Microphonic pickups?

[guitarjunkie986]

Re: Microphonic pickups?

Did it get super hot where the guitar was stored? Like hot enough to melt the wax potting out of the pickups?

No, it shouldn't have. It's been in a bedroom closet in a house that is set between 69-72 degrees.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Microphonic pickups?

Occurs with the cab that stays at the rehearsal space, as well as 3 cabs that I have at my house. Obviously if I'm closer to the cab it's worse, but still occurs even 10-12 ft away. I even run a noise gate, but the feedback is strong enough that the gate doesn't clamp down unless I crank the gate up all the way, which is cutting off actual notes as well. I normally only have my gate up to about 10-11 o'clock and it works perfectly for the rest of my guitars.

I went through all the screws and everything seemed to be plenty tight. I should have some time tonight or tomorrow to try a new volume and tone pot and replace the output jack. Just trying to start with components that would affect both pickups.

Are you kidding me!!!!
10-12 ft away, playing over a loud drummer, using a noise gate, and you're still getting feedback/squealing?!

I hope you're wearing earplugs AND noise-cancelling headphones. What? You say you can't hear me? Well take the earplugs out. THE EAR PLUGS (I say pointing to your ears)...TAKE THEM OUT! You say you don't have any earplugs in?! You ask me to talk louder, you can't hear me? But I'm already yelling!

You're wondering why you get squealing!?

Like I said before, it's NOT your guitar. There is nothing wrong with your guitar! There is NOTHING that you have said that would make me think even in the slightest, that there is anything wrong with your guitar.

It's a good thing you can read and write...that is going to be your main means of communication in the future. Been there, done that.

 

[justFred]

Re: Microphonic pickups?

It is exactly what Mincer said earlier...gain stage in the amp...have had this experience many times with “hot’ amps...like doc said NOT guitar...spend some quality time with your amp...

 

[guitarjunkie986]

Re: Microphonic pickups?

Funny then that ALL of my other guitars don’t have the issue, even a guitar with the exact same model pickups.

Also, even with NO PEDALS, and adjusting gain and volume levels to very modest settings, the issue persists with ONLY one guitar. Also, in case you didn’t read it in my original post or subsequent replies, it happens with multiple amps and cabs, again with just the one guitar.

I do wear hearing protection at gigs and rehearsals of course, so no need for a lecture on that.

 

[justFred]

Re: Microphonic pickups?

Well then...get rid of it...sounds like you have enough other axes...don’t worry, be happy...

 

[Mincer]

Re: Microphonic pickups?

Is there a way to get rid of the squealing by altering your settings when you play that particular guitar?

 

[guitarjunkie986]

Re: Microphonic pickups?

Is there a way to get rid of the squealing by altering your settings when you play that particular guitar?

If I use the clean channel, or keep the volume down below 1.5 with gain at less than 3 on the dirty channel it doesn’t squeal.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Microphonic pickups?

If I use the clean channel, or keep the volume down below 1.5 with gain at less than 3 on the dirty channel it doesn’t squeal.

How about with a different amp?

 

[guitarjunkie986]

Re: Microphonic pickups?

Issue occurs at very similar thresholds with my VHT Deliverance as well. All other guitars are fine with that amp too.

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: Microphonic pickups?

The fact that it’s both pickups and started at the same time makes me suspect it’s not the pickups.

If it’s vibrational, touching various parts of the guitar would help figure out what is feeding back, eg pickup mounting, any springs, other hardware. If it’s electrical, you’d have to change one piece of equipment at a time, or test/replace one part at a time to find what is either broken, out of spec or just not working well.

My only other guess might be if there was any moisture that over a year in the case corroded a coil or spring or mount or something and it’s now vibrating, or (I don’t know if this is possible but) changed the electrical properties where it’s reacting with the amp badly. That’s a stretch/SWAG though. It’s a head scratcher.

 

[guitarjunkie986]

Re: Microphonic pickups?

Ok, finally had a chance to work on the guitar tonight. Replaced the volume and tone pots as well as the output jack. Didn’t replace the 5 way but I did resolder everything. Everything is working fine now.

 

[Dave Locher]

Re: Microphonic pickups?

That fixed it?? Two thoughts:
1) I am really glad for you!
2) WTH? I never heard of a potentiometer going microphonic but that sure seems like the case here.

 

[beaubrummels]

Microphonic pickups?

My guess would be solder joint or lug at the jack corroded or something, giving the effect of being partially plugged in and squealing.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Microphonic pickups?

The fact that it’s both pickups and started at the same time makes me suspect it’s not the pickups.

If it’s vibrational, touching various parts of the guitar would help figure out what is feeding back, eg pickup mounting, any springs, other hardware. If it’s electrical, you’d have to change one piece of equipment at a time, or test/replace one part at a time to find what is either broken, out of spec or just not working well.

My only other guess might be if there was any moisture that over a year in the case corroded a coil or spring or mount or something and it’s now vibrating, or (I don’t know if this is possible but) changed the electrical properties where it’s reacting with the amp badly. That’s a stretch/SWAG though. It’s a head scratcher.

No, none of that is gonna happen.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Microphonic pickups?

And all these changes (pots going bad, jack going bad, solder joints going bad) happened while your guitar was stored in a closet protected by its case for a year?!! You replaced those parts with parts that have been either laying around your place for a couple years and/or sitting on the shelves of manufacturers, distributors, suppliers/sellers for 5-10 years unprotected and somewhat exposed to some destructive elements, but they're all ok. Something tells me that you weren't totally truthful about the condition of your guitar, your equipment, your settings, etc before you put it away for storage. Meaning...if your guitar was squealing when you took it out of storage, it WAS squealing when you put it away. NOTHING about your guitar changed while it was stored.

Don't get me wrong...I'm so glad for you that everything is working fine now. I'm just a bit frustrated that you lied to us and to yourself and that you were unwilling to accept the facts (that your guitar was the same before and after storage , no changes) therefore your guitar was either perfectly fine (according to you) or it wasn't working fine before storage, or as you told us..."never had any issues over the first year where I played it pretty heavily".

 

[Mincer]

Re: Microphonic pickups?

I will say that I've never heard of a pot causing this, but I am happy it is working now. I will add that to the things I will check if my guitar starts squealing!