Installing SDS-1's

[BlacknGold]

This was discussed sometime ago but I can't remember how it was resolved.

SDS-1's sound great but can be rather noisy. What can be done to minimize this problem?

[Bengal65]

Are you putting them in a top routed or rear routed guitar? There are several things you can do. Shield the pickup cavity with a metallic material. It can be sticky back aluminum, copper, brass or conductive paint (available from StewMac). For rear routed guitars I use the shielding paint since it's black in color and not obviously visable. Make sure the shielding is grounded all the way to the volume pot either by connecting the material to itself (use a small drop of solder, can't trust the "sticky back" tape to ground to itself) or a ground wire and a small sheet metal screw (no. 4 or 6 X 3/8"). That works for me.
Dan Erlewine has another method of actually sheilding the windings on a single coil pickup. I believe it's on the Stew Mac site under "Free information"

[jefnel1]

The best thing you can do to quiet the SDS1's is to learn to manage the noise. I've gone the shielding route and it does help, but you're better off using the volume control to tame them. SDS1's are naturally noisy, and it's part of their natural sound.

If you want to try the shielding route, use copper. I've had the best luck with the copper tape Stewmac sells. Be sure all the pieces intersect to form one continuous ground. You can also use a center point on the tape to ground your pots, switch, pickups, etc. to one location.

Some people might recommend "potting" the pickups in wax to keep them quiet. In my experience, this muds up the sound of SDS1's big time.

Good luck and enjoy the SDS1's! Their Jake's favorite, and mine as well.

[BlacknGold]

StewMac is a great site. Thanks to you both. The SDS-1's will be going into my ESP Jake.

[Rainbow]

Any time you use conductive paint as a screen make sure you use a hot hair dryer after applying it. This lowers the resistance by a signifcant margin and makes it more effective compared with letting it dry naturally.

[skezza]

heres one you might not have done. Make sure they are earthed to a pot. You will get loadsa hum if each metal component on the interior of the guitar isnt earthed