Hey Ya'll,
Ok...I noticed something last night with my '85 MIJ that I hadn't really noticed before. Up till now I've been playing her clean...except for some reverb I haven't used any pedals with her. I had noticed that she was a little noisy...more so than is typical for single coils but it wasn't really -that- bad. Last night however I plugged into one my Digi multi effects pedals and this ol' lady just started howling. First thing I did was plug in my MIM with the Duncans and everything was nice and quiet, so I -know- it's not the pedal (or cables or amp, etc).

Now here's the weird part...if I roll back the volume just a bit, the noise goes away without really loosing much volume. I've also noticed that the tone controls don't really have much effect...yea, they bleed off the highs a little, but not significantly compared with my other Strats. I haven't inspected her closely yet (will do that later today) but I did lift the pickguard a bit and the wiring and everything does appear to be original....or at least consistent with pics I've seen of other MIJ wiring of this period. In other words, it doesn't look as though the pots or anything have been replaced with the wrong part or anything.

Oh...one more thing...this does this in ALL switch positions including 2 and 4.

So what I'm wondering here...bad tone cap or is it possibly just a bad ground somewhere? Again, played clean she's a little noisy but not too bad but thru a pedal she starts to howl unless I roll the volume back a little. I'd just like the get the proverbial "second opinion" before I crack her open later.

So, anyone ever run in to this? Thoughts?

As always, thanks!
Jim

Jim,

Your problem is far from obscure. Your pickups are most likely borderline microphonic as they are noisier than normal, still functional 'dry', yet cannot take all that preamping.

Rolling back the volume will not be as noticeable as on '10', all the pickups will do is shriek like a banshee so there is no discernible musical quality lost. Conversely, the tone controls work so you can rule the capacitor out. Besides, bad guitar pot caps will not make a guitar howl as you've stated. A bad ground doesn't make for the symptoms you are describing either so you can rule that out too. What's left? The pickups. They should be repotted, if in fact, they ever were in the first place.

_________________
You dig?

Thanks Martian...I'll take a close look at those pickups when I crack her open later today. Certainly something to consider.

Peace,
Jim

You're welcome and good luck!

_________________
You dig?

I asked you to be a man and apologize for the completely disrespectful, childish, temper tantrum that you threw. It seems that you are not big enough to do so. I wanted to share with anyone that tries to converse with you, what they should expect if you don't agree with their opinions.

I made the mistake of disagreeing with Jim in a discussion about Squires, MIM's and MIA's. After a long winded boring lecture from Jim, he informed me that ....

I was incapable of understanding
I am unable to acknowledge any point
I only accept opinions that agree with my own
I was an elitist snob
I have a blithering time trying to understand
I am apparently so narrow minded
I must live a pathetic shallow life
I appear to be a pathetic individual
I am too anally retentive to even attempt to understand

The post was entitled...I Enjoyed This...

Please make sure that your answers and opinions meet with Jim's approval or you too might be the next pathetic individual.

PS Jim...I'm sorry that I can't help you with your broken imported Strat. None of my American ones have ever had that problem...come to think of it....none of my American ones have ever had any problem.

Now be a man and apologize for your utter disrespect...I did not deserve it in any way.

Noodles

Funny how you keep trying to suck me back in to that petty dispute even though you weren't the only one who was hurt there. I said my peace, made what I felt were some valid points, made some hypothetical propositions, stated my opinions, stated repeatedly that they were -only my opinions- then TWICE tried to back out gracefully leaving you to your own. When you still wouldn't drop it, I stated exactly -why- I had the opinions that I did, I tried to meet you half way with some of my opinions and I tried to be as civil to you as possible even though you repeatedly took my words out of context (and or added things that I did NOT say). Then you STILL wouldn't drop it and you repeatedly insinuated that I didn't mean what I said (aka called me a liar...twice in one post). You sir just wouldn't let it go (and apparently still won't). I'm supposed to feel guilty about this...why? All you wanted to do was play devil's advocate and apparently you are -still- looking for someone to argue with because when I refused to play in your sandbox any more, you decided to come here instead accusing me of many of the same things you yourself were guilty of. I have no problems admitting when I'm wrong about something but in this case I don't believe that I am...not in the slightest.

So...you want an apology? Hey...no problem...I am really sorry that you're a narrow minded, anally retentive, elitist snob. Happy now? Show me a "real man" who can be a little open minded, who respects the opinions of others and who can take a few insults (after all, weren't you the one who said, "This is all talk"?) and then maybe I will consider a more serious apology. Otherwise, stroke off. As I said before, I'm done with you sir.


________________


My deepest and most sincere apologies to anyone else who has chosen to read all of this tripe...from this point on I promise to just ignore this individual. I shouldn't have let him get under my skin to begin with.

Jim

_______________

Ok Jim

You sure that you want to play this?

A disagreement is a disagreement....different opinions are different opinions...some people like chocolate and some like vanilla... some like blue and some like red. You are as much entitled to your opinion as anyone here, believe it or not...so am I.

