What Makes a Pickup Go Microphonic?

[Redbowties88]

So I took a good pickup out of one of my epiphones and soldered on a nickel cover that I took off some other pickups a while ago. I tried to take as much care as possible but when I put it back in the guitar it had become severely monophonic.

I would like to avoid this happening again in the future, any idea what I did wrong?

 

[Scott Olson]

Re: What Makes a Pickup Go Microphonic?

Some of the wax must have come lose and the wires are now vibrating. Many of our pickups are wax potted with a few exceptions. If you want you can send it into the Custom Shop and they can wax it for you, I think they only charge like $20.

 

[Redbowties88]

Re: What Makes a Pickup Go Microphonic?

Some of the wax must have come lose and the wires are now vibrating. Many of our pickups are wax potted with a few exceptions. If you want you can send it into the Custom Shop and they can wax it for you, I think they only charge like $20.

I appreciate the info but I wouldn't pay $5 for this pickup lol. I was planning on replacing it in the near future anyway I was just hoping to hear that I did "x thing" wrong and that's why it took a poop. I'm just worried about running a nicer pickup in the future.

 

[ErikH]

Re: What Makes a Pickup Go Microphonic?

One trick that works is putting some masking tape on the slug coil of the pickup and then put the cover on. Make sure to clamp the cover on good before soldering it in place. That air gap between the top of the cover and the pickup is what is most likely causing the microphonics in this case. Eliminate the gap, eliminate the microphonics.

 

[Redbowties88]

Re: What Makes a Pickup Go Microphonic?

One trick that works is putting some masking tape on the slug coil of the pickup and then put the cover on. Make sure to clamp the cover on good before soldering it in place. That air gap between the top of the cover and the pickup is what is most likely causing the microphonics in this case. Eliminate the gap, eliminate the microphonics.

You're probably right about the air gap. I didn't realize that was so important. I never put a lot of effort into making sure that there wasn't any airspace I just concentrated on making sure the solder connection were good between the cover and the base (getting solder to stick proved damn difficult).

 

[ErikH]

Re: What Makes a Pickup Go Microphonic?

Just gotta rough it up a bit with a small wire brush or even scrape it with a small flathead screwdriver. Gotta get any wax off there too.

 

[Redbowties88]

Re: What Makes a Pickup Go Microphonic?

Just gotta rough it up a bit with a small wire brush or even scrape it with a small flathead screwdriver. Gotta get any wax off there too.

Thanks for the tip! I used plenty of flux but didn't rough it up at all. Good to know for next time.

 

[namklak]

Re: What Makes a Pickup Go Microphonic?

The cover can also vibrate against the pickup - there are many youtube vids of guys using caulk or silicone or tape between the pickup and the cover. As you pull apart some hbs, you'll see caulk like substance on the cover....

 

[ErikH]

Re: What Makes a Pickup Go Microphonic?

The cover can also vibrate against the pickup - there are many youtube vids of guys using caulk or silicone or tape between the pickup and the cover. As you pull apart some hbs, you'll see caulk like substance on the cover....

That substance is wax. When you see that, the pickup was dipped briefly in a paraffin/beeswax mixture bath.