but is it broke? I am having a serious difficulty with a major in-difficulty: my $100 Squire sounds AMAZING! Or does it? Through my Vibro Champ XD, it sounds wonderful through most 'voices.' I want a new pickup because i can't stand the hum. I'm just worried about a downgrade in quality. Sounds stupid? I know. They're probably ceramics but they sound clean and pure even on overdrive! Is there a cheaper way, like shielding tape, and is it more difficult to install than a pickup?

Thanks, and I do adore my tone.


-The Screamin' J

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CURRENT RIG:
2008 Squier bullet stratocaster modified with Rumpelstiltskin pickups -> Dunlop GCB-95 Original Crybaby -> Fender Vibro Champ XD

"Could you take the stain from this pair of pants, and put in on this pair of pants?"

Probably not. Hum can happen for a lot of reasons. Some quick notes I'll point out that you probably already looked at might be...

- make sure the outlet is properly grounded
- never use an adapter for an outlet that isn't a 3 prong grounded outlet
- watch the overdrive. single do hum, and might not be the quietest if you're using a lot of gain
- you can get some copper shielding for the back inside of your pickguard ($7 or so)
- use a high quality cord. the $10 cheapies aren't as quiet as a good lifetime warranty cord
- don't face the guitar to the amp, and move it around a bit when you hear hum
- don't sit with the amp up, your guitar volume wide open, not playing anything and expect to hear dead silence either
- learn to use that volume knob on your guitar. if you're not playing (either between songs or during a song when they're no guitar), roll that volume off with your pinky

Your always going to get hum/buzz out of singlecoil pickups the type of magnet used has no effect on the buzz. If you want ceramic and less noise you may want to try Hot Noiseless. Try a jeff beck strat.

Some people may think your crazy for liking ceramic's, but i agree with you. They have a tone of their own that alnico's just dont have.

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No no and no

If your close to a TV or floresiant light it makes it worse. Amp placement can make a big diff with a Super Champ XD so I assume the same with the vibro champ xd also.

You could always install a dummy coil too, to make that pickup humbucking when used by itself.

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You dig?

I have good luck with Lace Sensors in one of my Strats... I like them.

...and nothing makes a strat hum like a lit beer neon!

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I love the smell of hot vacuum tubes in the morning...