Does anyone else have problems with static?, it appears I interfere with electric things! Especially guitars and amps, doesn’t matter what I wear, they just hum, buzz or crackle. Sometimes when I pick up a guitar it’ll make a sort of click, someone suggested a bracelet thing on an extendable lead that you clip to something earthed. Not very practical at all, any ideas anyone or remedies please.
I used to have a problem with starts, and found that applying a layer of kitchen foil under the pick guard solved the problem. Make sure everything is earthed well too, and that you have good quality leads
Leads are all good quality Boss, Fender and some with fancy ends. OH says everything’s earthed ok, he checked when I started moaning about the noise because I thought it was maybe something to do with a pole mounted transformer that’s directly in front of the room I use.
How does the silver foil work please AM? , I’m happy to try as long as I don’t have to have a foil hat
I believe it dissipates the static and prevents it coming through the guard. Had to do it with 3 different strata, but it always seems effective. If things are really bad it may be necessary to run an earth wire to the foil layer. I also had a problem with a particular (Fender) lead at a friend’s house even with humbucker guitars, but never an issue anywhere else.
Sometimes but I just touch my cats nose to ground myself and get an enormous sense of satisfaction hearing the click of a spark on their nose.
1 Like
Ditch the nylon undies?
Is the area carpeted, what’s the humidity like (too dry and you get lots of static problems), do you use fabric conditioner?
Hum/buzz is probably you managing to pick up the 50Hz mains, could imply an open circuit pickup in a guitar.
What does the cat have to say about that? 
Please! NO nylon, I was bought up proper!, no fabric conditioner either.
The humidity is not bad, but the room is carpeted, maybe an anti stat mat for the amp might help? The amp can buzz even when not connected to a guitar, so that makes me think the transformer is the most likely cause.
I’ll give the foil a try, I don’t notice it too much when actually playing but tuning, warming fingers and it drives me nuts. Thanks AM, I’ll let you know how it goes.
1 Like
Probably the reason then - fabric conditionner reduces static generation by clothes fibres rubbing against each other when you move around.
Problem is I’m allergic to nearly all of them so never use them, but I do think a mat under the amp and maybe my stool might help. Thanks Bilky
1 Like
Amps often do buzz if valve designs, but a solid state amp should be silent unless set up with huge amounts of gain, and even then not much. With valve amps it’s often difficult to eliminate buzz because of proximity between wires carrying signals and those with a bit of DC ripple like heater wires. Use of shielded wires in some places can help, but valves themselves aren’t silent when biased normally.
Sources of interference include fluorescent light fittings, and boiler ignition circuits, mains clocks and similar. If the room you play in has a fluorescent light then change it for LEDs.
We changed the lights to LED’s just after we moved in so that should be ok. The amp is a solid state pre amp and valve power amp, I had it checked out last year and it was fine in their workshop, just the usual sound you’d expect.
Think I’ll try a combination of anti stat mat and tin foil and see how it goes. If it doesn’t sort the noise at least I’ll be ready for the invasion 
1 Like
I have an allergy to some common perfume ingredients, which can make me sneeze uncontrollably. That means we didn’t use conditioner as well until I found a perfume free one. If it’s the same problem with you can get bet them in most of the supermarkets now.
For me it’s not so much sneezing its bad headaches, some also bring me out in a rash. I’ll have a look next time I’m out shopping, I’ll maybe try one of the eco type places, see if they have anything worth trying.
I get shocks off my car door when I get out. It seems to be when my hair is much longer than when I had a trim last spring and got no shocks until just before xmas again. I used to get it bad as a child with long hair when M&S had those very low counters with metal railings round the edges to stop the merchandise falling onto the floor and I would touch these railings as we went round the shop and my hair would stand on end. Think they had carpet too on the floor back in the day
Meow and then a nice purr
1 Like
I rarely get actual shocks now, I used to especially when my hair was longer too, it would cracked when I brushed it.
I’ll see if they sell in the Uk, but if not I’ll look for something similar here. Thanks Hairbear.
I’ve just ordered a mat to go under the amp, might help!