Pro Junior -radio sounds!

daviddoubleu · November 22nd, 2006, 04:00 AM

Hi guys,

I've just purchased a brand new Pro Junior.

Sounded great in shop.

But once home and plugged in I get a whole load of radio sounds and humming like you would'nt believe, arhh!

I have a broadcasting building close by which I'm thinking could be the problem.

Am I write in thinking this is the problem and what the heck can I do about it other then move house?

daviddoubleu · November 22nd, 2006, 07:22 AM

Well I just played it this evening and seemed alot better. I really the love sound of this baby. And I'm sure when I go gigging it will rip it up good!

I'd still like to know if this radio interferance is common?

Joe M · November 22nd, 2006, 11:02 AM

It is common; are you using any pedals with the amp? Anything extra in the chain makes the problem worse.

JohnnyCrash · November 22nd, 2006, 12:17 PM

A wah could tune in Tokyo.

quackerz · November 22nd, 2006, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnnyCrash

A wah could tune in Tokyo.

daviddoubleu · November 22nd, 2006, 12:38 PM

Any solution? Wah, wah, wah, boo hoo hoo.

LagunaFisherman · November 22nd, 2006, 01:14 PM

I saw a band play locally one night and when the bass player wasn't playing between songs (Old Peavey?) amp, waves of Tejano music could be heard. Made things interesting.

g-Paul · November 22nd, 2006, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnnyCrash

A wah could tune in Tokyo.

My wah DOES tune in Tokyo. What's puzzling is it doesn't do it all the time, just some nights. Is there any way to get it to stop?

JohnnyCrash · November 22nd, 2006, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by g-Paul

My wah DOES tune in Tokyo. What's puzzling is it doesn't do it all the time, just some nights. Is there any way to get it to stop?

You can try a bra... but tuning in Tokyo is too addictive :)

It's the nature of amps - especially in the modern world.

I've built amps with shielded input/preamp wiring and it still happens ocassionally. I've used shielded pickuards - still get it sometimes. It's pretty rare compared to the amount of gigs that don't tune in Tokyo.

Who knows, maybe power conditioners, ground lifts, etc, etc would actually help - but I'd rather save my money for booze and just play the club with what I've got, as well as the tejano radio backing me up (maybe it'll help my sound! HAHAHA).

As far as wah's go... there is some interesting things that happen there. Don't remember if it's the inductor or what, but in some cases it's unavoidable... do some searches on wahs, I don't even know if the techs understand the wah/radio mystery.

g-Paul · November 23rd, 2006, 02:09 PM

Yeah, I'm of the "save-the-money-for-booze-just-play-the-club-with-what-you've-got" attitude too. I was hoping there might be a magic bullet. Oh well...

EasilyAmused · November 23rd, 2006, 09:37 PM

as a simple idea - have you considered that quality of your guitar chord? I've played a few chords that have been able to pick up radio interference quite a bit...

When you hear the amp picking up radio waves, unplug everything from the amp and see if it is still happenning. If it is, then something in the amp likely needs shielding (I don't really know my amp tech stuff...). If the interference stops, then it's something in your signal path - not the amp itself.

And yeah, wah pedals are fantastic at picking up the radio. I had a wah once that I could use (with a bad chord) to scroll through radio stations with my foot. That was quite something.

daviddoubleu · November 24th, 2006, 12:59 AM

Hey I've just turned the amp on without any guitar chords/leads plugged in and yeah there's no radio sounds at all.

Lead back in-

The guitar chord/lead I use is a Monster. This is a pretty nice lead.

I've tried various other leads I have of mixed quality and it's still there.

Maybe I need to think about sheilding my Teles somehow?

But anyhow this amp is really my gigging amp- way to load for my apartment, the place shakes when I crank it. Neighbours are use to shaking houses due to being in an earthquake zone. The loud sounds might be pushing it though!

I still think living next to a broadcasting station with a whopping great radio mast on top can't help the situation.

I have a 15R Fender Frontman which doesn't get any of this problem. Is there a difference between solid and valve when it comes to radio noise?

JohnnyCrash · November 24th, 2006, 06:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daviddoubleu

Maybe I need to think about sheilding my Teles somehow?

Yes.

There are some fine articles here on how to do it right. Search for em.

Pickup cavities. Ground the shielding by making it contact a grounded connection (control plate etc).

