- Thread starter Alan0354
- Start date
DrKev
Moderator
The silent circuit works beautifully! If you take the battery out, obviously the silent circuit won't work but the guitar still functions perfectly (and the DiMarzio single coils are pretty quiet even without the silent circuit). It doesn't affect your tone either. Just no noise!
As far as I know, any Music Man guitar that uses a single coil on it's own uses the silent circuit. It's used on the Silhouette Special HSS and SSS models and the Albert Lee SSS and MM90 models.
I'm not sure if it's used on the Steve Morse models. Any one know? François?
As far as I know, any Music Man guitar that uses a single coil on it's own uses the silent circuit. It's used on the Silhouette Special HSS and SSS models and the Albert Lee SSS and MM90 models.
I'm not sure if it's used on the Steve Morse models. Any one know? François?
fbecir
Well-known member
No silent circuit on the Steve Morse (standard or Y2D).
I believe it's the only Music Man guitar with single coils that does not come with the silent circuit.
The silent circuit is great (it works perfectly with my ASS MM90).
Beej is the great specialist on this topic (he is our own electronic guru ...).
I believe it's the only Music Man guitar with single coils that does not come with the silent circuit.
The silent circuit is great (it works perfectly with my ASS MM90).
Beej is the great specialist on this topic (he is our own electronic guru ...).
RocketRalf
Well-known member
No Silent Circuit on the HSH Silhouette either. Not that it needs it, only the middle position hums, and you have 4 other positions for when you pile up the distortion.
beej
Moderator
There's some info available in the patent, available here.
In general, the approach uses a dummy coil to sense noise and subtract it from the pickup signal. Normally when you do this, the high inductance & resistance of the coil loads your pickups so you lose some high end. The Silent Circuit introduces a buffer after the dummy coil so that it's electrically isolated, avoiding the undesirable loading.
If you're handy with electronics, this is something you can try at home- get a suitable dummy coil (single coil w/o the magnet) and use a simple buffer circuit. There are many such circuits available online if you search- choose something low-noise, low-current consumption.
The other noise-reduction approach that's popular is the low-impedance loop antenna, patented by Ilitch (though it's use pre-dates his patent), originally licensed to Suhr but now available directly. In that case you have a low-impedance air-coil (large area, low winds) providing roughly the same function. Takes up much more space but then you don't need the buffer. This is also a suitable DIY project ... I've taken a backplate apart and built something similar to play with.
Hope that helps.
In general, the approach uses a dummy coil to sense noise and subtract it from the pickup signal. Normally when you do this, the high inductance & resistance of the coil loads your pickups so you lose some high end. The Silent Circuit introduces a buffer after the dummy coil so that it's electrically isolated, avoiding the undesirable loading.
If you're handy with electronics, this is something you can try at home- get a suitable dummy coil (single coil w/o the magnet) and use a simple buffer circuit. There are many such circuits available online if you search- choose something low-noise, low-current consumption.
The other noise-reduction approach that's popular is the low-impedance loop antenna, patented by Ilitch (though it's use pre-dates his patent), originally licensed to Suhr but now available directly. In that case you have a low-impedance air-coil (large area, low winds) providing roughly the same function. Takes up much more space but then you don't need the buffer. This is also a suitable DIY project ... I've taken a backplate apart and built something similar to play with.
Hope that helps.
Last edited:
DrKev
Moderator
Cool! Thanks, Beej!
Jack FFR1846
Well-known member
My sub-1 has one. Hooked up for the neck only single, neck and mid singles and mid only. My wiring is set up for mid plus hum then hum with no silent circuit in place.
Thanks for the reply, I read the link already, interesting.
You said there are a lot of these kind of circuits, where can I find those circuits? I am interested in what's out there.
Thanks
Alan
beej
Moderator
Happy to help.
- Lots of projects available here and here.
- You'll find a lot of info on the whole subject at this forum (though you need to sift through it).
If you do a search, you can find schematics for some of the older Alebmic or EMG preamps (or even the EBMM bass preamps which use the same chip as the SS, I think). There's really a lot of stuff out there but that should give you a good starting point.
