sosomething
Seymour Duncan Customer Support
Re: Why do so many people dislike vintage noiseless strat pups
Holy crap.
So you're a part of the musician's union, then?
Holy crap.
So you're a part of the musician's union, then?
Why do so many people dislike vintage noiseless strat pups
- Thread starter 84camarofreak
- Start date
ErikH
Well-known member
Re: Why do so many people dislike vintage noiseless strat pups
Damn, wolf, glad you survived that one. I've played at a few places here where one or two outlets were not wired correctly. I always keep an outlet tester in my gig bag and check every time before plugging in. There have been a few times where I've had tingles on my lips from touching the mic and my guitar at the same time. A little investigation with the tester found the problem real quick.
I too like noiseless singles for live performance. Some places are worse than others when using traditional singles. I'm willing to bet that the pro players that have been mentioned have their guitars heavily shielded and run through rigs designed to help cut down the noise as well. More power to them.
Damn, wolf, glad you survived that one. I've played at a few places here where one or two outlets were not wired correctly. I always keep an outlet tester in my gig bag and check every time before plugging in. There have been a few times where I've had tingles on my lips from touching the mic and my guitar at the same time. A little investigation with the tester found the problem real quick.
I too like noiseless singles for live performance. Some places are worse than others when using traditional singles. I'm willing to bet that the pro players that have been mentioned have their guitars heavily shielded and run through rigs designed to help cut down the noise as well. More power to them.
SamusChief
New member
Re: Why do so many people dislike vintage noiseless strat pups
Feedback only occurs when you're not playing. And when you aren't playing, you can dial the guitars volume down. Problem Solved!
Feedback only occurs when you're not playing. And when you aren't playing, you can dial the guitars volume down. Problem Solved!
W
wolf5150
Guest
Re: Why do so many people dislike vintage noiseless strat pups
I believe it's important to be a member if you play live regularly.
Firsly they give £100000 public liability insurance as part of the membership fee.
I've also had cause to use them a few times for advice and muscle where agents have been witholding monies owed or venues have cancelled at too short notice to be able to find an alternative gig.
Highly recommended.
I believe it's important to be a member if you play live regularly.
Firsly they give £100000 public liability insurance as part of the membership fee.
I've also had cause to use them a few times for advice and muscle where agents have been witholding monies owed or venues have cancelled at too short notice to be able to find an alternative gig.
Highly recommended.
wahwah
GumbyLoveologist
Re: Why do so many people dislike vintage noiseless strat pups
I can see why statements like this could be annoying to the professionals among us. I've been playing professionally as my only source of income for 30 years, from my local Scout Hall as a 13 year old through to Wembley Stadium, and all points in between. I've used the same '68 Strat with single coils for most of that time, at varying levels of gain, falling short of metal tones. I strike about 3 or 4 venues per year that have 3 phase problems or internal wiring issues that create problematic hum, and while it may be glaringly obvious at soundcheck, by the middle of the gig, I've forgotten about it. For the past 15 years, the majority of my gigs are through concert PA rigs with the same FOH guy. He would certainly be letting me know if the noise from my single coils was a problem for him in the mix.
It's the absolute nature of the comments that is annoying. It amounts to being loud, confident and wrong. If it were stated as, "In the type of places I work in, etc, etc," then there would be no backlash from professional players whose experience differs from yours. But the suggestion that you know something as a fact when it is clearly incorrect and proven so by other's experience, is bound to elicit a less than glowing response. In fact, it is in some studio sessions that the noise has been problematic, with particular producers and on sessions where the requirement is for deathly silent clean tones. As for the bedroom, I only sleep there, so I can't comment on the noise requirements under those conditions.
Cheers.......................................... wahwah
I can see why statements like this could be annoying to the professionals among us. I've been playing professionally as my only source of income for 30 years, from my local Scout Hall as a 13 year old through to Wembley Stadium, and all points in between. I've used the same '68 Strat with single coils for most of that time, at varying levels of gain, falling short of metal tones. I strike about 3 or 4 venues per year that have 3 phase problems or internal wiring issues that create problematic hum, and while it may be glaringly obvious at soundcheck, by the middle of the gig, I've forgotten about it. For the past 15 years, the majority of my gigs are through concert PA rigs with the same FOH guy. He would certainly be letting me know if the noise from my single coils was a problem for him in the mix.
It's the absolute nature of the comments that is annoying. It amounts to being loud, confident and wrong. If it were stated as, "In the type of places I work in, etc, etc," then there would be no backlash from professional players whose experience differs from yours. But the suggestion that you know something as a fact when it is clearly incorrect and proven so by other's experience, is bound to elicit a less than glowing response. In fact, it is in some studio sessions that the noise has been problematic, with particular producers and on sessions where the requirement is for deathly silent clean tones. As for the bedroom, I only sleep there, so I can't comment on the noise requirements under those conditions.
