middle pick up

[peavley]

My HM Strat middle pick up has developed an intermitant crackle.I soaked the TBX tone pots with deoxit,and quickly moved the selector switch from side to side for a bit,which helped for a time.I've replaced the selector switch.Would replacing the TBX tone pot make a difference?If I have to get another pick up,what's a good one to go for?

[halo71]

Well...not sure what to recommend. But what I would think about is this. Do you ever use a middle pick-up? If not just leave it alone and bypass the wiring? Just a thought. I rarely....well never really....use a middle pick up.

[nickwellings]

Is deoxit like WD40? If so you should not use that for pots as it will make them worse over time...! You could use an air can to help remove any gunk in them. Have you checked the connection to the pot? A crackle usually is not because of a pickup. Replacing a TBX pot would be a start but I am pretty sure that the ones Fender sell will not fit, as the standard HM pots are import-style mini-pots.

If you do want to replace a pickup you'd need one that meters about 6K. I do not know the magnet type, but I am pretty sure it is not ceramic. A standard USA pickup would be ideal, as the HM singles were USA single coils.

[heem6]

So Nick - were the HM's loaded with pretty standard Fender Single Coils? If so, those are usually A5 magnets. The Seymour Duncan SSL-1 is a beautiful, vintage Strat sounding pickup with the A5 mag and runs at 6.5k.

Whatever you get, be sure to get the reverse-wound version for the middle position. That way positions 2 & 4 are noise-free.

Sorry, I got carried away. I agree that crackling is probably NOT coming from your pickup.

[nickwellings]

I can probably snap a pic of one I had to pull out, as it went very odd sounding recently, very "boxy" and non responsive to anything, + major terrible microphonic feedback at loud volumes.


As I recall the part number on the black bobbin was the same as normal Fender singles, even Fender USA singles to this day, HOWEVER, I am pretty sure I read that the PN is actually for the bobbin, so that might explain that.

SSL-1s sound a good idea.I have heard bad things about Fender Noiseless, but good things about the newish Samarium Cobalt pickups. Lace singles, I have three golds in a MExi, and I am still not sure how I like them. To me they sound nothing like a 50s strat or any normal single coil at all. They are kind of like EMGs in their characterless/transparent sound, but also a bit smooth at high gain. Maybe some close miced clips would help describe.

I have heard very good things about the Gold, Blue, Red combination though. However, I had a red in my gigging axe, and I thought it wasn't so good in the bridge position, where it was made for, very snarly and brittle. But that might have been due to my amp I was using, an old low gain Marshall MKII head from the 70s. I think it might be worth a go using a differently voiced amp.

I digress, but Laces were used on the Ultras in that Gold, Blue red comibination for a while, and on Strat Ultras where they still get rave reviews. I can imagine them working quite well in basswood.

[peavley]

Thanks for all the feedback.Firstly Deoxit is not like WD40,as it leaves no oily residue,and is the industry standard for cleaning input jacks on mixing desks etc.The compressed air idea,yeah hadn't thought of that I'll give it a go.As this seems to have moved onto what pick ups for the middle,I like the look of the Dimarzio area 58.