Humbucker cover, what makes the microphonics

[Jarrodpimentals]

So Seymour Duncan and fralin and a few other have directions for adding a metal cover to a humbucker but the directions all kind of suck and are very vague. I’m wondering what actually causes the microphonics. I just put one on and I covered the poles (not the screws) with wax and I even coated the entire inside of the cover with wax, i clamped it when I soldered it and I’m still getting microphonics. If I knew what I was trying to stop I’d have a better idea of what to do.

 

[ErikH]

It’s the air gap between the top of the pickup and the top of the cover on the inside. If you put wax only over the slug poles, there’s still a gap elsewhere. And if you want to use wax, put the cover on and then dip the whole thing in paraffin wax. Me, I put a strip of narrow painters tape on the inside top of the cover that covers the slug poles. Clamp, solder, done. No microphonics.

 

[Jarrodpimentals]

i can’t believe it’s that simple. Thanks so much.

It’s the air gap between the top of the pickup and the top of the cover on the inside. If you put wax only over the slug poles, there’s still a gap elsewhere. And if you want to use wax, put the cover on and then dip the whole thing in paraffin wax. Me, I put a strip of narrow painters tape on the inside top of the cover that covers the slug poles. Clamp, solder, done. No microphonics.

 

[jeremy]

right. putting wax on before the cover is on is not going to help. the wax needs to flow and fill the gaps between the cover and pup.

 

[uOpt]

The cover can be microphonic in 2 ways:

1) it is a conductor with good surface moving in the magnetic field

2) it transports the impact from the hit on its surface down to the baseplate where something else is loose