Cheers.......................................... wahwah
IanBallard
New member
Re: Why do so many people dislike vintage noiseless strat pups
Hendrix, Blackie-era Clapton... total buzzfests. I don't know how anybody can listen to those records without going, "Damn, that 60hz hum is totally ruining this music".
:chairshot
Hendrix, Blackie-era Clapton... total buzzfests. I don't know how anybody can listen to those records without going, "Damn, that 60hz hum is totally ruining this music".
:chairshot
ErikH
Well-known member
Re: Why do so many people dislike vintage noiseless strat pups
Feedback and 60 cycle hum are not the same thing. Feedback does go away when you're not playing because the loop is gone that can cause it. 60 cycle hum is still there when playing, it's just a matter of whether it is enough to be subdued when playing or not. I've been in places where it is so loud that you can still hear it even when playing.
Feedback and 60 cycle hum are not the same thing. Feedback does go away when you're not playing because the loop is gone that can cause it. 60 cycle hum is still there when playing, it's just a matter of whether it is enough to be subdued when playing or not. I've been in places where it is so loud that you can still hear it even when playing.
SamusChief
New member
Re: Why do so many people dislike vintage noiseless strat pups
Oh, ok. Would reducing the volume still take away the 60-cycle hum?
Oh, ok. Would reducing the volume still take away the 60-cycle hum?
ErikH
Well-known member
Re: Why do so many people dislike vintage noiseless strat pups
It would reduce the volume of the hum but it wouldn't go away completely in some cases. Depends on the level of saturation, if there is any.
It would reduce the volume of the hum but it wouldn't go away completely in some cases. Depends on the level of saturation, if there is any.
W
wolf5150
Guest
Re: Why do so many people dislike vintage noiseless strat pups
As it happens the 4 Winds would have been a superb test.
The noise was driving me NUTS :eyecrazy:
Even with my mixing desk volume off, the l.e.d's were showing noise and when I turned up the volume there was an audible hum through the speakers.... and that's before I plugged in the guitar!!!
I decided to use my new Warmoth with the latest Anderson pickups and pos 2 of the 5 way auto splits the bridge humbucker and the mid noiseless single and isn't hum-cancelling.
I use this position quite a lot but in that venue it was so noisy I couldn't.
Anyone with true singles would def see the case for noiseless because their guitar wouldn't be usable if they use similar tones to me.
The noise was so bad, I retested all the power points in my break and although they are tested safe, swapping made no difference.
Needless to say, although the crowd enjoyed, I didn't :banghead:
As it happens the 4 Winds would have been a superb test.
The noise was driving me NUTS :eyecrazy:
Even with my mixing desk volume off, the l.e.d's were showing noise and when I turned up the volume there was an audible hum through the speakers.... and that's before I plugged in the guitar!!!
I decided to use my new Warmoth with the latest Anderson pickups and pos 2 of the 5 way auto splits the bridge humbucker and the mid noiseless single and isn't hum-cancelling.
I use this position quite a lot but in that venue it was so noisy I couldn't.
Anyone with true singles would def see the case for noiseless because their guitar wouldn't be usable if they use similar tones to me.
The noise was so bad, I retested all the power points in my break and although they are tested safe, swapping made no difference.
Needless to say, although the crowd enjoyed, I didn't :banghead:
Bludave
New member
Re: Why do so many people dislike vintage noiseless strat pups
Most of the noiseless pickups I have tried are sterile sounding. I own 2 Clapton Strats. These are equipped with the original Lace sensor pickups. Comparing these to the "new" Noiseless pickups.... well there really isn't any comparison. Every time I try one I put it back quick ,just sterile sounding. No warmth at all. That said I have gigged quite a bit with one EC Strat and never really had any issues with noise. Yes if the wiring in the club is crappy your going to get some noise, but so is everything else. My Les Paul was just as noisy as my Strat was. I started carrying a power conditioner just to be safe but fortunately I never used it.
Kinmans are awesome sounding pickups. Quiet with great tone, but they really don't sound like singles much either. They work really well but if you want vintage tone they may not do it for you.
Most of the noiseless pickups I have tried are sterile sounding. I own 2 Clapton Strats. These are equipped with the original Lace sensor pickups. Comparing these to the "new" Noiseless pickups.... well there really isn't any comparison. Every time I try one I put it back quick ,just sterile sounding. No warmth at all. That said I have gigged quite a bit with one EC Strat and never really had any issues with noise. Yes if the wiring in the club is crappy your going to get some noise, but so is everything else. My Les Paul was just as noisy as my Strat was. I started carrying a power conditioner just to be safe but fortunately I never used it.
