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Topic: shielding single coil pickups |
Dave Zirbel
From:
Sebastopol, CA USA
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Posted 21 Mar 2001 12:04 pm |
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I've spent a little time researching the Dan Torres website. They say they can reduce single coil noise by 75% by shielding the pickups, for standard guitar. Has anyone done this for steel? After all the replacement pickups I've tried(which all sound good), nothing sounds sweeter to me than the Sho-Bud single coils that came my guitar. I feel that if can reduce the noise by 75%, I feel could live with the other 25%. www.torresengineering.com
Dave |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 21 Mar 2001 12:52 pm
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I haven't heard of anyone having much luck with any type of shielding or noise reduction on single coil pickups. If someone has successfully done some shielding it would have been publicized by now or someone would have commericalized the procedure.
You could try some type of grounded metal shielding on the bottom and sides and that may reduce the stray pickup some. However, underneath the switch and jack are probably not shielded either so shielding the pickup may not really get you anything. It has to be a "total" package to help reduce the amount of hum. I don't remember what kind of wiring the Sho-Bud pickups have - twisted wire or shielded cable from the pickup - but if it's twisted wires, make sure they are still twisted as that helps to minimize hum.
But even with that, the pickups act as an antenna and collector for anything that's around.
Externally to the guitar, make sure you have good qualtity shielded cables and that any effects units, volume pedal, etc are also adequately shielded. You are only as good as the entire system. |
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Dave Zirbel
From:
Sebastopol, CA USA
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Posted 21 Mar 2001 1:33 pm
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I figured that if it could be done that we would know about it, but I had to ask. I would probably go back to single coils if I could reduce the noise by 50%.
When I stomp on the pedals without picking the strings(using the single coil), I hear the sound of the pedals hitting the stops. I don't hear it as much with the replacement pickups I use. Is this normal or does this mean the p/us are microphonic?
Thanks, Dave
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Ole Dantoft
From:
Copenhagen, Denmark
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Posted 21 Mar 2001 11:44 pm
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Dave,
The kind of noise you describe here has got nothing to do with the pickup being single-coil or double-coil, the pickup is simply microphonic. Single-coil's will pickup mains-hum and other electrical interferences, and THAT is what a dual-coil can solve - hence the name "Humbucker".
I have played, repaired and modified 6-stringers for 25 years, and my experience is, that ALL pickups do this to some degree, allthough typically a modern pickup will be MUCH better than an old one.
I play an Emmons with original single coils, and sure enough you CAN hear pedal-sounds through them if you listen carefully for them, but they are certainly not at a level where I'm concerned about it.
If yours are worse than that, I'd say replace them OR alternatively have them "potted" if you can find someone who offers this service.
Ole |
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