Buffers, yes. You want a small, low-noise, low-current preamp. You can then adjust the gain to tweak the level of noise from the dummy coil (what the little screw does on the Silent Circuit).
- Lots of projects available here and here.
- You'll find a lot of info on the whole subject at this forum (though you need to sift through it).
If you do a search, you can find schematics for some of the older Alebmic or EMG preamps (or even the EBMM bass preamps which use the same chip as the SS, I think). There's really a lot of stuff out there but that should give you a good starting point.
beej
Moderator
There are lots of links on the basic "dummy coil" approach if you do a google search, that approach has been around since forever. (SRV, for example, famously used a dummy coil on his strats.)
The approach of buffering the coil has been patented by EB, so their patent is the best link. The forum I liked to above has quite a bit of info on the subject, that will give you a good start and take you to other places if you spend the time.
There's not as much info on the antenna approach (Ilitch). You can read his patent here. It discusses the necessary parameters to build an effective device. Here is a discussion about a home-made attempt at it. Bill Lawrence had this idea decades ago- I'd read discussions about it ages ago but can't find the link. Had some useful info there.
Another approach I've seen is a notch filter at specific frequencies to reduce the 50/60 Hz hum and associated higher-order harmonics. In theory it would have to be be fairly narrow (lest you remove too much signal). You can try this home- record some playing with a noisy guitar, then use software to remove the offending frequencies. Never known it to be all that effecive though.
Finally, you have the noiseless "single coil" approach (they're really humbuckers by design, voiced as single coils). These days there are quite a few different designs that sound great. I've never built my own, but it's entirely possible.
If you really want to build your own noise reduction system, be prepared to do lots of experimenting. It's entirely possible though. The other option is to find a used Silent Circuit, buy a new Ilitch coil system (several different styles/sizes available), or invest in a good set of noiseless pickups.
Best of luck.
beej
Moderator
There aren't any other approaches or available products that I'm aware of, other than what I've mentioned above.
Slingy
Well-known member
Dont forget the Luke, active pickups are very quiet and have no need for a silent circuit.
beej
Moderator
They're in the noiseless pickups category. EMGs have two coils that are wired to an onboard preamp (buffer), all encased in wire mesh (faraday cage) for further shielding. They're noiseless and buffered.
Any single coil pickup is going to pick up hum. To remove the hum you need additional coils.
Any single coil pickup is going to pick up hum. To remove the hum you need additional coils.
Last edited:
I know Fender Elite strat has a design of active noise cancelling, the difference is it is not passive output like the ER circuit. Part of it is still used as Eric Clapton Mid Boost. Problem is you cannot bypass the electronics.
So far, the EB and Elite Strat are the only two I find, I just want to find more other ideas. I looked at the schematics of the EMG single coils, they are really not noise cancelling.
So far, the EB and Elite Strat are the only two I find, I just want to find more other ideas. I looked at the schematics of the EMG single coils, they are really not noise cancelling.
beej
Moderator
They have a dummy coil. So ok, another implementation of the same approach- dummy coil + buffer. Btw, found a link to the Elite preamp schematic here.
They are noise cancelling, they're a stacked coil design. Here's a pic of one dismantled. I believe they're wired in parallel.
Btw if you're curious about passive approaches, I suggest spending some time looking at Bill Lawrence's extensive patents- there's a wealth of information there. The newest design, in particular, is a traditional single but very low noise. ("Microcoils", use a Nd magnet and very fine wire for a much smaller coil, much less sensitive to noise.)
Jack FFR1846
Well-known member
If you want a real cheapy method, I read that someone took one of the single coils from a squier, removed the magnets and steel posts (they're separate pieces) and put it in series with the pickup switch to the volume pot. Try it before buttoning up the guitar. If it's in the right polarity, you're done. Hot glue it in place. If it makes more noise, flip it upside down.
I haven't tried it, but it makes sense. It won't work well in a single/rwrp combo.
I haven't tried it, but it makes sense. It won't work well in a single/rwrp combo.
