stuartv
Well-known member
I have had my Sterling 5H (2008 LE) for 2 years now. It is still my favorite bass of all time for feel, playability, looks, and tone. Yay for finding The One!
But, my last two times playing out, I had a hum that I never noticed before. It sounds like 60Hz hum. One time, I was playing a bar gig and I was setup right in front of a neon window sign. But, I turned the neon light off and the hum was still there. The other time was on Monday, at a rehearsal with a new band in a big room with all fluorescent lights.
At the first place, I was using my Line6 Relay G30 wireless rig. I switched to an instrument cable and it made no difference. It hummed with both. At the second place, I was just using an instrument cable.
At home, I have no fluorescent lights and I also get no hum in any mode.
My amp, at both places, was an Ampeg B-15R (the '99 Re-issue). It has a Ground Lift button. I tried that and it made no difference.
The hum occurs when I have the pickup switch set to Series mode or Single Coil mode, but it goes away when I put it in Parallel mode. I would have sort of expected the hum in Single Coil mode. I say sort of because I thought this bass had a phantom coil that eliminates hum in all modes. But, I definitely did not expect it to pickup 60Hz hum in Series mode.
Is this normal for a single H Sterling and I just never noticed it before? Or is something wrong with my bass? Maybe the phantom coil in my pickup died?
The Sterling 5H is the same exact electronics as a pre-2008 EBMM Stingray 5H, so input from anyone who knows those would also be welcome!
But, my last two times playing out, I had a hum that I never noticed before. It sounds like 60Hz hum. One time, I was playing a bar gig and I was setup right in front of a neon window sign. But, I turned the neon light off and the hum was still there. The other time was on Monday, at a rehearsal with a new band in a big room with all fluorescent lights.
At the first place, I was using my Line6 Relay G30 wireless rig. I switched to an instrument cable and it made no difference. It hummed with both. At the second place, I was just using an instrument cable.
At home, I have no fluorescent lights and I also get no hum in any mode.
My amp, at both places, was an Ampeg B-15R (the '99 Re-issue). It has a Ground Lift button. I tried that and it made no difference.
The hum occurs when I have the pickup switch set to Series mode or Single Coil mode, but it goes away when I put it in Parallel mode. I would have sort of expected the hum in Single Coil mode. I say sort of because I thought this bass had a phantom coil that eliminates hum in all modes. But, I definitely did not expect it to pickup 60Hz hum in Series mode.
Is this normal for a single H Sterling and I just never noticed it before? Or is something wrong with my bass? Maybe the phantom coil in my pickup died?
The Sterling 5H is the same exact electronics as a pre-2008 EBMM Stingray 5H, so input from anyone who knows those would also be welcome!
