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Thread: Microphonic Tele Bridge pup

  1. #1
    Forum Member NTBluesGuitar's Avatar
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    Microphonic Tele Bridge pup

    I've heard it's somewhat common, and mine is. Turn the volume up all the way when on the Bridge pup, and it squeals.

    I've read of some solutions to this, but wondered if anyone here has had any success with a specific solution.

    Thanks!
    "...pray do not imagine that those who make the noise are the only inhabitants of the field;
    that, of course, they are many in number; or that, after all, they are other than the little,
    shriveled, meagre, hopping, though loud and troublesome, insects of the hour."

    -Edmund Burke

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    Forum Member phantomman's Avatar
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    Re: Microphonic Tele Bridge pup

    I think tha's the purpose of the wax potting......s'posed to isolate the coil from unwanted sub- an' super-sonic vibrations.

    CJ (or other old Tele hand), you wanna weigh in here?
    "When injustice becomes law then rebellion becomes duty."

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    Forum Member pseudocat's Avatar
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    Re: Microphonic Tele Bridge pup

    Sometimes, if the plate on the underside of the bridge isn't adhering well, it'll squeal pretty badly. I had one that just wouldn't attach well with wax, so I glued it on with barge cement. That stopped the squeal right away.

    I like a tele bridge pickup to be a skosh microphonic, though. They just seem more alive that way.
    There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness".
    -Dave Barry

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    Forum Member Don's Avatar
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    Re: Microphonic Tele Bridge pup

    My current Tele bridge pickup is slightly microphonic. Just the right amount. My previous bridge pickup squealed badly.
    I bought a wax product at a craft store. It' might've been call Tacky Wax.
    I spread a bit of it on the back of the pickup, attached the plate and re-flowed the wax. It worked great.

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    Forum Member dzguitar10's Avatar
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    Re: Microphonic Tele Bridge pup

    TJ... is this happening on the Squire CV Tele you got a while back? I'm just curious since mine will be coming in very soon and I want to know what to expect. Is this an easy fix? The previous posters say that putting wax in and around fixes the problem. Am I to understand that you simply put wax under the bridge assembly? Sorry for my ignorance but I've never owned or been under the hood of a Tele.

    Thanks!

  6. #6
    Forum Member NTBluesGuitar's Avatar
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    Re: Microphonic Tele Bridge pup

    Thanks a million, y'all.

    Yeah, DZ, this is the Squier CV Tele. I could have easily loosened the baseplate when I was poking around, but I had also read about the baseplate being loose as a common issue for Teles in general, not just this one. The pickup still sounds great and only squeals when the guitar volume is all the way up.

    I have some silicone handy and may give it a dab to re-affix that plate; I'll let you know how that goes.
    "...pray do not imagine that those who make the noise are the only inhabitants of the field;
    that, of course, they are many in number; or that, after all, they are other than the little,
    shriveled, meagre, hopping, though loud and troublesome, insects of the hour."

    -Edmund Burke

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    Forum Member Offshore Angler's Avatar
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    Re: Microphonic Tele Bridge pup

    On a Tele most of the time it's a loose bridge plate when she squeals.
    "No harmonic knowledge, no sense of time, a ghastly tone, unskilled vibrato, and so on. Chuck is one of the worst guitar players I know" -Gravity Jim

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    Forum Member Don's Avatar
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    Re: Microphonic Tele Bridge pup

    I don't recommend silicone.

    Sure, it will work, but it's nasty stuff. It's very acidic and impossible to paint over if you get any on the guitar and need repairs later.

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    Forum Member Gris's Avatar
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    Re: Microphonic Tele Bridge pup

    Corinthian bees wax yields the best tone... :-O

  10. #10
    Forum Member NTBluesGuitar's Avatar
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    Re: Microphonic Tele Bridge pup

    Quote Originally Posted by Don View Post
    I don't recommend silicone.

    Sure, it will work, but it's nasty stuff. It's very acidic and impossible to paint over if you get any on the guitar and need repairs later.
    Thanks for the tip on that. I was just thinking a dab at most, but I may just be able to tighten it on there more.

    I'll report on results when I get to it. Otherwise she sounds just fine! I'll let you know which wax yielded the best sonic improvement.
    "...pray do not imagine that those who make the noise are the only inhabitants of the field;
    that, of course, they are many in number; or that, after all, they are other than the little,
    shriveled, meagre, hopping, though loud and troublesome, insects of the hour."

    -Edmund Burke

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    Forum Member pseudocat's Avatar
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    Re: Microphonic Tele Bridge pup

    Quote Originally Posted by Gris View Post
    Corinthian bees wax yields the best tone... :-O
    Only if you use NOS Bumblebee caps, though.
    There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness".
    -Dave Barry

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    Forum Member NTBluesGuitar's Avatar
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    Re: Microphonic Tele Bridge pup

    Okay, so I tried melting some wax into the gaps I saw between the copper plate and te pickup bobbin, and no bueno.

