JTV69 Vibrato bar microphonic

[Cerrucho]

I'm getting microphonic noise anytime I simply touch the vibrato arm. Of course it's very loud when using high gain sounds, but it's also nearly unusable with clean sounds, as using compression accentuates the noise. Anyone else having issues with this? Is this normal? I realize that it's only when using the models, due to the piezo pickups hearing anything connected to the bridge. 

 

It's curious that I can't find any other threads about this. Anyone found a solution? I'm thinking about a tube of foam that could fit tightly over the business end of the bar.

 

Thanks!

 

 

[amsdenj]

I'd certainly expect the piezo pickups to pickup lots of things with really high gain settings. But I haven't noticed anything unusual with clean or mid-gain settings. I'd suggest making sure there's no rocking in the tremolo arm by tightening the set screw. This should limit the noise introduced by the bar. Then use a noise gate to take care of the rest.

[Rewolf48]

Mine will make a noise if you knock or tap it with a very high gain patch, but nothing significant - touching the strings in a similar way is much louder

[psarkissian]

Is the trem bar screwed down snuggly? A loose trem bar can rattle and be noisy.

Those trem bars are internally threaded, screwing them down minimizes this.

 

[HonestOpinion]

Do you have a tube amp?  If so it is possible one of your tubes has become microphonic and it is just particularly obvious at high gain with the whammy bar.  You can always test the tubes by tapping them lightly with a pencil.