Interesting feedback

[Dude]

So I just potted a couple microphonic humbuckers on a Gibson Sonex. When I rewired the guitar and tested it out, the microphonics were gone but an overpowering feedback remained. Upon closer inspection, the pickup cavities were routed in the wrong place. The pole pieces are so far off that they are in-between the strings instead of under them. My theory is that the alignment of the pole pieces is causing this extreme feedback. I was hoping to get the opinion of The Forum. Here's a little more information: the pickups seem to have three magnets, both coils have adjustable pole pieces (no slugs), and they don't have a cover. The guitar is a bolt-on neck with a wooden core (center strip) and fiberglass wings.

Thanks.

[StarryNight]

I don't believe mis-aligned pole pieces cause feedback. It sounds like you're using a lot of high gain tho. I've never played a Sonex but I'll take an off beat guess and say that fiberglass wings actually might be a problem with resonance - especially if they are hollow.

[Sweetfinger]

Those pickups are Gibson "Dirty Fingers" and if you've potted them correctly, shouldn't be microphonic. The Sonex body was a sandwich of a wood core and two layers of "other stuff", but It wasn't hollow IIRC. Maybe the mounting springs are feeding back, or you didn't get the entire coil and/or assembly saturated with wax.

[Dude]

Thank you.

They're definitely not microphonic anymore. I've potted plenty of pickups to know when I've potted them correctly or not. That’s why I brought the question to this forum. I thought that the feedback might have been caused by the misaligned pole pieces but I couldn't compare it to anything else because I've never seen a pickup so far out of place.

Thank you.

[888guitars]

What happens when you ground the pickup mounting screws with a gator clip?

[Zhangliqun]

They're definitely not microphonic anymore. I've potted plenty of pickups to know when I've potted them correctly or not. That’s why I brought the question to this forum. I thought that the feedback might have been caused by the misaligned pole pieces but I couldn't compare it to anything else because I've never seen a pickup so far out of place.

Thank you.

Microphonics is feedback. What's the difference in the feedback you're hearing now vs. before?

[Dude]

Nothing now; the customer picked up his guitar. Before I potted the pickups, I was able to talk into them (talk not just yell). After I potted them, the strings would just feedback and I wouldn't hear any unwanted noise such as tapping on the guitar or blowing on the pickups.

[Spence]

Just a suggestion here; check the feedback's not coming from somewhere else.
Valves can go microphonic on an amp.