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Post subject: Re: Questions about upgrading my Electric Guitar
Posted: Mon Nov 18, 2013 12:10 pm
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Welcome to the Forums. You've tapped into a wealth of information here, and each is going go to the plate for you to the best of their ability. Remember, we were all once where you are now, so a lot of what you may read comes from that corner. With that in mind, I couldn't agree more strongly with what Minnesota offered you in the way of advice. :wink:

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Post subject: Re: Questions about upgrading my Electric Guitar
Posted: Mon Nov 18, 2013 3:56 pm
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I just wanted to say, in case some of you didn't know, there are HH models in the Squier Bullet line of guitars. They're basswood with top loader bridges. I actually have 2 of them myself. I like the neck pickups in them, but found the bridge pickup very bright and high output. Most likely marketed toward metal players.

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Post subject: Re: Questions about upgrading my Electric Guitar
Posted: Mon Nov 18, 2013 9:08 pm
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Thanks for all the replies! I have read through every one, and would like to thank ya'll for taking your time to type them out.

I would like to reply to all the replies, but that would be rather difficult. To address some things, yes to a lot of things. I do hope new pickups will eliminate some extra noise, and make the over all tone better. And I do hope some different strings improve my tone and have a better sound and connection to my pickups. But, according to a lot of guitarists, the right strings are "between the player and the strings," so I will buy the cobalt strings later when my current Ernie Ball ones are ready to be switched. (I typed that out Ernie Balls originally... Never do it. It's just wrong.) When I got my guitar, it sounded great with the guy in the store playing it. He was showing me that the guitar and amp was good, and he made it sound great. I'm not to the point he is, though. But the point is my guitar is 'capable.'

So for now, I am going to save my money. I've pretty much got what I need at the moment, I just need to bring it out of the guitar, I guess. And I need to practice more often.

Also, something about my Guitar that I probably should have noted, my guitar has 1 humbucker pickup, then two single coil hookups. :)

Again, thanks for all the replies. I only expected to get like, 5. And thanks for making me feel at home on the forums. :) (Sorry for my super-professional typing with over usage of periods. I like sounding all professional and awesome. :3 :3) So... If anyone has anything they would like to post, I will still be checking up on this topic. I appreciate any comments I get. Thanks for all your input! :D


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Post subject: Re: Questions about upgrading my Electric Guitar
Posted: Mon Nov 18, 2013 10:44 pm
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@ Joshua Gill,

You have a great attitude which is gonna serve you well.

The Salesman in the store proved what I was alluding to; that a great guitarist can make sweet music from the biggest piece of junk (and a Squier is waaay above that), but a poor guitarist with the best Custom Shop guitar Fender ever made, is still only going to make noise.

Hang in there, really concentrate on the Fundamentals until you've nailed them. Practice every chance you get (without neglecting school of course so you have something to fall back on in case that Recording Contract never comes :D ).

You have Youth on your side which is a big advantage. You'll be passing me up in no time!

cheers!

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Post subject: Re: Questions about upgrading my Electric Guitar
Posted: Tue Nov 19, 2013 4:52 am
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Joshua Gill wrote:
Also, something about my Guitar that I probably should have noted, my guitar has 1 humbucker pickup, then two single coil hookups. :)



Same as my Modern player. does it also have the push -pull pot on lower tone control?
That should eliminate noise when bridge+mid P selected.

I've found 3 main sources of noise, and it's not the pickups.

1) sitting too close to PC or router and it picks up digital EMF (sounds like a Fax machine).
http://youtu.be/K9qSa8zw4hk?t=28m58s

2) Too much gain on the Mustang, or one of the onboard pedal settings. The noise Gate in Fuse can reduce some, but not as efficient as an outboard Noise Gate pedal. Even Satch says that some of his settings hum without a gate.

3) Bad ground and AC mains hum. check for continuity between jack ring and bridge, strings etc. on your guitar- or ask the store to do it. Bad earthing to screen is potentially dangerous.

With 1 and 2, hotter pickups will accentuate any noise.
3a ) make sure your leads are in prime condition and of good quality. Simple enough to check with a cheap multimeter set on Ohms. continuity tip to tip and ring to ring and no shorts ring to tip. also plug in to amp and check for crackles by flexing and gently wiggling the lead. The wires of older leads can oxidize. Never knot a lead when you pack down. best to just loop end to end 1 or 2 time and hang on a hook or loosely coil with a gentle twist between finger and thumb on each turn - the cable should follow this quite naturaly.


