Jazzmaster Fender WRHB microphonic?

[Arthon]

Hi,

I just get installed a new Fender WRHB for Jazzmaster in my JM. I am not super pleased with the sound; but m’y major concern is the pickup being noisy and microphonic. Do I got a bad pickup or being microphonic is part of the nature of the beast?

PS : I have used the OSG’s search function and didnt get a clear answer.

[Professor Bill]

I have a set of the CuNiFe WRHBs in a CS Tele Thinline and I was a bit suprised that they have as much hum as they do. Mine aren't microphonic, or at least not to a degree that I've noticed. I guess that's just part of it? I've come across other humbuckers that hum, some more or less than others. My house is fairly noisy, interference-wise, so I'd be curious to try them somewhere else.

[epizootics]

Hi,

I just get installed a new Fender WRHB for Jazzmaster in my JM. I am not super pleased with the sound; but m’y major concern is the pickup being noisy and microphonic. Do I got a bad pickup or being microphonic is part of the nature of the beast?

PS : I have used the OSG’s search function and didnt get a clear answer.

Sounds like something went wrong in the potting process somewhere. Just have it re-potted by a pickup winder you trust. Or do it yourself - get a cheap wax heater, mix 1/3 beeswax and 2/3 paraffin in it, leave the pickup in it for ten minutes at 140 - 150°F (make sure to monitor the temperatures so it doesn't get too hot and melt the bobbins!), take it out, wipe the excess wax off, no more microphonics for about $30 overall.

[Arthon]

Hi,

I just get installed a new Fender WRHB for Jazzmaster in my JM. I am not super pleased with the sound; but m’y major concern is the pickup being noisy and microphonic. Do I got a bad pickup or being microphonic is part of the nature of the beast?

PS : I have used the OSG’s search function and didnt get a clear answer.

Hi,

I just get installed a new Fender WRHB for Jazzmaster in my JM. I am not super pleased with the sound; but m’y major concern is the pickup being noisy and microphonic. Do I got a bad pickup or being microphonic is part of the nature of the beast?

PS : I have used the OSG’s search function and didnt get a clear answer.

Sounds like something went wrong in the potting process somewhere. Just have it re-potted by a pickup winder you trust. Or do it yourself - get a cheap wax heater, mix 1/3 beeswax and 2/3 paraffin in it, leave the pickup in it for ten minutes at 140 - 150°F (make sure to monitor the temperatures so it doesn't get too hot and melt the bobbins!), take it out, wipe the excess wax off, no more microphonics for about $30 overall.

Thanks for the tip. It’s my option #2. My luthier can do it. My option #1 is getting a replacement with the shop. The pickup is warranty 1 year for default.

Thats one of the reason I want to know if microphonic is normal. I wont get a replacement if the WRHB behave normally.

[CorporateDisguise]

Were the OG WRHBs potted? Or were they just lacquer dipped like the single coils? I suppose the cover makes them more likely to be wax potted.

I know my Novak JMWRHBs are potted. They aren’t the quietest humbuckers, but mine certainly aren’t microphonic. All my vintage style Firebird pickups certainly are though.

[alexpigment]

I know my Novak JMWRHBs are potted. They aren’t the quietest humbuckers, but mine certainly aren’t microphonic.

I agree with this assessment. The Novaks were not particularly quiet. I don’t know if this is related to an uneven winding pattern on the coils or some function of the design.

Also, all the reissue (non-Cunife) WRHBs I have dealt with have a thick band of waxy material wrapped around the coil. I think this was just done to take up space to fill out the cover, since they were just regular humbuckers inside.

For the OP, I would probably just send the pickup back if you don’t like the sound. Getting it potted will only help the microphonic aspect; you’re still stuck with the hum and the tone.

[Arthon]

Hi.

I got a refund for the pickup. I think I will install a normal HB that fit in a Jazzmaster instead.

Thank you all

[timtam]

Were the OG WRHBs potted? Or were they just lacquer dipped like the single coils? I suppose the cover makes them more likely to be wax potted.

I know my Novak JMWRHBs are potted. They aren’t the quietest humbuckers, but mine certainly aren’t microphonic. All my vintage style Firebird pickups certainly are though.

I don't recall the original 1970s CuNiFe WRHBs being wax potted (I completely dissassembled/reassembled mine decades ago, when they could be bought cheaply). The Fender "reissue" WRHBs they sold for some subsequent decades were of course actually just regular bar magnet HBs under the big cover - they used wax to fill the space between the regular-HB-sized bobbins and the cover. I am not sure if the coils themselves were potted - possibly. The space-filling wax could be easily pulled off, so it's possible it was applied in a different process to how coils would be potted.

The more recent CuNife WRHB re-releases make no mention of wax potting (consistent with the originals ?), whereas some of Fender's other new "WRHB" form factors do say they are potted (eg jazzmaster-style).

[CorporateDisguise]

Were the OG WRHBs potted? Or were they just lacquer dipped like the single coils? I suppose the cover makes them more likely to be wax potted.

I know my Novak JMWRHBs are potted. They aren’t the quietest humbuckers, but mine certainly aren’t microphonic. All my vintage style Firebird pickups certainly are though.

I don't recall the original 1970s CuNiFe WRHBs being wax potted (I completely dissassembled/reassembled mine decades ago, when they could be bought cheaply). The Fender "reissue" WRHBs they sold for some subsequent decades were of course actually just regular bar magnet HBs under the big cover - they used wax to fill the space between the regular-HB-sized bobbins and the cover. I am not sure if the coils themselves were potted - possibly. The space-filling wax could be easily pulled off, so it's possible it was applied in a different process to how coils would be potted.

The more recent CuNife WRHB re-releases make no mention of wax potting (consistent with the originals ?), whereas some of Fender's other new "WRHB" form factors do say they are potted (eg jazzmaster-style).

Interesting. Thanks for the reply!

I think any pickup in a metal cover that isn’t potted is going to more prone to being microphonic. To me, a pickup being microphonic isn’t really a deal beaker, it more depends on the level. If it squeals when gain is applied, that’s a problem. A slightly microphonic pickup will pickup your voice if you speak into it. I’ve always liked this, as the pickup is sensing more than just the vibration of the strings. This was really obvious to me when I put Firebird pickups in Riviera. They are the same set I have in my firebird. In the Riviera they have a looser bass, that has almost a slightly reverberant quality to them, whereas in the Firebird, the bass is much tighter.