psarkissian

Using string gauge change to cure a problem with the set-up is typically not a good idea.

When you change gauges, you change the set-up criteria. After changing gauges, it's a good

idea to take it to a Line 6 authorized guitar tech in your area to check it and make any needed

set-up adjustments.

With the 69, there is the bridge adjustment and there is also the individual piezo saddle adjustment.

That along with things like neck relief and intonation should be done at a Line 6 autorized service

center.

Can't go adjusting one without dealing with the other aspects of set-up. They all depend on one

another to work together for a proper set-up and good playing capability. Just changing string gauge

won't do it, now you need to have the rest of the set-up checked by a Line 6 authorized guitar tech

with the proper set-up procedure info for JTV's.

-P. B. Sarkissian

Microphonics in the tubes,... but since you've swapped them out, that's not the case.

Digital clock bleeding into the audio from either the HD500 or the DT25 digital board.

Are you using the Line6 Link?

If so, are you using "Link 6 Link Cable" or a standard XLR mic cable?

No extra cut that I'm aware of.

The Electro-Harmonix (EH) power tubes get extra scrutiny for Line 6, than what you would get from a store,

as far as I'm aware. Had a chat with Mike Matthews (the founder/owner of EH) about their tubes at NAMM

earlier this year.

EH bought a tube factory in Russia, it's theirs, they scrutinize the tubes really well. From others there can

be inconsistent batches of tubes.

Some of these inconsistencies go to the characteristic curves on the data spec sheets. These differences

can have an effect on performance or lifespan of the tube, as does correct biasing of the tube. And it's

even more crucial when it comes to Matched Pairs.

I know people like to use tubes versions from other tube companies in Line 6 amps. Not a good idea. I see

too many come back for problems, with these other tubes inside.

These other tubes are fine,... just don't put them in Line 6 tube amps. Bogner designed the tube stages of

our amps to use what we use, biased to what they're biased to,.... and these amps are not forgiving of

alterations, deviations or modifications.

It's like trying to over hot rod a hot rod, give it too much and you throw a rod or blow an engine,... and that's

never a pretty sight.

We recommend coming to us for tubes for Line 6, Bogner designed Spider Valve, Alchemist and DT Series

tube amps because, we can't vouch for other tube sources. Besides,... we have a 90 day warranty on our

tubes when you go to an authorized service center for amp servicing our tube amps.

Enjoy the tube sound. Rock-On!

I grok.   :)

Shhh,... don't let get around.

And I'm a forum moderator. Trolling the forums is okay with my bosses,

so long as it doesn't take too much time away from me fixing stuff. A two

cents here, a two cents there,...

... oh, and being a moderator, maybe c#%*p would be a more netiquette way of saying it,

though it's probably okay here for now. I typically use "holy moly" or "mola mola". ;)

Rock on!

Be sure that these tubes are Line 6 authorized Electro-Harmonix power tubes (and the pre-amp tubes as well),

and that the power tubes are matched pairs.

Have a Line 6 authorized service center install them, they will have to be properly biased and the unit signal tested.

There is a proper biased and signal test that always has to be done on a tube amp, it's not a swap-n-play sort of thing.

Incorrect bias leads to distortions, distortions lead to stressed tubes, stressed tubes lead to a failing amp and a trip

to a service tech.

The Electro-Harmonix power tubes are scrutinized more so for Line 6, than what you would get from a store.

These are Bogner designed tube amp stages and not very forgiving with anything other than the specified tube brand,

so don't try to hot rod these hot rods with Mesa or Groove Tube versions.

The characteristic curves of the Mesa or Groove Tube versions are different enough to make a difference in performance

and can stress the amp. After which, at that point, it might end up on my bench, or one of my lab mate's benches,... and we

don't want that, we want it to run well for you.

Depending on how much you play, a tube swap (the amp equivalent of a car tune-up and oil change) should be done

every 12 to 18 months if you're a gigging musician,... every 24-months if you play less.

Take good care of the amp and it will take care of you. Always take it to Line 6 authorized service center for checking out

and servicing.

In the meantime, lock-n-load the rock-n-roll!

Could be a slight ring,... do you use a high level of Reverb? Noise floor and a lot of Reverb, at high amplitude can do this.

Could be a tube going microphonic at high gains. The tubes in the DT Series of amps are chosen to be "low microphonic",

so that this won't happen. But maybe one is on the edge.

 

I AM a guitar tech (I used to build and repair guitars years ago) so I'm reasonably competent with setting up a guitar for standard D'Addario EXL 140 10-52 gauge strings which I've been using for decades (along with thousands of other guitarists)

I figured, you sound like you know guitars,... I too have built and repaired many a guitar in the last (almost) four decades. The one thing I've found servicing and playing JTV's is that,.... these aren't our father's Gibson Arch-top Electric Guitars anymore (I know, I own Gibson Archtop and three JTV's). It's not the kitty-cat, it's a Tiger,... so it has to be stroked and cuddled a little differently than the usual cat.

Maybe thousands of other guitarist use what they use,... you own a JTV, you've stepped up into another class of guitar and guitar playing. Even with my decades of experience working on and playing guitars,... even for me there was a slight learning curve, but only a slight curve. I've learned how to cuddle under the chin of this Tiger.

Does it sound like a fax machine over a phone line, or a whistling kind of whine?

Thanks, I remember this audio file. Hear what you mean, definitely odd. I'll have to see if I can reproduce it here.

Are these older patches saved from v1.71 to v1.90 from Workbench?

There may be a patch format compatibility glitch. I'm told that a patch or two

might have distortion from that. Haven't had one come across my bench yet.

If it's Howling and whistling, the JTV probably needs it's intonation dialed in closer.

