Jul 13, 2009 5:21 PM
High Pitched Scream with Volume
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When I turn the volume up on the Spider Jam, usually around 11-12 o'clock, This shrilling high pitched scream comes out of the amp, which sounds a lot like feedback. I don't believe it is feedback, because it's dead quiet, until I reach that point, and then bam. I play with a band, and the amp sounds amazing, but when it comes time to play, I either have to turn it completely down until it's my turn, or I have to deal with this screech in the background thats as loud as we are.
I've messed with the Channel and Master Volume to try and combat this, but no luck. It's when I turn the Master volume that it screams. I have passive pick-ups on a ESP-KH202. COuld it be the guitar? Or is it something with the Amp? I just bought this thing in March I believe, and I'd hate to see it busted already. Any help is needed ASAP. Thanks so much for any replies.
unless your in a very small room it shouldnt be the guitar . your talking about half way on the volume thats not like your cranking it.
Yea I don't think it's the guitar either, and I'm sure it's not feedback, because I used a 10 or 15 foot cable to get as far away as possible and it still screams. Though sometimes if I hold the strings just right, the feedback stops for a half second, but immediately starts screaming again.
have you tryed a diferent guitar cable? could be a bad ground. maybe creating some kind of loop
I noticed that the volume knob on my guitar is a little loose, it still turns right and everything, it's just come loose from the inside body of the guitar. Could that be the problem? The guitar cable I'm using is fairly new.
if what you mean is that the shaft on the volume pot is loose it really shouldnt give you that kind of problem as to cause a feedback situation. . then again im no expert. if you think theres a problem it wouldnt hurt to replace it. just get one of the same value. should say on the back of it. probably 500k like most of the newer guitars. should only take about half an hour to change it out.
as far as the amp goes just try one of the other band members guitars with your amp. use there cable as well if it still makes that sound id return the amp. if it doesnt make the sound then its the guitar or the cable. wouldnt surprise me though if it is the amp. my tech told me to stay away from them. i use vox and fender.
Well I do know thats not the problem now that I think about it, as it still squeels when I flip to the other channel, and use that volume knob.
does it change if you sweep the volume control on the guitar?
Do you mean if I keep the Amp turned up, and turn the guitar volume knob down?
I tried to attach an audio sample of it squeeling as I turn the knob. It squeeled every time I reached about 12 o'clock.
try bringing the amp volume down and the guitar volum up all the way then gradually bring up the amp volume also try this with one pickup or the other. also i couldnt hear the amp test as i have nothing to play that kind of file.
Yea I've tried that before, with both. There is no squeeling on the amp until I reach about 12 o'clock as usual. When I turn the Amp volume up and gradually turn the knob on the guitar, it doesn't squeel until I turn the Guitar knob about 75% of the way up. So thats what makes me feel like it's the pickups or something, but I can't figure it out, which is why I'm letting you guys assist me ![]()
Also... if the guitar is in it's stand, perfectly stationary... I can turn the knob past 12 o'clock without it squeeling. As soon as I pick it up, even when I deaden the strings, it till squeels like crazy.
sounds like a bad ground in the guitar now that you mention it happening when you touch thew strings. first thing id do is replace that volume pot you mentioned . open the back of the guitar and look in there to get the value off the back of the pot and go to the local guitar store you should be able to get a replacement there.
What I'll do, is next band practice, I'll plug in another guitar and test it to see if it does the same thing. That should tell me if it's the amp or the guitar.
yeah that was what i was saying earlier . best to test every angle before deciding what to do.
let me know what you come up with
Sounds to me like your pickups are microphonic. Some pickups are 'potted' in wax to stop this happening. You can test this by tapping around your pickups with a non-metallic object - a pencil or plastic pen. If you can hear the taps coming though the amplifier, that is the most likely problem. A magnetic object will obviously produce a sound, that's why I'm suggesting wood or plastic.
Some pickups are deliberately left microphonic, especially on semi-acoustic guitars, as it adds to the woodyness of the tone but it means that the guitar can't be played at high volume otherwise there will be feedback. I once had an Epiphone Casino that was like this (P90s) and I couldn't use it on stage at all.
The only 'fix' for microphonic pickups is to have them wax-impregnated but as this is an 'expert' operation, it might be cheaper to replace them with another brand.
Note that as the Spider Jam reproduces a wider frequency range than regular guitar amps, it is possible that you might get feedback in the higher frequencies.
Well I tried the tapping thing, and I can slightly hear the tapping from a pen. And if I actually talk loud enough, I can slightly hear myself. I'm guessing that means you may be correct in assuming they are microphonic.
The pickups on there are the EMG-HZ or whatever... the passive version of the 85/81 I believe. The cost of those two pickups would be $200, approximately how much would it be to do the wax thing?
You would have to get a quote from a local guitar tech on that one.
http://www.guitarnuts.com/technical/electrical/index.php
check this out it tells you how to do it yourself. basicly it comes down to removing the pickups from the guitar and dipping them in hot wax.
if you just type in potting pickups in your browser you will find some other web sites as well.
have fun ![]()
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