Chad''s at his wit''s end with a noise issue, when the teeny-tiny solution presents itself.
In a perfect world, running all of your gear off of a unit that's supplying good, clean, consistent power and having everything on a common ground would eliminate noise issues. Unfortunately, from venue to venue and room to room there will still be a time you'll have grief from something not being 'properly earthed.' I'm thankful that for the last couple of years, my main use for those little gray ground lift adaptors has been to make up for the lack of rubber feet under one of my amps. Although, on things like TV appearances where I typically just have a few stompboxes instead of my rack, I still may have to lift an amp or two so that they'll play well with othersāno big deal.
As I mentioned last column, we most recently had Bradās rack rebuilt by David Friedman of Racksystems. Now for quite a while after having the rack rebuilt, we were noise free. Even when we quite a bit of gain dialed in on the amps, they wouldn't be any noisier than if they were sitting idle with no input.
Then one day, out of nowhere, the noise came. There seemed to be no getting rid of it no matter what I tried. The cleaner sounds had ground buzzes, and the distortion patches were all but unusable. Even the wah pedal would vary from not very good to terrible. As I'm sure you all have experienced, ground problems are some of the worst to track down. They seem to come from anywhere, and it feels like the slightest little thing will cause them. I'm not the type of person who just accepts things and moves alongāI have to fix it. I just about drove myself crazy looking for an answer to why my brand new rig was noisier than the old one. I was searching at every show from the time my gear was set up until soundcheck with no luck. Nothing worked, nothing helped and I successfully shocked myself three times.
There had been no change in the rack whatsoever, so I could rule that out. I tried ground lifting each amp and the rack one at a time with no luck. To make sure I wasn't overlooking something, I talked through every step of my entire routine with our monitor engineer Mark Gould. I remember telling him that I had even tried lifting the wireless and it either made no difference at all or it was worse. I had just about settled into the idea that there was a cable going bad, and to make it all the worse, that it was somewhere inside of the rack.
Now that Iāve brought up the wireless, I have to address two things. First, the Shure UR4D wireless has a ground lift for each channel on the backside of the receiverāand flipping this switch didn't help either. Second, I have another UR4D receiver for my acoustic guitars mounted in my workbox. Both electric and acoustic wirelesses share a pair of paddle antennas by way of Shure's antenna combiner. This was the only connection that these two wirelesses have, and even breaking that caused no improvement.
By a sheer stroke of genius, Mark took the two acoustic wireless output cables and disconnected them from the sub snake. Just like that, my rig was dead quiet! Two cables that have absolutely no direct contact with my guitar rig had caused me more grief than I've ever endured in my ten years of touring.
Now this is where it gets interesting. There was nothing wrong with these mic cables at all. The problem was elsewhere. Have you ever, in an effort to keep noise levels down, grounded your fourth pin on an XLR connector? You jump your ground wire over to the fourth lug, which is generally left open and sometimes it can quiet down a noisy mic line. These had been wired this way from the factory, I'm certain for the same reason, but none of us had ever dreamed two centimeters of wire would cause such a massive ground loop through my amps. Just like a vasectomy, one quick snip made all the difference in the world. Thank you again Mark for all your help!
So remember, next time you have some noise issues and you've exhausted every avenue you can think of... it may not be your rig.
The rising guitar star talks gear, labels, genre troubles, and how to network.
Grace Bowers just released her debut record, 2024ās Wine on Venus, with her band the Hodge Podge, but sheās already one the most well-known young guitarists in America. On this episode of Wong Notes, Bowers talks through the ups, downs, and detours of her whirlwind career.
Bowers started out livestreaming performances on Reddit at age 13, and came into the public eye as a performer on social media, so sheās well acquainted with the limits and benefits of being an āInstagram guitarist.ā She and Cory talk about session work in Nashville (Bowers loathes it), her live performance rig, and Eddie Hazelās influence.
