60 cycle hum

1. What is a 60 cycle hum?
2. How do you get rid of 60 cycle hum on a guitar amp?

What is a 60 cycle hum?

The source of this noise can be a ground loop or AC electrical induction from power lines that are too close to audio lines. This phenomenon is often referred to as “60-cycle hum.” Here's why: In the Americas and most of Asia alternating current is generated with a frequency of 60Hz.

How do you get rid of 60 cycle hum on a guitar amp?

Naturally, EQ set to any harmonic frequency of 60Hz will do a good job at cancelling out this type of noise, just make sure you use the narrowest Q possible so that your overall sound quality remains intact. You can also try using a high-pass filter set to either 60Hz or 120Hz to cancel out most of the hum.