Members allthumz Posted November 3, 2013 Members Share Posted November 3, 2013 Being poorly wound. Loose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mo' Cowbell Posted November 4, 2013 Members Share Posted November 4, 2013 Where to start: over-wound pickups can get muddy. Height adjustment affects tone and capacitors make a big difference as do certain potentiometers in combination with some pickups. You really have to examine the signal chain from end to end and methodically go through it inch by inch. Make a change, check it. Make another change, check it; and so on. Pickup manufacturers would have us believe that it's all in the pickup, but that's not the case. Many guitarists swear that you have to change stock pups on an Epiphone. Yet, just as many are happy with them. My personal choice is to begin with the least expensive solution. Height adjustments cost nothing but a few minutes of your time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Morganbich Posted November 4, 2013 Members Share Posted November 4, 2013 MUD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members knotty Posted November 5, 2013 Members Share Posted November 5, 2013 I have just had a critical listen to my PRS HFS/vintage. I don't see a problem to solve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted November 5, 2013 Members Share Posted November 5, 2013 That's because you can't see sound. Just because you have a great guitar doesn't mean that the quest for improvement should stop. Nobody is suggesting that you should throw your pickups away or need a new guitar. If you're so hung up on the past play only instruments invented in the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members onelife Posted November 5, 2013 Members Share Posted November 5, 2013 When I went looking for the right sounding noiseless strat pickups I heard about Chris Kinman. When I checked him out, he claimed that his pickups sounded so good the fact that they are noisless is actually a bonus. I have his pickups in an old strat and a Warmoth tele and I must say that he was right. They are fabulous pickups and well worth the premium - and they don't buzz. I am now thinking of replacing the '57 Classics in my ES137 with the parallel coil P90 discussed in this thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members knotty Posted November 5, 2013 Members Share Posted November 5, 2013 koiwoi wrote: That's because you can't see sound. Just because you have a great guitar doesn't mean that the quest for improvement should stop. Nobody is suggesting that you should throw your pickups away or need a new guitar. If you're so hung up on the past play only instruments invented in the UK. I assume you are trying to make a point. I dont see any of them. If I need an oscilloscope to see the differnence I think I will pass. Hung up on the past? Invented in the uk? Not a clue what youre getting at. My point was that my humbuckers dont sound muddy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members thewthrman Posted November 5, 2013 Members Share Posted November 5, 2013 aliensporebomb wrote: I was shocked to the core when I bought a guitar with a set of low output passives that it had been the sound I'd been chasing for decades. I've got guitars with single coils, medium output humbuckers, high output active humbuckers, high output singles, etc. All of them were "okay" but the ones that amazed me was the low output passives. Somehow, the low output allowed for a "clarity of tone" without adding mud and being strong enough to overdrive an amp decently. My previous impression was that low output humbuckers were weak, gruff and lacked nice trebles - just kind of "bleah". How wrong I was. It seems that some of the high output pickups sacrificed tone and balance in favor of massive output. This is my experience also. When I decided to put humbuckers in my SSS guitar, I went to music go round with my radio shack multitester and went through their big box o' junk pickups. I picked a couple 2-wire vintagey epiphone pickups that had low resistance - i think they were around 8k. I still thought they were a bit midrangey - especially the rhythm pickup. So I took the chrome cover off. I really like the sound of low output humbuckers with the covers removed. So much so that I doubt I'd ever invest in anything "special" (read: expensive). