Strat Pickup Mounting: Springs or Surgical Tubing?

[sabby]

Who has an opinion on this question: Is there a sonic difference between mounting pickups to a Strat pickguard with springs versus surgical tubing? If so, what? Explain your preference please.

[Kyle Ashley]

common sense seems to dictate that the tubing will dampen more resonances between the guard and pickups than the metal springs would.

[ScottB]

Kimock told me a story about his Explorer:

He had some pretty substantial work done, I'm remembering that it was a fretboard replacement - but I could be wrong, because the guitar had basically become unplayable.

When he got it back he was playing it at a gig, it was somewhere around 80% of where it had been before and he was really bummed. It just wouldn't respond with the same kind of life and resonance as before.

At a set break, he went inside and lo and behold, the pickups were mounted with tubing. He happened to have some springs in his bag of tricks so he replaced them and, bang, the guitar was right back where he remembered.

Of course he told me this right after seeing the back of my pickguard and going; ewwww you use tubing.....? Doh!

Maybe he will jump in and clarify/elaborate.

[TunaNugget]

Latex will break down.

[Polynitro]

I dont play Strats but...I use springs on the bridge and tubing on the neck pickup of Teles. I doubt it affects tone in any way. Tubing will fall apart eventually. After 10-40 years lol

[sabby]

Interesting stuff. I know we're at the level of subtlety here, but I prefer springs for mechanical reasons and wondered if I was missing out in any way. I was thinking that the tubing, being stiffer, might more efficiently transfer vibrations to from the pickguard. It seems my guess was contrary to common thinking.

Any one else with any experience?

[burningyen]

Latex will break down.
Yep, after a while it gets stiff and then disintegrates. Flexible PVC might work better. Never tried it, though.

[zul]

Eric Johnson prefers wood risers.

[Tone-Control]

Eric Johnson prefers wood risers.


:roll:roll

about what I was thinking

[superrock]

i heard eric uses laser-excited neon gas cushions which respond to his licks telepathically and constantly adjust for desired tones.

[Baxtercat]

Can it really be worth the worry. Gotta ask yourself if you can sound better than Ed King, Yngwie, Blackmore, etc. They probably had latex in their Strats. [Ooo, maybe it was pre-CBS latex!]

[stormin1155]

One of the things I enjoy about guitar forums like this is learning about all things that affect tone in a guitar. I am constantly amazed at how keen some folks hearing is to be able to hear some of this stuff. Springs vs. latex... Wow! Who would have thought???

[pete692]

Interesting stuff. I know we're at the level of subtlety here, but I prefer springs for mechanical reasons and wondered if I was missing out in any way. I was thinking that the tubing, being stiffer, might more efficiently transfer vibrations to from the pickguard. It seems my guess was contrary to common thinking.

Any one else with any experience?
It's not at all as subtle as you think. The tubing actually absorbs vibrations, and you'll notice it right away. This ain't corksniffer shit, it's real and it's duplicatable.

[ScottB]

I found an old thread where Kimock relates the story I paraphrased above.

I had most of it right...

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?t=503666