Microphonic Orville Les Paul Pickups

[R_Rbnsn]

Hi,

I've been the proud owner of a '95 Orville Les Paul for a few months now and I absolutely love it. Only problem with it is however when using it at high levels of gain at gigs the pickups give me unbearable levels of microphonic feedback (so much so that when I solo I have to make sure I don't leave any gaps or it'll squeal!).

Obviously something is vibrating to cause the feedback and the pickups most probably need wax potting (I'm sending them off to be inspected tomorrow to find out). Only thing that worries me is that I absolutely love the tone of the pickups as they are (particularly the high end) and I'm worried that having them potted might change the way they sound.

Has anyone else had this with stock Orville pickups? Does having a pickup wax potted change their tone?

[captcoolaid]

Just tell them to dip them for around 4-5 minutes.

[hillbilly]

I've said it a million times, and I'll say it again: the original PAF's (and lots of other pickups) were un-potted, and that they were/are always microphonic.

READ THIS THREAD

If you are using high-gain, lots of OD pedals, etc., then expect the guitar to feedback uncontrollably with un-potted pickups. Just expect it. That's just the way it is. If you can't learn how to control the guitar with your OD pedals and hi-gain, then you either need to get new pickups, or quit using OD pedals and high-gain...get wax-potted pickups that are designed for that high-gain stuff, and take your un-potted pickups out and put them in a box.

Don't DIY-wax pot your pickups, or let anyone else wax-pot your pickups, and ruin them for yourself or someone else down the line. That's just stupid. A waste of time, materials, and money.

If you brought those pickups to my shop, I'd tell you to box them up, and buy some pickups that were better for your situation...



I'll get off my soap-box now...

[R_Rbnsn]

Well, I sent the pickups off to be potted by Bareknuckle Pickups and got them back today. As far as I can hear there's no difference in the tone (except the squeal is gone obviously).

Obviously I wouldn't ever get a set of vintage PAF's potted, but if your generic pickups are making the guitar less desirable to play then it's definitely worth getting it done.

[captcoolaid]

Originally Posted by hillbilly

I've said it a million times, and I'll say it again: the original PAF's (and lots of other pickups) were un-potted, and that they were/are always microphonic.

READ THIS THREAD

If you are using high-gain, lots of OD pedals, etc., then expect the guitar to feedback uncontrollably with un-potted pickups. Just expect it. That's just the way it is. If you can't learn how to control the guitar with your OD pedals and hi-gain, then you either need to get new pickups, or quit using OD pedals and high-gain...get wax-potted pickups that are designed for that high-gain stuff, and take your un-potted pickups out and put them in a box.

Don't DIY-wax pot your pickups, or let anyone else wax-pot your pickups, and ruin them for yourself or someone else down the line. That's just stupid. A waste of time, materials, and money.

If you brought those pickups to my shop, I'd tell you to box them up, and buy some pickups that were better for your situation...



I'll get off my soap-box now...

Why not. If it gets the squeel out and changes no tonal charachteristics it only improves the playability of the pup, unless of course it is a vintage pup then you sir are correct. Potting correctly and at the right temp doe little to nothing to change the tone of the pickup. Done a gazillion times for others and myself and have never had an issue.

Glad you got it fixed and you are happy.

[vortexx]

I actually like microphonic pickups because they pick up more of the tone from the wood vibrating.