Tele baseplate squeal trouble

[Zhangliqun]

Never used to happen before but lately I've been having this problem. I found about an 80% solution by screwing the baseplate into the bottom flatwork between the polepieces.

Anybody have some other tricks?

[NightWinder]

HAve you tryed chalk? Painter chalk? Its removable too.

[Zhangliqun]

Hmm...got me thinking. Have heard some folks use silicone to dampen humbucker covers. Wonder if that would work on a Tele baseplate...

[J S Moore]

Have you tried potting the baseplate with the pickup?

[Zhangliqun]

Have you tried potting the baseplate with the pickup?

Oh yeah, that's standard procedure for me. I've also caked pure parafin in there (as opposed to the thinner parafin/beeswax mix in my pot) and evened it out with the solder iron on the baseplate as Fralin recommends and it helped, but not enough.

I'd prefer the silicone thing to work out but I will go with the screws if I have to.

[madialex]

Hey Zahng, I use either medical tape doubled up across the bottom before the baseplate or what I like better is friction tape, black kinda thick stuff that really has no stick to it but holds by pressure, it works the best for me. No problems yet.

I bet if you look at the plate it is slightly bent, that will cause a good squeal. I got some from GJ that were for one, too thick and 2 they were slightly bent.

[Zhangliqun]

Hey Zahng, I use either medical tape doubled up across the bottom before the baseplate or what I like better is friction tape, black kinda thick stuff that really has no stick to it but holds by pressure, it works the best for me. No problems yet.

I bet if you look at the plate it is slightly bent, that will cause a good squeal. I got some from GJ that were for one, too thick and 2 they were slightly bent.

I use the Stewmac plates and you can easily tell if they are slightly bent by checking if you can see daylight between the bottom and the plate. So I'm used to occasionally bending them to be more flat so I know to look for that, especially if it squeals on the feedback test.

[Spence]

Some microphonics are beneficial in pickups. If you can control this you will produce fantastic pickups. I tend to use a latex cement on Tele baseplates. This acts as a damper rather than a choke. Hence some control of the microphonics is easily achievable.



Don't dismiss it; suck it and see.

[Possum]

SM plates

These cheap ass baseplates don't have deburred screw holes, if you deburr them the plates will sit against the bottom, use masking tape over the poles on the bottom then wax pot the whole thing. SOME PEOPLE ACTUALLY LIKE MICROPHONICS, and DON'T WANT THE PLATE ATTACHED, like Leo Fender for instance, some of those old tele the plates weren't waxed on, over time they stuck to the wax that was there. Roy Buttcannon is famous for his squeal from his baseplate. But yeah your average untalented bedroom player sitting in front of his mini marshall stack right in front of the speaker with the volume on 10 and two OD pedals cranked as well will think you are an incometent moron if his pickup squeals. Shame on you....

[Zhangliqun]

Shame on me, what are you talking about? The complaints have been from 40-somethings under low to moderate gain who have sent me clips -- so I know they can play and they're not lying about the gain.

[Spence]

I think Possum was being light-hearted. No need to be so abrasive.
I've posted a real working solution for you Zhangliqun so I must assume you ignored that otherwize you'd be posting a 'Thanks....problem solved" message.

[Zhangliqun]

I think Possum was being light-hearted. No need to be so abrasive.
I've posted a real working solution for you Zhangliqun so I must assume you ignored that otherwize you'd be posting a 'Thanks....problem solved" message.

Hopefully you're being lighthearted as well?

I haven't had the opportunity to go out and get latex or silicone so I can't say problem solved just yet. But believe me I'm accepting any and all advice, so thanks for your contribution too. It may well be the one...

[Spence]

You know what? I just want to help. I've been making pickups for a long time and have hit just about every problem there is. My solution to the problem really works. Yeah i am being light hearted because i know that if I give someone a real working solution that requires nothing else but doing what I suggest, someone else will suggest you get the next flight on the shuttle and perfore some sort of wierd manouvre in a true vacuum instead.

[Zhangliqun]

So you feel that I am disrespecting you somehow?

[Spence]

What? Who said anything about respect. I'm not asking for that. Infact, I'm not asking for anything. Really, if you never find a solution to your problem it's not going to upset my world. What have I got to gain from helping you?

I'm just giving you a real working solution. Try it. It's worth the effort to go to your local hardware store and get some latex cement.