Members dmc69 Posted December 13, 2011 Members Share Posted December 13, 2011 I don't get it. Why do my alnico pickups sound so bad? I have 2 sets: a no name and a Seymour Duncan SSL-52 strat set. My problem is my low E string. It sounds like garbage! It's hard to describe the sound, but it's like the speaker is blown and it seems to be overly 'fuzzy'. I know my speaker isn't blown. I tried this on both sets of pickups and got the same problem. I tried to eliminate other possible variables as well. I changed strings. I tried different amps. New cord. When I used a guitar with ceramic pickups, there was no problem at all. Tried guitars with MIM strat pickups, and one with Lace Sensors. I'm left with the pickups to blame then. I'm pretty sure the pickups aren't faulty. So what's wrong then??? Or is this just normal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members =JL= Posted December 13, 2011 Members Share Posted December 13, 2011 Pickups too high? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dmc69 Posted December 13, 2011 Author Members Share Posted December 13, 2011 not really. but that's something I should check out too. Edit: tried it. Lowered the pickups, and same crap another edit: lowering the pickups makes it bearable and I notice it less, but now it's pretty low. Makes it sound kind of weak. Is there another way of getting rid of that awful sound, or is lowering the pickups (and turning up my amp a little more) the best solution? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members vintage clubber Posted December 13, 2011 Members Share Posted December 13, 2011 video so we can see and hear it? What kind of pots are in it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dmc69 Posted December 13, 2011 Author Members Share Posted December 13, 2011 Alnico pickups for the 1st half, ceramics are second half. Excuse my hard picking on the strings to the point where it buzzes. String buzz is not the problem under normal playing, as there is no buzzing when I play the guitar unplugged. Pots are stock Fender pots in the 2 anico guitars I had. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fretmonster Posted December 13, 2011 Members Share Posted December 13, 2011 Other than the little string buzz, which is only a matter of raising the action at the nut a tad, I really don't hear any problem. It's just the character of the alnicos coming through IMO and the fuzziness has more to do with how your amp is voiced I imagine. I would try it through another amp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members onelife Posted December 13, 2011 Members Share Posted December 13, 2011 stratitis in alnico pickups, the pole pieces are magnets and in ceramic pickups, the magnets are underneath the coils and farther away from the strings - the alnico magnets pull on the string enough to cause tuning and other problems, especially in a strat because there are three pickups more info here and here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dmc69 Posted December 13, 2011 Author Members Share Posted December 13, 2011 stratitisin alnico pickups, the pole pieces are magnets and in ceramic pickups, the magnets are underneath the coils and farther away from the strings - the alnico magnets pull on the string enough to cause tuning and other problems, especially in a strat because there are three pickups more info here and here Thanks onelife. I think that's the problem. The site describes it perfectly - warbling. I just set my pickups to almost flush with the pickguard. The amount of space is more than I'm used to seeing, but it's working. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members vintage clubber Posted December 13, 2011 Members Share Posted December 13, 2011 lower the pickups to be flush with the pickguard... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members xrleroyx Posted December 13, 2011 Members Share Posted December 13, 2011 Didn't know pickups caused tuning issues. Cool! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dmc69 Posted December 13, 2011 Author Members Share Posted December 13, 2011 Didn't know pickups caused tuning issues. Cool! Oh man, it was frustrating. Trying to tune the low e string was a bitch, as the magnets would make the pitch go all over the place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cratz2 Posted December 13, 2011 Members Share Posted December 13, 2011 I've read about it and I'm comfortable with the issue in theory, but I've probably owned 40 strats and I've never EVER had this issue. If it helps at all, I'll offer up a set of stock 2006 MIM ceramics in trade for your SSL2s. I'll even cover shipping both ways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members vintage clubber Posted December 13, 2011 Members Share Posted December 13, 2011 They're already really quiet at where I have them... What advantage do I gain if I lower them flush to the pickguard? Maybe it'd look cleaner. no. If I have that issue, I start flush and ease it up toward the strings until the "sweet spot" is found... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members vintage clubber Posted December 13, 2011 Members Share Posted December 13, 2011 I've read about it and I'm comfortable with the issue in theory, but I've probably owned 40 strats and I've never EVER had this issue. If it helps at all, I'll offer up a set of stock 2006 MIM ceramics in trade for your SSL2s. I'll even cover shipping both ways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dmc69 Posted December 13, 2011 Author Members Share Posted December 13, 2011 I've read about it and I'm comfortable with the issue in theory, but I've probably owned 40 strats and I've never EVER had this issue. If it helps at all, I'll offer up a set of stock 2006 MIM ceramics in trade for your SSL2s. I'll even cover shipping both ways. I'd so do it too... But I'm too lazy to take my pickups out of my guitar Gosh darn it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cratz2 Posted December 13, 2011 Members Share Posted December 13, 2011 Uh huh... Well, I can't really complain... I have a set of SSL2s in one strat and I bought an SSL5 for the bridge position in that guitar... I bought the pickup in February or March and still haven't installed it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Willyguitar Posted December 13, 2011 Members Share Posted December 13, 2011 No, that doesn't sound right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dmc69 Posted December 13, 2011 Author Members Share Posted December 13, 2011 Tweaking the thing a bit, and having it at the right height made all the difference in the world! I've been playing that strat for the last few hours now. Nice, sweet tone, no more warbling. Thanks guys! SD SSL-52 pickups are really nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.