P90 SG - Dirty Pots, Broken, Or Just the Way It Is?
DriftingByTheStorm
Posts: 8,684
Hey all,
I have this Gibson SG Professional (74 or 72, hard to tell) that has been moded by the previous owner who was smart enough to scrap the crap ass Gibson pseudo-Bigsby and installed a nice Khaler floating along with the matching locking neck.
I just want to say
IT RULES. (add beavis here)
It is my most recent acquisition and i absolutely love it.
However,
my ONE COMPLAINT (besides the standard "it doesn't have a lot of treble" ... which i don't care about, cause like any smarty pants i ordered a Tonemaster Treble Boost, duh)
IS ... this thing makes all kinds of ungodly racket ... but only when it's "in idle" ... meaning ... volume pot up and amp on ... but not playing.
This thing spits out hiss and crackle you wouldn't believe.
Having never owned a guitar with original P90's before, i don't know if i should believe it, or if it is an issue with dirty pots or what.
I don't think it's the pots, because turning the knobs doesn't cause any additional noise.
When you play it SOUNDS LIKE PEACHES AND BUTTER ... absolutely no complaints.
I suppose it could be my fudged up Fender Hotrod amp with the blown 2bit capacitor ... (don't ask, the amp guy says it happens all the time with these amps, and it is a 2 cent part that should have been a 4 cent part) ...
anyhow ... any ideas what is the dilly-dally with my new baby?
I'm gettin ready to restring her,
but would wait a bit if ya'll thought i should take her to the shop.
If you tell me "thats just the way it goes with them P90 fucker" i'll say "OK" ...
also ... if that is the way it goes,
any ideas on a GOOD noise reduction unit?
Was looking at the original Rocktron "Hush" (not the pedal) ... or maybe a Boss ... i'm not a studio geek ... i just need some noise reduction on the fly, while live playing ... hopefuly this doesn't mandate sucking the tone out of my baby.
THANKS TO EVERYONE
(especialy the 3 that always answer my questions. lol.)
VIVA LA JAM!
nick
I have this Gibson SG Professional (74 or 72, hard to tell) that has been moded by the previous owner who was smart enough to scrap the crap ass Gibson pseudo-Bigsby and installed a nice Khaler floating along with the matching locking neck.
I just want to say
IT RULES. (add beavis here)
It is my most recent acquisition and i absolutely love it.
However,
my ONE COMPLAINT (besides the standard "it doesn't have a lot of treble" ... which i don't care about, cause like any smarty pants i ordered a Tonemaster Treble Boost, duh)
IS ... this thing makes all kinds of ungodly racket ... but only when it's "in idle" ... meaning ... volume pot up and amp on ... but not playing.
This thing spits out hiss and crackle you wouldn't believe.
Having never owned a guitar with original P90's before, i don't know if i should believe it, or if it is an issue with dirty pots or what.
I don't think it's the pots, because turning the knobs doesn't cause any additional noise.
When you play it SOUNDS LIKE PEACHES AND BUTTER ... absolutely no complaints.
I suppose it could be my fudged up Fender Hotrod amp with the blown 2bit capacitor ... (don't ask, the amp guy says it happens all the time with these amps, and it is a 2 cent part that should have been a 4 cent part) ...
anyhow ... any ideas what is the dilly-dally with my new baby?
I'm gettin ready to restring her,
but would wait a bit if ya'll thought i should take her to the shop.
If you tell me "thats just the way it goes with them P90 fucker" i'll say "OK" ...
also ... if that is the way it goes,
any ideas on a GOOD noise reduction unit?
Was looking at the original Rocktron "Hush" (not the pedal) ... or maybe a Boss ... i'm not a studio geek ... i just need some noise reduction on the fly, while live playing ... hopefuly this doesn't mandate sucking the tone out of my baby.
THANKS TO EVERYONE
(especialy the 3 that always answer my questions. lol.)
VIVA LA JAM!
nick
If I was to smile and I held out my hand
If I opened it now would you not understand?
If I opened it now would you not understand?
Post edited by Unknown User on
0
Comments
one symptom is certainly dirty pots if it scratches when you turn them. It could be a loose input jack etc.
One way to make it quieter would be to get the pickups wax potted.
Email the guys at http://www.harmonicdesign.net they'll do it cheap like 10 bucks a P/U plus shipping I think.
just get a can of tuner pot cleaner at your local guitar shop or radio shack and clean out the pots. That should help.
"High Pressure Wax Potting
This is the same process we use on all our pickups (at no extra charge, of course).
We'll do yours, too. It’s icky work but we’ve got the machine going already, so what the hell. If your pickups are squealing like a pig, send 'em in and we'll dunk 'em for you. It’s the only sure cure.
High-pressure wax potting is $10 per pickup."
Paco ...
Whats the dilly with this high pressure wax potting ...
never heard of it ... exactly what does it cure, what is it ... what if any maintenance of the wax potting is required ...
what other effects on my guitar will it have?
My pups will still be black, yes no?
Sounds funny.
I'll look in to it.
Anyone else have experience with P90s have a comment on what this noise is?
IS IT NORMAL FOR P90s to do this?
Just trying to gauge if i should throw down the scratch to have this looked at by a real tech ... thats an expensive mistake if a $5 can of spray will do the trick.
But like i say, I DONT THINK IT'S THE POTS ... no scratchy when turney.
Ok ... i'm out of work and off to class.
I'll check my responses from THAT computer.
lol.
what a day.
nick
thanks pac-o-mac-o
If I opened it now would you not understand?
It's just a function of having high-output single coil pickups. A lot of noise.
