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Topic: Body noise in steel guitars....normal? |
Joe Alterio
From:
Irvington, Indiana
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Posted 10 Jun 2004 11:20 am |
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Hi all,
On each of the pedal steels I have owned, I have noticed that all of them tend(ed) to have the noise from the undercarriage "heard" by the pickup and then sent to the amp. In each case, the noise can only be heard through the amp when the volume is up VERY loud, but it IS there. Is this typical of all steel guitars, or are some builders able to completely shield all undercarriage noise from being picked up by the pickups?
Just curious.....thanks!
Joe |
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chas smith R.I.P.
From:
Encino, CA, USA
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Posted 10 Jun 2004 11:52 am
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| Playing live, it doesn't seem to be much of an issue, but before recording, I spend time practicing releasing pedals and knee levers gently, to minimize the noise factor. On the plus side, sometimes the single coil pickup hum masks the carriage noise...... |
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Earnest Bovine
From:
Los Angeles CA USA
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Posted 10 Jun 2004 12:17 pm
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| The noise can be eliminated very inexpesively by immobilizing the wires inside the pickup. Many guitar shops can do it. They immerse the pickup in hot wax (beeswax) in a vacuum. |
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Hook Moore
From:
South Charleston,West Virginia
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Posted 10 Jun 2004 12:24 pm
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I have recorded a bunch with my ole p/p..though there is a little noise from pedal clatter there is no undercarriage noise or anything except what should be heard on the recordings..there is a word that escapes me right now, maybe ( microphonic ) that happens to pickups sometimes that cause them to pick up noise transfered through the guitar body..Someone will probably have a better answer but I do not have that problem at all. 
Hook
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HookMoore.com
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Paddy Long
From:
Christchurch, New Zealand
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Posted 10 Jun 2004 12:46 pm
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I have never had this issue with my MCI and I have done a lot of sessions over the years. Although I have a strip of foam under the George L's which stops any direct contact with the body of the guitar - this probably helps eliminate any microphonics.
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Sonny Priddy
From:
Elizabethtown, Kentucky, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 10 Jun 2004 12:49 pm
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I Would Say Pickup I've Had The Pickup To Do That. SONNY.
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Bobby Lee
From:
Cloverdale, California, USA
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Posted 10 Jun 2004 5:02 pm
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What about that squeaking noise when Segovia moved his fingers across the strings? Any way to get rid of that? 
Seriously, what Earnest said.
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 Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (C6add9),
Sierra Laptop 8 (E6add9), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6),
Roland Handsonic, Line 6 Variax |
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Dave Van Allen
From:
Souderton, PA , US , Earth
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Posted 10 Jun 2004 5:17 pm
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listen carefully to the solo on "Slowly" by Webb Pierce. I relish that inadvertent clunking.
It's our heritage![This message was edited by Dave Van Allen on 17 June 2004 at 07:12 AM.] |
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Joe Alterio
From:
Irvington, Indiana
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Posted 10 Jun 2004 7:23 pm
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Thanks for the replies thus far.....I know that there is always the issue of a microphonic pickup that can pull in some of that body noise. However, even on my newer Carter which has a humbucker pickup made just a couple of years ago, you can still hear the noise of the changer.
Again, it is only when you have the volume pedal cranked.....so my thought was that all guitars will exhibit this to some degree, since the pickup sits so close to the changer. But, I just want to confirm this and, going a step further, see if any good mods have been done to alleviate it. While dipping the pickup in wax might solve any microphonic issues, I would think that it would still pick up changer noise to some degree......but maybe I am just "listening too loud"! Ha!!
I welcome further thoughts/discussion....let's hear it!
Joe |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 11 Jun 2004 3:18 pm
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| Yes, Joe, you're right. The noise is there... on every pedal steel. Some are worse than others, but they all have it! |
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Brian Henry
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Posted 14 Jun 2004 3:14 pm
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| I almost hate to say this for fear of being sacreligious but the noisest steel I have ever owned was my Shobud LDG. It was beautiful to behold but I never used it in the recording studio. |
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Dave Ristrim
From:
Whites Creek, TN
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Posted 14 Jun 2004 3:49 pm
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As stated previously, potting the pickup with wax will help. I have a TrueTone on my Carter and may pot it soon. It feeds back when I rock out. Potting will help that too.
Dave |
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David Yannuzzi
From:
Pomona , New York, USA
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Posted 14 Jun 2004 6:07 pm
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This is only a real issue when recording . I usually tell the engineer that the amp has to be isolated because the mic will pic up pedal noise if i am near it. The pedal noise dosn't come thru the amp. I play an old emmons p/p wraparound
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Steven Black
From:
Gahanna, Ohio, USA
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Posted 17 Jun 2004 2:46 am
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I think Ed Falawaka's guitars and the Desert Rose guitars don't have undercarriage noises,
the same with pedalmasters. steveb |
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Bill cole
From:
Cheektowaga, New York, USA
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Posted 17 Jun 2004 5:12 am
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| I do think that all Lawrence pickups are diped in hot wax |
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Darvin Willhoite
From:
Roxton, Tx. USA
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Posted 17 Jun 2004 5:17 am
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Both of my Emmons P/P's will transmit "body noise" through the pickups. I don't notice any on my Williams, Fessenden, or MSA Classic SS.
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Darvin Willhoite
Riva Ridge Recording
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Jay Ganz
From:
Out Behind The Barn
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Posted 17 Jun 2004 5:37 am
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It's not "body noise" from the steel itself
to be concerned about. What about from the
steel player though??? |
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David Doggett
From:
Bawl'mer, MD (formerly of MS, Nawluns, Gnashville, Knocksville, Lost Angeles, Bahsten. and Philly)
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Posted 17 Jun 2004 7:39 am
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| I like the idea of getting potted. I've done that a lot, but never knew I could use undercarriage noise as an excuse. |
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Del Mullen
From:
Flagler Co. USA
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Posted 17 Jun 2004 8:12 am
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I am sure you will not have this problem with our guitars. They do make some undercarriage noise, but it is not picked up by the pickup. We have spent a lot of time on this to make sure it does not happen. Our undercarriage and changer are designed to have very little noise, but like I said it is not picked up by the pickup.
Mike Mantey
Mullen Guitar Co., Inc. |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Lee Baucum
From:
McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier
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Posted 17 Jun 2004 8:46 am
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I can attest to what Mike said. My Mullen is very, very quiet. The pickup is mounted on a dense, foam pad. What little noise the guitar does make is not picked up by the p-up.
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Lee, from South Texas
Down On The Rio Grande
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Ron Sodos
From:
San Antonio, Texas USA
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Posted 17 Jun 2004 8:49 am
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| My Zum is also very quiet..... |
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