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Post subject: Do pickups 'die"? If so, how can u tell?
Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2014 4:49 am
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I am about to spend just over $1000 (Australian $) on a 2005 American Standard Tele and just read about a guy whose pickups "died"! Now, call me strange but, how does an electronic part "die"?? The only thing I can think of is that magnets are used in a pickup's construction and that over time they may lose magnetism or somehow get put near another magnet or something? But, I really have no idea!
Can anyone out there explain if and how pickups do actually die? Is there a way you can tell they are on their way out? I don't want to buy this 2005 tele and find out the pickups are dead!
CheeRS!
:-D

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Post subject: Re: Do pickups 'die"? If so, how can u tell?
Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2014 6:04 am
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Guitars from the fifties are still played with original pickups...

Magnets can become demagnetized, but that's extremely rare - never happened to any of my guitars during those ohheckhasitbeenthatmany years I've played.
Way more common cause for a pickup dying is that the wire breaks somewhere in the coil - usually when someone mishandles it during "modding".

For a 2005 AmStandard, IMHO dead pickups are not something to worry about.


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Post subject: Re: Do pickups 'die"? If so, how can u tell?
Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2014 6:22 am
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That's really good to know mate. Cheers! From the pictures the seller has sent me and from what he's told me this Tele has spent the last 3 or so years locked in it's case. Before that even, it was hardly played as well. It's evidently 99% mark/scratch free and comes with all the original tags, allen keys, strap and hard case. Is $1100 (Australian) too much you think? I could buy a brand new 2014 American Special Tele from the USA on ebay for about the same price. Which way would you be inclined to go?
:-)

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Post subject: Re: Do pickups 'die"? If so, how can u tell?
Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2014 12:03 am
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Several years ago I paid $800 (including delivery)for a 2009 am std tele, similar condition and story, from a music store in USA. Absolutely no issues with the pickups. Don't forget that if its a pickup to try out the instrument before you pay. If its a paypal payment before delivery. then paypal inures against false claims by the seller and you are entitled to a refund if faulty. Good luck with the auction.
Regards, Ross


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Post subject: Re: Do pickups 'die"? If so, how can u tell?
Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2014 3:22 am
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Dan999 wrote:
...I could buy a brand new 2014 American Special Tele from the USA on ebay for about the same price. Which way would you be inclined to go?
:-)


Go new. You'll know that it will be in absolutely flawless condition, you'll get the color(s) you want, you'll be the first to play it and above all, it will come with a warranty.

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Post subject: Re: Do pickups 'die"? If so, how can u tell?
Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2014 9:07 pm
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Martian wrote:
Dan999 wrote:
...I could buy a brand new 2014 American Special Tele from the USA on ebay for about the same price. Which way would you be inclined to go?
:-)


Go new. You'll know that it will be in absolutely flawless condition, you'll get the color(s) you want, you'll be the first to play it and above all, it will come with a warranty.


Not bought overseas from eBay, it won't.

With the (perceived or real) quality decline, I would recommend going with the older one.


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Post subject: Re: Do pickups 'die"? If so, how can u tell?
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2014 6:28 pm
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As said the coils are what breaks down with age, very old pickups will get brittle. Lacquer breaks down and so on.

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Post subject: Re: Do pickups 'die"? If so, how can u tell?
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2014 8:53 pm
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Just so you know how my story ended, I bought the 2005 American Standard Tele -and man, I am so happy with it! It was just as was described, totally flawless finish, no marks or scratches that I could see at all plus all of the original paperwork and tags etc...even the un-used "Fender" sticker was still like new! As far as it's feel and sound go they too are brilliant. I play through a 60 watt Vox Valvetronix amplifier and I could get real dirty blues tones to meaty rock and even crystal clear clean tones. Compared to my Strat I would have to say that this Tele feels even nicer to play...and I never thought I'd find a nicer guitar than my Strat!
I would've attached a photo but (I feel stupid admitting this!) I can't work out how to do it for the life of me! There doesn't seem to be any visual prompts that say or sow how you upload a photo (that I can see anyway!)...if anyone can tell me how I'd love to know....Thanks heaps!

