Noisy and microphonic pickups in early Special Semi-hollow

Riley Bushman

New Member
Joined
Jun 26, 2019
Messages
13
Location
Tacoma, WA
Hello,
I have an early Special Semi-hollow, back when they were called custom. It has the 58/15LTs in it. I have never messed with the guitar as far as electronics or that stuff. I also perched the guitar from Peach Guitars in England so I have no reason to think that I got a lemon or something.

anyway, the pickups are noisy. they hum like single coils, doesn't matter if i have the splits on or off. I have to use a volume pedal or volume knob to stop the hum if i am not playing. Also, i found out this past weekend that they are super microphonic. I got my phone out so i could listen to a song and when my phone started playing the song started going out over the PA because it was picked up by the pickups and my volume pedal was not off.

Is this normal? Should I have the guitar looked at? or is this just what I have to deal with? I have a 2018 S2 and have never had these issues.
Thanks in advance,
Riley
 
Your bio says Tacoma, WA, and you purchased it from a dealer in England if I read this right. I'm curious as to how this would work out warranty-wise. If warranty is through PRS USA and you are the original owner I would have the dealer contact the factory and get a Fed Ex return shipping label sent to you. Be sure to use your iPhone and shoot a video documenting the situation that you can send to Customer Service. Irregardless it shouldn't be happening.

Has it always been this way? From my own experience I think that sometimes the shaking during shipping can affect a solder contact that looks good but isn't solid. I had a guitar with a grounding problem when I received it that disappeared the next day but became a consistent volume problem on the bridge pickup when in humbucker mode. When I sent it back for warranty repair customer service couldn't get the problem to happen over four weeks so I had them return the guitar since they can't fix a problem that isn't occurring for them. For whatever reason the guitar now works perfectly, so perhaps the overseas shipping shook something slightly loose but not enough to be readily evident (hence the suggestion to record the problem, which I unfortunately didn't do).
 
I have had the guitar for a few years. Im not sure if it has always been this way. I have only noticed it at the new church that I have been playing at.
 
Sounds like a possible grounding issue, maybe as simple as an input jack. Run it by a guitar tech in your area they’ll know. Also on a stretch may be the church’s wiring. Does it do the same thing at your home? Good luck.
 
I think the key question already asked is if it is humming just at one location or is it doing it everywhere you plug it in including home?

If it's everywhere, I have doubts both pickups would be bad and suspect a grounding/wiring issue inside the guitar somewhere. Possibly a cold solder joint or even perhaps the bridge ground.

If it's only one place, then it's most likely external to the guitar and most likely your rig even.
 
The CU22 Special Semi Hollow LTD did not have 58/15LT ( it had 58/15MT pickups ) pickups that is a newer guitar or the pickups were changed.
Anyway regardless of dealer if you are the original owner PTC will get you sorted , If you are in the US its a pretty easy process.

Mine is quite as can be.



 
Thank you all for the replies. I have military duty this weekend so wont have a chance to plug into my home system until monday. I use a kemper at home and church. Not sure if that changes anything. I do have a Sonzara 50 i can plug into also. Oh, i think i was wrong about the PUs. They are MTs.
 
Hello everyone,
As usual you all are right. the hum does not happen at home. on my kemper or my tube amp.
So, the new questions is what do I do at church to get rid of the hum? Im using the factory kemper mains power cord. it has one of those anti interference things on it.
I dont know what else to do. please help.
Thanks,
Riley
 
Hello everyone,
As usual you all are right. the hum does not happen at home. on my kemper or my tube amp.
So, the new questions is what do I do at church to get rid of the hum? Im using the factory kemper mains power cord. it has one of those anti interference things on it.
I dont know what else to do. please help.
Thanks,
Riley

I have played at many different churches over the years and more often than not run into similar issues. My own theory is that churches aren’t usually built with clean power or non interference in mind, but in all honesty I’ve just gotten used to riding the volume when not playing and not worrying about it when playing.
 
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