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Author Topic:  Pickups
Jack Hanson


From:
San Luis Valley, USA
Post  Posted 7 Aug 2020 10:49 am    
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How and why do pickups go bad?
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Noah Miller


From:
Rocky Hill, CT
Post  Posted 7 Aug 2020 1:07 pm    
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The only real way they can go bad is if the coil of wire breaks. That can happen if they get too hot and the potting melts, or occasionally through physical trauma. Some of the magnets used before Alnico are prone to weakening over time but they can be re-magnetized.
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Nicholas Cox


From:
CA
Post  Posted 7 Aug 2020 1:17 pm    
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I had one where the top plate became unglued, allowing the magnets and coils to move around and come loose.
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Gene Tani


From:
Pac NW
Post  Posted 7 Aug 2020 6:12 pm    
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Like Noah said, it doesn't happen very often without obvious physical damage. There's urban myths about not leaning your guitar too close to a speaker magnet, avoiding airport xray machines, stuff like that.

I just bought my first multimeter after borrowing everybody else's for years, can also check loads on speaker cabs, your 9v's, they're bundled with the little device that checks that outlets are properly grounded, very handy.
_________________
- keyless Sonny Jenkins laps stay in tune forever!; Carter PSG
- The secret sauce: polyester sweatpants to buff your picks, cheapo Presonus channel strip for preamp/EQ/compress/limiter, Diet Mountain Dew
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Jim Palenscar

 

From:
Oceanside, Calif, USA
Post  Posted 9 Aug 2020 7:05 am    
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There are times that the insulation of the wire degrades and the pickup shorts out.
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Thomas Stone


From:
San Francisco
Post  Posted 9 Aug 2020 8:31 pm    
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Not uncommon for the solder joint between the enameled coil wires and the leads to go dead. Remelting the solder usually fixes it.
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