Whammy 4 RF Problem? Creepy Religious Apocolyptic Whammy talk radio....

[donking2010]

Hey guys & gals. First time poster...

 

I've had a Digitech Whammy 4 on my pedal board off and on for a while and every time I plug it in line with everything else i get some terrible religious RF coming through my amp.

 

Any ideas on how to get ride of it?

 

My set-up is Everything is powered by two pedal powers. Except the Whammy is powered by a separate power run.

[Phil O'Keefe]

I'd suggest trying the process of elimination approach (pulling things out of the rig one at a time until the problem clears up and you discover the cause of the issue), or the start with a basic setup and add things to it one at a time approach, testing with each addition, until you find the source of the problem.

 

Don't forget to test your cables too.

[V]

Actually I also used to pick up crazy right wing apocalyptic radio on mine years ago if I had it plugged in on front of like a big muff or other high gain pedals. It would just get amplified like crazy and resulted in some fun songs where my playing was a mixture of riffs and interjections of some pundits getting all worked up about one thing or another. I haven't noticed it with the whammy v.

[Phil O'Keefe]

I never had a IV so I can't speak to that, but I've noticed zero noise issues with the Whammy V.

[donking2010]

Hey guys thanks for the reply's. Phil I did the process of illumination multiple times always coming down to this Whammy 4. Do you think it might have something to do with it being not plugged into the Pedal Power? I've seen the Pedal Power AC would that take care of the RF issue? I tried plugging into a Furman but it just magnified the issue.

 

V

The Whammy is in front of a Big Muff & Ultimate Octave. When either are on it does magnify the RF alot. Which makes sense those pedals are increasing signal by a lot of db and compressing the snot out of it. If I move the Whammy after those of coarse the RF is quieter but still there. If I gain up my amp a ton then you really notice the RF again.

 

Maybe the solution is to get a Whammy 5 and try it out? I'd just like to be able to trouble shoot this issue for the knowledge of fixing RF issues. Any other suggestions are extremely welcomed.

[th1nk]

Ya know, personally I'd leave it as-is. The station it picks up will probably only stay that way in certain locations but there are really neat ways to use that (I managed to get my Fuzz Factory to pick up radio years ago, that was neato (my rig might have included a whammy IV at the time, so it's possible that was involved but I can't say for sure).

 

Anyway, I gave it a quick google and someone reported it over at TGP: http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?t=384033

They put it down to the Wall Wart, though given power pedals can be a little pricey, if you'd be buying it just for that I'd see if anyone nearby would be willing to let you check it out (at your place, seeing as you might not be able to pick up those frequencies in a different location (though obviously if that's not possible you can still check if you can get them there etc etc).

 

It could also be that your guitar isn't properly shielded, and taking the time to do that is always a worthwhile endeavour. Failing that, there's some talk on TDPRI about a simple circuit that could be used to ground those signals: http://www.tdpri.com/forum/stomp-box/191872-how-shield-pedals-radio-interference.html

 

Obviously if you can get a Whammy 5 then that might be an easier if more expensive solution (assuming it works, though on the other hand it does sound like they fixed a lot of the more well known issues with the Whammy IV so it might be worth upgrading anyway).

[Player99]

Do you have any older pedals? May be unshielded wire. It could also be a bad or missing ground wiring problem. There is a thing you used to be able to get at Radio Shack that goes around the cable that can eliminate radio.

[donking2010]

th1nk

I'll check out those sites looks like a good possibility. Interested about the shielding. I run a few guitars (10) at the moment through this rig and get the RF with anyone of them. But still a worthwhile thing to do.

 

Player99

I have thought it might be the cables from pedal to pedal, being a part of it also. just don't know how to tell if the cable is faulty or not. Any suggestions on that besides pulling cables and process of elimination. (I'm thinking a multimeter or somethiing?)

[Phil O'Keefe]

If you reorient the Whammy - physically move it a foot or two, or rotate it - does the interference change? How about if you change your position (and the position of the guitar) - does that have any effect?

 

One big advantage of the Whammy V is that it can run on the same power supply as your other pedals without causing any issues... and besides, IMHO, the V is a much much better pedal...

 

 

 

 

 

 

[WRGKMC]

They make iron clip on RF chokes that can be used to kill RF.

They have a plastic holder that opens and you just clamp them on wires and cables.

 

The big question is where you need to stick them on there.

The best way can be done in a shop. You use an RF generator to emit a signal with a probe and find out which area of the pedal is picking up the signal and amplifying it. It can be anyplace really because AM stations only need a coil and a diode to act like a crystal radio.

 

If you get some of the chokes and don't have an RF generator, then its pretty much trial and error.

The issue is likely before the preamp in the pedal so I'd focus on the wires going into the pedal board.

My Strat has pickups that would pick up stations. I left them like that because it only happened every once in awhile and the tone was great so I didn't want to change that. The chokes shouldn't change the sound very much if any and should only target the weak RF signals getting to the preamp.

 

Other times moving components on a board is another technique. You often see transistors and resistors on a board bent over. That may have been done specifically in a factory to increase fidelity, or kill Noise/RF. You never want to go around straightening up components because you think they were poorly installed. That may have been done for a reason and the old adage, if it ain't broke don't mess with it. It can be a technique for fixing RF problems, but again its better done with an RF generator.

 

 

Here's a quick article on them and a few selections. You can Google for other sources. http://www.kf7p.com/KF7P/Ferrite_chokes.html

You want the ones that have the plastic housings so they don't short anything, otherwise looping them so they wont move or use hot glue to secure them is a wise move.

[donking2010]

WRGKMC - I've used those RF Chokes before. In this case they don't seem to work. I have a feeling they would work with a week RF signal. The signal I am encountering at my studio is extremely powerful. Thanks very much for the suggestions.

[donking2010]

Hey everyone just wanted to touch base with you about this RF issue.

 

Phil - I was starting to think that it was an isolated incident with this particular Whammy IV so I borrowed a friends Whammy IV and it to had the same RF issues.

I also tried cleaning up the power by running the Whammy IV with a Pedal Power AC. Still RF with that.

 

After that I was thinking well maybe its just Whammy IV's in general. I then broke down and got the newest version Whammy V.

And guess what no RF. So I figure there is something on the board of the Whammy IV's that in this case really attracts RF. I'm sure there's other factors here at play. Mainly grounding issues at the studio I'm at... there are other RF issues going on besides the Whammy IV... even getting it in stereo receivers...

 

Anyway the Whammy V seems to take care of this issue and its pretty cool also. Love the polyphonic addition to it. (especially that you can switch between poly & monophonic)

The only thing I don't like is that it no longer has a Dry Out ( I used that to run to other amps) I guess I have to get a morley ABY or something the like.

Also the V is running DC now instead of AC which is way cool.

 

Until next time! Have guitarings

[Phil O'Keefe]

I think the V is a step up from the IV - no question about it! Glad to hear the RFI is not an issue for you with the V.

 

If you need an ABY switch, check out the Radial Big Shot - it has a iso transformer in it, which can come in handy when running two amps and dealing with potential ground loops.

 

Sounds like that studio needs to work on their grounding a bit, and maybe consider installing a Faraday cage around the entire place...

[joeyowen]

I've a couple of WH4's over the years and never had this problem... hopefully never do! the V seems a big step up from mostreviews