    Does the plate need to be removed totally to be re-adhered later? I'm relatvely new to pickup work, oustide of wiring, so pardon the naivete. This is a pretty good sounding pickup (measures 9.03K resistance, BTW), but I can get a new GFS bridge if I need to.

    Any more advice as I proceed cautiously?
    "...pray do not imagine that those who make the noise are the only inhabitants of the field;
    that, of course, they are many in number; or that, after all, they are other than the little,
    shriveled, meagre, hopping, though loud and troublesome, insects of the hour."

    -Edmund Burke

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    Forum Member dzguitar10's Avatar
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    Re: Microphonic Tele Bridge pup

    Quote Originally Posted by NTBluesGuitar View Post
    Okay, so I tried melting some wax into the gaps I saw between the copper plate and te pickup bobbin, and no bueno.

    Does the plate need to be removed totally to be re-adhered later? I'm relatvely new to pickup work, oustide of wiring, so pardon the naivete. This is a pretty good sounding pickup (measures 9.03K resistance, BTW), but I can get a new GFS bridge if I need to.

    Any more advice as I proceed cautiously?
    So the gap you've been talking about is on the pickup? If so you really need to "pot" the entire pickup in wax. But I wouldn't remove the copper plate from the bobbin. Use about a 80% parafin wax and 20% beeswax in a double boiler and check that the temp stays at 150 degrees F or a little less. Then carefully submerse it and move it around until you see no more air bubbles rise from it... 15-20 minutes should do it. Also do not use tongs or pliers to hold the pickup... use a piece of wire through one of the pickup mounting holes. Once you remove the pickup... let cool... clean excess wax and reinstall. You shouldn't get any microphonic feedback after that!

  14. #14
    Forum Member phantomman's Avatar
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    Re: Microphonic Tele Bridge pup

    You can fashion a jig of a sort for holding the pickup while potting by bending a length of wire coat hanger into a "U" shape to fit the outside mounting holes in the bobbin, then folding half of of the "U" back on itself to a acute angle of 60ş or so to provide a hands-free stand as the wax cools.

    I use this technique to hold models while air-brush painting and it works pretty well.

    HTH
    "When injustice becomes law then rebellion becomes duty."

  15. #15
    Forum Member dzguitar10's Avatar
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    Re: Microphonic Tele Bridge pup

    Quote Originally Posted by phantomman View Post
    You can fashion a jig of a sort for holding the pickup while potting by bending a length of wire coat hanger into a "U" shape to fit the outside mounting holes in the bobbin, then folding half of of the "U" back on itself to a acute angle of 60ş or so to provide a hands-free stand as the wax cools.

    I use this technique to hold models while air-brush painting and it works pretty well.

    HTH
    I've done that too... works very good!

    BTW Phantomman... I use to work as a kit designer/art director for Accurate Miniatures... I still have a lot of models in the unopened boxes. I don't build much anymore. Kinda build guitars now... anyhow I can tell you more offline

  16. #16
    Forum Member NTBluesGuitar's Avatar
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    Re: Microphonic Tele Bridge pup

    Great tips...thanks!

    I found this this morning.

    I think that I'll try submerging the pickup just to near the top of the bobbin.
    Last edited by NTBluesGuitar; 01-10-2009 at 07:59 AM.
    "...pray do not imagine that those who make the noise are the only inhabitants of the field;
    that, of course, they are many in number; or that, after all, they are other than the little,
    shriveled, meagre, hopping, though loud and troublesome, insects of the hour."

    -Edmund Burke

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    Forum Member dzguitar10's Avatar
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    Re: Microphonic Tele Bridge pup

    Quote Originally Posted by NTBluesGuitar View Post
    Great tips...thanks!

    I found this this morning.

    I think that I'll try submerging the pickup just to near the top of the bobbin.
    Yeah... that's a good site for guitar tweaking and building! You ought to be able to submerse it like that... just make yourself a tool to hold her and you'll be fine. Oh... beeswax you can probably get at Michael’s and the paraffin at Wal-Mart.

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    Forum Member phantomman's Avatar
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    Re: Microphonic Tele Bridge pup

    Quote Originally Posted by dzguitar10 View Post
    I've done that too... works very good!

    BTW Phantomman... I use to work as a kit designer/art director for Accurate Miniatures... I still have a lot of models in the unopened boxes. I don't build much anymore. Kinda build guitars now... anyhow I can tell you more offline
    I guess you heared about Tom Myers then......very sad. I met him at the Nationals in Phoenix in '04. Helluva nice guy an' he knew his stuff.

