Pickup Problem

DiRtyFranK38

Not too, too long ago i had stock pickups in my Nashville Tele replaced with SCN Noiseless pickups. Overall i love them but there is a problem that is reaaally starting to piss me off. Whenever i use ANY amount of gain (lots or little) on the bridge pickup, it just squeals like idk what. it sings louder then any front man ever could. i don't understand it. i mean, the higher the gain, the louder the squeal obviously .. sad thing is, that is by far the best sounding pickup. does anyone please know a solution for this?

mccreadyisgod

Without hearing it in person, I'm going to *guess* that it's microphonic feedback. This phenomenon occurs when some part of the pickup (usually the pole piece slugs) becomes just the tiniest bit loose, and can pick up sounds by vibrating. Think of it this way: a microphonic pickup is kind of like a little cheap lo-fi microphone (which, I believe, is where the term comes from). That means it's more prone to high-pitched feedback. So, if the guitar feeds back and the note is especially high, definitely higher than the notes you're playing, then it's most likely microphonic feedback, and your pickup has become microphonic.

The easy, albeit expensive, fix is to replace the pickup. The harder, albeit cheaper, fix is to get the pickup "wax-potted". This entails dipping the pickup in a parafin wax and allowing the wax to fill all of the nooks and crannies in the pickup, thereby preventing the vibrations of loose slugs, etc. It's a fairly easy and common practice; a lot of guitar techs can provide this service, and if you don't have anyone in the area, I know that some pickup manufacturers offer this service seperately (Lindy Fralin does, I believe).

If you've ever seen anyone talk, sing, or scream thru a guitar pickup, they are most likely using a microphonic pickup... some players actually prefer to use them because of this. Thurston Moore is one example.

ianvomsaal

yup + 1. Sounds like microphonics - If this is the case, you've got to wax-pot the pickup to get
rid of the microphonics. HERE YOU GO: http://www.guitarnuts.com/technical/electrical/index.php

DiRtyFranK38

thanks alot guys, i'll get this checked out.