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Post subject: Re: Questions about upgrading my Electric Guitar
Posted: Tue Nov 19, 2013 8:41 am
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Quote:
3a ) make sure your leads are in prime condition and of good quality. Simple enough to check with a cheap multimeter set on Ohms. continuity tip to tip and ring to ring and no shorts ring to tip. also plug in to amp and check for crackles by flexing and gently wiggling the lead. The wires of older leads can oxidize. Never knot a lead when you pack down. best to just loop end to end 1 or 2 time and hang on a hook or loosely coil with a gentle twist between finger and thumb on each turn - the cable should follow this quite naturaly.

Bad or abused cables are the source of many a bad/noisy signal.

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Post subject: Re: Questions about upgrading my Electric Guitar
Posted: Tue Nov 19, 2013 10:02 am
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Screamin' Armadillo wrote:
Bad or abused cables are the source of many a bad/noisy signal.

Yes...there's a website wherein you can learn if there is a cable-abuser living in your neighborhood. :oops: :oops: :oops:

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Post subject: Re: Questions about upgrading my Electric Guitar
Posted: Tue Nov 19, 2013 12:46 pm
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DonX14 wrote:
1) sitting too close to PC or router and it picks up digital EMF (sounds like a Fax machine).


He's 15, and may not know what a tele-facsimile connection sounds like :D

Anyhow, there's shielding paint and tape you can use inside the pickup and pot bays on the guitar, and shielded cables to connect it with. A ferrite bead near the cable ends helps too.


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Post subject: Re: Questions about upgrading my Electric Guitar
Posted: Tue Nov 19, 2013 7:39 pm
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Still checking up on this topic for the wins. :o

@LightningMN- Thanks! :) And thanks for the advice/points! (Also, I go to a Private School, so I have LOTS of time to practice. I'm actually, most of the time, the lead guitarist in the school band.)

@DonX14- I don't think so. Mine has no 'switches,' just two knobs for tone. And thanks for the noise control stuff! My Guitar was making a ringing that wouldn't stop, and I found out it was because of my laptop. My room is quite small. :lol: With this, I can expand upon what I know about eliminating some of the noise. Thanks!

@Screamin' Armadillo: The cables can also be a source? I never thought about that. Gonna watch out a little closer for my cables... Thanks!

@ZZDoc- 2spooky! I must watch out... Is it a government funded site? Because they want all the sinners. All of them. Every one. Every sinner, Doc.

@arth1- I know what a fax is, but I've never heard the noise. Now I have to hear it... :lol: Anyways, I didn't know that. I'll look into that... Thanks!

Here is a really bad picture of my Guitar, if anyone is still wondering what it looks like. Last green one in the store for the win. :D

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Post subject: Re: Questions about upgrading my Electric Guitar
Posted: Tue Nov 19, 2013 9:36 pm
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That's a really unique, good-looking guitar--congratulations!

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Post subject: Re: Questions about upgrading my Electric Guitar
Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2013 5:30 am
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Joshua Gill wrote:
Here is a really bad picture of my Guitar, if anyone is still wondering what it looks like. Last green one in the store for the win. :D
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Those who missed out must be green with envy. :mrgreen: :oops:

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Post subject: Re: Questions about upgrading my Electric Guitar
Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2013 11:06 am
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ZZDoc wrote:
Screamin' Armadillo wrote:
Bad or abused cables are the source of many a bad/noisy signal.

Yes...there's a website wherein you can learn if there is a cable-abuser living in your neighborhood. :oops: :oops: :oops:

Every time I read that I laugh harder--thanks, Doc!

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Post subject: Re: Questions about upgrading my Electric Guitar
Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2013 11:15 am
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Screamin' Armadillo wrote:
ZZDoc wrote:
Screamin' Armadillo wrote:
Bad or abused cables are the source of many a bad/noisy signal.

Yes...there's a website wherein you can learn if there is a cable-abuser living in your neighborhood. :oops: :oops: :oops:

Every time I read that I laugh harder--thanks, Doc!

Anytime, mate....any time :!: :wink: :lol:

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Post subject: Re: Questions about upgrading my Electric Guitar
Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2013 11:22 am
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That's a great looking guitar and certainly is a great basis for a really quality main guitar. Minnesota as ZZ Doc suggested gave you some great advice.If you ever do decide to swap out the pups,a lot of music stores sell pickups that they have removed from other guitars because the owners bought replacement pickups and you could probably get yourself a set of really sweet pickups for a discount price.Anyway welcome to the forum,there are a lot of players here who can give you really valuable advice.

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