My MFD went massively microphonic! Suggestions?
Posted: Tue Nov 16, 2010 8:19 pm
[From a post on the G&LDP: Nah by
GPD on July 01, 2009 in response to post:
My MFD went massively microphonic! Suggestions? posted by / / / / B R O C K on July 01, 2009]
: Do I just get a new MFD? It's a BBE-era SB-1 MFD.
There are only so many causes...here's the checklist:
1. Make sure the magnets and keeper plates are firmly glued in place. The bond often breaks
down over time leaving the magnets to keep the whole mess together. Re-glue.
2. Re-Pot the pickup...I use a 90% Pariffin, 10% Bee's Wax mix. I heat it up in an old crock pot
with a variac in front of it. This way I can keep the temp at 150 degrees F. You can dangle
from the leads across a paint stick with a small clamp suspending the pickup or put glass marbles
in the bottom of the pot to keep the pickup from hitting the hot sides & bottom of the pot.
I actually have a vacuum potting setup on mine which is a bit more involved. You might consider
sending your pickup out to get vacuum/pressure potted because you get much better coil pack
saturation this way. All sorts of pickup builders offer this service for around $10/pickup.
3. Before potting I always leave the pole inserts adjusted up high...this way I know the wax is
going to permeate the threaded internals of the poles. After they come out of the pot I snug
them down to the desired height then dunk them again. This way the inserts cannot rattle inside
the pole.
That's about it...
Gabe
GPD on July 01, 2009 in response to post:
My MFD went massively microphonic! Suggestions? posted by / / / / B R O C K on July 01, 2009]
: Do I just get a new MFD? It's a BBE-era SB-1 MFD.
There are only so many causes...here's the checklist:
1. Make sure the magnets and keeper plates are firmly glued in place. The bond often breaks
down over time leaving the magnets to keep the whole mess together. Re-glue.
2. Re-Pot the pickup...I use a 90% Pariffin, 10% Bee's Wax mix. I heat it up in an old crock pot
with a variac in front of it. This way I can keep the temp at 150 degrees F. You can dangle
from the leads across a paint stick with a small clamp suspending the pickup or put glass marbles
in the bottom of the pot to keep the pickup from hitting the hot sides & bottom of the pot.
I actually have a vacuum potting setup on mine which is a bit more involved. You might consider
sending your pickup out to get vacuum/pressure potted because you get much better coil pack
saturation this way. All sorts of pickup builders offer this service for around $10/pickup.
3. Before potting I always leave the pole inserts adjusted up high...this way I know the wax is
going to permeate the threaded internals of the poles. After they come out of the pot I snug
them down to the desired height then dunk them again. This way the inserts cannot rattle inside
the pole.
That's about it...
Gabe