Plug/instrument cable related interference

[cfalcone71]

Hope somebody can give me some info...

I posted a little while ago about some buzzing/interference I was experiencing after shielding my Strat.

I thought the sound might have been the result of an error on my part in the soldering/construction. I re-checked my work, switched pickups, switched amps (solid state and tube) and still had the annoying hum which got louder as I neared electrical sources such as overhead lighting, ac motors (room fans), appliances, etc. All the while I thought it was a result of something not jiving with my single coil pickups...but, I even switched to a Strat I have with Kinman noiseless, and another Strat I have with Lace Sensor, and my Les Paul all of which have never given me any grief. The sound still happened with the same characteristics. It becomes unbearable if any overdrive/fuzz/boost type of effect is switched on. I was messing around experimenting and found that as I moved around my home with the cable in my hand it was doing the same thing without being plugged into any guitar. I took a piece of foil and held it between the plud end and a source of the buzz and found it deadend it almost completely.

Now, I am guessing that the culprit is the instrument cable/plug in some way. What has puzzled me is that it does this with all of my cables. I thought it might just be one bad plug, but they all react the same way. Also, I have never had this happen before up until now. Nothing in my home has changed since before the noise started showing up. No wiring/electrical problems, no new appliances running on the same circuit. I have even switched to several different outlets/locations around the house with the same result.

Any info would be greatly appreciated, I am new to this type problem since I have never dealt with it before. Thanks

[ccoleman]

Are you sure your tip of the plug is soldered to the center conductor of the cable, and not to the shield of the cable ?? Unscrew the shell from the plug and check it.

[cfalcone71]

All of my cables have sealed plugs, there is no shell to unscrew. I have Monster Cable brand cables. This noise occurs with every cable I currently own. It isn't just happening in one that I run from my guitar to my pedalboard. I have switched and tried every piece that is long enough to reach with the same effect. It seems to be from the flourescent lighting in my basment area, but it makes no sense to me why it has just started happening now and not all along.