Vintage BK Butler Tube Driver Hum Mysteries

[Fantastic_Delusion]

Hiya,

First post but old member (forgot my log in info).

So, this is going to be confusing but I so hope someone can help.

I run a 4 amp set up all controlled by two a/b boxes. Surprisingly, three out of the four amp rig is pretty quite. The noisiest one is my Marshall 1987x plexi. Way noisy and any pedals in front doesn't help matters (vintage Crybaby, vintage Tube Driver, Belle Epoch). The whole line is very sensitive to noise or lights, where as my other "channels", if you will, aren't as sensitive. If I want to play through my Marshall without too much noise I have to use it on it's own and the noise is a little better.

Which bring me to the mystery. As I was playing through my Marshall, Tube Driver combo, it was sounding fine with the usual hum you'd get from a amp loud with a overdrive pedal on. I decided I wanted to a/b a bit, but I'd like to add, none of my other amps where on. Just the Marshall. I set my strat down, did not place the amp on stand by being no other amp was on and I was not unplugging any effects on it's line. I plug in, on a totally different line, my Fuzz Face, and right when I plugged in my 808 from my Fuzz Face, my Marshall started humming like mad like it always does. Like something is horribly ungrounded. I fiddle with the patch cable that connects the FF to the 808 and I managed to clear up the humming from my Marshall. I then switch on the amp that the Fuzz Face and 808 go though and the noise did not get any worse. I then tried to plug in my Dyna Comp on my clean amp line. Again only two amps on, but the amps for clean still off. Plugged in the Dyna Comp and that horrible hum buzz came back. It's like 60 cycle-hum but at a volume of 10. I fiddled with the patch cable coming from the a/b switch to the Dyna Comp but nothing helped. I then fiddled with the patch cables in the Tube Driver. Touching the input jack, nothing changes. Touching the output jack. Madonn'! The noise was so awful. Static and bad hum came pouring out of my Marshalls speakers.

Being I have a '06 BK Butler TD as well, I disconnected the Dyna, Fuzz Face, and the 808. Switched the Marshall on stand by and switched the vintage TD with the newer TD. Switch the Marshall on. Slowly plugged the Fuzz Face in, the 808. It added a little noise but really, not horrible. I then plugged in the Dyna and no extra noise was added. I fiddled with the output jack of the '06 Tube Driver but no horrible hum was produced.

So, what's wrong with my vintage Tube Driver? It was proven that the vintage TD was the culprit to why running my full rig, my Marshall was lousy with hum (more than what is normal). Being the pedal is a classic and does sound awesome, I am admittedly afraid to bust it open and tinker. I feel as if the output jack may need some new solder but I just wanted to get some of y'alls good advice or thoughts.

Thanks in advance. All the best.

[J0K3RX]

So, this is going to be confusing but I so hope someone can help.

You're right, EXTREMELY confusing! 

[slacker]

It does sound like a dodgy connection somewhere, it's definitely worth checking the jacks on the tube driver, could be a bad solder joint or a damaged jack or maybe the nut just needs tightening up. That doesn't really explain why messing with the pedals on another channel affects it though, unless you also disturbed the tube driver whilst doing that.

[Fantastic_Delusion]

Hiya all,

Thanks so much for the reply. I cracked open my vintage TD to reveil the solder joints in perfect, shiny condition. I then played guitar into vintage TD to Marshall. Fiddled with the output cable/jack of the TD, no hum produced. So appreantly (thankfully) it isn't my vintage unit, but something that is happening when my guitar goes into my A/B switches. Sadly, whatever this mystrious buzz is coming from, my newer Tube Driver is now effected by it so. I have no idea what to do at this point.

Thanks again for the replies all.

All the best.

[vigilante397]

I would start by checking the easy parts: patch cables and power supplies. It seems that tube pedals in general are more sensitive to power supply filtering (or the lack thereof) than most pedals, and higher gain pedals like the Tube Driver are especially susceptible. I've also had bad luck with obscene noise coming from low quality patch cables, so that's another suspect.

I'm not sure how comfortable you are poking around inside amps, but you may also want to take a peek inside your Plexi. I had a friend with an older Fender amp that would randomly stop passing signal and would just pass outrageous noise. I opened it up and it turned out one side of a resistor had come loose, so I soldered it back down and it was good as new.

Hope you get it figured out, sounds like you have a sweet rig!

[Fantastic_Delusion]

Thanks for your suggestion @vigilante397,

I had my Marshall 1987X checked out, about a year ago now....? My amp tech (owner of Wayde Audio. Great amps. Look em up) gave my Plexi a clean bill of health. Also, my Marshall isn't as noisy in other places as it is at home, which is just so choice for creating and recording (sarcasm).

That said, I have plugged in each pedal one by one, guitar, effect, amp, and added one additional effect in slowly. Hell, my  guitar cable itself made another amp sound like the Marshall noise just by slightly pushing down on my tone knob and moving my guitar's main cable while in the jack. It's a George L so I clipped both sides and it seemed to make the connection better but, even with that change the Tube Driver, vintage or not now, still lousy with ungrounded hum.

I think, 'sides my actual guitars cable's hand in the equation, I may have found the prob. I elemenated and added every pedal on my board, eveen made new cables. I may be wrong (as I often am) but I think... I know it makes no sense. I removed my vintage, unmodded, Cry Baby from in front of my Tube Drivers, vintage and new seperatly, and even though adding other pedals, on completly different lines (channels) made a little noise, but not as horrible as it was, and even with fiddling with the output of the two diff TDs, it didn't seem as messed up. Again, unless the A/B boxes are messed up and allowing certain signals to pass, it doesn't make sense how removing the wah, basically cleans up the prob. Again, might be just a fluke. I might add, yesterday I did a recording into my laptop with just guitar into Crybaby, Vintage TD, Belle Epch. Messed with the output jack of my TD. Not a ungrounded sound to be had. Which is great! But, still weird.

And yeah? 'Sides the endless battle with horrible noises, I am really pretty content with my gear. Took a long time to get there. The only thing I still lust for is a Echoplex EP-3. Maybe a vinatge 808 too. Lol

Thanks again to all that posted replies. I truly appreciate the time. All the best.