vibrations from pick up

[bebove]

Hello everybody,I'm writing from Venice Italy,so first of all I apologize for my bad english.

I bought an es 175 plain top single pu some time ago. really great sound , playability and exterior finish.

But I've got a really boring problem when I play it unplugged:lots of vibrations are coming out from the pick up (spring problem????)throughout the guitar body.it's really really annoying! can anybody help me?

thanks bbbvo

 

[L5Larry]

This is usually caused by a miss-aligned pickup due to a poorly shaped mounting ring. This problem is way to typical of Gibson archtops.

 

I will guess that top of your pickup sits at an angle to the strings (front to back) instead of being parallel. This kicks the bottom of the pickup against the edge of the hole cut in the top and causes the rattle/buzz.

 

I believe I addressed this issue in detail in a thread about a Wes Montgomery L-5, try a search of this site, but there are a couple of ways to fix this problem, if this IS your problem.

 

1. Quick and Easy: Put a thin piece of foam between the bottom edge of the pickup and the edge of the wood to insulate it from contact and vibration. This will also help the alignment to the strings.

 

2. Recommended Permanent and proper fix: Have the BOTTOM of a new pickup mounting ring properly arched and angled to fit across the arch of the top of the guitar. When doing this two things must be taken in to account, the angle of the pickup to the strings, AND the angle/height/location of the pickguard that must rest on top of the edge of the mounting ring.

 

Let me know if I can be of any more help, or was of any help in the first place.

[bebove]

This is usually caused by a miss-aligned pickup due to a poorly shaped mounting ring. This problem is way to typical of Gibson archtops.

 

I will guess that top of your pickup sits at an angle to the strings (front to back) instead of being parallel. This kicks the bottom of the pickup against the edge of the hole cut in the top and causes the rattle/buzz.

 

I believe I addressed this issue in detail in a thread about a Wes Montgomery L-5, try a search of this site, but there are a couple of ways to fix this problem, if this IS your problem.

 

1. Quick and Easy: Put a thin piece of foam between the bottom edge of the pickup and the edge of the wood to insulate it from contact and vibration. This will also help the alignment to the strings.

 

2. Recommended Permanent and proper fix: Have the BOTTOM of a new pickup mounting ring properly arched and angled to fit across the arch of the top of the guitar. When doing this two things must be taken in to account, the angle of the pickup to the strings, AND the angle/height/location of the pickguard that must rest on top of the edge of the mounting ring.

 

Let me know if I can be of any more help, or was of any help in the first place.

 

I really thank you L5Larry.

you are right when you talk 'bout a miss-aligned pu, in fact I can see a not well shaped mounting ring on the top of my 175 ;they should pay much more attention before letting the guitars go out of the factory(ah my poor english,is this phrase correct?

the pick up is not parallel at all and the angle to the strings is very well visible!so you can imagine the rattle/buzz coming out from the holes!

Also the bottom of the pickup mounting ring is not properly arched and so not well fitted with the top of the guitar ( I can see a small lack of adhesion between the top and mounting ring).

In a few days I'll change my thomastik strings and I'll buy also a new mounting ring in order to have it properly arched to try to solve definitely this problem.

A friend of mine also told me to fix rubber rings at the end of each spring of the pu or to change both springs with bigger ones (agh Idon't think this is good english!!!).

What do you think about this?

Thanks again for your help

[L5Larry]

A friend of mine also told me to fix rubber rings at the end of each spring of the pu or to change both springs with bigger ones

What do you think about this?

 

 

I doubt new springs will be needed, I've never had to replace any pickup springs.

 

No need to apologize about your English, you type better English than some Americans on this website.