| Hum on a Kustom 150 Head [message #963] |
Mon, 29 October 2001 20:23  |
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I was wondering if there is anything that can be done to get rid of a small amount of hum from the amp head. It still has a 2 prong power cable, and I am kind of weary to replace it with a 3 prong as I just bought it today. I am a little electronics savy, but I have worked on mostly newer pieces of equipment. Can anyone help?
Derek
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| Re: Hum on a Kustom 150 Head [message #964 is a reply to message #963] |
Tue, 30 October 2001 12:31  |
KustomBlues
Messages: 490
Registered: June 2001
Location: Michigan
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Senior Member |
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A 3 wire power cord will help some low-level hum. Believe me, a new cord is very easy to install! I've put numerous ones on, and I'm a girl!! :-) The old amps like Kustoms are actually easier to work on in my opinion. Go to Kmart and buy a black 3 wire cord for $5.69, it's 15' long. Cut the one female end off it, get the leads of wire the right length and strip the ends back about 1/8" or less. Open the head up by removing the 4 screws in the bottom of the head (flip it over to see them). Look at how the original cord is wired, where the white and black wires connect. Draw it out on a piece of paper. Now, carefully unsolder the original cord ends, take a pliers and squeeze the plastic cord retainer thing and pull the cord out the back of the head. Now, stick the new cord through the hole, and solder the white wire where the white wire was, and the black new wire where the old black was. Now, take the green and solder a connector on it that has little grippy edges on it (a ground lug) and remove one of the screws for the cord retainer "ears" that are on the back of the head, scuff up the metal there with some sandpaper, and stick the ground lug between the chassis metal and the head of the screw for that "ear". Screw that "ears" screw back in tightly. Take the black plastic thing and get an exacto knife or razor blade ready. Look at the rounded areas in the retainer thing. Scrape enough of it out so you don't have to kill yourself to get that thing on the thicker (new) cord. Squeeze it around it in an area that will give you a little slack on the interior part of the cord, within the head. Tape the back area of the head off with masking tape so you don't scratch it up. Then carefully push it back into the cord hole from the backside and outside of the head. It may take a couple of trys. WahLa--you are done! Oh, and if the cord retainer "ears" screw location doesn't appeal to you, look for another location where you can put that green wire to a solid ground connection. The green wire is ground, and that is the important part, and the reason why you are doing this cord conversion. The ground is what will kill the hum, providing there is not a need for service to this head. Oh, and on these 150 heads (250's also) when you hook up the 3 wire power cord, the POLARITY switch will have no effect anymore. That is because the grounded cord is doing that job now. Email me if I have confused you... Good luck!! KustomBlues Deb debraehart@hotmail.com
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| Re: Hum on a Kustom 150 Head [message #965 is a reply to message #964] |
Tue, 30 October 2001 14:59 |
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the 150 models all tend to hum more cause those later amps were made by Baldwin and they were usually rushed out the factory before they had time to learn the words to the songs! (I"m sorry...it just comes over me....no really.. I'm sorry...its was a horrible attempt at humor..and as simple minded as I am.. I'm still chucklin) Play Loud...even if you can only hum along...ET!
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| Re: Hum on a Kustom 150 Head [message #966 is a reply to message #965] |
Tue, 30 October 2001 21:54 |
KustomBlues
Messages: 490
Registered: June 2001
Location: Michigan
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Senior Member |
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Hey, no Kustom amp built needs to know the WORDS to the songs!!!! It just has to play loud, proud, and strong! Ha ha ha. A little humming :-) every now and then just means they are getting old, and senile. Our Kustoms, just like all of us, at one time or another end up staring into the lights and singing la la la la ....until the words run into the right brain cells to make our mouths sing them. Now, if our Kustoms or ourselves start to have major brain farts, then I would become concerned. :-)
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| Re: Hum on a Kustom 150 Head [message #1034 is a reply to message #964] |
Sun, 18 November 2001 18:38 |
KustomBlues
Messages: 490
Registered: June 2001
Location: Michigan
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Senior Member |
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PackerLeap has added a safer revision to my power cord installation instructions. Instead of using an eaxcto knife to carve out the channel on the plastic cord retainer to accomodate the fatter cord, USE A ROUND FILE. It's safer and probably much faster. (Sometimes I like to do things the hard way so I feel a greater sense of accomplishment! :-) Ha ha ha, no really sometimes the blonde hairs in my haed rise up and take over...) Use a round file--a great tip from packerleap.
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| Re: Hum on a Kustom 150 Head [message #1041 is a reply to message #965] |
Wed, 21 November 2001 12:14 |
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Does your amp hum louder depending on where you have it set up in your house. My K200 would get 60HZ hum if I placed it next to certian walls in my house. To fix this I stapled aluminum foil to the inside top of the head case. The aluminum foil acts as a shield to block out outside interfierence from the electronics in the head. To test this out just lay a sheet of foil on top of your amphead to see if this helps.
Regards,
Bill
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| Re: Hum on a Kustom 150 Head [message #1042 is a reply to message #963] |
Wed, 21 November 2001 12:29 |
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The 3 wire cord will help reduce the hum. But more important the 3 wire cord with ground is an important SAFETY feature. I have converted all my amps to grounded 3 wires.
With the 2 wire cord you will get a mild shock when you touch another guitar, mike, or amp that is a different polarity than your amp, so you flip the polarity switch, no big deal.
But if you are playing on an outdoor stage and it starts to rain on you or if the stage gets wet, the grounded 3 wire cord could prevent you from being electrocuted. Serious stuff, I believe this has actually happened before.
Have you ever played barefoot on a concrete floor?? OUCH! Add the 3 wire cord.
Regards,
Bill
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