Capacitor and electronic stuff

[Belazaras]

My bass have 2 Gibson style chromed soapbar humbucker pickups, and they take all the physical noises who beat the body (my limited language make it hard to explain, sorry), I think it's called "microphonic noises". If I pluck the body with my fingers, a submarine like sound go to the amp, the touch of the leather strap to the body it's reflected in the amp. Also, when I took off my hands from the strings or other piece of bass hardware, a constant noise appear. All these settings are noticeable only at higher volume level.

 

Can be cured without changin the pickups?

I read some advanced guys change the capacitor of their basses. What it mean?

[g.]

The problem you are having capacitor changes won't solve. Your pickups have gone "microphonic". Replace them or re-pot them.

 

Re-potting involves taking the covers off and dipping them in very hot wax so the wax sinks deeply into the windings and prevents them from moving/vibrating.

 

Actually I'd have to know the bass you are talking, but DiMarzio makes replacement pickups for the EB series that are far superior to the stock Gibson p'ups.

[jeremy c]

I have changed capacitors in several basses.

 

A different capacitor can roll off the highs, shift the midrange, or tighten up the bottom.

 

If you know which one to use, it's a pretty cheap solution.

 

Last week I ran into Bill Bartolini at Bassquake. I asked him a question and he immediately pulled out a pencil and started making computations. He then suggested a few capacitor values for what I was trying to do.

[Graham56]

Hi,

 

Following up an earlier question of mine, I searched some more and found this thread. In it 'the green one' said:

 

The problem you are having capacitor changes won't solve. Your pickups have gone "microphonic". Replace them or re-pot them.

 

Re-potting involves taking the covers off and dipping them in very hot wax so the wax sinks deeply into the windings and prevents them from moving/vibrating.

 

I think this is happening to the pick-up on my late-60s P-Bass. 'Le Garcon Vert' describes repotting a pickup with wax. Is this a worthwhile repair, or is it like boiling strings - a good idea in theory but in reality just postponing the inevitable replacement?

 

Cheers

 

Graham

[Fred TBP]

Originally posted by Graham56:

I think this is happening to the pick-up on my late-60s P-Bass. 'Le Garcon Vert' describes repotting a pickup with wax. Is this a worthwhile repair, or is it like boiling strings - a good idea in theory but in reality just postponing the inevitable replacement?

Yes it's worthwhile, but it's not as easy as it sounds to just dip a pickup in wax, there's a process involving viscosity, temperature and cooling that if done wrong will just make a mess of your kitchen or loosen up the windings some more. ( first hand experience, but this is how I learned about Lindy Fralin) Having it done by a pro isn't that expensive, and you could have it rewound to original spec as well. Lindy has all the Fender specs, as well as Seymour Duncan. Lindy did well by me.

[rumpelstiltskin.]

unless you're into doing lots of research, DIY repotting isn't a very fruitful path. i am, more and more, a believer in the axiom that, though i can do it myself, it would be more efficient to the point of being more cost-practical to pay someone else to do it for me.

 

robb.

[Graham56]

Thanks for the responses Fred and Robb. Sounds like a replacement may be in order.

 

Ta

 

Graham