Been reading a lot of threads about folks going to a gold anodized pickguard on their strat and reporting issues with microphonic feedback.
I haven't noticed this myself on guitars I've demo'd with anodized alum pick guards, but... Anyway, thinking of doing one up with some CS 69's and am wondering if I'm wasting my time if it's going to turn into a squealing pig.
Thoughts?
Happened to me but only in high gain situations and close to the amp. The bridge pup was the worst.
My guitar was a stock MIM classic the stock pups did, I put a set of Copperheads (Chevalier) custom wound in and the bridge pup still was a no go, Sent the pup back he made another and potted the hell out of it, same thing. The other two where fine. So IMO the AL must be adding enough vibration to cause it.
ones too many and a hundred is not enough!
Did you use springs or rubber tubing on the pickup screws to the pickguard?
I have a set of Custom '54s mounted w/the rubber tubing in my Al 'guard Strat & it is microphonic if I get too loud/distorted. I just don't go there. I'm not a real high-gain player anyhow.
Not sounding good for my plans here, people! I guess I'll go with another tortoise shell guard, then...
You could always get a clear guard, paint the underside (so it won't get scratched off) gold and use that for the fake aluminum anodized gold guard thing.
If, at first you don't succeed, don't try skydiving.
Two leaps per chasm is fatal!
Very Gretsch!
Several guitars in different colors
Things to make them fuzzy
Things to make them louder
orange picks
Rubber tubing, I didn't try springs. I thought they would be worse but maybe not. Like 71818 I don't go there often. If I want to I use one of my other strats.Originally Posted by grandturk
Last edited by Russ; 04-03-2011 at 01:07 PM.
ones too many and a hundred is not enough!
How about with "noiseless" pickups - anyone try that? Kinmans, Fenders, Dimarzio stacked singles? I'm wondering if their designs might be more resistant to microphonics.
That would be the next option. I don't know, though. My '54s sound so good- I'd hate to lose that.
I hear that - they're my favorites in my strat - nice and clear. I was actually thinking about a 69 in the bridge as I've played some CS Strats with a 54 N & M and a 69 Bridge that had a killer balanced sound and thickened up the bridge sound just enough.
Overall I've found "noiseless" pickups to lack a little bit of character, and honestly they don't fit my needs - i.e. I generally don't have an issue with 60 cycle hum.
I keep a few squares of high density foam around for any guitar that decides to feedback. cut to size length and height and put in the cavity
stops it dead
FYI I did end up getting an Alum pickguard. Got a set of TTS pickups in there. No micro phonics to report.
Dang. That looks pretty sharp! What's the story on that axe?
Thanks. The neck and bridge are from a early 90's MIJ 54 RI Flotoflame. Nice deep hard V neck. I had it refretted with some jumbo fretwire. The body is light ash from warmoth. The neck was pretty beat so I tried to match the body to it without going nuts. The pickups are TTS Classic Rock.
I did the knobs myself some years ago and I think they turned out pretty cool. I did the pickup covers as well, but they didn't turn out so well. Eventually I'll try relic'ing another set of covers. I really wanted to make them look like those broken "bakelite" covers.
Last edited by grandturk; 06-06-2011 at 12:42 PM.
You had it "regretted"? Are you sure that's not a Fruedian slip?
lol
I can't tell about the covers but the knobs do look pretty cool. I'd leave the 'guard alone, though, unless you have a sure-fire way to make it look right. In that case, you must post it here!
Nice catch! Damn that auto-correct on the iPhone. Getting this neck refretted was one of the best dicisions I've made - even at the cost. I just simply wasn't playing the thing because of the teeny vintage frets.
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