Noise in guitar amp output that decreases heavily when I touch the guitar and ground

Try using a combination of 100 / 470 / 10 uF in parallel with a 100 pF as a noise filter, the circuit will look like a ladder... capacitors across rails.
I don’t think that that would get rid of common mode noise. But my filter is implemented like that - a capacitance multiplier followed by plenty of bulk and high frequency filter caps - a mix of 470u electrolytics, 1u films and 100n ceramics
 
Then how exactly would I go about removing common mode nois? Common mode chokes and ferrite beads on the power cable?
This choke should block frequencies down to 100Hz and provide an impedance far above 1MOhm. Obviously there a no chokes available to suppress this kind of low frequency cm noise - it is a dead and street. And ferrites block frequencies in the MHz-range. Even the old mains xformer PSU introduce some kind of this noise, but to a lower degree. The problem is known for decades and for that reason you will find no serious guitar amp with a 2-prong mains plug.

So, did you check grounding your amp meanwhile?
 
Last edited:
Basically non-grounded energy.
Happens a lot on computers
And if your desktop is not grounded, the hard disk has a tendency to build up static energy, and flash over, can fry it.
So use a ground cable, or put the thing in a metal cabinet of some sort, and earth that.

Laptop earthing is something I haven't thought much about, I prefer desktops with large screens.


Try this, if you can't earth the amp as such...put it in a shielded enclosure, like an old computer cabinet. And connect that to earth.


When you touch it, you are providing an earth path.
Same principle as a neon line tester.
That tiny amount of stray energy gets amplified, and when you touch it, it finds an earth path, and the hum goes away.
Try barefoot if you feel adventurous!
 
Last edited:
I can tell you that I investigated this effect in depth for the company I was working at as hardware designer. So I can reassure that your assumption with RF-noise is of little credibility. Among other I play the electric guitar on stage for 5 decades now and can not remember any amp with a 2-prong mains plug. So feel free to name me some serious guitar amps that use a 2 prong mains plug😉
 
This choke should block frequencies down to 100Hz and provide an impedance far above 1MOhm. Obviously there a no chokes available to suppress this kind of low frequency cm noise - it is a dead and street. And ferrites block frequencies in the MHz-range. Even the old mains xformer PSU introduce some kind of this noise, but to a lower degree. The problem is known for decades and for that reason you will find no serious guitar amp with a 2-prong mains plug.

So, did you check grounding your amp meanwhile?

I didn't since one of the posts mentioned it could cause faults in the adapter, and I don't want to risk a fire. I doubt the safety precaution taken while manufacturing were up to standards.

However I did try a laptop charger with a three prong plug - I hear the noise all the same. I did discover something though - If I leave the charger connected to the amp, but switch the charger off at the outlet, I still hear the noise even with batteries powering the circuit.
 
Basically non-grounded energy.
Happens a lot on computers
And if your desktop is not grounded, the hard disk has a tendency to build up static energy, and flash over, can fry it.
So use a ground cable, or put the thing in a metal cabinet of some sort, and earth that.

Laptop earthing is something I haven't thought much about, I prefer desktops with large screens.


Try this, if you can't earth the amp as such...put it in a shielded enclosure, like an old computer cabinet. And connect that to earth.


When you touch it, you are providing an earth path.
Same principle as a neon line tester.
That tiny amount of stray energy gets amplified, and when you touch it, it finds an earth path, and the hum goes away.
Try barefoot if you feel adventurous!
I'm always barefoot at home, no carpets no nothing. Saves me the trouble of having to worry about frying electronic components in my modest lab
 
I didn't since one of the posts mentioned it could cause faults in the adapter, and I don't want to risk a fire. I doubt the safety precaution taken while manufacturing were up to standards.

However I did try a laptop charger with a three prong plug - I hear the noise all the same. I did discover something though - If I leave the charger connected to the amp, but switch the charger off at the outlet, I still hear the noise even with batteries powering the circuit.

How did you switch it off? Did you remove the plug?
Btw - which posts mentioned it is dangerous to ground the adapter? Any adapter MUST BE SAFE in that case-
otherwise it is UNSAFE! period.
 
Last edited:
I switched it off by just turning the switch off. The plug was still plugged in. As for the post on faults -
Its a design characteristic of a lot of SMPS,s , capacitor filters are used to smooth out the power supply but they must have somewhere to remove the electrical noise and that is to an earth point .


The problem is how much voltage/current is running through the capacitor filter as a cheap SMPS can have quite a bit and earthing it when its not supposed to be earthed could cause a fault condition but that is down to the design .


When you earth it through your body ,your body acts like a resistor that's why there is still noise , it depends on whether you have thick or thin skin and whether your hands are moist or not .


Those with thin moist skin will get higher voltage electrical shocks , I have thick dry skin otherwise I would not be here posting this .
 
Ready amp and FM/SD/USB module.
2.1 Amp, 3 x 2030, 2 US Dollars.
FM module 1.5 Dollars
Transformer, 12-0-12, 3 Amps, extra.
Okay for small rooms.
 

Attachments

  • FM E Mail.jpg
    FM E Mail.jpg
    11.7 KB · Views: 52
  • 2.1 e mail.jpg
    2.1 e mail.jpg
    12.8 KB · Views: 54
Last edited:
This uses a 4558 to filter out bass and drive a woofer, I am going to put a 4 inch one.
Oh, and the pots are extra, wires come with the kit, there is a 7805 to supply the module.
There is a Keltron capacitor version for about double the price, this has cheap Chinese ones.

But for about 6 to 10 dollars, can't really be fussy.