So here is what I'm going to do. You find anything in our original discussions, prior to you beginning your PERSONAL ATTACKS OF DISRESPECT,against my opinions. Somewhere that I spoke with disrespect to you in any way, somewhere that I INSULTED YOU PERSONALLY... When you don't...I WILL EXPECT A PERSONAL APOLOGY.

If you decide that you are still above admitting your utter repeated rudeness, and PERSONAL ATTACKS TOWARDS ME...unrelated to the subject matter we were discussing, having nothing to do with my opinions, then I will take another route.

I WILL FILE A FORMAL COMPLAINT WITH THE FORUM ADMINISTRATOR.

I will forward him every piece of your disrespectful PERSONAL ATTACKS, against me...I don't care if we differ in opinion, but you do not even know me and I will not take your bitter spews against ME personally!

Think before you continue insulting me Jim, think about what your going to do. The results will be up to you, so make your choice. If I hear nothing from you, I will make my choices.

Noodles

Both of you guys need to get past this! Let it drop please. I for one have been on the end of your tempers at different times and could have took umbridge. I didnot, it (sorry trying to get round the censor program)is a internet forum not something tangible and real. Although I do enjoy a good bit of banter or even heated discussion every now and then, this is going beyond it and doing no one any good. Please guys let it go, your both capable-minded men. Rise above it please. I did when I had disagreements with both of you, you can too.

Cmon lads how about it. If it makes it easier you can unite into a coalition agianst me. I wont mind, honestly. Please guys examine your ego's and decide that your better than the problem and let it drop. You've both too much to offer to this forum to waste it on a silly dispute that offended some sense of honour you have. When in reality its nothing more than words and letters on a computer screen.

Please


Pretty please


Pretty please with bells on and a ribbon tied round it.

_________________
No no and no

Niki

I have apologized on many many occasions for saying something that might have been construed as offensive. I have never used personal insults, or ever personal disrespect towards anyone at anytime. I don't care at all when someone disagrees with my opinion, although I will respectfully attempt to validate it.

I have no issue at all with Jim's opinions, his like or dislikes. I do, on the other hand take issue with being personally insulted and berated. His disrespect was directed at me personally, and not at my opinions.

Elitist Snob
Blithering Time Trying To Understand
Narrow Minded
Pathetic Shallow Life
Anally Retentive

These are his attacks...I never used a single disparaging word. I ask him to apologize for his personal attack on me...not my opinions.

"I'm sorry Noodles for insulting you personally, weather or not we agree on a subject does not give me the right to disrespect you personally the way that I did" SOMETHING LIKE THIS

i DID NOT DESERVE HIS ABUSE IN ANY WAY WHATSOEVER!

Thanks Niki

Niki

I'm going to give this a whirl....

Jim

First I am actually sorry that you are having a problem with your MIJ, I really do love all guitars, and I hate hearing when one is having a problem. I hope that your problem is easily resolved.

That being said...I would like to introduce myself to you...I am not an "Elitist Snob" by any means. I am a hard working guy in the Concrete Redi-MIx industry, drive a Ford PU truck and save all my hard earned pennies to hope to buy more guitars. I do not have a "Blithering Time Trying To Understand" anything. I have a college education, speak several languages, and have been involved in the music industry for most of my life. I am not at all "Narrow Minded" but exactly the opposite. Very open minded, and extremely liberal. I do not lead a "Pathetic Shallow Life" in any way. I am married to the same wonderful woman for 35 years, we have 2 terrific children, a great home in So Florida, a dog, a cat and a great guitar collection. "Anally Retentive"? I will support my opinions, as I would expect you to do as well.

If anything I said to you during our original discussion was offensive, I apologize for this.

Please reply at your convenience

Noodles

Hey Nick,
I agree and as I said before, I'm done with him. I'm not going to let him suck me back in to it again...just not worth it.

Thanks,
Jim

[quote="lomitus]"Hey Nick,I agree and as I said before, I'm done with him. I'm not going to let him suck me back in to it again...just not worth it.Thanks,Jim[/quote]

Niki

I made my best legitimate, honest effort. If someones disagrees with what I have to say, that is their right, but I will not take the personal insults, and disrespectful personal attacks that have nothing to do with our discussion.

If Jim does not make the same apology, like a man, he will be very mistaken if he thinks that he is "done with me". I am sorry that you have become somewhat of a mediator in this, but again, an apology for the personal attack is all I request.

Thanks
Jeff

But is the MIJ still shrieking and wailing like a banshee?

_________________
"Life is like eating jalapenos. What you do today may burn your arse tomorrow"

You guys really need to take the whole personal disagreement / feelings hurt portion of this discussion offline. Captain Obvious has spoken.

_________________
Director at Fender. Guitarist & guitar collector. All views/opinions expressed here are my own and not Fender’s.

Follow me on Instagram:
@brad_on_guitar

And on Facebook:
facebook.com/bradonguitar

Sounds like a killer mod to me. I like microphonic pickups, you can mix them squeals into your playing sometimes and it sounds great. If you could harness it into a circuit and have a switch marked overload on the guitar to operate it, I'd buy it.

_________________
No no and no