Are Fender Noiseless Pickups Really Noiseless?

[Vultite]

I just got some installed and I do still hear some noise. Its no where near as much as my other pickups were. I would say the difference between 60% idle noise versus 10%. I was just wondering if this is normal and if I could fix the last bit of hum. Could I put some copper shielding in there or something?

link to pickups.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fen...-Set?sku=301632

[pauseflash]

I just got some installed and I do still hear some noise. Its no where near as much as my other pickups were. I would say the difference between 60% idle noise versus 10%. I was just wondering if this is normal and if I could fix the last bit of hum. Could I put some copper shielding in there or something?

link to pickups.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fen...-Set?sku=301632

Make sure that the pickguard has all it's sheilding, and it's not a bad idea to add some to the body cavity. It is possible that your actually hearing 60 cycle hum out of your amp, that really isn't your guitar.

[andaliteuk]

check all shielding, you can buy sticky-back metal foil, that seems to work pretty well for your cavities,

also try using another amp, as pauseflash says, it could just be the noise from your amp, do you play it loud? if you have it turned up loud, when you arnt playing, the amp will just be amplifying its own internal noise. also it could be mains hum, again from the amp. maybe try another mains socket somewhere else in the house.

hope this helps,

will

[Vultite]

I will find copper shielding and see if that helps. It's not really that bad of a hum but it's the typical noise you hear unless you rest your hand on the bridge.

BTW: does anybody know if you can replace the pickup covers with "generic" covers or are they glued in there and stuff? I can find this out myself but I don't want to waste a set of fresh strings.

Edited February 14, 2008 by Vultite

[psw]

I will find copper shielding and see if that helps. It's not really that bad of a hum but it's the typical noise you hear unless you rest your hand on the bridge.

BTW: does anybody know if you can replace the pickup covers with "generic" covers or are they glued in there and stuff? I can find this out myself but I don't want to waste a set of fresh strings.

Noiseless pickups are very tightly packed in there...they are not glued on but could be damaged so be careful. Generic covers wont work because the pole spacing is different between the bridge and neck pickups to allow for the string spread widening towards the bridge and, because the design is such that they have made the covers generally thinner to fir it all in, so no, not possible. Black ones are hard to come by but you sometimes see covers on ebay...but rare.

I am pretty impressed by these and the design. They seem pretty noiseless, however, the strings do tend to need earthing on any guitar and there is more in the signal chain than the pickups. The amp can make noise...but noise can creep into the system through the control cavity and wiring if not corrected. They don't appear to be any less humbucking than a full size humbucker but do retain the "fender" sound. I have found the hot ones though to be a significant improvement. There are also two types...the "noiseless" and the SCN. I suspect they both require purpose built covers.

pete

[Vultite]

I can't express how happy I am with these pickups. I also finally got some EMGs in my les paul. They sound pretty crazy. I can't believe how hot they are. I think I may have a kill switch installed. Even with the volume all the way down on my guitar, it puts out a little clean sound.