• Guys, we've spent considerable money converting the Les Paul Forum to this new XenForo platform, and we have ongoing monthly operating expenses. THE "DONATIONS" TAB IS NOW WORKING, AND WE WOULD APPRECIATE ANY DONATIONS YOU CAN MAKE TO KEEP THE LES PAUL FORUM GOING! Thank you!

Any tricks to tame microphonic P90?

Shovelhead

Member
Joined
Jul 18, 2001
Messages
420
My old '54 has really microphonic pickups in it. I also have an '07 R4, and a '61 Junior, neither of which have pickups that are quite as squealy as my old favorite.

Are there any tricks to tame it without permanent mods? I don't want to ever pot the pickups or do anything stupid. But I'd like to play it more. It has a much more airy top end than the R4, and sounds beautiful until it squeals at stage volume.

I don't use a bunch of gain. A JTM45, JCM800, or Bogner Shiva is what I usually play through.
 

Rev.WillieVK

Active member
Joined
Jul 26, 2002
Messages
9,268
And gently make sure the screws holding the bobbin to the base plate are tight.
 

Texas Blues

Active member
Joined
Apr 13, 2008
Messages
4,641
Both good suggestions. Another would be to roll back the volume and play through a lower gain amp. Then again, that might not be the sound you are looking for. When I think of actual '54 tone I think of Freddie King or Sean Costello. I have Lollar P90's in all my guitars and they love everythang including my 2204 but then again they are not the Lollar 50's low wind P90's. How old are the caps in your '54? Original?
 

LiamH

New member
Joined
Mar 4, 2008
Messages
179
+1 on checking the pickup screws down snugly to the top of the guitar. Of my 3 Juniors, the squealiest is a '59. But I quite like it, kind of musical in an atonal way. I occasionally damp the top of the pickup with a finger if it's getting totally out of hand.

Liam
 

Shovelhead

Member
Joined
Jul 18, 2001
Messages
420
Just an update. I made sure the baseplate screws were snug, and then put a couple of popsicle sticks under the pickup to keep it from wobbling on the screw polepieces.

It helped somewhat. It still will squeal at higher gain or loud volume, but it is better.

The caps were replaced back in the '70s because when the pots were replaced, one of the legs broke off. I still have the original pots and one of the original caps, but I may try to put a new set in there to see if it helps.
 

poor man's burst

Active member
Joined
Oct 3, 2010
Messages
421
Sometimes, the thread in the bobin holding the polepieces scews got worn and the screws become loose, becomeing a potential cause of microphony.

One can address this issue by puting some bee's wax or parafine on the screw's thread and screw them back in place.
 

MapleFlame

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 3, 2005
Messages
14,044
Just an update. I made sure the baseplate screws were snug, and then put a couple of popsicle sticks under the pickup to keep it from wobbling on the screw polepieces.

It helped somewhat. It still will squeal at higher gain or loud volume, but it is better.

The caps were replaced back in the '70s because when the pots were replaced, one of the legs broke off. I still have the original pots and one of the original caps, but I may try to put a new set in there to see if it helps.

I suggest sending off your original harness to Dr.Vintage AKA Rick Norman, he will make those old pots like new. He can reconfigure it to original and make the solder joints look fantastic. To me there is something about the old electronics that works great with P90's.
 

straightblues

Member
Joined
Mar 17, 2004
Messages
954
Is it squealing when you face away from the amp or just when you face the amp? You might have to adjust your relationship to the amp when you play that guitar like one would do with a hollow-body.

You could also try running a little bit of wax into the coil with a candle. That might get you there without potting it completely.
 
Top