I’m sort of new to the Hum Debugger - in my research I’ve heard both sides of the story; some people claim it’s the greatest thing since sliced bread while others loathe the thing.

Here’s my issue - I’ve got a Fender Black Dove P-90 Telecaster and I’m pretty sure the soapbars are designed to accomodate Fender spacing. I really like the sound but cannot stand the hum; there does not seem to be any suitable noiseless P-90 alternative, much less one for Fender spacing.

I don’t play anything too gainy - my ampliers are a Fender Vibro King and a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe (never use the gain channels - it’s set clean). The heaviest distortion I’d consider using is a Proco Rat or Wampler Pinnacle 2; fuzzwise, probably a Keeley Fuzzhead.

Will the Hum Debugger work and save me the trouble of having $300 pickups made for my Tele? Or will I be stuck with the dreaded “coloring” or “reverb effect” on my tone?

to be totally honest it’s something you would have to try, the colouring is very slight in ‘normal mode’ and a fair bit worse in ‘strong’ mode. .... but it seems to vary a lot in everyone’s set ups hence the different reviews.

...but I’m suprised you are hearing bad buzzing with the amp clean are you sure a ground wire hasn’t come disconnected somewhere in the guitar? ...

I’ve never worried about the ‘fender spacing’ thing either, in my experience it makes little or no difference, most companies don’t even do different spacings on pickups… you know it’s only a 3mm difference from the centre of the first pole to the centre of the last? It’s not as simple as fender needs F-spaced either.

“F-spaced pickups measure 2.01” (51 mm) center-to-center from the first polepiece to the sixth. Standard-spaced pickups measure 1.90” (48 mm). Although some players believe that F-spaced pickups are only for the bridge position of tremolo bridge guitars, many guitars with fixed bridges (including late 1990s Gibson Les Pauls and Epiphone LPs) should have F-spaced pickups in the bridge position. Most tremolo equipped guitars that have a nut width of 1-11/16? (43mm) or more should also use an F-spaced pickup in the neck position. If you?re replacing a bridge-position pickup and you’re not sure what your string-spacing is, it’s usually better to get an F-spaced model. It is not necessary for the strings to pass exactly over the center of the polepieces for best performance, but it is wise to avoid a situation where the E strings are sitting completely outside of the outer polepieces.”

I’d think a P90 was a P90.. I didn’t even know that they made them with different spacing.

At lower volumes it’s quiet - once I crank the volume it gets buzzy.

Chrismo - 14 March 2010 12:33 AM

At lower volumes it’s quiet - once I crank the volume it gets buzzy.

if you turn off the lights and all other electrical equipment, and plug your guitar into your amp at loud volume does it still do it? It might be worth going through it just to make sure it isn’t something else like pedal power supply or whatever.

Yes - I still get some noise even without lights and electrical devices on nearby. I think it’s just the natural nature of a P-90 unfortunately.

Chrismo - 13 March 2010 10:37 PM

I’m sort of new to the Hum Debugger - in my research I’ve heard both sides of the story; some people claim it’s the greatest thing since sliced bread while others loathe the thing.

Here’s my issue - I’ve got a Fender Black Dove P-90 Telecaster and I’m pretty sure the soapbars are designed to accomodate Fender spacing. I really like the sound but cannot stand the hum; there does not seem to be any suitable noiseless P-90 alternative, much less one for Fender spacing.

I don’t play anything too gainy - my ampliers are a Fender Vibro King and a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe (never use the gain channels - it’s set clean). The heaviest distortion I’d consider using is a Proco Rat or Wampler Pinnacle 2; fuzzwise, probably a Keeley Fuzzhead.

Will the Hum Debugger work and save me the trouble of having $300 pickups made for my Tele? Or will I be stuck with the dreaded “coloring” or “reverb effect” on my tone?

take your guitar and amp to the music store and try it,