Bowers plugs the importance of networking as a young musician: If you want gigs, you gotta go to gigs, and make acquaintances. But none of that elbow-rubbing will matter unless youāre solid on youāre instrument. āNo oneās gonna hire you if youāre ass,ā says Bowers. āPractice is important.
āTune in to learn why Bowers is ready to move on from Wine on Venus, her takes on Nashville versus California, and why she hates āthe blues-rock label.ā
Learn about this iconic guitar's journey, its mods done by Frank, and hear how it sounds in the hands of his son Dweezil.
Framus Hootenanny Re-Issue Guitars: John Lennonās Favorite Reimagined | PG Plays
Join PG contributor Tom Butwin as he explores all-new versions of the Framus Hootenanny 12-string and 6-string acousticsāmade famous by John Lennon and now available with modern upgrades. From vintage-inspired tone to unique features, these guitars are built to spark creativity.
Positive Grid's Spark NEO offers guitarists a wireless guitar rig built into premium headphones, with AI-powered tone customization, exceptional sound quality, and versatile connectivity.
Positive Grid announces Spark NEO, a groundbreaking wireless guitar rig built directly into premium over-ear headphones. Designed to deliver a seamless, personal guitar experience, Spark NEO combines Positive Gridās award-winning guitar amp technology with true wireless connectivity and AI-powered guitar tone customization.
Spark NEO offers a seamless solution for guitarists seeking exceptional sound quality, advanced tone-shaping tools, and the freedom to play anywhere. Built with custom-designed 40mm drivers and an ultra-lightweight bio-fiber diaphragm, Spark NEO ensures rich, balanced sound for every style of music. The included wireless transmitter instantly pairs any guitar with the headphones for plug-and-play convenience, while Spark NEOās built-in 1/4" input can also support traditional guitar cables, for added versatility.
With four onboard, customizable guitar presets, Spark NEO enables private playing anywhere, free from space limitations or noise constraints. For even more variety, connecting to the free Spark app unlocks additional presets, amps & effects, and advanced tone controls. Spark NEO also doubles as premium BluetoothĀ® headphones, offering exceptional clarity for music, podcasts, and more.
Key Features:
- Optimized for Guitarists: Spark NEO integrates Positive Gridās renowned tone engine, delivering precise sound tailored to electric, acoustic, and bass guitars.
- True Wireless Freedom: A proprietary 2.4GHz system provides reliable, ultra-low latency connectivity between Spark NEO and the userās guitar, for a smooth and stable playing experience.
- AI-Powered Guitar Tone Customization: Create and refine tones effortlessly with AI-driven tools that adapt to every playing style.
- Exceptional Sound Quality: Precision-engineered drivers deliver clarity and balance for both guitar playing and music listening.
- Portable Design: Spark NEOās compact, foldable build and rechargeable battery with up to six hours of play time make it easy to take anywhere.
Built for Guitarists
Spark NEO bridges the gap between traditional guitar setups and modern technology. Unlike using generic headphones with a guitar amp, Spark NEOās integrated design ensures every elementāfrom app to driversādelivers unparalleled performance.
Noise Isolating Design
Spark NEOās ultra-soft, durable ear cups ensure a comfortable fit. With advanced damping materials, tuned venting, and precise port adjustments, Spark NEO provides passive noise isolation, letting every musical detail shine without external interference. Jam with backing tracks or favorite songs without disturbing a soul.
Enhanced Creativity with Spark App
The Spark App expands Spark NEOās capabilities with access to 33 amps and 43 effects, plus over 100,000 tones on Positive Grid's online ToneCloud. Auto Chords helps players learn and jam along with any song by displaying its chords in real time as the song plays, while customizable presets offer endless creative possibilities. Play with backing tracks or along with favorite songs. Whether practicing, playing, or experimenting, Spark NEO delivers unmatched flexibility for guitar players at every level.
Availability and Pricing
Spark NEO is priced at USD $199, including the headphones, wireless transmitter, and full access to the Spark App. It will be available soon on Positive Gridās website, Amazon, and select retailers.
For more info, please visit positivegrid.com.