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Gear Discussion Forums => Bill's Shop: Projects, Mods & Repairs => Topic started by: ilan on November 24, 2014, 02:40:20 PM

Title: Microphonic vintage pickups
Post by: ilan on November 24, 2014, 02:40:20 PM
The pickups on my 75/77 Jazz are very microphonic. Mid-70's grey bottoms. Any trick other than a rewind? Thx
Title: Re: Microphonic vintage pickups
Post by: Pilgrim on November 24, 2014, 02:49:10 PM
The pickups on my 75/77 Jazz are very microphonic. Mid-70's grey bottoms. Any trick other than a rewind? Thx

Maybe pot them with paraffin.  That's often cited as a remedy for microphonic pickups.

There are many places where the process is described, but here's the Stew-Mac version:

http://www.stewmac.com/How-To/Online_Resources/Pickups_and_Electronics/Wax_potting_pickups.html
Title: Re: Microphonic vintage pickups
Post by: amptech on November 24, 2014, 04:37:14 PM
Or laquer.. I use a drop of laquer every 100M when winding pickups. Sometimes if i forget it, i just put
on some laquer when the whole coil is finished, works fine too!

But a quick repair of a broken coil can be more difficult with laquer ´potting´- I just think the hot paraffin wax treatment is a bit messy.
Title: Re: Microphonic vintage pickups
Post by: Granny Gremlin on November 25, 2014, 09:26:24 AM
Old Firebird pups are insanely microphonic..... and I like them that way. 

I wonder if they were potted/can potting sometimes not be enough to eliminate the issue?
Title: Re: Microphonic vintage pickups
Post by: dadagoboi on November 25, 2014, 10:39:36 AM
Old Firebird pups are insanely microphonic..... and I like them that way. 

I wonder if they were potted/can potting sometimes not be enough to eliminate the issue?

60's TBird pickups weren't potted by Gibson, just some black gunk to hold the coils in place in the covers.  Potting is SOP for today's clones.  I've installed close to 125 ThunderBuckers in the last few years without a squeal from any of them.  Combined with metal covers and bases for total shielding it makes them dead quiet.