Dan.
:-)

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Post subject: Re: Do pickups 'die"? If so, how can u tell?
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2014 11:36 pm
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Pic posting instructions here: Nutter's Quick Start Guide


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Post subject: Re: Do pickups 'die"? If so, how can u tell?
Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2014 12:42 pm
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Congrats, Dan. American Standard Teles are very good guitars.
But, you know, pictures :D


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Post subject: Re: Do pickups 'die"? If so, how can u tell?
Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2014 8:18 am
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Can't explain it, but I do believe it happens on rare occasion. The stock bridge pickup in my Les Paul Classic did. I still don't know why/how. I've owned around 60 guitars (past and present combined), and that was the only time I can remember it. Output just fell through the floor. The damnedest thing. Had my tech (also a longtime friend and former bandmate) look at it, and he couldn't figure it out either. Replaced it with a Seymour Duncan Custom 5, so it was a good excuse to do a mod. (Because generally speaking, I'm not a modder. If I don't like a guitar as-is, I don't buy it in the first place.)


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Post subject: Re: Do pickups 'die"? If so, how can u tell?
Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2014 9:12 am
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For me, never. For you, one pickup in 60 guitars.
Exceptio probat regulam...


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Post subject: Re: Do pickups 'die"? If so, how can u tell?
Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2014 3:57 pm
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If you are a "Modder" I have read that you should be careful with soldering irons around pickups. Apparently you should not use a 300 Watt soldering gun when soldering a wire to a pickup that has broken off. You should use a much less powerful soldering iron.

Supposedly the magnetic field generated by the soldering gun can have a negative affect on the pickup magnates. I must admit to having used a soldering gun to attach a wire to a pickup without ill effect, before I read about this.

Here's another article on the subject from Seymour Duncan:

http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/fa ... s-q-a/125/

Seymour Duncan, Section: "9. Magnets and Magnet Wire," says this:

"Pickups can be demagnetized by soldering guns (the type that have coils) if too close to your pickup when soldering. Leaning a guitar against an amplifier with large transformers can also demagnetize the magnets in your pickup. I worked on Andy Summer’s guitar ( The Police) because he took it on the London train (Underground). Due to the large magnetic fields within the train’s motor, the pickups form his Sunburst Telecaster got demagnetized. When the pickup was re-magnetized, he noticed that it was brighter than originally. I degaussed the pickup to the tone he was looking for. That verified to me that pickups lose their magnetism and a fully magnetized pickup doesn’t always sound great!"

I would think that you would have to have the largest Mercury Transformer available in your amp and would have to set the guitar on the buzzing amp for a really long time to really effect the pickups in a guitar...... But what do I know? I don't work on Andy Summer's Tele.....


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Post subject: Re: Do pickups 'die"? If so, how can u tell?
Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2014 11:31 am
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MickJagger wrote:
I worked on Andy Summer’s guitar ( The Police) because he took it on the London train (Underground). Due to the large magnetic fields within the train’s motor, the pickups form his Sunburst Telecaster got demagnetized.


I call bull on this one. People would not be able to travel with laptops or magnetic media on the tube if that were the case. The poles and other diamagnetic parts might have been had their inherent magnetism changed, but it's not going to be because of the London Tube electric engines.
The earth's magnetic field (which is somewhat high at the latitude of London) would be a stronger source than a motor at several feet distance.


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Post subject: Re: Do pickups 'die"? If so, how can u tell?
Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2014 7:58 am
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Good article from Rickenbacker factory man that did major rehab on Paul's bass: "The original cast bridge was cracked, and the saddle assembly rattled and was sagging. The horseshoe magnets were dead. The coil was fine, but the cobalt magnets -- stone dead." Here's the whole article: http://www.thecanteen.com/arnquist.html
If you go to home there is great series on each of the Beatles guitars. Anyway, wanted to share that, and why should this guy lie about when pickups die?


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