Can dodgy household electrics do this?

[Reg]

I have a lovely Levinson Blade RH 4 but I'm being driven to the point of distraction!
The guitar has a humbucker at the bridge which can be split to provide a single coil. However, when I do this the noise (hum) is UNBELIEVABLY loud!
If you move the guitar around, you can actually get the noise to drop right off but I don't want to stand / sit like a statue.
I took the guitar and amp into work to try it there and it was 10 times better. The humbucker, middle and neck pickups only make a fraction of the noise.
I don't have a dimmer switch in the room and it makes this noise whether the TV, cooker etc are on or off.
Could this be something to do with the household electrics and if so, what can I do about it (apart from move house!)?

 

[jtb226]

Maybe try getting a power conditioner?

Sounds more like a sheilding issue though. Not sure.

 

[stokes]

When you switch to single coil the pickup becomes an antenna picking up crap from the environment.It will be worse in some places and not so bad in others,just the nature of a single coil pickup.

 

[tobytheplatypus]

i agree with stokes
theres a nice G&L semi-hollow tele i play alot at a local guitar store. one day, HORRIBLE NOISE, next day, none. my stool doesnt move (and yes, it actually DOES have my name on it. the owner thinks its hilarious).
maybe get a noise supressor pedal? kick it on when ya need, turn it off when ya dont.

 

[stokes]

In some single coil guitars like a Strat you can do a better shielding job to help reduce it.

 

[Reg]

But this where I get confused guys because the other single coils (middle and neck) are so quiet in comparison as is the bridge pickup when used as a humbucker which then includes the "single coil" element.

Any more ideas?

 

[stokes]

But this where I get confused guys because the other single coils (middle and neck) are so quiet in comparison as is the bridge pickup when used as a humbucker which then includes the "single coil" element.

Any more ideas?

Are you using the middle and neck pickups at the same time?If so they could be wired "out of phase" and or they could be reverse wound which would also reduce hum when they are used together.Could also just be that the humbucker,when used as a single coil is just more susceptible to ambient noise.

 

[Reg]

"Are you using the middle and neck pickups at the same time?If so they could be wired "out of phase" and or they could be reverse wound which would also reduce hum when they are used together.Could also just be that the humbucker,when used as a single coil is just more susceptible to ambient noise."

The neck and middle pickups are quiet whether they are used on their own or together.
I wouldn't have a clue how they might have been wound or what the wiring is like.
It just seems strange how the slight increase in hum (on the bridge - single coil element) I noted when I took it into work sounds so bad at home.

 

[hanson2713]

hey, can be anything - certain types of lightbulbs (halogens) computer monitor etc. Ive come across bad power many times, but a power conditoner ususally does not help. Your split humbucker could be hotter than the single coil hence more noise or your singles could be noiseless or low noise coils.

 

[inmyhands]

The 2 singlecoils are both hum canceling. The humbucker in split single coil mode would not be.

Spec. sheet:

http://www.bladeguitars.com/files/RH-4%20Classic%20-%20Spec%20Sheet.pdf