Pickups annoying problem

kopara

kopara

New member
Hello everyone.

This is my first post to this forum, and I'm still trying to work my way around this place, so please be patient with me :)

I have a strange problem with my telecaster pickups (mainly Little '59 for Tele). I've used it for ages now, but I recently turned my gain up quite a lot (a new band) and I just can't use my tele anymore.
The high pitch feedback when I don't play is just unbearable. My setup is generally bright, but when I use my strat with GFS piuckups the problem is not there... :\
Tweeking the eq in my preamps is not making much of a difference, the only thing that helps is going down with gain which I don't want.
I just don't get why my seymours are so noisy and GFS that seem to be even brighter are not.

Does anyone have a "quick fix" sollution to the problem other than "turn your gain or volume down", "stay away from your amp" or "tweek your eq"?
I would be really grateful :)
 
Re: Pickups annoying problem

kopara said:
"turn your gain or volume down", "stay away from your amp" or "tweek your eq"?
Click to expand...

Sounds like you know the answer. If you are playing high gain I would suggest a high gain Tele pickup like the Hot Rails. There could be other variables in the equation so changing pickups might not be a cure all. Try rolling the volume back a bit or point your amp in a different direction.
 
Re: Pickups annoying problem

Well it's the seymour duncan pickup.. Does it really need waxing? My GFS don't. I've just checked the pots, and they're 500ohm. Would installing 250s make such difference?
 
Re: Pickups annoying problem

kopara said:
Well it's the seymour duncan pickup.. Does it really need waxing? My GFS don't. I've just checked the pots, and they're 500ohm. Would installing 250s make such difference?
Click to expand...

Hard to tell they would roll off some of the highs. Do you still get feedback if you roll back your tone knob a bit?
 
Re: Pickups annoying problem

Yyy.. No. The tone knob is not even in the circuit :) it serves only as the split-coil push-pull switch.
 
Re: Pickups annoying problem

If the gfs are "noiseless" and the Duncan is a true single coil, that's the problem. Single coils are noisy by nature. You could always try a noise gate though. The isp is top of the list but it's not cheap. The rocktron hush is a good affordable solution. Not quite as good as the boss or isp, but I used one successfully for years.

Another thing to consider, if you aren't using a high gain amp or pedal and you are having to dime your gain, you may want to look at other options. If you run the preamp harder than intended it can get noisy. You could get a higher gain amp, or turn the amp gain down and boost the front with a good distortion pedal, or use the amp clean and use just pedal distortion. You just have to find what works for you.
 
Re: Pickups annoying problem

agentzero12 said:
If the gfs are "noiseless" and the Duncan is a true single coil, that's the problem. Single coils are noisy by nature. You could always try a noise gate though. The isp is top of the list but it's not cheap. The rocktron hush is a good affordable solution. Not quite as good as the boss or isp, but I used one successfully for years.

Another thing to consider, if you aren't using a high gain amp or pedal and you are having to dime your gain, you may want to look at other options. If you run the preamp harder than intended it can get noisy. You could get a higher gain amp, or turn the amp gain down and boost the front with a good distortion pedal, or use the amp clean and use just pedal distortion. You just have to find what works for you.
Click to expand...

The OP says he has a Little '59, a humbucker
 
Re: Pickups annoying problem

I had the same problem. I decided to go with a hot rails instead. Since that particular guitar is shaped like a shotgun, turning the gain down seemed like a bad idea.
 
Re: Pickups annoying problem

The GFS are true single coils, and the Seymour Duncan is a mini humbcker, so it is darker by nature.
I use a mid-gain preamp settings and boost one with Fulltone and another with OCD clone. Makes no sense to me. What sort of capacitor would I have to use to cut only the very high frequencies? The standard tone knob takess off too much.
Noise gate is not the solution, as I use a lot of volume knob.
 
Re: Pickups annoying problem

When you say "feedback when I'm not playing" that is being caused by the exact factors that you dismiss in the original post (ie. other than "turn your gain or volume down", "stay away from your amp" or "tweek your eq")

Your problem is stemming from using (1) a non-noiseless single coil which (2) may or may not benefit from repotting, being in (3) proximity to a bright amp, boosted with (4) a distortion pedal with (5) the gain up. One of those factors will have to change, or alternatively you could just not stop playing until you turn your amp off.
 
Re: Pickups annoying problem

Mr. B said:
When you say "feedback when I'm not playing" that is being caused by the exact factors that you dismiss in the original post (ie. other than "turn your gain or volume down", "stay away from your amp" or "tweek your eq")

Your problem is stemming from using (1) a non-noiseless single coil which (2) may or may not benefit from repotting, being in (3) proximity to a bright amp, boosted with (4) a distortion pedal with (5) the gain up. One of those factors will have to change, or alternatively you could just not stop playing until you turn your amp off.
Click to expand...
1) It is a noiseless pickup.
2) When I had this issue, it was while I was playing as well, and at moderate volume or medium gain. Even perfectly clean at moderate volume it would squeal like a stuck pig.

Potting theoretically could help. I just spent $40 on a used Hot Rails and replaced it and I still have it in my parts drawer.

But for me it was unusable while playing as well, and a noise gate did NOT help. I would pot it with wax if I had the time currently.

A lot of times non-potted pickups sound better to me. However, my little 59 was microphonic to the extreme. Potting should reduce the microphonics substantially. I think slight microphonics enhance the tone a lot of us players actually like. (I know I have continued using somewhat microphonic tubes in lower gain amps because they made the sound more vibrant and "alive.") Too much potting can deaden the sound just slightly, so my guess is SD is opting to pot less here for that increased vibrancy.
 
Re: Pickups annoying problem

Gibson 1964 said:
I had the same problem. I decided to go with a hot rails instead. Since that particular guitar is shaped like a shotgun, turning the gain down seemed like a bad idea.
Click to expand...

Love that thinking! :) I used to play with a log less gain and that problem didn't bother me much, but now, I would like to use my tele but I can't...
 
Re: Pickups annoying problem

kopara said:
Love that thinking! :) I used to play with a log less gain and that problem didn't bother me much, but now, I would like to use my tele but I can't...
Click to expand...

Also, on ebay and tgp, hot rails for tele run about $40USD used, even factoring in shipping, you likely could locally sell the lil 59 for that. A lot of private sellers ship to England. (I know when I sell items England is a place I have never had an issue with.)
 
Re: Pickups annoying problem

I had this same problem with that pickup in my tele, I put some stiff springs on the screws and put some foam under and around the sides to reduce how much the pickup vibrates, and it helped a lot.
 
Re: Pickups annoying problem

The lil 59 is a hotter pickup and the feedback is likely due to the higher output of the lil 59. The GFS single coil doesn't feed back because it isn't picking up the sound from the amp. If you are using that much gain and volume, you will need to get better at turning down the volume quickly or using a pedal that you can use as a kill switch (I use a tuner for that). Changing your body position relative to the amp can also help reduce the problem significantly. I believe that you will have the same problem with any other pickup with similar output should you choose to replace the lil 59.
 
Re: Pickups annoying problem

Chadd, I doubt that as a Hot rails which is far hotter did not have this issue. I found that for me, position made no difference. I am used to using an unpotted tele bridge single with a high gain amp. Very moderate volume with no distortion howled like a banshee for me. Think TV watching volume clean. I think some little 59s just really need potting. Mine is highly microphonic.
 
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