EHX Hum Debugger: Is it that bad?

[Blingdogg]

So I've been thinking about the EHX Hum Debugger so that I can play my Strats with real single coil pups and no noise.

I don't really care for noiseless pups and those noise-cancelling systems (Illitch etc...) are too expensive for me.

So did some searching and I know the EHX Hum Debugger can cancel out single coil hum, but can add a nasty type of metallic reverb or something.

I just want to ask you guys again, to those who tried it or have it, despite its faults is the EHX Hum Debugger still good enough to use?

 

[Blingdogg]

anyone?

 

[brianr0131]

It's not really that bad. Depends on how much gain you use.

Also.......my advice is don't TRY to hear the bad sound. Once you do, it's over.

Ignorance is bliss

 

[Goico]

I received one as a gift and really wanted it to work out, but it was a big disappointment: If you like single coils, as I do, you will have to deal with the 60 cycle hum. That said, a well shielded guitar will reduce a lot of the noise, but you will never get rid of it entirely. You can also try a reverse wound middle pickup. This will give you hum-canceling in positions 2 and 4.
Big ups and move love.

 

[beej]

I've played with one for a bit and found it fairly unusable. Completely clean, it's not so bad (of course, neither is the single coil hum). With some gain, you hear the metallic sounding effect of the comb filtering used to kill 50/60 Hz and harmonics.

The more gain you use, the harsher the pedal sounds. Imo, it's not really suitable for guitar. (Worked great with a bass though.)

 

[Blingdogg]

Thanks for the replies guys. I think I may just take the risk and buy one if I find one used so I don't lose too much.

 

[gearandguitars]

For studio use - I've been using the EbTech Hum Eliminator just before the amp and it's been working well.


Ebtech 2-Channel Hum Eliminator

 

[jurfin]

i put this pedal into my rig and played around with it for one night. i seemed to notice a slight delay happening to my sound. like i would hit a note and 20 ms later it would come out of the amp. maybe this happened in my mind and i am just coconuts. thats all.

 

[Heady Jam Fan]

For studio use - I've been using the EbTech Hum Eliminator just before the amp and it's been working well.


Ebtech 2-Channel Hum Eliminator

Completely different thing, I have one and it works after a buffered or engaged pedal. This is for grounding problems in situations when you can't use the Ebtech HumX I guess. It really only helps when you have multiple loops/streams in your rig (multi-amp setups being most common).

There was a thread recently about the Carl Martin Noise Terminator. The thread was asking if it works and got no answer, so I decided to email Carl Martin. They were understandably secretive about the technology, but also weren't that helpful in general. It seems to work similarly to the Hum Debugger and I saw one at a good price, so I am going to give it a try and see.

 

[JPez]

I have the EHX Hum Debugger and use it all the time. In places where I don't need it, I don't notice any difference in tone that an EQ can't fix (but it's slight enough that I don't bother), and in places where the hum is otherwise bad, it makes the hum go away. My experience is that it's a solid product.

 

[rancid.keone]

I got my EHX Humdebugger as a birthday gift and I never use it (after I got this, I finally got a guitar with noiseless pickups.)

I did notice that when the humdebugger is engaged, it kinda makes my guitar a bit brighter...and Strats are bright as hell already

I recently traded and got a cheap Squier Strat and a MIM Strat with badass pickups in it. I thought I'd get to use the humdebugger again for the Squier but I traded for a SD Cruiser pickup in the neck and I only stay on that pickup for that guitar (I use it for all my acoustic-ish gigs)

The thing I love about the pedal is that it does what it's supposed to do IMO--even if it makes my guitar brighter. If ever again I get another cheap Strat with stock pickups, I can use this pedal for the 60-cycle hum and then just EQ what I don't like...