what does this mean, " pickup went microphonic"

[darylcrisp]

I've seen this phrase used in a few threads, what does it mean, how does one know(tone change?) ?

is any test method you use to check the issue?

thank you
d

 

[Danb541]

it means when your guitar is plugged in it picks up the local radio station. You can also sing in to your pickup, like a microphone.

To test it, try singing into the pickup.

 

[jdiego]

First pickups were all microphonic until someone began to sunk finished coils into melted wax. The wax helps the coil to remain still, thus fixing the microphonic issue.

Here is a legendary video of Seymour Duncan rewaxing the humbuckers of Slash's 'not authentic' Les Paul

 

[mkdaws32]

Yep - all pickups are at least slightly microphonic, but my understanding is that if the coils can vibrate more than they should a pickup can be very microphonic. I had a Tele pickup that was so bad that slight overdrive at moderate volumes caused it to squeal and feedback - just like if you stuck a microphone up to your pa speaker or monitor. That one had to be replaced.

I have one in a strat now that is bad enough I can make it squeal, but not at the levels I normally play at. It has an airy quality that I really like so I don’t want to switch that one out (not sure the airy-ness is attributed to it being microphonique, but is sounds good!) and when you tap on the pickup (not the poles - on the plastic), it “thunks” like tapping on a microphone.

 

[Mr Gunny]

It has an airy quality that I really like so I don’t want to switch that one out (not sure the airy-ness is attributed to it being microphonique, but is sounds good!)

This is definitely a factor, I have a set of humbuckers that are very microphonic but they’re also my most “lively” set, wax potting definitely changes the character of the pickup. These have been microphonic for 15+ years and I always plan to wax pot them and never can bring myself to actually do it.

 

[thechad]

I had an old Noble guitar from japan (mosrite copy) from about 1965....The guitar was lovely to play at home but I couldn't turn up my amp loud enough to jam with the band without causing too much feedback. I almost regretted buying the guitar, but then I got some beeswax and parafin wax and tried my hand at wax potting them. The pickups will still sound if I sing into them but no feedback issues anymore.

 

[darylcrisp]

thanks everybody, something I need to research more, especially the wax.

 

[darylcrisp]

This is definitely a factor, I have a set of humbuckers that are very microphonic but they’re also my most “lively” set, wax potting definitely changes the character of the pickup. These have been microphonic for 15+ years and I always plan to wax pot them and never can bring myself to actually do it.

what is the guitar in your picture, that looks amazing! Please post some pics here if you don't mind
d

 

[Intubator]

it means when your guitar is plugged in it picks up the local radio station. You can also sing in to your pickup, like a microphone.

To test it, try singing into the pickup.

This ^

 

[Wallaby]

From the OP, "went microphonic" seems like it might mean a pickup, not formerly microphonic, now has become microphonic.

Can that happen, can they change over time and start being microphonic when they weren't before?

 

[Dacious]

My MIM Thinline bridge became microphonic about a year ago. Squealed on limited gain. I wax potted it with a combo of paraffin and candle wax according to Seymour Duncan's instructions . Been much better. Still great response but can take lotsa drive.

 

[Mincer]

I love microphonic PAF-types, like the Antiquity. Yeah, you can sing into it, or tap out a rhythm on it, but it is the most touch-sensitive thing about the old PAFs. If you use no gain up to, say, classic rock kind of gain, and your style depends on touch-sensitivity, they really are amazing to use in how they respond to everything.

 

[Mr Gunny]

what is the guitar in your picture, that looks amazing! Please post some pics here if you don't mind
d

Thanks! That’s my Fender Toronado, bought it new almost 20 years ago when I was a teenager. I don’t have a lot of great pictures of it, always have trouble getting the lighting right on a black guitar.

 

[Chipss36]

Oddly a touch of microphonics I like,
An old paf, or single coil has it, it adds a percussive element that a vacuum potted pickup does not have.
Go play an good old strat, it has the percussive element to it, you can sing into them..

the original paf, was never “potted”
I tend to think most vintage pafs sound pretty darn good.

massive feedback and squealing can be dealt with without packing the whole thing up in wax..unless you are all “metal” all the time, it’s not an issue.
Can’t find the article on that right now.
Thinking throwback wrote it, but I could be wrong.

 

[mugen74]

Thanks! That’s my Fender Toronado, bought it new almost 20 years ago when I was a teenager. I don’t have a lot of great pictures of it, always have trouble getting the lighting right on a black guitar.View attachment 693683 View attachment 693684

Not to derail, I had one in graffiti yellow. One of only three guitars I regret ever selling.

jh

 

[telemnemonics]

it means when your guitar is plugged in it picks up the local radio station. You can also sing in to your pickup, like a microphone.

To test it, try singing into the pickup.

The singing part is true but the picking up radio stations part is false.
I've had that radio station problem/ feature, usually Mexican Radio, but it's not caused by microphonic pickups.

Some amount of microphonics can be tone enhancing because it gets some acoustic tone into the guitar sound, which you can get a sense of by tapping on the guitar plugged in.
Too much is a problem with not feedback related to strings fretted notes or harmonics but uncontrollable squeal even with strings muted.

Potting with wax can be heavier or lighter and actually dulls the tone a little, but for highest gain amps and volume you need well potted or heavily potted pickups.
I adjust the amount of wax left in the coil but potting temp where hotter allows more wax to drain off after pulling it out of the pot.
A little cooler and more wax encases the coil.
Not the typical method, but I've read that some heat a dull heavily wax coated toned pickup in the oven to melt off some wax and get the tone a little brighter and maybe a little more lively response due to picking up body sounds.
The body itself isn't liekly to make sounds you hear through the amp but strumming might make sounds and at low volume clean sounds you might hear the mechanical sounds a bit which adds a dimension.
Play the strings on the other side of the nut or behind the bridge to get a listen to pickups picking up vibration.

 

[1300 E Valencia]

“Microphonic” means exactly the same thing, whether you’re talking about a guitar pickup, or a microphone.
Both have a coil which converts acoustic vibrations into electric current by disturbing the magnetic field surrounding the coil.

“Acoustic” means the physically vibrating string, or the vibrations coming from your vocal cords. These get amplified and come out of the speaker.

If the vibrations coming off the speaker are strong enough or loud enough to actually physically vibrate the guitar pickup coil or the microphone’s coil, the pickup or microphone start to oscillate all by them selves, even if you stop singing or stop picking the strings.

A signal with a lot of gain can do the same thing, even though high gain does not necessarily mean high volume. This vibration gets amplified and sent through the speaker again and again and again and again, until it builds up into the penetrating squeal we call feedback.

Surrounding the pickup coils with wax serves to dampen excess vibrations.