DiMarzio Forum

DimarzioForum.Com => The Pickup Place => Topic started by: BluesJam on October 31, 2021, 04:54:52 AM

Title: Does Decking a Tremolo Effect Signal to Noise Ratio of Pickups?
Post by: BluesJam on October 31, 2021, 04:54:52 AM
I read an advertisement on the Roxy Pink PRS that stated “ Keeping the bridge in contact with the body amplifies the guitar acoustically, which improves the signal-to-noise ratio of the Silver Sky's pickups.”

This is an interesting concept.  Has anyone experienced this with DiMarzio pickups? 
Title: Re: Does Decking a Tremolo Effect Signal to Noise Ratio of Pickups?
Post by: DavidSchwab on October 31, 2021, 10:45:41 AM
I’d say that’s a bunch of nonsense.


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Title: Re: Does Decking a Tremolo Effect Signal to Noise Ratio of Pickups?
Post by: BluesJam on October 31, 2021, 01:22:25 PM
Attached is the original posting.  I’m not sure how you can test that.  https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SlvSkyRPink--prs-silver-sky-electric-guitar-roxy-pink-with-rosewood-fingerboard?mrkgadid=3344196793&mrkgcl=28&mrkgen=gpla&mrkgbflag=0&mrkgcat=bass&acctid=21700000001645388&dskeywordid=92700058100046509&lid=92700058100046509&ds_s_kwgid=58700006436060623&ds_s_inventory_feed_id=97700000007215323&dsproductgroupid=781937105198&product_id=SlvSkyRPink&prodctry=US&prodlang=en&channel=online&storeid=&device=m&network=g&matchtype=&adpos=largenumber&locationid=9002051&creative=473938416863&targetid=pla-781937105198&campaignid=11408090129&awsearchcpc=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIr-yOrZT18wIVC_rICh2kOAOnEAQYASABEgJC1fD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
Title: Re: Does Decking a Tremolo Effect Signal to Noise Ratio of Pickups?
Post by: darkbluemurder on November 01, 2021, 04:10:42 AM
Having the bridge in contact with the body wood improves the resonance of the unamplified sound. Since it does not (or only slightly so) change the way the string vibrates it makes little difference in the amplified sound (at least to my ears).

Pickups themselves do not have a signal-to-noise ratio. They amplify the string movement they sense. More output could mean that you can keep the gain control of your amp lower, thereby reducing noise but that's it.

Cheers Stephan
Title: Re: Does Decking a Tremolo Effect Signal to Noise Ratio of Pickups?
Post by: BluesJam on November 01, 2021, 04:42:10 AM
A single coil pickup has 50/60 cycle hum depending where you live in the world.  You can argue shielding improves signal to noise ratio, as does a hum eliminator or rs/rp pickups or stacked dummy coils.    From my experience, I never never noticed this phenomenon that decking a bridge gives better signal to noise ratio. 

Thanks Stephan & David
Title: Re: Does Decking a Tremolo Effect Signal to Noise Ratio of Pickups?
Post by: pn8830 on November 01, 2021, 10:11:18 AM
Even if there is a difference the make of the pickups would not matter. That would probably affect the sustain but as far as SNR goes, I doubt there is a noticeable difference.
Title: Re: Does Decking a Tremolo Effect Signal to Noise Ratio of Pickups?
Post by: 5150 on November 01, 2021, 05:59:50 PM
I can see it affecting sustain but signal to noise ratio? Any physics experts here explain how that works?
Title: Re: Does Decking a Tremolo Effect Signal to Noise Ratio of Pickups?
Post by: HeyNorton! on November 04, 2021, 07:44:14 PM
Signal to noise ratio is an electrical thing.

The bridge decking is a mechanical thing.

The only thing a bridge can effect is the ground when you touch the strings.  The bridge touching the wood body has no effect on this.

Also, 50/60hz is not the same as the single coil noise used as the noise floor for s/n ratio.

What's next? 

"The unique way we attach the neck to the body improves the signal to noise ratio......" lol
Title: Re: Does Decking a Tremolo Effect Signal to Noise Ratio of Pickups?
Post by: DavidSchwab on November 06, 2021, 03:49:04 AM
I can see it affecting sustain but signal to noise ratio? Any physics experts here explain how that works?
It won’t even affect sustain. The body doesn’t generate sustain. There’s this big myth that you need to transfer vibrations from the strings to the body and neck. But that’s the opposite of what you want for sustain. You can want the energy from the moving string to stay in the string. The body and neck will remove that energy and the string will stop vibrating. This is conservation of energy.

A solid body has more sustain than an acoustic guitar because the mass of the body means it has a high mechanical impedance. It’s hard for the strings to vibrate the body. So you don’t get much acoustic output but you get long sustain.

Now look at a banjo. Almost all the energy of the string is used to vibrate the head. You get a loud acoustic output and almost zero sustain. 

On a trem, the springs will rob some energy. This is probably why Fender put 5 springs on the trem originally.


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