The Steel Guitar Forum

i bought an old fender student model pedal steel based on it's weight and have i noticed loud pedal and rod noises coming through the pick up. i have put foam underneath to keep the rods from rattlin' as much, but is there any other suggestions you guys have to reduce the mechanical noise being picked up? im curious if i changed the stock pick up would it reduce it a bit?

thanks for all the help in advance!

I understand they used to dip pickups in wax to make them "Solid" i.e. not allowing anything to vibrate like a diaphragm. When that happens? Any vibration is magnified.

I find it's a regrettable characteristic of most all guitars, and it seems more problematic with lightweight guitars. Sometimes, a proper setup can help. Other times, changing a pickup or mounting the pickup on foam (instead of solidly to the body) can help. There is also some help to be found in proper playing and muting techniques, and picking more forcefully so as to increase the music-to-noise difference. But mostly, when none of these proves totally effective, it's something we just learn to live with.

Pickups have been known to get "microphonic". A pickup needs to be slightly microphonic in order to pick up all the frequencies, but too much and it can exhibit symptoms like you are having. Try hollering into the pickup and see if it comes through your amp. If it does, then it is microphonic.
Erv

thanks guys ill check it out when i get home tonight!

As Erv said, most likely your pickup is microphonic.. Actually a lot of guys LIKE microphonic pickups in both steel guitars and 6 sting electrics because they sound good,, Sometimes a lot better than a "good" pickup that is not microphonic.. If you can talk into and get some sound through the amp,it is microphonic.. You can have it rewound, or simply replace it.. You can try wax potting it first if you want the cheapest way out... bob

Try different leads. (cords)

Erv Niehaus wrote:Pickups have been known to get "microphonic". A pickup needs to be slightly microphonic in order to pick up all the frequencies, but too much and it can exhibit symptoms like you are having. Try hollering into the pickup and see if it comes through your amp. If it does, then it is microphonic.
Erv

Well, it would have to be really bad to use it as a microphone! The best test to see if a pickup is microphonic is to remove the strings, and then tap the pickup with your finger. Any noise means the windings are loose.

(Note: You can't do the test definitively with the strings on the guitar, as tapping the pickup transfers some noise to the body, and that will then be transferred back through the bridge to the strings, and then on to the pickup.)

Dipping the pickups in wax or wax/paraffin combination is called "potting" and is used to stabilize the pickup and can reduce the highs. I use it when someone complains about single coil buzzing or the pickup being too shrill.