Questions tagged [pick-ups]

An electromechanical device for amplifying the vibrations from guitar strings. Pickups can consist of ferromagnetic poles wrapped with copper coils for amplifying the vibrations of steel-based strings or piezoelectric crystals which amplify vibrations of the guitar bridge or body. These are both distinguished from microphones.

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Controls on my Vantage VS-696 guitar

I have this Vantage VS-696 guitar for decades that I used to use as a "Silent guitar" and never plugged in any amp. Today I'm plugging it into a DSM & Humboldt Simplifier and I fail to ...
lvr123's user avatar
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2 votes
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My 1980s telecaster neck pickup is louder then usual but the bridge pickup is almost silent even turned all the way up [closed]

My 80s telecasters neck pickup is almost 2x louder then before and the bridge pickup is huming but makes vary little sound when turned all the way up any help
Marswill's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
71 views

Can you use 2.5mm mono jack cables as a quick plug system in a guitar control panel?

I've picked up a guitar kit that has a simple solderless system for connecting the pickups to the control panel. You can see it here: I was wondering if it's possible ...
user619882's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
277 views

How to correctly install a humbucker (electric guitar) pickup cover?

I'm planning to cover up an open coil humbucker, with a cover that has no holes exposing the slugs, that looks something like this (it's simply easier to keep clean): I watched this video on the ...
Balázs Édes's user avatar
0 votes
3 answers
85 views

Magnets and pickups (guitar)

My partner and I are working on a small, analog device that would attach to the strings. We're thinking that for simplicity of design, attaching the pieces using magnets would be most elegant. However,...
Chowdown89's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
342 views

How do I wire a Fishman soundhole pickup with the pickup in the soundhole and a vol (+ tone maybe) control on the guitar?

Fishman Blackstack Soundhole Pick Up - Double Stacked Humbucker I have contacted Fishman to ask what vol pot and or tone pot I would use with this humbucker. I want to mount the pots on the guitar, ...
Kevin's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
510 views

How do you stabilize a humbucker pickup with loose screws?

I tried to disassemble and reassemble my neck pickup because it moves a lot, it looks lower and too much movable, unlike the bridge pickup. The two middle screws of the neck pickup, left, are movable ...
Revolucion for Monica's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
614 views

What is causing major humming from my guitar whether plugged into my amp or my computer?

I have an Epiphone Les Paul Junior. I 'm plugging in to the computer through a Scarlett Solo USB. It hums so bad its unplayable. Even when I'm touching the strings. I checked the electronics on the ...
David Doil Bredesen's user avatar
1 vote
3 answers
115 views

Fluctating volume between pickups

I have a squier telecaster. I don't exactly have the expertise to fix the problem I have. However, I have been trying to find what is wrong but I can't seem to figure it out nor can I have someone ...
ria's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
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Baby Taylor BT1e didn't make sound at venue. The next day, it was fine [closed]

I have asked a few resources and I can't get a good answer. I was simply doing an open mic at a venue and when I plugged my guitar into their system, no noise came out. The performer just before me ...
David's user avatar
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Hum happens with one guitar but not another

I'm having a problem that many of you must have already had. I have an old guitar with old humbuckers ( a Jolana, Galaxis model, 1970's Czech guitar) that is producing that classing "not grounded&...
Kim R Martins's user avatar
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1 answer
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Can I plug in an electrified acoustic guitar in a line level input?

I am a complete neophyte in recording, so I am very poor in theory. I am thinking of buying some hardware for some home recordings and I am faced with the first choice: the audio interface. Since I ...
Tiberius's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
124 views

How do I change which pickup a specific Guitar Pro 7.5 track uses?

I have a guitar part which uses the neck pickup. How do I switch the track to neck pickup so that it sounds more like the original track?
James Whiteley's user avatar
6 votes
5 answers
2k views

How do I record zither, harp etc. with a pickup?

Is there a way to record stringed instruments like zither, harp, piano via a pickup, similar to an electric guitar? Of course, these instruments can all be recorded via microphones, but what's ...
Johannes's user avatar
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4 votes
1 answer
670 views

My B string on my bass keeps hitting the pickup

I went to record bass for my band a while ago and in some fills or moments I use the B string on my 5 string Sire Bass. Sometimes though, the Low B accidentally hits the pickup which makes a loud ...
Hugo Tonnis's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
83 views

How do Fender wide-range pickups change the sound?

Billie Joe Armstrong's blue strat has a tilted pickup in the back, its tilted a bit clockwise from the front of the guitar, so the pickup gets more lower end and and a extended higher end, it gives ...
Aloysius's user avatar
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463 views

What is the cause of low sustain or short note duration on 22nd fret on high E string for a 22-fret guitar?