It's cheap and should do the trick.

mojohen · November 25th, 2006, 12:12 PM

My old Charvel model 4 and Mesa Boogie Mark III used to pick up Russian stations, no kidding....W actually used to listen to it quite often....

mojohen

November 22nd, 2006, 04:00 AM	#1 (permalink)
daviddoubleu Tele-Holic Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Taipei, Taiwan Posts: 578 7 Photos	Pro Junior -radio sounds! Hi guys, I've just purchased a brand new Pro Junior. Sounded great in shop. But once home and plugged in I get a whole load of radio sounds and humming like you would'nt believe, arhh! I have a broadcasting building close by which I'm thinking could be the problem. Am I write in thinking this is the problem and what the heck can I do about it other then move house?

November 22nd, 2006, 01:14 PM	#7 (permalink)
LagunaFisherman TDPRI Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Corpus Christi, TX Age: 28 Posts: 43	I saw a band play locally one night and when the bass player wasn't playing between songs (Old Peavey?) amp, waves of Tejano music could be heard. Made things interesting. __________________ "If it ain't chartreuse, it ain't no use" -Uncle Lefty

November 23rd, 2006, 09:37 PM	#11 (permalink)
EasilyAmused Tele-Meister Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: London Age: 24 Posts: 246	as a simple idea - have you considered that quality of your guitar chord? I've played a few chords that have been able to pick up radio interference quite a bit... When you hear the amp picking up radio waves, unplug everything from the amp and see if it is still happenning. If it is, then something in the amp likely needs shielding (I don't really know my amp tech stuff...). If the interference stops, then it's something in your signal path - not the amp itself. And yeah, wah pedals are fantastic at picking up the radio. I had a wah once that I could use (with a bad chord) to scroll through radio stations with my foot. That was quite something. __________________ Check out my bands' sites: Soul/Blues and Brit Pop and Rock

November 24th, 2006, 12:59 AM	#12 (permalink)
daviddoubleu Tele-Holic Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Taipei, Taiwan Posts: 578 7 Photos	Hey I've just turned the amp on without any guitar chords/leads plugged in and yeah there's no radio sounds at all. Lead back in- The guitar chord/lead I use is a Monster. This is a pretty nice lead. I've tried various other leads I have of mixed quality and it's still there. Maybe I need to think about sheilding my Teles somehow? But anyhow this amp is really my gigging amp- way to load for my apartment, the place shakes when I crank it. Neighbours are use to shaking houses due to being in an earthquake zone. The loud sounds might be pushing it though! I still think living next to a broadcasting station with a whopping great radio mast on top can't help the situation. I have a 15R Fender Frontman which doesn't get any of this problem. Is there a difference between solid and valve when it comes to radio noise? Last edited by daviddoubleu; November 24th, 2006 at 01:46 AM.

November 25th, 2006, 12:12 PM	#14 (permalink)
mojohen Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: NY Posts: 177 12 Photos	My old Charvel model 4 and Mesa Boogie Mark III used to pick up Russian stations, no kidding....W actually used to listen to it quite often.... mojohen __________________ " Time to get ready for the storm"

November 22nd, 2006, 07:22 AM	#2 (permalink)
daviddoubleu Tele-Holic Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Taipei, Taiwan Posts: 578 7 Photos	Well I just played it this evening and seemed alot better. I really the love sound of this baby. And I'm sure when I go gigging it will rip it up good! I'd still like to know if this radio interferance is common?

November 22nd, 2006, 11:02 AM	#3 (permalink)
Joe M Moderator Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,214	It is common; are you using any pedals with the amp? Anything extra in the chain makes the problem worse.

November 22nd, 2006, 12:17 PM	#4 (permalink)
JohnnyCrash Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Lost Angeles and Orange County Posts: 7,128	A wah could tune in Tokyo.

November 22nd, 2006, 12:38 PM	#6 (permalink)
daviddoubleu Tele-Holic Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Taipei, Taiwan Posts: 578 7 Photos	Any solution? Wah, wah, wah, boo hoo hoo.

November 23rd, 2006, 02:09 PM	#10 (permalink)
g-Paul Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Leafs Nation Age: 48 Posts: 132	Yeah, I'm of the "save-the-money-for-booze-just-play-the-club-with-what-you've-got" attitude too. I was hoping there might be a magic bullet. Oh well...