quality can have a major effect on the amount of RF interference, the rest of the...

This blog is all about YOU The purpose of this blog is to have a place to go to just get straight tech info... We want you to be able to drive the content.... What do you want to see? https://youtu.be/zrtraC5zJXE  

What are eddy currents? Do they affect my tone? An eddy current is caused when there is a flat piece of metal perpendicular to the magnetic field. The metal doesn't need to be magnetic. These eddy currents are small spirals of current that are generated in the metal surface They work in opposition to the magnetic field that causes them. This causes an interference in the magnetic field. This causes a disruption in the movement of electrons in the winding wire. This in turn has the potential to cause changes in tone. What Does it Mean in my Guitar? If...

String Tension... What affects what? Bonus Footage on the Video!!!!! Les Paul Top wrapping... Yes, No? String tension is something we might take for granted once we have been playing for a while. The string of a particular mass being stretched tightly to a given tension over a calculated distance is what gives us our note. You can see the math to the right.  In real terms, The longer the scale of the guitar, the tighter the string needs to be pulled to get a given note if all other factors are the same. A 25.5" scale requires a higher...