I have a Fender Ultra Stratocaster with SSS configuration. The pickups are branded as Ultra Noiseless™ Vintage Strat®. I use Ernie Ball Mighty Slinky Nickel Wound Electric Guitar Strings, 8.5-40. ...
mofury's user avatar
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4 votes
2 answers
1k views

Magnetic part of pickup sticks out

I got my guitar set up and the luthier did an amazing job. However, I want to know if the magnetic part of one of the pickups sticking out is normal. Beneath the A and D strings, these parts stick out ...
Derek Luna's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
86 views

Pickup that has same output despite how hard you hit the string [closed]

EDITS -> * This might be a dumb question but I found nothing by googling I am new to guitars and have only a strat i bought recently. I was at a friend's house and tried to play one of his guitars ...
GeorgeTheFool's user avatar
7 votes
10 answers
4k views

Are good pickups in a bad guitar worth it?

I have this Epiphone Les Paul 100 that I got probably 7-8 years ago now and it's still got its stock pickups. I was thinking maybe it's time to upgrade and wanted to get a new guitar, but I was ...
rcplusplus's user avatar
7 votes
5 answers
1k views

When making a pickup, does the orientation of the magnetic field relative to the winding matter?

The instrument I want seems to be hard to get hold of in my country, so I'm building one. I won't say which instrument, so that the answer will be more generally useful. I have sourced a magnet that's ...
Omar and Lorraine's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
91 views

Swapping mim Tele bridge pick up for humbucker

Will there be any wiring problems eg series/parallel and I'm hoping to put in quick disconnects under the ash tray Also do I need to "match" the humbucker (get one that suits electrics etc)
pd 4wine's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
2k views

Switching to neck pickup sometimes gives no (or low) sound output

I got a brand new Schecter Damien Platinum 8. I own it for about a month. At a point, while I was playing, I flipped the switch to the neck pickup position, and the guitar simply stopped producing any ...
venge's user avatar
  • 33
1 vote
1 answer
336 views

Fender telecaster - gap between neck pickup and pickguard

Just today I finally made my dream come true and bought my first Telecaster. I brought it home and it plays like a dream! After I got to play with it for sometime and upon closer inspection, I noticed ...
gmavrom's user avatar
  • 113
1 vote
0 answers
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Question about pickup phase

I currently have a hss guitar setup with a coil split and a five way blade selector. in 2st position with the coil split, it’s like a regular hss Strat with the middle single coil and the slug coil of ...
Slapp45's user avatar
  • 477
3 votes
1 answer
221 views

What physical phenomenon causes stratitis?

I've heard luthiers refer to the weird sounds from a badly adjusted pickup as 'stratitis' (or 'wolf sounds'?). What are the mechanics of stratitis? What physical phenomenon causes it to occur?
Xunie's user avatar
  • 259
1 vote
2 answers
293 views

What determines the tone coming from a pickup?

I hear a lot of hocus pocus in music. One such thing called "Premium" pickups are heralded as some must-have for a good sounding guitar. To me, it seems like pickups are just electromagnets ...
Xunie's user avatar
  • 259
1 vote
1 answer
204 views

Does electric guitar's body shape really effect its sound? [duplicate]

As I know electric guitar's sound is transferred to electric signal by Faraday's law, that a changing magnetic field produces electricity. So this is independent by shape of guitar then why so many ...
Nabla's user avatar
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4 votes
1 answer
418 views

Should bridge pickup knobs affect neck pickup?

I have an Ibanez AF95RW with Super 58 Humbuckers, and the bridge volume and tone knobs act in a surprising way. When the pickup selector is all the way on the neck pickups, I would expect the bridge ...
Jashua's user avatar
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Why would a pickup be quiet?

I recently bought a Les Paul online and when I tested it out the neck pickup was incredibly quiet. I could hear that it was on, but I really had to listen. When I had it in the middle position, it ...
drg's user avatar
  • 167
3 votes
2 answers
301 views

Using screws for guitar pickup magnets

I am trying to make a single coil guitar pickup. The problem is, I can't find any cylinder-shaped ceramic or alnico magnets in my country. Can I put screws (or another conductive material) where the ...
nar's user avatar
  • 31
4 votes
1 answer
46 views

Guitar Pick-up issue

I've just bought a second hand ESP'81 humbucker pickup and have stuck it in a Les Paul project guitar of mine. I am by no means an expert but I've used the wiring diagrams available to put it in ...
lectrotek's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
53 views

E guitar pickup problem

I have an old Luxor Les Paul guitar(inherited) I am getting very low output on the B and high E strings on both pickups , I have raised the pickups, but still the same low output. Any suggestions ...
scruffee's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
151 views

Electroacustic bridge piezo picking up sounds from the room

I am a noob at playing electric, having mostly played accoustic guitar/banjo. I have an electro acuoustic guitar with a piezo pickup in the saddle, and an old Zoom gfx 1 from my teenage days in a ...
Petter TB's user avatar
  • 113
1 vote
1 answer
740 views

Advice on undersaddle piezo replacement for A/E Fishman Presys preamp

After clearing a lot of doubts about my A/E dead guitar preamp and doing some testing Ive reached the conclusion that the undersaddle piezo is probably faulty. Looking for a replacement part Ive seen ...
Earendil's user avatar
0 votes
3 answers
447 views

Should I be concerned about wires showing at the side of one of my pickups?

