Microphonic pickups?

bloodangel

bloodangel

New member
I think my recently bought Nickel covered TB-15 and Alnico Pro II are Microphonic
Here's how they sound when I rest my hand on the strings and when I tap on the TB-15 with the pick while the pickup selector is in bridge and middle-bridge position
View attachment Microphonic Pickup.mp3
If they are microphonic do I have to pot them ? is it even possible to pot them ?
 
Re: Microphonic pickups?

What kind of guitar did you put them in? And are you using a lot of gain and/or standing right next to the amp?
 
Re: Microphonic pickups?

TNTales said:
What kind of guitar did you put them in? And are you using a lot of gain and/or standing right next to the amp?
Click to expand...
I've put them in an RG2570EX with a basswood body
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Yes, I am using a pretty huge amount of gain
here's how much gain I use
View attachment Gain.mp3
and I am very close to my amp, but I didn't have this issue with my previous pickups nor with my other guitar and also the neck pickup which is a jazz model sounds ok
 
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Re: Microphonic pickups?

Did you re do the EQ for your new pickups? I listened to the clip of how much gain you use and you probably want to tone it down a bit.
 
Re: Microphonic pickups?

If you lean close can you hear yourself talk like a microphone? Pups can be wax potted but someone else would need to walk you through that. It's pretty much dipping the cover in melted wax.
 
Re: Microphonic pickups?

TNTales said:
If you lean close can you hear yourself talk like a microphone? Pups can be wax potted but someone else would need to walk you through that. It's pretty much dipping the cover in melted wax.
Click to expand...
Yes, when I speak into them I can hear my own voice through the amp.

Rockstar216 said:
Did you re do the EQ for your new pickups? I listened to the clip of how much gain you use and you probably want to tone it down a bit.
Click to expand...
I'm using amplitube right now for my tone but I also tried it with only a boss metal zone pedal that I have which had a much lower gain and this still happens

the guy who invented fire said:
The issue here is that those pickups are potted from the factory...
Click to expand...
Yes, and that's exactly what I'm concerned about, so that means they can't be potted anymore right ?
 
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Re: Microphonic pickups?

That's a ridiculous amount of gain. ANYTHING is likely to squeal at that level.

BUT... You can fill the whole cover with wax and pot the entire thing.
 
Re: Microphonic pickups?

Repotting pickups yourself is easy. Use the search function and the term repotting and my name. I did a tutorial long ago.
 
Re: Microphonic pickups?

You said your previous pickups didn't have this problem, did those pickups have nickel covers on them?
 
Re: Microphonic pickups?

Did you get those pickups new or used? Could it be someone put a cover on them and didn't pot well?
 
Re: Microphonic pickups?

That is an astonishing amount of gain, but I understand you're saying you've used less on the Metal Zone.

How tightly are the pickups pressed into that direct mount? I hear the sound of the covers being microphonic, not the coil wires. And if the pickups were pinched, and pressed into that direct mount cavity, it's entirely possible the top surface of the cover popped up, off the potting. Just imagine holding a cover in your hand. If you pinch the sides, the top bellies up. Covers are soldered on in 2 places, but that doesn't mean they can't be bent and flexed.

Duncan's customer service is likely to be helpful to you on this. But I see you've probably cut or ground the mounting tabs as well. This could mean that instead of replacing the pickups they'll prefer you send them back to be re-potted. But if you have to distort the covers to get them in, the same could happen again.

If I'm wrong and the pickups just drop right into that route, then a re-pot should fix your problem.

Also there's foam or rubber under the pickup, not springs, right? Springs can make those sounds.
 
Re: Microphonic pickups?

TNTales said:
Did you get those pickups new or used? Could it be someone put a cover on them and didn't pot well?
Click to expand...
They were new. I don't think so.
DreX said:
You said your previous pickups didn't have this problem, did those pickups have nickel covers on them?
Click to expand...
No they didn't.
frankfalbo said:
That is an astonishing amount of gain, but I understand you're saying you've used less on the Metal Zone.

How tightly are the pickups pressed into that direct mount? I hear the sound of the covers being microphonic, not the coil wires. And if the pickups were pinched, and pressed into that direct mount cavity, it's entirely possible the top surface of the cover popped up, off the potting. Just imagine holding a cover in your hand. If you pinch the sides, the top bellies up. Covers are soldered on in 2 places, but that doesn't mean they can't be bent and flexed.

Duncan's customer service is likely to be helpful to you on this. But I see you've probably cut or ground the mounting tabs as well. This could mean that instead of replacing the pickups they'll prefer you send them back to be re-potted. But if you have to distort the covers to get them in, the same could happen again.

If I'm wrong and the pickups just drop right into that route, then a re-pot should fix your problem.

Also there's foam or rubber under the pickup, not springs, right? Springs can make those sounds.
Click to expand...

Thnx alot, First off I realized that only the Trembucker was being microphonic and by reducing the gain it sounds ok but I'd have to reduce way too much, I think u might be exactly right it is really tight in it's place, actually it didn't even fit in at first, I had to sand off a bit of the guitar body to have it fit, and yes I also had to trim off the the edge of the mountings to make them a triangular shape so they could fit in which voids the warranty, although warranty was useless for me in the first place cause I live in Iran and I had my friend bring them for me from the US.
My old pickups had rubber underneath them but I still haven't added rubber underneath the new one's I didn't think it would have that much of an impact but I guess I was wrong.
I'm gonna add some rubber underneath and then sand off a bit more of the body so it easily fits in and see what happens.
 
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