Does direct mounting increase feedback issues?

[Steve Phillips]

I've been using Parallel Axis Distortion pickups in my guitars for years. I put them in a Sterling JP160, which had direct mount pickups in it, and I have feedback issues. I have been playing for over 40 years and I do use a noise gate, just to get those questions out of the way. Yes the gate cuts the noise but in between I can hear the pickups feeding back.

Are the PATB-2b pickups wax potted?

 

[Mincer]

They should be potted. I have a few sets of direct mount pickups and I never noticed it, even with unpotted sets. Maybe it is a gain staging problem...what's the rest of the signal chain like?

 

[dave74]

By direct-mount do you mean the absence of rings/bezels, or do you mean the pickup's mounting tabs are in direct contact with the wood, with no foam under the pickup to create a small space between the tabs and the wood?

 

[JB_From_Hell]

If anything, I’d thinly direct mounting would make feedback less likely.

 

[Chris Pile]

Solid mounting is generally considered to reduce feedback.

 

[dave74]

Most "direct-mounts" aren't really solid are they? Most have foam and essentially just float.
Does solid mean floating or does it mean the pickup's tabs are in contact with the wood?

 

[Chris Pile]

I screw it down tight on spacers. Measuring is involved, and a bit of in and out action...

 

[eclecticsynergy]

I screw it down tight on spacers. Measuring is involved, and a bit of in and out action...

I think in this case foam rubber instead of a wooden spacer is likely to help.
While you have the pickup off, I'd double check that the bobbin is screwed tightly to the baseplate too.
Something may have loosened up.

If the your rig doesn't feed back when the same model's mounted in rings, it seems odd that it's a problem when direct mounted.

 

[NegativeEase]

Im having issues with some p90s -that sound incredible but have unreasonable feedback.

Probably going to remount and see it they improve.

 

[Ascension]

Have several guitars with direct mounted pickups. I also have several high gain amps that I play out at Volume( Boogies the PRS MT 15 and Archon ect). Direct mounting absolutely does not make a guitar more likely to feedback. In my experience it does the opposite.

 

[Ascension]

I screw it down tight on spacers. Measuring is involved, and a bit of in and out action...

Washburn used a hand cut piece of dense foam between the pickups and the body and then rubber tubing at the screws. Carvin Kiesel uses just rubber tubing and screws. I have a number of guitars with direct mount pickups and have no feedback issues with any of them.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Im having issues with some p90s -that sound incredible but have unreasonable feedback.

Probably going to remount and see it they improve.

I was going to ask whether yours are direct mounted too, but technically all P90s are direct mount, aren't they...

So I'll rephrase the question: are yours mounted with foam underneath, or solid shims? Or are they dogears?

Dogears with a feedback problem could probably use a dab of silicone caulk.
Not sure doublestick tape inside the cover would work for them.

 

[NegativeEase]

I was going to ask whether yours are direct mounted too, but technically all P90s are direct mount, aren't they...

So I'll rephrase the question: are yours mounted with foam underneath, or solid shims? Or are they dogears?

Dogears with a feedback problem could probably use a dab of silicone caulk.
Not sure doublestick tape inside the cover would work for them.

No Dog ears -but this new guitar has a pickguard so Im not sure yet even from what direction it's mounted -will report back once I get in there.

 

[PFDarkside]

I screw it down tight on spacers. Measuring is involved, and a bit of in and out action...

Do you just use E strings to get the correct height or are you loosening all strings?

 

[Chris Pile]

Do you just use E strings to get the correct height or are you loosening all strings?

Just E strings on most guitars. But on something with a balanced whammy - pretty much has to be all 6 strings.

For instance - on my Vintage Icon V6M24, I rigid mounted the Bill Lawrence units.
The guitar is equipped with a full floating Wilkinson VS-100.
It plays like butter and the sound is kickass.

 

[NegativeEase]

I have to be honest, I've done about even mod possible on a guitar dozens and dozens of times, but I've never changed the pickups mounting from what the manufacturer intended -only replaced those systems with new tubing, screws, springs etc...

Now you've got me thinking -I should test my troublesome P90 guitar on an SA before and after I change it and see if it improves scientifically speaking.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

No Dog ears -but this new guitar has a pickguard so Im not sure yet even from what direction it's mounted -will report back once I get in there.

Don't think I've ever seen pickguard-mounted P90s, at least not close up enough that I noticed. Mostly (soapbars and dogears both) they're mounted to the wood. I assume that who've put P90s in their Strats probably mount 'em to the pickguard like a Strat pickup, but I haven't ever had any in a Strat type guitar.

I have to be honest, I've done about even mod possible on a guitar dozens and dozens of times, but I've never changed the pickups mounting from what the manufacturer intended -only replaced those systems with new tubing, screws, springs etc...

Now you've got me thinking -I should test my troublesome P90 guitar on an SA before and after I change it and see if it improves scientifically speaking.

Don't think I've ever changed the mounting system either.
It'd be interesting to see if the frequency response of the pickups changes noticeably.