I could use some new pickups

[thebigcheese]

Well, 30-year-old solder is not very cooperative, but I finally got all the pots replaced and it is MUCH nicer to play now. Theoretically, the guitar should sound a little brighter now, though the difference isn't very noticeable, but actually turning the knobs is considerably nicer. I don't usually play with the tone knobs much, but the volume knobs go through a much more gradual change now and don't "skip" when I turn it up from all the way off (it used to just be off and then on, but now it fades nicely). I also replaced the knobs while I was at it because one was kinda busted anyway, so now the guitar looks nicer, too. Not looking forward to resoldering things when I get new pickups, but it'll have to be done. I did an experiment today where I ran my friend's Squier Strat into my setup and it is definitely my pickups that are causing the clipping. There is a HUGE difference in volume from his guitar to mine. I actually have to turn the amp up to make up that difference with his guitar. Wow.

 

[Light]

.022 mf is standard. Some folks like to go a little lower on the neck pickup. The truth is that a ceramic cap is probably just as good as any other. I had an issue with the tone I got with some ceramics years ago and I've avoided them ever since. It was probably just the individual cheap caps I bought.

0.022μF is standard on Fenders - Most Gibson's use .047μF (or, more properly, 4700pF, but lets not get pedantic).

I don't have anything against Ceramics, but I can get good polyester film caps so cheap I can't think of any reason not to use them.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[thebigcheese]

Hmmm... Now that I've had more of a chance to play with my guitar with the new pots on it, it does seem brighter. Maybe I'm imagining it, but it seems to me that with these pots, I wouldn't actually want it a whole lot brighter, I would just want to clean up the low end (which I think would come naturally with lower output) and just overall have more clarity. I'm not trying to argue against the Unbuckers, b/c I'd likely get Fralins either way and they'd cost the same, I'm just curious if that extra high end would really do me any favors now that I have proper knobs...

 

[Strokes77]

Problem: It's too loud.

Solution:
1. Lower Pickup. The screws on the side of the pickups, tighten them, the pickup will lower and be further away from the strings, therefore, becoming quieter.
2. Turn volume pot down to 8 instead of 10.

No money involved.

 

[Milnoque]

Unfortunately no one else can answer that question for you.

Why don't you enjoy it for a while the way it is and ask yourself the question again later.

 

[thebigcheese]

Problem: It's too loud.

Solution:
1. Lower Pickup. The screws on the side of the pickups, tighten them, the pickup will lower and be further away from the strings, therefore, becoming quieter.
2. Turn volume pot down to 8 instead of 10.

No money involved.

Actually, it ended up being loosening them (turning them to the left) that lowers them. However, I should have just listened to this advice in the first place. I know someone suggested it before and I decided I wasn't going to listen, but it actually helps a lot. The pickups are probably still not the greatest, but I'm not overloading my pedals anymore and I can get clean tones on higher preamp settings, which is nice because I like the sound better.

So, the lesson here is... Derrr, listen to smart people and try the easy solution first. Although replacing the pots was still a good idea. Thanks to everyone who helped me out

 

[stevieb]

The Burstbuckers are similar in concept to the Unbuckers - i.e., they use slightly mis-matched coils. While this makes them slightly less than perfectly hum canceling, it gives you back some of the upper end harmonics that you loose through phase cancellations. The Unbuckers are better made, though, and I think Lindy's pickups sound better.

Yeah, well, that MAY or MAY NOT be true, but try scoring a pair for eighty bux.

 

[Light]

Yeah, well, that MAY or MAY NOT be true, but try scoring a pair for eighty bux.

I can't think of a single set of decent humbuckers you could buy for $80. Hell, I charge more than that for a single Seymour Duncan humbucker.

If your goal is to do this on the cheap, don't bother. If you want to do it RIGHT, buy the right pickups. Its really not a hard concept to grasp.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[ch2os7]

lower the pups

I have a "the paul" too and the pick ups are real "hot" but I don't have the problem you described. Have you lowered the pickups down away from the strings? That might help some.

thebigcheese said, "Actually, it ended up being loosening them (turning them to the left) that lowers them. However, I should have just listened to this advice in the first place. I know someone suggested it before and I decided I wasn't going to listen, but it actually helps a lot. ..."


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