• Registered: 2007-02-08
  • Posts: 13

Topic: Joe's Strats and Hum

Hey everyone,

I've seen Joe live now twice in the last 6 months and have watched video footage - does anyone know how he keeps his Strats single coils on the quieter side and sounding so thick? Sometimes when I'm listening to one of his cds I think its a LP and then find out it's a strat or stat-type. 

Many Thanks!
Marc

2 Reply by Ballgame (edited by Ballgame 2007-05-09 16:08:01)

  • Registered: 2006-05-19
  • Posts: 197

Re: Joe's Strats and Hum

he uses a les paul in the studio as well.  He lays one track for the left and right side.  Not every song but he does use a les paul.
You and Me is mostly Les Paul and E335

Also Im not the one to answer this but Id be surprised if they are single coil.  I know the Clapton Strat that he uses all the time has the noiseless PUs

3 Reply by CodeTitan (edited by CodeTitan 2007-05-09 21:09:21)

  • From: San Diego, CA
  • Registered: 2006-05-25
  • Posts: 34

Re: Joe's Strats and Hum

Joe likes to roll down the tone control when he is playing the bridge pickup.  Eric Johnson does this also.  It gives the guitar a warmer and fatter humbucker type tone.  He has his Strats wired so that the 2nd tone control is wired solely to the bridge pickup.  Also, add some extra gain when playing single coils.  On top of that Joe loves to use delay.  Most of these tips can be found on his instructional DVD.

  • From: Detroit
  • Registered: 2006-06-02
  • Posts: 5,807

Re: Joe's Strats and Hum

CodeTitan is correct.

Joe is constantly fiddling with both his volume and tone controls...most others keep them all on ten.
Making a guitar sound thicker and quieter can be done this way.  Also, Joe rewires his strats so the middle doesn't have a tone control, but the neck and bridge pickups do.

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  • Registered: 2007-02-08
  • Posts: 13

Re: Joe's Strats and Hum

Many Thanks for the replies.   I've always struggled keep a strat quiet.   I have custom shop strat that sits in the case because of the hum/hiss.   I've always wondered how the pros manage such things because I don't notice it when I see them live.  Another good example is Frusciante from the Peppers.

  • From: N. Little Rock, AR.
  • Registered: 2007-03-02
  • Posts: 463

Re: Joe's Strats and Hum

There is a new system from SUHR guitars. The "Silent Single Coil" system. You can have it fitted on your guitar, with your PUs. It's supposed to actually work, while still sounding like real SC PUs. You might want to try that.

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7 Reply by ZCat (edited by ZCat 2007-05-10 23:15:56)

  • ZCat
  • ZCat
  • Bronze Member
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  • From: Bellingham, at the moment.
  • Registered: 2006-06-29
  • Posts: 46

Re: Joe's Strats and Hum

I would say that if you're not hearing hum at a concert it's cause the guys are playing so loud it's covered up. Then, when they stop playing, they immediately turn the guitar volume off.

They probably also have their guitars shielded to the max to cut down the hum. You can see how to shield your guitar at the Guitarnuts site.

http://www.guitarnuts.com/wiring/shielding/shield3.php

  • From: Tampa, Fl.
  • Registered: 2006-04-22
  • Posts: 870

Re: Joe's Strats and Hum

Pretty much every guitar player who plays on stage like Joe will turn their guitar volume down when they're not playing... when they are playing (just as ZCat said) they're playing so loud you can't hear it.  The quietness you hear through Joe's strats is the fact that he plays so loud its impossible to hear the hum and he turns the volume off when he's not playing.

"Interestingly, according to modern astronomers, space is finite. This is a very comforting thought-- particularly for people who can never remember where they have left things." - Woody Allen

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  • From: Gnashville, TN
  • Registered: 2007-02-14
  • Posts: 198

Re: Joe's Strats and Hum

My stock strat pups (1981) were pretty noisy.  I put in Bill Lawrence L-290's and no more noise problems. Sheilding paint also helps but it's mostly the pups.


marcgomez71 wrote:

Hey everyone,

I've seen Joe live now twice in the last 6 months and have watched video footage - does anyone know how he keeps his Strats single coils on the quieter side and sounding so thick? Sometimes when I'm listening to one of his cds I think its a LP and then find out it's a strat or stat-type. 

Many Thanks!
Marc

"why isn't the number "11" pronounced "onety one"???....S. Wright.

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