    I got beau coup A-M kits in the stash but this here's the only one I ever actually finished......




    (built back in the "original" A-M era, when Bill Bosworth was still drivin' the bus)
    "When injustice becomes law then rebellion becomes duty."

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    Forum Member dzguitar10's Avatar
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    Re: Microphonic Tele Bridge pup

    Bill Bosworth and I worked together! I left before the debacle that took place around 2000-2001. Yeah... Tom was a great guy. I still keep in touch with Bill, Rodney, Jack and few others. I designed their packaging along with Bill and did the instruction sheets as well as all the decals including the model variant you're showing. Those were some great times back then... in the modeling world we were like rock stars everywhere we went... I had hoped I be there till I could retire but... certain people didn't know how to run a business. Oh well... you know the deal probably.

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    Re: Microphonic Tele Bridge pup

    Don't pot the entire pickup. Part of the Tele magic is a mildly microphonic bridge pickup Just hit the back of the bridgeplate with a soldering iron. It should reflow the wax. If needed, you can remove the bridgeplate the same way, and some candle wax, then reattach the plate and heat it up.

  21. #21
    Forum Member NTBluesGuitar's Avatar
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    Re: Microphonic Tele Bridge pup

    Quote Originally Posted by CJ Neel View Post
    Don't pot the entire pickup. Part of the Tele magic is a mildly microphonic bridge pickup Just hit the back of the bridgeplate with a soldering iron. It should reflow the wax. If needed, you can remove the bridgeplate the same way, and some candle wax, then reattach the plate and heat it up.
    Cool...thanks Chris. This pickup is really microphonic (didn't come from the factory that way, I likely loosened the baseplate when doing a wiring thing), which is why I'm so intent on working on it.

    I am going to remove the plate and add some wax to it next. I can see gaps through to the other side between the baseplate and bobbin when looking through the side.

    Although, I am going to probably try a GFS Vintage Alnico 50 Tele Boutique in there next, as it's not wound as hot as this one is. I'll save this hotter pickup for the next Tele project, but having it free from the guitar will help in working on it.
    "...pray do not imagine that those who make the noise are the only inhabitants of the field;
    that, of course, they are many in number; or that, after all, they are other than the little,
    shriveled, meagre, hopping, though loud and troublesome, insects of the hour."

    -Edmund Burke

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    Forum Member Wilko's Avatar
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    Re: Microphonic Tele Bridge pup

    what he said. You want to avoid "choking" off the cool glassy highs that only a tele pickup can deliver.

  23. #23
    Forum Member NTBluesGuitar's Avatar
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    Re: Microphonic Tele Bridge pup

    Gotcha. I'll just concentrate on getting the wax to re-flow, possibly adding a small amount to the baseplate. I think that it's just too much right now. Even gently switching the selector switch produces a really loud, distracting clank.

    In your experience, should you be able to see daylight between the baseplate and bobbin bottom?

    On a side note, I've re-wired it to Fender's 50s Tele specs and removed the shield wiring and added a real Tele switch (got rid of the PCB thingie in there). It feels like the sound opened up lightly with just the smallest hint of noise interference added. Barely noticeable.
    "...pray do not imagine that those who make the noise are the only inhabitants of the field;
    that, of course, they are many in number; or that, after all, they are other than the little,
    shriveled, meagre, hopping, though loud and troublesome, insects of the hour."

    -Edmund Burke

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    Forum Member Gris's Avatar
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    Re: Microphonic Tele Bridge pup

    Quote Originally Posted by NTBluesGuitar View Post
    I think that it's just too much right now. Even gently switching the selector switch produces a really loud, distracting clank.
    Uhh, I always thought that was a GOOD sign...

  25. #25
    Forum Member NTBluesGuitar's Avatar
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    Re: Microphonic Tele Bridge pup

    Really, Gris? I guess it's my being new to Teles. It didn't do this when I had the guitar new, so I figured I broke it when it became microphonic. It does squeal badly when the volume knob is up around 75% when the amp is at the sweet spot.

    So...I now have an accidental upgrade?!
    "...pray do not imagine that those who make the noise are the only inhabitants of the field;
    that, of course, they are many in number; or that, after all, they are other than the little,
    shriveled, meagre, hopping, though loud and troublesome, insects of the hour."

    -Edmund Burke

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    Re: Microphonic Tele Bridge pup

    The clank is the shizzle. It's part of being a Tele. All of mne make a noticeable clank when switching to the bridge pickup.

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    Re: Microphonic Tele Bridge pup

    Don't judge the pickup by its DC resistance. It's only a measuring stick to use when comparing pickups that have the same magnets and wire. The pickup you have in there probably uses a thicker gauge wire, much like the CSTT and early Nocasters. And it's AlNICo 3 which is the shizzle for a Tele pickup.

