Knock knock!

[littlebadboy]

Hi! I was fiddling on my settings on my Boss GT-100. I shouldn't have because we already sound checked for our little one-song gig at school on Tuesday, but anyway...

On my dirty settings, Bogner Uberschall preamp sim with compressor, I noticed that I could hear my knocking on the pickguard of my PRS S2 Standard 22 guitar. Why is this so? I do not hear much when on clean settings.

 

[dmatthews]

Sounds like maybe the pups are microphonic?

 

[littlebadboy]

Sounds like maybe the pups are microphonic?

Thanks! So, PRS has some microphonic pups?

I'll try to dampen springs. Then consider wax potting. Or, start taking a look at used SD JB and Jazz on fleabay.

 

[garrett]

When you add gain and compression, you're raising the noise floor and goosing the signal. That's why you can hear it with those settings vs. clean. It's also more noticeable with a cranked amp. As long as you aren't getting any uncontrollable squealing, it's fine and normal.

Couple things you can do is dampen the trem springs like you said, and also use rubber tubing instead of springs for mounting the pickups. I recommend you just embrace it. The pickups are suspended in a resonant cavity, so I'd bet you'll always have some kind of noise in those situations. I personally love the lively feeling and sound when guitars are like that.


Check out Steve Vai here. At about 3:20, he knocks on the guitar and even yells through the bridge pickup.