Question about the '61 zebra pickups (SGM)

[STIGMATAhigh5]

So i recently bought one of these guitars, and then exchanged it for another one because of pickup issues, mainly microphonic sounding pickups. The replacement does exactly the same thing the first one did. Can hear taps on the guitar, can hear clicking when using the selector switch, really bad feedback at high volume with high gain, are these pups wax potted? I'm confused and just wanted to ask if this was normal or if i just happened to get 2 duds in a row.

[WDeranged]

So i recently bought one of these guitars, and then exchanged it for another one because of pickup issues, mainly microphonic sounding pickups. The replacement does exactly the same thing the first one did. Can hear taps on the guitar, can hear clicking when using the selector switch, really bad feedback at high volume with high gain, are these pups wax potted? I'm confused and just wanted to ask if this was normal or if i just happened to get 2 duds in a row.

 

With high gain it's perfectly normal to hear taps on the guitar body/pickup. The selector switch can give you a click now and then, also only noticeable with high volume/gain.

 

Feedback is trickier question, all pickups feedback at a certain point. Covered pickups can start giving you unpleasant squealing feedback sooner than uncovered ones but at some point any pickup is going to start making nasty noises.

 

Totally mute your strings with both hands and see if the it still happens, if you're still getting feedback you can be reasonably sure it's coming from the pickup. It's unlikely (but not impossible) that you've recieved two duds in a row, you might be using more gain than you realistically need.

 

I use a 15w valve amp in my living room and half cranked I often get a few squeals, fully cranked every pickup I own squeals like a pig.