SA2200 Pickups - bridge pickup farty/spitty

[the_guitarboy]

I have the stock pickups in my SA2200, the neck sounds great but the bridge pickup on the low E sounds SUPER farty/spitty when hit hard. Even on a clean amp it has this farty sound too it which really makes it sound bad.

I've tried lowering the pole piece and it helped a bit, i can lower it some more i guess.

Anyone else have this issue?

 

[the_guitarboy]

I can dial out this harshness if i lower the bass side of the pickup height, but at the point where it dials out that harshness now the balance is off. If i lower it evenly the volume output is too low compared to the neck pickup.

Any suggestions for a pickup change?

 

[BEACHBUM]

Has it been this way since new or did it occur later? Does it happen in both single and humbucker coil tap modes? Your pups should be +- 1/8" from the bottom of the strings. For some reason my SA 2200 came with the pole screws adjusted to follow the neck profile. It's the only humbucker guitar I've ever had that came out of the box that way. I suspect yours came the same way. It's probably a good thing but I wonder why Yamaha felt the need to do it unless it's got something to do with the pick up design. Try this. Lower all of the bridge pick up pole screws flush with the pick up cover. Then adjust the pick up height to a starting point of 1/8" or until the farty sound is eliminated then patiently adjust the other pole screws to regain balance. The SA 2200 comes with great stock pups. Hate to see you spend the money on another only to find out that it was just a matter of adjustment.

If all of that fails check you string height and neck adjustment. If you are smacking that E string ultra hard it may just be bottoming out. I don't know how extreme your attack is but if you dig in hard enough you can make almost any electric guitar fart.

 

[the_guitarboy]

Has it been this way since new or did it occur later? Does it happen in both single and humbucker coil tap modes? Your pups should be +- 1/8" from the bottom of the strings. For some reason my SA 2200 came with the pole screws adjusted to follow the neck profile. It's the only humbucker guitar I've ever had that came out of the box that way. I suspect yours came the same way. It's probably a good thing but I wonder why Yamaha felt the need to do it unless it's got something to do with the pick up design. Try this. Once you've adjusted the pup to a starting point of 1/8" or until the farty sound is eliminated then patiently adjust the other pole screws to regain balance. The SA 2200 comes with great stock pups. Hate to see you spend the money on another only to find out that it was just a matter of adjustment.

I bought it used, and it has been this way since i got it. I will mess around with the height/pole pieces some more.
My poles pieces also follow the neck profile.

EDIT: I just called my tech and he said try a string change, and if that doesn't work he's gonna check it out, maybe a coil is loosening

 

[BEACHBUM]

Your tech sounds like a very experienced and smart guy. I can't tell you how many times I've messed with my set up thinking it's gone out of wack only to find I've waited far to long and am well overdue for a string change..

 

[BEACHBUM]

Oh, by the way. Great choice of guitars. I consider mine to be one of the best in the stable.

 

[the_guitarboy]

Oh, by the way. Great choice of guitars. I consider mine to be one of the best in the stable.

Same with mine! I've been wanting a 335 style since got rid of my old Epiphone Dot. This SA2200 just popped out of no where and said "buy me" and I'm sure glad i did.