Kinmans are awesome sounding pickups. Quiet with great tone, but they really don't sound like singles much either. They work really well but if you want vintage tone they may not do it for you.
Re: Why do so many people dislike vintage noiseless strat pups
It depends on what tone you like. I have a 1958 Strat which to me sounded bad when I compared it to an Eric Clapton Strat which has those pickups so I put in the same PU's and love the sound much more. I never liked the Strat sound and back in the 70's had a humbucker put in the middle, now I am happy with all 3 PU's, but again I think it all comes down to what PU's tone do you like?
Re: Why do so many people dislike vintage noiseless strat pups
It depends on what tone you like. I have a 1958 Strat which to me sounded bad when I compared it to an Eric Clapton Strat which has those pickups so I put in the same PU's and love the sound much more. I never liked the Strat sound and back in the 70's had a humbucker put in the middle, now I am happy with all 3 PU's, but again I think it all comes down to what PU's tone do you like?
Re: Why do so many people dislike vintage noiseless strat pups
Jeff Beck, Malmsteen & Clapton, etc. use some form of noiseless pickups live which makes me think they had issues with the old single coils but again for me in a studio, etc. I just like the tone of the noiseless which have a bigger sound. They are fatter, I had to paint the covers black because of that and no place that I looked including Fender had black covers for those wider pickups. Maybe I'm lucky to have them in a 58 body but to me they sound much better and bigger than the standard ones that were in it.
Jeff Beck, Malmsteen & Clapton, etc. use some form of noiseless pickups live which makes me think they had issues with the old single coils but again for me in a studio, etc. I just like the tone of the noiseless which have a bigger sound. They are fatter, I had to paint the covers black because of that and no place that I looked including Fender had black covers for those wider pickups. Maybe I'm lucky to have them in a 58 body but to me they sound much better and bigger than the standard ones that were in it.
Re: Why do so many people dislike vintage noiseless strat pups
Welcome to the forum!
While this is an old thread, I am the first person to sing praises for pickups like the Classic Stack Plus. It is difficult for me to go back to regular singles now.
Welcome to the forum!
While this is an old thread, I am the first person to sing praises for pickups like the Classic Stack Plus. It is difficult for me to go back to regular singles now.
Zheddar
New member
Synapsys
Well-known member
Re: Why do so many people dislike vintage noiseless strat pups
That makes me the second person!
That makes me the second person!
Discharged
New member
Re: Why do so many people dislike vintage noiseless strat pups
The biggest difference about noiseless and true single-coil p'ups is not so much tone, but behaviour. There are a lot less dynamic, and there's nothing you can about it, as it's "built-in" in the design. Good news is, you can make up for it by judiciously using the volume control.
/Peter
The biggest difference about noiseless and true single-coil p'ups is not so much tone, but behaviour. There are a lot less dynamic, and there's nothing you can about it, as it's "built-in" in the design. Good news is, you can make up for it by judiciously using the volume control.
/Peter
Lewguitar
New member
Re: Why do so many people dislike vintage noiseless strat pups
Some people don’t like them because they don’t sound EXACTLY like a vintage Strat or Tele single coil.
Simple as that.
If you don’t require that a noiseless version sounds EXACTLY the same, then enjoy going noiseless.
Personally, I prefer Antiquity Surfers or Fralin Vintage Hots.
But I’m an old geezer and do want my Strat or Tele to sound exactly like a 50’s or 60’s Fender, and have all of the transparency and sparkley highs I’m used to.
If you’re willing to sacrifice that for hum free performance that’s cool too. I just can’t get used to that “new” sound when I’m doing the playing.
Although I sure don’t mind that “new” sound when Jeff Beck is doing the playing.
I believe he uses John Suhr noiseless Strat pickups.
Some people don’t like them because they don’t sound EXACTLY like a vintage Strat or Tele single coil.
Simple as that.
If you don’t require that a noiseless version sounds EXACTLY the same, then enjoy going noiseless.
Personally, I prefer Antiquity Surfers or Fralin Vintage Hots.
But I’m an old geezer and do want my Strat or Tele to sound exactly like a 50’s or 60’s Fender, and have all of the transparency and sparkley highs I’m used to.
If you’re willing to sacrifice that for hum free performance that’s cool too. I just can’t get used to that “new” sound when I’m doing the playing.
Although I sure don’t mind that “new” sound when Jeff Beck is doing the playing.
I believe he uses John Suhr noiseless Strat pickups.
