Author Topic: Now I know why they are called Mules (Read 4961 times)

simonp · « **on:** October 20, 2006, 07:32:36 PM »

It's coz they really kick :twisted:

I finally got round to some proper messing with the height, and amp settings and being able to play loud (as the neighbours and wife are out!).

Oh, boy these sound good, exactly what I was after, I can really get top end bite without loads of distortion. There is such a HUGE difference when picking a string hard over the stock pickups, now you get a real scream, especially if I angle the pick a bit.

I now know what Tim means about the unpotted pickups sounding on the edge, the top end always sounds like it is about to go over the edge in to feedbak, but doesn't quite unless you use lots of gain. Even then the pickups don't squeal by themselves (microphonically) it is only when you let go of the strings.

The neck pickup is the most stunning as it has some real top end attack as well as being so sweet.

Only one negative thing, there is now lots of hum being picked up by the guitar, but I guess it's a small price to pay for such a huge sound improvement.

Bird · « **Reply #1 on:** October 20, 2006, 08:00:48 PM »

I don't think there should be that much hum. Might want to check things over. 8)

Elliot · « **Reply #2 on:** October 20, 2006, 10:57:42 PM »

It sounds like the wiring or the soldering is picking up the noise not the pickup - as Bird says - you need to check the joints because Mules should give you hum free pleasure.

simonp · « **Reply #3 on:** October 20, 2006, 11:44:59 PM »

The wiring and soldering are fine (I am an electronics engineer, so my soldering should be OK

), I do have suspicians over the shielding and earthing of the guitar though as I have noticed for a while that there is hum when I let go of the strings, but there is now hum even when I touch them, though less than without touching them.
Thinking about it though, is the bridge earthed on a Les Paul? if so where?

simonp · « **Reply #4 on:** October 21, 2006, 12:30:09 PM »

I have checked the guitar, and all the metalwork (including the strings) has a gooc connection to the shield of the guitar socket, and the socket on the amp is connected to 0V inside, and the cable is OK, so I can only assume it is the pickups. I did notice though that 0V in the amp is not connected to earth, but this seems to be by design, so I suppose a bit of pickup is inevitable.

Tim · « **Reply #5 on:** October 21, 2006, 08:06:36 PM »

If the hum continues when you're not touching the strings or any metal part of the guitar then your earth has become disconnected in the guitar.The earth wire usually goes to the bridge stop tail pins on a LP........use a continuity test to check.

fps_dean · « **Reply #6 on:** October 21, 2006, 08:13:59 PM »

Were they named the Mules for the kick or because they do all the work for you ;)

sgmypod · « **Reply #7 on:** October 21, 2006, 09:00:35 PM »

A continuity test?

simonp · « **Reply #8 on:** October 22, 2006, 12:12:43 AM »

Quote from: Tim

If the hum continues when you're not touching the strings or any metal part of the guitar then your earth has become disconnected in the guitar.The earth wire usually goes to the bridge stop tail pins on a LP........use a continuity test to check.

I tested the continuity already, and the bridge, strings etc have a good connection to the "earth" of the jack socket. Also pickup body has a good connection.
The hum gets much worse when I don't touch any metal part of the guitar. It did it with the old pickups, just not quite so much.

My amp has a 10K resistor and a small bypass capacitor between the 0V rail and the actual chassis and earth so an elemat of voltage lift is going to happen.

To clarify here, with the amp clean there is little hum, it is only on the gain channel where there will always be some.

Unfortunately my amp has now decided to blow the fuse on the HT for the valves when I put in my spare (unused but about 5 years old) set as one of the existing ones had gone microphonic. Just when I was getting some real nice sounds

NOow I need to get some more fuses and El34s, MORE money

simonp · « **Reply #9 on:** October 22, 2006, 12:14:51 AM »

Quote from: sgmypod

A continuity test?

Checking that there is a connection or circuit between things, like testing a cable to see if there is a break or not. Usually done using a multimeter.

lulusg · « **Reply #10 on:** October 22, 2006, 01:31:31 PM »

Have you tried your guitar in another amp?, perhaps at a music store?. Good luck S

sgmypod · « **Reply #11 on:** October 23, 2006, 04:44:41 PM »

Ta understand now, was a blonde day

simonp · « **Reply #12 on:** October 23, 2006, 11:57:42 PM »

My amp is working again, and I still get the hum. I have checked all the continuity and all is correct. The spare room does have a lot of fairly big transformers running (amps, lighting etc) so I think it is a noisy environment, plus the guitar amp transformer has become a touch rattly as soem of the laminations have got loose with time, and so this may be contributing.

Anyway, back to the main point, having had more of a play with these Mules I'm even more impressed, they are just so alive! I know what Tim means about the "on the edge" sound of the unpotted pickups, the upper mids alays sound on the verge of feeding back, but not quite. If anyone has the 3 volume live Fleetwood Mac CDs the edgey sound that Peter Green has on stuff like Jumpin at Shadows is the sort of thing. I can't wait to crank the amp up in the studio on Sunday, it is a shame I only have 1 lead left to record and some rhythm bits, I'd like to re-record all my solos with these on, but we don't have the money or time!

Bird · « **Reply #13 on:** October 24, 2006, 12:01:52 AM »

Ya gotta let me know how it goes in the studio :twisted: Planning on a pair of Mules for my yamaha sg, just haven't decided on potted or unpotted.

simonp · « **Reply #14 on:** October 24, 2006, 12:30:24 AM »

From my limited studio experience, it seems hard to capture the edginess of a live solo, so I'm hoping the Mules will add some life to things.