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Thread: Electric Fan Noise

  1. #1
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    Electric Fan Noise

    Hello,

    What is an easy way to block or filter out the modulation noise an electric fan can make in a room with a guitar amp?

    In my new office/practice room I have a ceiling fan or I need to use some other type of fan, but when I do I get this fast warbling type of modulation in the sound, when I turn off the fans, all is well.

    I'm really sweatin' to the oldies here and I really don't want to.

    Thanks

    - HR

  2. #2
    Forum Member phantomman's Avatar
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    Re: Electric Fan Noise

    If you're playin' a single-coil guitar (Strat, Tele, Gibson P-90, etc) those pickups are notorious for pickin' up extraneous noises from all manner of electric contrivances (fans, TEEvees, video games, neon lights, walk-in coolers, virtually anythang). It's one of the reasons I switched to SCN and DiMarzio Virtual Vintage Noiseless in my stage Strats.

    'Bout the only thang you can do besides changin' out pickups is to trine add some shielding to the guitar. However, it's been reported that those prophylactic measures may change the tone of your instrument (an' not necessarily for the better). If the guitar doesn't already have one, I'd try a copper shielding plate beneath the pickguard before using any of those shielding paints in the body cavities.

    Best of luck, HTH

  3. #3
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    Re: Electric Fan Noise

    Thanks but it's with any guitar, even my LP.

    Will keep looking.

    - HR

  4. #4
    Forum Member phantomman's Avatar
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    Re: Electric Fan Noise

    Are you using properly-shielded cables?

  5. #5
    Forum Member Kap'n's Avatar
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    Re: Electric Fan Noise

    Is it electrical, or from the air?

    We used to play this place that had ceiling fans. Everything sounded like it was played through a leslie. We had a choice - die of heat, or sound like crap.

    We chose heat. The sound was unbearable.
    Several guitars in different colors
    Things to make them fuzzy
    Things to make them louder
    orange picks

  6. #6
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    Re: Electric Fan Noise

    Quote Originally Posted by Kap'n View Post
    Is it electrical, or from the air?

    We used to play this place that had ceiling fans. Everything sounded like it was played through a leslie. We had a choice - die of heat, or sound like crap.

    We chose heat. The sound was unbearable.
    It's in the current, I've tried three different fans around the room, all of them create the same effect. I need to upgrade my house to have 2 AC zones. <sigh>

    Come on winter!!!

    Thanks,

    - HR

  7. #7
    Forum Member Kap'n's Avatar
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    Re: Electric Fan Noise

    Sounds like you need one of these:

    http://www.furmansound.com/product.php?id=AR-15_II

    I play a room like that sometimes. I can't play anything with single coils in it.
    Several guitars in different colors
    Things to make them fuzzy
    Things to make them louder
    orange picks

  8. #8
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    Re: Electric Fan Noise

    I doubt it's from the current. It's what's happening to the sound in the room. Kind whips the sound waves around. If it was a buzz coming from the amp, I'd suspect the AC in the house. But it's the sound waves in the room being manipulated by the blades of the fan. Either Lonnie Mack or Duane Eddy ( I can't remember which) used to do this on purpose: place a fan in front of the amp to get a leslie type effect... Time to get a winodw ac unit.

    Edited to add this quote from Toby Wright:

    The weirdest example I can think of was on Korn’s “Got the Life,” where we put a huge fan in front of a tiny amp, set the fan on low, and after finding where the air wasn’t hitting the mic we dialed in a Leslie-type sound.

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