Actually, if you like the tone/sound while playing, just want to get rid of the static in between songs... a noise reduction/gate might be a decent option. I normally don't like gates on guitars, but for this specific problem, it might be a decent idea. Basically, all it does is cuts your guitar's signal when you stop playing (technically, when the signal drops below a certain level, the level being adjustable).
I assume the problem only exists with this guitar, and not any others? Are you playing with a lot of gain (overdrive, distortion, fuzz, compression, etc)? Wax-potting could help, but it will also mellow your tone a little... and since you already have a lack of treble, I'd be wary of that idea.
Does the treble booster seem to make the problem worse?
I'm not very familiar with the bible.
uh, er ...
anyhow ...
answers questions answers ... here we go ...
Yes, er no ... none of my other guitars have this problem.
Er the treble boost pedal, i have yet to use :(
My other guitar (that is currently functional) is a Gretsch "The Committee" and it does NOT need any more treble. This guitar borders on some beatles-esque tones with its ringing brain bleading treble ... great for them 7th chords ...
Yeah, unfortunately, like i saids b4 my pretty little SG is UNSTRUNG currently. Was waiting to figure out what the dilly was before i got all excited restringing it, only to find out it may need repairs.
I'm gonna go with
NO to the potting ... i read the weblink given, and those boys seem to know a hell of a lot about guitars, and i'd trust them, but anything that adversely affects this babys tone i don't wanna try.
Honesty this noise is the most noticable with my stupid Fender ... from what i can recall with the Egnater 100watt head and my EarCandy cab it sounded pretty much fine. This may have something to do with the electronics in the fender, or like u say McCready -- it's jus the way it goes with high output single coils.
It's not a deal breaker, and i love this little girl.
I will restring her and hook up the Treble Boost tonight.
Keep ya'll posted on her tones and how she wails ...
Hopefully i won't be idle for long so i won't hear this noise much anyways.
Thanks 2 the both of you.
The local tech gods you are
-nick-
If I opened it now would you not understand?
http://www.vintageamps.com/PlexiPalaceUBBcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=5;t=002165
it's a common problem 60 cycle hum. You could plug in a hum eliminator between your guitar and the amp to attempt to break the GL. It's about 20 bucks from any guitar shop.
Now i definately feel in good company with my noise problem.
I found one post in particular intriguing which was the guy who said "mine doesn't hum that bad unless i'm near a strong tranformer ... like a computer monitor"
I usually hear this god awful racket sitting at my swivel chair at my computer desk INFRONT OF MY MONITOR.
you know ... reading GuitarPro or whatnot.
THANKS AGAIN
a hum cancellor ... i will look in to that.
If I opened it now would you not understand?
Just open er up and shield the back of the pickguard and the control cavity. Then if you want to be more slick, re wire it with sheilded wire, and clean/lube all the pots with tuner cleaner/lubricant.
Then when you're near your computer turn the volume knob to zero until you start playing.
as with les paul deluxes a common modification is to remove the mini humbuckers for P-90's as thier slots are interchangeable.
The dates on the pro are not firm as best i can read in the anals of Gibson history.
70 - 72 is the best guess of most.
Some go as far as '73, some even to '74.
The person who sold me mine said it was a '74 ...
now the serial dates to either '72 or '74 ... so it's realy hard to tell, since the serials from the early 70's aren't conclusive, to say the least.
The bridge WAS NOT Stop Tail ... i believe it was a Gibson copy of a Bigsby, but i could be mis-informed.
http://www.everythingsg.com/Gallery/1972%20SG%20Professional.jpg
That is my guitar ... atleast the color of the finish (although mine is a refinish i believe, since it is MISSING THE PICK GUARD and had the original holes for that and the bigsby filled, and then coated over) ... but the knob panel lay out is spot on, and yes it is DOT INLAYS>
As you can see, it was P-90s (atleast in this picture)
although i understand they changed the designs on the Pro atleast twice in the short production period.
I got that tidbit from the Harmony_Central review section.
I will ask my amp tech about shielding this.
I don't know much about accessing the wires as you can see this is a front acess cavity, there is no plastic on the back, only beautiful wood.
The pickguard is the most perverse piece of plastic i've ever seen, and' i'm SO glad the previous owner removed it.
THnaks again.
nick
If I opened it now would you not understand?
ahh I was confused about the pick guard. The inside of the control cavity could be shielded but I don't know if it will make much difference. A rewire with shielded cables could quiet it some, but hell if it ain't broke...right?
"Standing in line marking time--
Waiting for the welfare dime
'Cause they can't buy a job
The man in the silk suit hurries by
As he catches the poor old ladies' eyes
Just for fun he says "Get a job"
That's just the way it is
Some things will never change
That's just the way it is
But don't you believe them
They say hey little boy you can't go
Where the others go
'Cause you don't look like they do
Said hey old man how can you stand
To think that way
Did you really think about it
Before you made the rules
He said, Son
That's just the way it is
Some things will never change
That's just the way it is
But don't you believe them
Well they passed a law in '64
To give those who ain't got a little more
But it only goes so far
Because the law don't change another's mind
When all it sees at the hiring time
Is the line on the color bar
That's just the way it is
Some things will never change
That's just the way it is,
That's just the way it is...."
he goes and turns a simple little thread about my P90's into a racial thang.
Hey man, just because the Pups are black man.
C'mon now.
sheesh,
-nick
qBP
^
|
yeah i'm stylin the backwards bball hat, raybans and my tounge is out, fool.
If I opened it now would you not understand?
I play P-90's, too... I'm just sayin' I feel your pain...
Hell, that song could just as easily be about rock musicians... "Get a job."