Guitar tech help!!!! Pick up's faulty - can you help???

Question

A new guitar I have seems to have dodgy pick up's. I'm told it's called microphonic feedback, caused by movement inside the pick up. Theye are usually wax dipped to cut this out but mine seems to have not been dipped / poorly dipped.

Is there a way to fix this myself? Please help, much appreciated.

It's not under warranty and can't be returned - looking for advice on how to fix myself wax dip or similar)

Thanks.

Answer 1

cant really fix it yourself but me personaly i would take my new guitar to the place where i bought it and DEMAND a replacement....if you bought it off the net then you need finacial assistance for the future, dont buy of the net :(, summary, go back to where you bought it, get them to fix it or replace it.

Answer 2

Yes you can but it is a bit of a mess.

Microphonics usually cause false tones or feedback at specific frequencies due to vibration of the wire that makes up the coil of the pickup.

Since I am not sure what your pickup looks like I'll go through all steps, just ignore the ones you don't need:

1) Remove the pickup from the face of the guitar so it can "hanging" from the top if the guitar is inverted. Do NOT pull the pickup wire. Remove any hardware such as pickup rings or covers. If your pickup has metal covers STOP HERE, reassemble and take it to a shop.
2) You'll see tape that covers each coil. If this tape has evidence of wax on it STOP HERE as your pickups are already potted (wax dipped) and you should not try to repot them. If there is no evidence of wax then open the tape. Do not use a knife or scissors to cut the tape.
3) Under the tape you'll see multitudes of very fine wire. DO NOT TOUCH the windings.
4) Support the guitar so that it is inverted and the pickups are hanging away from the body. Place some paper on the floor or bench.
5) Locate some shellac, some denatured alcohol, a metal can for mixing, and an eyedropper.
6) Mix the shellac well, then make a 50-50 mix of shellac and alcohol. THIS MIXTURE IS FLAMMABLE!
7) Holding the pickup carefully, deposit some of the shellac directly on the windings using the dropper. You'll likely see the shellac drawn into the windings. Continue until the windings are saturated. Make sure not to touch the windings with fingers or eyedropper. Expect some of the shellac to run out of the pickup and onto the floor or bench.
8) Allow to dry for at least 48 hours and repeat.
9) Allow to dry again for at least 48 hours, clean the top of the pickup and reassemble the guitar.

If this doesn't help then you'll likely need new pickups.

Answer 3

Microphonic feedback is not caused by movement in the pickup, it's down to the design of the circuitry. Basically, you've just bought a crap guitar. Spend some proper money next time.

Answer 4

Make and model would be helpful.
If youre handy with a soldering iron and test meter check the impedance (ohms) of the pickups and check that the microphony is not coming from tone and volume controls, leads etc

Answer 5

I doubt it very much. I would take it back if it is still under warranty. If it isn't take it to a guitar repair shop. Sometimes they have second hand ones which are still OK to use.

Answer 6

call or visit a guitar center for help too.

Answer 7

i dont understand your problem, but you can always take it to the store (or where you bought it from) and tell them to fix it for you

Answer 8

Just fit new pickups.