Jonathan Kreisberg's pick up

[SOLR]

Anyone know what the deal is on the tape (electrical tape?) on the neck pick up ?


S

[Danny W.]

I can take a guess: the pickups are spring mounted. Sometimes the pickup cover will touch the mounting ring, vibrating with the top, making a sort of wah-wah distortion added to the note(s). I have found when this happens that pressing the edge of the pickup down will eliminate it temporarily. Some tape around the offending side of the pickup is a more permanent solution.

That being said, it's just an educated guess.

Danny W.

[SOLR]

I can take a guess: the pickups are spring mounted. Sometimes the pickup cover will touch the mounting ring, vibrating with the top, making a sort of wah-wah distortion added to the note(s). I have found when this happens that pressing the edge of the pickup down will eliminate it temporarily. Some tape around the offending side of the pickup is a more permanent solution.

That being said, it's just an educated guess.

Danny W.

Thx Danny,

He's had this on for years, AFAIK and it does not seem to be touching the sides, the tape looks like it's only on the top of the cover first 5 strings only or just below the 6th all the way to first....??? Maybe a damper of sorts as you suggest....?

S

[SOLR]

Found out from Jonathan himself, "it's to minimise pick clicks on the p-up when he accidentally hits it"

S

[Cunamara]

I would hazard a guess that he has an unpotted pickup, probably a Gibson cClassic 57. I have a pair of those in one of my guitars, and it does indeed click through the amp if I hit it with the pick; what a nice simple solution to put a piece of tape on it to minimize that. I will have to give it a try.

[SOLR]

I would hazard a guess that he has an unpotted pickup, probably a Gibson cClassic 57. I have a pair of those in one of my guitars, and it does indeed click through the amp if I hit it with the pick; what a nice simple solution to put a piece of tape on it to minimize that. I will have to give it a try.

I was going to ask him what tape he used but he was so gracious with his time already I did not push it....I find so many of todays younger (and not so young) musicians so much more "approachable" . Social media being such a big part of their livelihood, they are, like the rest of us, more open to friendly chit-chats of sorts....Hope it works for you Cunamara.

S

[Sam Sherry]

I would hazard a guess that he has an unpotted pickup, probably a Gibson cClassic 57. I have a pair of those in one of my guitars, and it does indeed click through the amp if I hit it with the pick; what a nice simple solution to put a piece of tape on it to minimize that. I will have to give it a try.

It's worth noting that some 57 Classics are wax potted and some aren't.

One of my guitars came with an earlier "broken sticker, no label" 57 Classic at the neck. It has just massive jazz sound with no click.
I took one of the bottom coil-holder screws out to check for wax. Yep: Wax potted.
That pickup is so good I bought another one (used, 2016, intact sticker and label) to put in another guitar. That one is wax potted too.

FWIW, back in the day I used to pot pickups by soaking them in tung oil. It works fine and requires zero gear.