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Topic: Laptops near pickups |
Steven Welborn
From:
Ojai,CA USA
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Posted 13 Oct 2018 3:42 pm |
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| Anyone know if setting a laptop near the steel pickups have any detrimental effect on either? |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 13 Oct 2018 4:57 pm
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For Most laptops (with a hard drive), you're okay as long as you don't set the laptop on the pickup, and there's no magnetic field in a laptop strong enough to hurt a pickup. However, if you one of the few that use a soldering gun or an E-bow, I wouldn't use either of those near a pickup.  |
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Godfrey Arthur
From:
3rd Rock
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Posted 14 Oct 2018 7:58 am
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Ever try putting your cel phone next to a pickup while it's plugged into an amp?
_________________
ShoBud The Pro 1
YES it's my REAL NAME!
Ezekiel 33:7 |
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ajm
From:
Los Angeles
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Posted 14 Oct 2018 9:27 am
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Define "detrimental".
Will it damage either one?
Not as far as I know.
Will noise from the computer bleed into the pickup and increase the noise level from the amp?
Probably. |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 15 Oct 2018 11:48 am
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| Godfrey Arthur wrote: |
| Ever try putting your cel phone next to a pickup while it's plugged into an amp? |
Or putting a cell phone near a computer? Fact is, cell phones are designed to radiate signals, whereas computers are shielded so they won't. That is, unless you have wi-fi enabled. 
But any multiprocessor radiates some EMI, as a rule. |
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Godfrey Arthur
From:
3rd Rock
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Posted 15 Oct 2018 12:10 pm
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As a rule I discourage vocalists from using a cel phone or a tablet, laptop to read lyrics off them because a glitch in the wave form finds its way onto the recording. Next to impossible to pencil them out especially in a voice over.
The pinging from the cel phone is what appears to be the culprit.
Laptops have fans and with a delicate condenser like a U87, good luck getting that fan noise out.
_________________
ShoBud The Pro 1
YES it's my REAL NAME!
Ezekiel 33:7 |
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John McClung
From:
Olympia WA, USA
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Posted 16 Oct 2018 9:30 am
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I had an old Macbook laptop that caused a horrible buzz in my steel sound, it was right next to the changer of my steel being used to teach Skype steel lessons, about 1 foot away. After endless searching, found the simple answer: move the laptop further away. Suddenly had my clean signal back!
_________________
E9 INSTRUCTION
▪️ If you want to have an ongoing discussion, please email me, don't use the Forum messaging which I detest! steelguitarlessons@earthlink.net |
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Jim Sliff
From:
Lawndale California, USA
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Posted 28 Oct 2018 8:19 pm
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You often get hum if computers, monitors,TV 's or dimmers are not just near a guitar but plugged into the same circuit breaker line. And there should be no fluorescent lights nearby, including the small, twisted "power saver" bulbs.
As far as "damage" - yes, you can demagnetize the pickup if you place a transformer or any strong magnet near it. If the computer has a power cord with no transformer in-line, its power supply is internal - meaning there's an internal transformer, and it must be kept away from the pickup. How far? Hard to tell. In some cases it needs to be within a few inches or so to cause damage - in others a foot or two. It depends on the transformer or magnet.
But I would keep the computer at least 2-3 feet away from the pickup.
FWIW if a pickup IS demagnetized it can be fixed, usually.
_________________
No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional |
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Godfrey Arthur
From:
3rd Rock
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Posted 28 Oct 2018 9:08 pm
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| Jim Sliff wrote: |
including the small, twisted "power saver" bulbs.
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Which if you happen to drop and break them (CFL) you may need a hazmat team to clean up the mercury powder that comes out. The CFL is not listed as hazardous waste, but it should be.
_________________
ShoBud The Pro 1
YES it's my REAL NAME!
Ezekiel 33:7 |
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Michael Brebes
From:
Northridge CA
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Posted 29 Oct 2018 10:50 am
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Magnetism is not the problem from a laptop, it's the scan frequencies that are generated for the screen pixels and how much they bleed out of the laptop. Back in the old CRT days, it was scan frequencies coupled with the magnetism to move the beam around on the screen.
_________________
Michael Brebes
Instrument/amp/ pickup repair
MSA D10 Classic/Rickenbacher B6/
Dickerson MOTS/Dobro D32 Hawaiian/
Goldtone Paul Beard Reso
Mesa Boogie Studio Pre/Hafler 3000
RP1/MPX100 |
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