My new guitar arrived today. It's a Squier Classic Vibe 70s HSS. I noticed some wires are showing at the side of one of the pickups. Is this something I should be concerned about? Not sure I want to ...
LondonGuy's user avatar
  • 103
2 votes
4 answers
6k views

Sudden death of Fishman preamp on acoustic guitar

From previous experience I know you are a source for good advices. Here is the thing. I have a cheap Fender guitar that use to play at Church. Since they changed the cable "asigned" for guitars it ...
Earendil's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
272 views

What's the best guitar pickups to start with?

I'm thinking about start playing electric guitar by my own. First I would, obviously buy the guitar, but, what kind of guitar pickups is the most useful for playing all kind of music? I read about ...
Lucía's user avatar
  • 131
2 votes
1 answer
1k views

How do acoustic DIs soften the harsh sound of transducer (piezo) pickups?

When you compare the raw output of an acoustic guitar recorded by a mic and by transducers mounted under the bridge, you will notice that the the transducer output sounds much harsher/crisper/uglier ...
empty's user avatar
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6 votes
1 answer
658 views

Guitar that can pick up body percussion, and what a guitar needs to do it

Recently I bought an Ovation guitar, after seeing some videos of people using it for percussive guitar playing, for example here, or here. Even talking "how sensitive and well-suited it is for this ...
StefanH's user avatar
  • 1,515
2 votes
1 answer
1k views

DiMarzio Bass Pickups

I was planning on upgrading my bass pickups with a set of DiMarzio DP123, they have however 4 wires per pickup. Could anyone please tell me, which wires need to be connected where in the following ...
Roman Stadler's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
15k views

Best practices for setting Stratocaster pickup height?

I recently bought my first stratocaster and after messing around with the heights of the pickups I've been having problems getting all three pickups to have the same volume. I'm having trouble ...
matkv's user avatar
  • 153
4 votes
2 answers
161 views

Electric guitar troubleshooting

Went to look at a guitar yesterday and I'm trying to diagnose some of the problems it had before I potentially buy it. It's an LTD Alexi laiho 200 so single volume control and a single EMG 81 in the ...
Ph03nix89's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
185 views

Dark-sounding 1986 Les Paul Custom - modern upgrade? or embrace yacht rock? [closed]

I'm lefty, and good lefty guitars used to be very rare. I bought the first lefty Les Paul I ever laid eyes on: a used black 1986 les paul custom. I gigged/toured in three different bands with it. It's ...
S. Imp's user avatar
  • 484
3 votes
1 answer
6k views

Correct wiring for 3 Humbuckers

I have tried to create a guitar wiring diagram for 3 humbuckers that should result in the following posisitons using a 6 way, 4 pole rotary switch: Neck Middle/Neck parallel Middle Middle/Bridge ...
Roman Stadler's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
134 views

Strange hum when I touch a wire inside pickup cavity

I am trying to diagnose some shoddy wiring of some active pickups. All the wiring is done and appears to work. However I get: some buzz from neck pickup when a note is played. Bridge pickup is fine ...
Barry Chapman's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
8k views

bare wires from pickups in ibanez diagram confusion

I am installing a two kill switch setup and am new to working within electric guitars. I am working on an Ibanez Prestige from 2007. I accidentally disconnected some soldering points so I used it as ...
Rob Matthews's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
410 views

Slanted single coil pickups on Fender Stratocaster [duplicate]

How does the sound produced from a slanted single coil pickup on a Fender Stratocaster differ from the regular non-slanted single coil pickups?
Rich's user avatar
  • 563
3 votes
1 answer
1k views

New pickups installed in guitar; mains hum in all positions?

I have three guitars: two Stratocasters and one Ibanez S. Their pickup configurations are SSS, HSH, and HH respectively. For the first Stratocaster, I decided to pick up some Dimarzio Injector pickups ...
gator's user avatar
  • 296
2 votes
1 answer
32 views

Can I use a soundhole mic to record with my phone?

I want to record my guitar using my phone. I found these soundhole pickups. If I convert the end to plug into my phone(directly, from the soundhole to phone), will it record the sound while I am using ...
user53470's user avatar