Submarine Pickups are designed to isolate strings, but in some setups you may hear the sound of an adjacent string coming through its neighbour’s channel. This is known as crosstalk and happens when small amounts of vibration are picked up by more than one sensor. With correct setup, it can be minimised.

Check connections first – Make sure all mini jacks and cables are pushed fully into place. If they are not seated correctly, contacts may touch and join two signals together.

Setup and gain – High gain levels make crosstalk more noticeable. Reducing gain or adjusting EQ usually improves separation.

Pickup alignment – Ensure the pickup is centred under the intended strings and positioned correctly for best isolation.

Height adjustment – Using the supplied hex key, move the pickup closer to the strings. This reduces crosstalk. The ideal distance depends on your playing style and setup — go as close as possible without causing string buzz.

Acoustic and semi-acoustic guitars – In these instruments, mechanical coupling (vibrations through the guitar body) can contribute to bleed. Try repositioning the pickup to a more solid part of the top to reduce this effect.

Switches (SubPro) – If crosstalk persists, try moving the SubPro switches back and forth a few times. This ensures the contacts are seated properly and can sometimes improve isolation.

String choice – Very light-gauge strings or unusually strong overtones can increase crosstalk slightly.

SubPro routing – If too many strings are combined on one output, separation may be less distinct. Splitting them across both channels gives better results.

While no system can achieve perfect isolation, Submarine Pickups are engineered to deliver excellent string separation in both live and studio environments.

If you feel the amount of crosstalk is excessive, please contact support with details of your setup.