    FWIW, I go out of my way to have a microphonic pickup. They're more lively. I ditch surgical tubing in favor of springs. If I can't tap on the bridgeplate with my fingernail and hear it through the amp, something's wrong.

  28. #28
    Forum Member Don's Avatar
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    Re: Microphonic Tele Bridge pup

    Quote Originally Posted by CJ Neel View Post
    The clank is the shizzle. It's part of being a Tele. All of mne make a noticeable clank when switching to the bridge pickup.
    It's like shifting gears in an old car (or a new Harley).

    My Tele is my only guitar without Straplocks because you can hear them through the amp! Hell, you can hear it through the amp if I rub my hand on the body! It's doesn't squeal except under extreme conditions, though.

    My baseplate is loose and has quite a gap. It seems that the springs are compressing enough that it's keeping it from squealing.

    Go to Don Mare's website. He has a clip of him talking through a Tele pickup!

  29. #29
    Forum Member Wilko's Avatar
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    Re: Microphonic Tele Bridge pup

    If I can't sing a line or two through it for effect, it's no good.

  30. #30
    Forum Member Kap'n's Avatar
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    Re: Microphonic Tele Bridge pup

    Yep. A good tele is microphonic almost everywhere.

    It's probably why the Strat and LP became the RAWK guitars....
    Several guitars in different colors
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  31. #31
    Forum Member NTBluesGuitar's Avatar
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    Re: Microphonic Tele Bridge pup

    Well, now, ain't this grand. Learn something new every day.

    Do y'all ever have issues with the microphonic squeal? Do you work it intentionally into your playing? Or is it just a side effect of a proper Tele bridge? This guitar gets more interesting by the day.
    Last edited by NTBluesGuitar; 01-10-2009 at 08:13 PM.
    "...pray do not imagine that those who make the noise are the only inhabitants of the field;
    that, of course, they are many in number; or that, after all, they are other than the little,
    shriveled, meagre, hopping, though loud and troublesome, insects of the hour."

    -Edmund Burke

  32. #32
    Forum Member Kap'n's Avatar
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    Re: Microphonic Tele Bridge pup

    It's been an issue here and there.

    Mainly, you learn to use less gain. That's not a bad thing either.
    Several guitars in different colors
    Things to make them fuzzy
    Things to make them louder
    orange picks

  33. #33
    Forum Member Wilko's Avatar
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    Re: Microphonic Tele Bridge pup

    I rarely play loud enough where it's an issue.

    Cristmas eve I was cranking my Super Reverb and it did squeal once or twice that night.

  34. #34
    Forum Member ziess's Avatar
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    Re: Microphonic Tele Bridge pup

    Yeah, I like all my bridge pickups to be a little microphonic. My Tele and Duo Jet get there on their own. On my Jaguar I disconnected one of the chromed pickup claws that sits round the bridge pickup so it's not held as tightly against the foam spacer.
    You can hear the difference both clean and overdriven.

    Remember that Epi 'bucker Refin posted a while back? It's kinda like that in reverse.

    FWIW, I don't own any overdrive/distortion pedals (despite being a rock guitarist) and I always crank my amps for dirt.

  35. #35
    Forum Member Don's Avatar
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    Re: Microphonic Tele Bridge pup

    I don't have a problem with squeal using any of my amps, even my MESA/Boogie, I have to be careful with my Tone Bender clone, though! Cranking it's volume and attack will cause a problem.

    The pickups in my Les Paul aren't potted at all. The never squeal.

  36. #36
    Forum Member NeoFauve's Avatar
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    Re: Microphonic Tele Bridge pup

    Quote Originally Posted by CJ Neel View Post
    The clank is the shizzle. It's part of being a Tele.
    If you don't want some microphonics, you don't really want a Tele.

    I think it's "a side effect of a proper Tele bridge?"
    "Well, I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused..."
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  37. #37
    Forum Member Wilko's Avatar
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    Re: Microphonic Tele Bridge pup

    The bridge definitely helps.

  38. #38
    Forum Member NTBluesGuitar's Avatar
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    Re: Microphonic Tele Bridge pup

    Quote Originally Posted by NeoFauve View Post
    If you don't want some microphonics, you don't really want a Tele.


    Well, I want a Tele. So, I guess I'm glad it went microphonic on me.
    "...pray do not imagine that those who make the noise are the only inhabitants of the field;
    that, of course, they are many in number; or that, after all, they are other than the little,
    shriveled, meagre, hopping, though loud and troublesome, insects of the hour."

    -Edmund Burke

  39. #39
    Forum Member NeoFauve's Avatar
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    Re: Microphonic Tele Bridge pup

    It's like it's helping.

    Maybe it read your earlier thread!
    "Well, I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused..."
    Elvis Costello

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