Since I moved to Orange County, I am getting a horrible humming buzz noise from my Guitar Amp!!?

Question

I thought my amp is broken and I bought a new one but then I noticed it’s from the frequency that I’m getting here in my apartment. I tested all my guitars and amps separately somewhere else and they are perfectly fine, but I could receive this noise in my home. Because of this I moved from Fullerton to Anahiem Hills, and again I have this problem.
Things to consider in root cause analysis:
• The noise changes by my guitar direction and the position I am holding it. (There are some blind spots in my apartment that there is no noise)
• I thought it is the ground loop problem, but I have tested it with portable amplifier (using battery) and distortion unit with battery (nothing connected to power outlet) and again I still have this problem
• Both of these apartments where close to rail road (don’t know if they emit some frequency or not)
• I also tried different additional equipment I bought from guitar center none of them was working (Including: power conditioner rack, Hum-x plug outlet and etc.)
• Previously I used to live in San Diego and Los Angeles. Before moving to Orange County I was living in apartments and condos as well and I never had such a problem ( some people mention that it is because of living in apartments)

There is no noise on the clean mode just when I use distortion. Because of this problem I am planning to move out to a new location again. I was wondering if anyone was facing such a problem before and if you have any advice.

Answer 1

When you put that all together it sounds like RF interference. Is all your shielding intact? No bad cables? When you can change the effect by re-orienting the instrument it sounds like the instrument has become an antenna. I would strongly suspect the railroad as part of the problem.



Just out of curiousity, see what happens if you tune a radio to around 600-660 AM. Do you pick up an incredible amount of static and noise? Try other multiples of 60Hz. If it's an RF field from the train tracks (assuming it's a third rail) you might get a harmonic on the radio. One place I used to play was only a few feet off the road. The cops would park outside and their radio would come over our PA.

Answer 2

I have the same problem in San Diego. Its an older house. Could it be that its not 'earthed' properly? I'm not sure. I did find a fix though. By using a battery practice amp. the buzzing went away.

Answer 3

Sounds like the OC hum; it happens a lot down there. Not much you can do apart from get used to it or relocate. People try and use phase shifting equipment (whatever it is..) to try and cancel it out by I don't think they really work...

Sorry, not much you can do for OC hum.