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Alan0354

Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2011
Messages
14
Thanks Beej. I am a retired engineer and I just play with the noise cancelling circuits. I actually designed both of the circuits on my own without any reference to all these. The Fender design don't work for the tone pot unless you change the tone circuit because the original hook up will change the output of the pup and the noise come back when you turn the tone pot down.

The EB circuit work very well and I was so disappointed when I did the patent search and saw that. I just want to find out what other methods are out there. I think the dummy coil is the best way and I don't think any passive circuit can avoid change the tone of the single coil.
 

beej

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Aug 16, 2004
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Alan- looks like some of the earlier comments and my replies were accidentally hidden, s'all good now.

Very cool. I'm also quite interested in this topic, I've played around with different approaches over the years (and wished I had more time to do it now). As useful as I find the Silent Circuit, the one disadvantage of it (of any dummy coil) is that the noise level is dependant on the physical location and geometry of the coil. To be effective, it has to be close to the pickup in use. Often this is physically difficult to do (given limited cavity space) and then you lose some of the noise-cancelling effect when you switch to another pickup. Even more so if you have pickups that are very different from one another (e.g. a weak single coil in the bridge and strong P90 in the neck).

I've always thought it would be handy to have several such coils close to each pickup (like the bottom half of a noiseless stack, if it were not wired to the top stack), each independently fed to to the buffer and engaged along with pickup selection, for maximum cancellation. Something between the EMG and EBMM approach.
 

Alan0354

Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2011
Messages
14
Thanks Beej, I don't know why a few of your replies are hidden until now. Thanks for the information.
 

digitalpig

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 24, 2009
Messages
65
Location
Berlin, Germany
Hey guys,

I have a Silhouette Special Ebony LE incoming. :) I just discovered that it will have the silent circuit then and I was wondering how long the silent circuit will work with a full 9V battery? Does the curcuit draw current when there's no cable plugged in? I don't think so, but can anyone confirm this?

Thanks!
 

beej

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Aug 16, 2004
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Not sure exactly, but a long time. The draw is minimal.

The output jack acts as a power switch. When there's no cable in there the battery will be disconnected.
 

beej

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Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Messages
12,423
Location
Toronto, Canada
Hi Alan, no it's a small coil + preamp in a really small package.

Here are a few shots of it:

_c850639_image_0.JPG

100_0909.jpg


If you're interested, somebody's actually selling a set of MM90 (P90 inspired) pickups + Silent Circuit in the "For Sale" thread. Good way for you to get one and play with it.
 
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