Hey everyone, Im fairly new so, im sorry if this has already been asked, and I even really feel stupid asking this, but I have a mexican made fender strat thats done me well for a few years but it seems when i put the distortion on and turn the knobs (gain and volume) at ten , then i get an incredible amount of feedback to the point where its just annoying ill have the all the tone and volume knobs for the pickups at 0, and i still get noise, I was thinking I should change the pickups and I was looking at a set of fender vintage noiseless pickups but I wasnt sure if that would do the trick, so, should I get a new amp or change the pickups and how much would it cost just to have the pickups installed if I took the set of pickups to the store , any help would be much apriciated , thanks so much,

C

Before you change the pups, check out the relationship between the guitar and amp.

How far are you from the amp, the closer you are the more chance for feedback. Is everything grounded correctly? Is it a tube amp or solid state?

I would check your guitar with a different amp first and longer cord. Most store will let you try amps with your own guitar.

If it still feedsback, then ask the guitar techs in the store how much it would cost to remedy the problem.

Good luck,

H

"We are what we pretend to be" Kurt Vonnegut, jr.           

"We are what we pretend to be" Kurt Vonnegut, jr.           

If the same thing is happening with two different amps, I would think the guitar is the problem.

Bring the guitar in and have it checked out first before you spend money for a new amp. It might be the pups or the wiring.

"We are what we pretend to be" Kurt Vonnegut, jr.           

For whatever it is worth my experiences with the Fenders that I have (3 American and 1 Mexi) if the pickups are to close to the strings they will give off a sound similar to feedback.                                                            Fenders seem to be very finicky as far as pickup height in relation to the strings.                                                    I would definitely have the guitar looked at by a tech.    Unless the guitar is a Squier Strat the pickups are pretty decent in the mexis I have played.

Liqour drinkin' dope smokin' mother ****in' Bluesman.

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The problem you are experiencing sounds like microphonic PUPS.  When pickups are manufactured they are wrapped with tape to keep the wire intact.  If any air is trapped in between the pickup wire it will cause a "squeal" at high volume and high gain.  This is espicially common with Telecasters.  IF you are happy with the sound of the pups a simple fix is to wax dip them, rather than replace them.  To do this you will need to remove the pups.  Once the pickups are free from the guitar you will need to melt a good supply of parafin wax.  Enough wax to completley cover the pickup.  Once the wax is melted you can dip the picups in the melted wax.  You must watch carefully as the wax seeps into all the nooks and crannys of the pickup air bubbles will rise.  When all the bubbles stop the pickup is now properly waxed.  Remove it from the wax and set it on a paper plate.  Once the pickup is complelely dry they can be reinstalled in the guitar, and your feed back problem should be gone.  If you are planning on attempting this yourself.... You must remove the pickup covers first.  Use an old pot.  The wax can ruin a good soup pan. If this is too much of a job for you to do a competent tech can do this.  This should be less expensive than replacing the PUPs. 

   If you are planning on replacing the PUPS do a very detailed investigation on which pups will work for you.  Much of this will depend on the type of music that you play, and what type of sound you are looking for.  PUPS are very much like guitars.. some people prefer certain brands over others.  Here are some to check out.

Seymore Duncan...... Liny Fralin..... Rio Grande, just to name a few.  Most of the manufaturers have sound clips on there websites giving you an oppurtunity to hear what they sound like before you drop down 100 to 150.00 on pups that you may not like!

  The second "noise" issue you mention is probably 60 cycle hum.  This is common in single coil picups.  There is really nothing that you can do to compleley illiminate it.  Proper shielding in the PUP cavity, as well as proper grounding will keep it managable, but it will never be compleley gone.  It is one of the characteristics of Strats and Teles...... Get used to it!  If you are playing near florecent lights as well as electronic equipment it will be worse.  Try to avoi