I’m having a problem with single coil hum with the Peche. It’s really loud and present, and I have to move around to get rid of it, and when I do find some silence, the real estate I'm left with is pretty confining. I don't expect duck walk ala Chuck Berry, but I don't want to feel like a statue either. I've got enough problems juggling things on stage as it is.
I’m familiar with the problem because I’m a Strat player as well, but it’s never been this bad. How did you Peche players deal with it? Michael said it may be the amp and it should be better with the David on which I'm awaiting delivery. To be frank, it could well be the amp--an old Crate boutique offshoot called a Palamino 16 with two EL84 power tubes and a 12" Celestion greeen back speaker. Have you found that some amps do a better job with the single coil Peche?
To be sure, I've read up on the usual suspects such as ground loops (tested and eliminated), nearby computer and other electronics, dimmers, fluorescent lighting, etc. I'm not going to drive myself crazy about this, though.
I know some of you deal with it by bypassing the amp entirely. Klaatu, for example, told me he runs his directly into the PA with Baggs Para DI's. But I would like to think this should be the simplest of setups: mount pickup on guitar and plug into amp like any guitar.
Thoughts?
Comments
Even better update: traded in Palomino 16 to Guitar Center for all tube (except for rectifier) Fender Super Champ 2x. It’s a 15 watt with a 10 inch speaker that is clean and loud enough small gigs, and weighs in at 25 pounds. The bonus is the amp modeling and built-in effects on the second channel so I can still have fun with my Strat.
The Peche sounds great through it on the clean channel. The surprise is the second channel with the amp modeling. There are 16 amps including various Fenders and some British amp sounds. In terms of a GJ guitar with a magnetic pickup, it’s better to think of the amp modeling as a tone variation setting. It gives you a number of different sounds to choose from without radically getting away from an acoustic guitar with a pickup sound. Getting that early slightly distorted electric Django sound is a breeze, for example.
The amp sells for $400 before discounts, and easily is available at most music stores to try out.