Microphoning

Also, it isn't speaker related, since I can hear the microphonation over my headphones. My amp has a non-emulated headphone jack, so when I turn my master volume down totally, the speaker gives off no sound, but the headphones still have sound. And even then the microphonation is hearable.
Also, I have tryed turning my master volume almost all the way down, and turning my channel volumes up a bit more: no effect. Lowering my channel volumes, and raising my master volume: also, no effect.
I'm really baffled. I asked a few people, and they were in the same state. Maybe I should just try shielding and replacing the switch. Not very complicated and expensive, so if it doesn't work, at least I didn't lose much. Although, ultimatelly, I think it all comes down to just getting a better guitar. This one is falling apart, as it is. The fretwire is so used, that I'd have to change it, and I'm not sure that's a good idea, considering the condition of the guitar. Also, the wood where the strap buttons were is so worn out that they don't stay in place, so I can't play standing up. I've had to modify my strat-like termolo bridge, with new saddles, since the old ones were rusty and worn out. Putting on a new bridge is out of the question, since it has been installed in such a way, that only an exact replica would do, and the ones that you can buy aren't compatible (different screw configuration).

Well, I'm fresh out of ideas.

I don't see how having multiple pickups engaged by the switch could be the problem. I play with combined pickups all the time.

if treble and presence doesn't have ANY affect on the microphoning, then they must be really low frequency noises... if you're genuinely interested in this, you can buy a good guitar wiring and electronics book. i think stewmac has a few. If you read those, then you'll understand why people here are saying its not the switches, pots, shielding, etc.

I like to use a metal pic (its a cymbolic that i filed and sandpapered down) for some styles, and i get terrible noises.. If i play unplugged for a while its difficult to play plugged in for a while until my body retrains.. it gets worse with gain, of course, but its still there for clean.

Try this: get an experienced guitar player (say, a person at your local shop) to give it a try and ask their opinion.

finally, while i never experienced this problem so i can't say how bad it can get, you may just have really shitty pickups. If thats the case, shielding, wiring tricks, etc will have absolutely no effect.. the only thing i can think of would be to either control the tone (i.e., presence, treble on guitar)... oh, theres something I read once. apparently, some people dip their pickups in wax (my strat's pickups are like this) to stop the wires from vibrating which can cause microphoing.. remove the top plate of course first. Don't quote me on that, though, that may have been something different

Jim

Jim's suggestion to get an experienced electric player to try it is very good advice.

Assuming there really is a problem:

Microphonics would rarely if ever be caused by shielding or lack of it, switches, pots and other passives. It is usually associated with or caused by loose pup windings or loose metallic parts directly in the magnetic field of a pup. A loosely mounted pup could suffer worse microphonics than a properly mounted pup. (Are your pups mounted securely?)

Use a (non-metallic) pick to tap on the pickups directly while plugged into the amp. Now tap on the body, bridge and other parts with the pick moving nearer and further from the pups. Where are the microphonics the loudest? That's your clue. Let us know.

while playing my guitar tonight i paid special attention... i can really tap on my strings lightly and get some noise, tap on my pickups lightly and get some noise.. actually, a lot of noise. i have just learned to cope with it and work around it over the years. My guitar isn't the nicest one on the block, Strat Squire JV 82, but its not terrible. Get an expert to play, maybe your guitar is just fine

good answers. my pickups ,if tapped, amplify that tapping. some microphonics is normal.
I now have no idea how to help you.
keep us posted.

Well, in theory EMG's don't have loose wires. They're vacumed and sealed shut, no way to open them, so I can't wax them. Nothing can move in them. As for crappy pickups, these aren't them. They have a built in preamp and internal shielding, so all interference and feedback should be eliminated. That's what's so special about them. Since I have the same problem on all pickups, it shouldn't be pickup related, right? Because one of them has been exchanged. I've heard from a friend that his could be bridge related. Could it be the bridge?
And also, I've tryed the taping trick, and I could hear the taping everywhere. The amp would microphone everything. I taped the pickups (they gave of the taping even when they were unselected), i taped the bridge, I taped the wood, I taped the pots, I taped the switch, I taped the neck, the fretboard, the headstock and everything microphoned the taping. I even taped the jack socket ring, and the cable in my guitar, and they microphoned it. But the headstock seemed the loadest, don't know why though. Of course the wood was the loudest, since it's acoustic, but still the neckpart seemed a bit louder.
It isn't a grounding problem, I'm sure of that. The EMG isn't grounded, because it's not supposed to be grounded. It says strictly in the manual not to ground it, since it could cause shock hazards and microphone interference, I think.
Really strange. I would blame it on the electronics, if thex hadn't been exchanged for better. The only old part is the switch, but that isn't the problem.

Dogbite, do you mean coil tapped or tapped by a pick?