[Heat Miser]

Hi-- Clearly I have not been getting out of the palace long enough to answer my own question... yet I have been reluctant to fork over my meager hourly wages in exchange for the world famous brand (made anywhere.)

I assume the fancy, expensive, signature and anniversary models all have p/us made from other manufacturers (Lace, Duncan, DiMarzio); and there are no hum issues there. But does the everyday made-in-wherever Fender bolt on make noise like a beehive, when not in positions 2 and 4, all the time?

And those recorded players who use "stock" models-- do they have studio housed electronics employed to eliminate the flaw in the pickup design ?

And why would "Mr. Uber-engineer" Leonard Fender design an electronic device that succumbed to noise and interference in the first place ?

I don't know. I need some educating here. Thanks. -= H/M =-

 

[Algiman]

And why would "Mr. Uber-engineer" Leonard Fender design an electronic device that succumbed to noise and interference in the first place ?

When it was designed the world was different so it wasn't as much of a problem:

Fewer electrical devices about to create radio interferance
(No strip lights for example)
No one was using massive gain amps
Overdrive/distortion had yet to be used musically
No one played really loud!

Also, I don't think Leo designed the guitar pickup.

 

[whatshisname]

You can shield your guitar, to reduce hum. Some people say that their single coils are as quiet as humbuckers, when done properly. I think you lose a bit of the charm, and believe it or not- TONE, when you cut out the hum. Sounds strange I know, but I'm not alone in this thinking.

You can also try single coil sized humbuckers, which some of the signature models have, but none of them really sound like a real single coil. Some are better than others, though. I think that they are very usefull in guitars that are also equipped with full size humbuckers, but for a true Strat tone, I'll deal with the noise.

 

[King Knall]

I like the sound of my single-coils even when it hums. It gives that famous Strat tone we all know and love (or not). If you want to reduce hum, take a look at the Fender Noiseless pickups. I've heard that they lose a bit of that Strat charm, though.

 

[jim777]

They have something to cover up that hum, it's called a bass player :lol:

 

[fettouhi]

They have something to cover up that hum, it's called a bass player :lol:

:lol:

Regards

André

 

[Algiman]

They have something to cover up that hum, it's called a bass player :lol:

So that's what the bass player is for

 

[jim777]

That and buying rounds! :lol:

 

[btangel]

hmm I was thinking about putting Seymour Duncans or YJM PUs into one of my 3 single coil setup guitars. Do those hum as well? Or is it just the stock single coils on the strats?

 

[whatshisname]

Which Duncans? YJM pups are stacked humbuckers. Don't get me wrong, they are nice sounding pups, but IMO nothing beats a true single coil. I guess it all depends on how much the noise bothers you. Of course, if you're a gain head, it's your best bet to use some type of humbucker.

 

[Algiman]

That and buying rounds! :lol:

You must come round one day and explain that to my bass player :lol:

 

[pawel]

Kinmans, Dimarzio Virtual Vintages, and the new Suhr pickups are supposedly very good silent single coils.

 

[slugman]

I think the Virtual Vintage is stacked. I have one and it sounds pretty good. Definitely very trebly like I'd expect a Strat pickup to be (sounds much more Strat like than the HS-2 I have). It's hard for me to compare it though because I've only seen cheapo strats, strats that have been converted to using stacked or Hot Rails style humbuckers, and one mid 60s Strat. The latter sounded great and was fairly quiet. Not at all like the Squier I own (before I ripped those pickups out).

 

[red5]

You can shield your guitar, to reduce hum. Some people say that their single coils are as quiet as humbuckers, when done properly. I think you lose a bit of the charm, and believe it or not- TONE, when you cut out the hum. Sounds strange I know, but I'm not alone in this thinking.

You can also try single coil sized humbuckers, which some of the signature models have, but none of them really sound like a real single coil. Some are better than others, though. I think that they are very usefull in guitars that are also equipped with full size humbuckers, but for a true Strat tone, I'll deal with the noise.

It's like the old PAF humbuckers were not potted. If you pot them, it deadens the tone a bit but if you don't, they feedback like a son of a bitch!

 

[Drew]

I've been running Fender Gold Lace Sensors in my strat for years now - dead quiet, fairly substantial output for a single-coil (at least, they have virtually no magnetic pull, so if you want output you can set them close to the strings with no ill effects), and while they're probably no match for a good set of fralins, they do sound excellent - fairly glassy, nice upper mid response, and plenty of "quack" in the in-between positions. I haven't played the newest generation of Fender Noiseless, but the previous one I'd played sounded fairly sterile and inorganic to me - the Sensors smoked them, IMO.

-D

 

[btangel]

Which Duncans? YJM pups are stacked humbuckers. Don't get me wrong, they are nice sounding pups, but IMO nothing beats a true single coil. I guess it all depends on how much the noise bothers you. Of course, if you're a gain head, it's your best bet to use some type of humbucker.

These
(F) Seymour Duncan STK-S1n
(M) Dummy
(R) Seymour Duncan STK-S1b

I really like the tone coming out of those, but worried about the noise factor. :\