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted November 5, 2013 Members Share Posted November 5, 2013 Knotty - my point is that some people enjoy innovating and improving things and some think that's a waste of time. It's personal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members knotty Posted November 5, 2013 Members Share Posted November 5, 2013 koiwoi wrote: Knotty - my point is that some people enjoy innovating and improving things and some think that's a waste of time. It's personal. No issue with that. My problem is with the Kinman guy. He has gone for an " assumptive close." He has changed the thread from "bad humbuckers" being muddy. To all humbuckers being muddy. I just dont think all of them are. The wound strings on mine sound just fine.I know it does not suit his advert for his new product but I am not sure the problem exists. If someone wants a reinvented, differently voiced humbucker/p90 wannabee then fine, he sounds like the man. Just glad I never spent 57 years looking for one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted November 5, 2013 Members Share Posted November 5, 2013 I get it, but I honestly believe his motivation for contributing to this thread was his passion for the topic and not the idea of free marketing. I thought his posts were enlightening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kayd_mon Posted November 5, 2013 Members Share Posted November 5, 2013 I also found the post informative, and I liked reading it. I disagree that all humbuckers are muddy, as I posted before, but I also agree that a P90 has a wonderful sound. I would like to hear a noiseless one sound just as good. Yeah, I'm sure part of it is roundabout plugging his products, but I also believe he's trying to innovate. I appreciate his contributions so far, so I have no complaints. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Wayne2 Posted November 5, 2013 Members Share Posted November 5, 2013 I'm glad that someone is thinking about this.I noticed that the Hot Alnico humbuckers in my Blacktop Jaguar cleaned up quite a bit when I replaced the pots, toggle switch, jack, cap, and some of the wires. This makes no intellectual sense to me, but I hear it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Chris Kinman Pickups Posted November 6, 2013 Members Share Posted November 6, 2013 kayd_mon wrote: ....... but I also agree that a P90 has a wonderful sound. I would like to hear a noiseless one sound just as good. OK just one more little plug since you seem to unaware Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members blueboxer Posted November 6, 2013 Members Share Posted November 6, 2013 I've played great humbuckers and poor ones. Guess what, theyre all quiet. If you can't deal with noise don't indulge in any p90s, your loss. Other quiet single coils can also be great, or suck. It's all about the pickups you chose and if you're willing to deal with the nature of the beast you enjoy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members blueboxer Posted November 6, 2013 Members Share Posted November 6, 2013 We can respectfully hammer out nuances and preferences all day but this thread is about sweeping generalizations. So there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Elias Graves Posted November 6, 2013 Author Members Share Posted November 6, 2013 Wow. Zombie thread.But with good discussion.Thank you Kinman. Good reads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted November 6, 2013 Members Share Posted November 6, 2013 Did you check out the noiseless P90s in the vid above? You don't have to have the noise anymore... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Elias Graves Posted November 6, 2013 Author Members Share Posted November 6, 2013 My sweeping generalization was to sweep all the humbuckers out of my life. They're all gone now. I'm out there swingin free with the single coils. My main set is well shielded, as is the guitar and the noise is reasonable even at higher gains. When clean, they run as quiet as most humbuckers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Elias Graves Posted November 6, 2013 Author Members Share Posted November 6, 2013 koiwoi Super Contributor10:02 PMDid you check out the noiseless P90s in the vid above? You don't have to have the noise anymore...Add CommentAccept as SolutionKudo 0 Yep. Cool stuff.These ARE the good old days! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted November 6, 2013 Members Share Posted November 6, 2013 Yeah - couldn't agree more. My old Ibanez 335 needs new pickups and I was going to get Filtertrons, but I'm thinking HB-sized noiseless P90s would be great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted November 6, 2013 Members Share Posted November 6, 2013 Good grief... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Elias Graves Posted November 6, 2013 Author Members Share Posted November 6, 2013 This is why nobody posts here any more.Get a real professional come in for a visit and he gets attacked. Lovely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members knotty Posted November 6, 2013 Members Share Posted November 6, 2013 Elias Graves wrote: This is why nobody posts here any more. Get a real professional come in for a visit and he gets attacked. Lovely. Who has attacked him?I called him out for misleading posts?And he was not visiting he was advertising.Grow up. Or do you want an apology from me now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Chris Kinman Pickups Posted November 6, 2013 Members Share Posted November 6, 2013 koiwoi wrote: Good grief... Couldn't have said it better koiwoi, Good grief indeed .... head shake time, unbelievable. Actually it's quite tragic and I feel so embarrased ......... for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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