Reduce noise in my dual effects pedal? (boost->Ts808)

[elenore19]

Hi-
I housed two pedals together into one. A stratoblaster boost clone and a ts808 clone.
The thing is I like having the boost maxed to really pump the overdrive pedal, and when they were both out of the enclosures there wasn't much noise. Now there's TONS of noise.
Would shielded wire fix this problem?

Any other easy fixes?

Thanks guys. Let me know if you need pictures or any other info. Both pedals work great, just the background noise is too much.

[thedefog]

I'd like to see a photo of the guts if you can. That will help a lot.

[elenore19]

Here you go. Picture was taken with computer so it's inverted.

[thomasthebuzzard]

An easy fix would be to run a small value cap from the collector to the base of one of your transistors. This will also reduce volume, distortion and cut treble. Not the best fix but a fix nonetheless. This will also only handle the higher frequency hissssss. But i find that that is the most annoying noise anyway.

[thedefog]

I'm trying to guess where wires in the back are going. Are you runing the ground from the boost to a ground point on the TS808? Try shortening your ground wire running to the jack from the board and anywhere else you can shorten the run while still avoiding ground loops.

When you say noise, do you mean hum/buzz or hiss?

[Paul Marossy]

When you say noise, do you mean hum/buzz or hiss?

+1

[R.G.]

If it is hiss, then it's highly likely that either
- some miswiring has happened in the transplant
or
- the wiring is letting the two pedals interact and make ultrasonic or RF oscillation, which sometimes sounds like a very angry hiss in audio.

[Paul Marossy]

If it is hiss, then it's highly likely that either
- some miswiring has happened in the transplant
or
- the wiring is letting the two pedals interact and make ultrasonic or RF oscillation, which sometimes sounds like a very angry hiss in audio.

Yeah, I was also thinking that maybe it was an interaction between the two circuits since they are in close proximity to eachother but was waiting hear a more detailed description of the nature of the noise...

[elenore19]

I'm trying to guess where wires in the back are going. Are you runing the ground from the boost to a ground point on the TS808? Try shortening your ground wire running to the jack from the board and anywhere else you can shorten the run while still avoiding ground loops.

When you say noise, do you mean hum/buzz or hiss?

I don't have the pedal here in front of me, but I'm pretty sure I wired the grounds of each board to the ring of the closest jack and wired those rings together across the pedal and to the switches from their respective spots. If that makes any sense.

Here's a sound clip. It's a hiss.
http://www.soundclick.com/flashbackmanatees
"boost->ts808"

[thedefog]

I don't really hear hiss in that clip, but I hear 60hz hum when the boost is activated. What kind of pickups are you using on your guitar and does it go away when you have your hand on the strings?

[elenore19]

I don't really hear hiss in that clip, but I hear 60hz hum when the boost is activated. What kind of pickups are you using on your guitar and does it go away when you have your hand on the strings?

Alright, maybe no hiss. I have no idea how to characterize whitenoise.
The hum does not go away when I have my hand on the strings. I use a humbucker in those clips. A um, seymour duncan custom 5 humbucker I think is what it's called.
It was either that pickup or a GFS lil puncher humbucker.
So both pickups should have the hum bucked.

I'm gonna try the shielded wire, and if all else fails, make a noise gate to go after the pedal to shut it up at least while I'm not playing.

[thedefog]

Sometimes it is just as stupid as proximity of your wire runs to a sensitive place. Try moving them around, one wire at a time, and see if if quiets down at all. I wouldn't jump right to doing shielded wire, and a noise gate won't get rid of the problem, it'll just mask it when you're not playing. Twisting wires can sometimes help reduce hum too.