If it's a warbling sort of buzz, the magnetic pick-up height may need adjusting.

The Magnetic field can pull on the string causing buzz and warbly distortions.

-psarkissian

Things to consider with fret buzz---

Set-up,... neck relief and string action are things that relate to fret buzz.

Need a guitar tech for that.

Also,... have him check the nut slots at the headstock, and make sure the slots have

been de-burred, a burr in a slot will give the same sound like fret buzz. I see that all too often,

and mistaken for fret buzz.

Have the guitar tech check the retainer nuts on the tuning machines, that they're properly snug.

Don't do this yourself, have a tech do it, over torquing is bad. As well as all the mechanicals from

tail piece to tuning machines.

True,... with the more resonant Models and Alt Tunings,... good technique and good execution is part of it.

Nice thing about some of these Models is that they don't let me getaway with anything. Especially with these

delay and reverb patches on the X3 Live at my bench. It forces me to not be sloppy with my technique and execution,

or I'll hear it in a big way.

Fret buzz is a sign of a set-up adjustment such as relief or string action.

And Don,... I see in the support ticket that Hugo is on the case,... good.

We'll get it figured out.

I thought it might be an HD500,... I was wondering why the wave-file sounded like there was a little digital clipping,...

-Check the Input Impedance Selector on the Edit Page, select a less noisy Impedance Setting.

- Check your Volume Pedal settings in the patches you're using, bring them down to about 70-80%, then bring up gradual until you hear some audio break-up, then dial it back a smidgeon.

I've come across this a few times, just a matter of monitoring the signal path amplitude levels. There are a few places where over-driving or clipping a signal in HD500 can be done, so monitor your level throughout the signal path.

Don't know if it's a design problem,.... I haven't seen this problem before in all the units I've serviced, and that's quite a few. That's why I was asking about the set-up, rule that out first. Four a in a row verses all the units out, is outside statistical possibilities. With all the units, donmr is the common one here. Could be a number of things, now it's a matter of narrowing it down.

***Also,... have you done any updates of the Flash using Monkey? If so, are you using the JTV Interface to do that?

And I tend to stick to stock gauges of strings, 10 to 46. If you change the gauge when you change the strings, you'll need to have the set-up of the guitar checked and (if needed) adjusted by your local guitar tech.

Hello donmr,

Four of them,...

Hi, I'm the JTV tech at Line 6,....

- What are you playing the JTV-69 through?

- Using the 1/4" TRS output using the Battery, or the RJ45 Variax output?

- If you're using the Variax output, what device are you sending it through?

- Specifically which Models are doing this?

- Which Alt Tune setting (if any) are you using when this happens?

- Have you done any updates of the Flash using Monkey? If so, are you using the JTV Interface to do that? Are you bringing over older saved Models through Workbench, after an update?

-If you change the gauge when you change the strings, you'll need to have the set-up of the guitar checked and (if needed) adjusted by your local  guitar tech.

This will allow me or my colleagues to reproduce the conditions to better narrow all this down.

Thanks.

I don't worry about how close or how far off the Models are from the real ones that I own,.... they're close enough for me.

A guitar that does makes the sounds that it does, what these do, they way they do it (and I own a 69 and two 59's),.... it's bloody marvelous!

Okay, so I'm a little biased because I'm the JTV tech here at Line 6, and I own three JTV's. They feel good, play good, and when I get done servicing one I get to test play them. It's hard to stop playing them. And this new Workbench HD has some cool features to boot.

It's easy to get wrapped up in the minutia of it all.

In the end,... it's all about the playing!

-P.B. Sarkissian

Al--- Did you use the update document circulating around? The posting "Try This" and Johnnyayy's and a couple of Doc Rock's postings have good tips.

Had one JTV the other day, that after update, it took two more "re-install" tries before it locked in the firmware and got an "update successful" message on the screen.

drdamski--- With the 1/4" plug to engage the battery, try a Tip-Ring-Sleeve type,... if you aren't already.

P.B. Sarkissian

There are two kinds of whistling sounds,....

-Whistling howl from a clash of harmonics. For that, have the intonation checked and dialed in in smidge tighter.

A guitar tech should have a precision tuner like a Peterson for that.

-Whistling that sounds like a high frequency fax transmission would point to an update error of some kind. Try updating or re-installing the Firmware.

P.B. Sarkissian

pwik,

What's your computer platform? What's your computer's Operating System that you are using?

-P.B. Sarkissian

Buzzing and other artifacts do similar, but not the same.

Buzzing is typically from the action set low at the bridge, or relief too straight and flat.

Other artifacts can occur from intonation, where it may need to be dialed in a little closer by a guitar tech with a precision tuner.

The $30 Samsons are good for quick tuning of a guitar, a Peterson (for example) is precise enough for doing intonations (which is what I use for tuning and intonations).

-P.B. Sarkissian

jefflynyrd,

"Warble" is usually a sign that the pick-up height needs adjusting, the magnetic field is pulling on the string and affecting the signal.

-psarkissian

1/4" plug is in, okay.

The Battery is in too?

Green LED's on both ends of the JTV interface box?

Having the 1/4" plug into the jack engages the battery. If the volt should sag or the data gets interrupted,

then the update won't complete. Engaging the battery helps keep the line up as added insurance.

And registering the serial number is a good start,... easy thing to overlook.

-P.B. Sarkissian

The "Spank" on my JTV-69 test fixture sounds fine here at Line 6. There is a certain clarity and spectral consistency between that and the guitars they are Modeled from. No mid-mud in the EQ on certain models. Sounds like my music partner's Strat.

Ricki 12-string, acoustic 12-string and the ES-335 all sound very close to the real ones I own (Ricki 370-12, FG-230 acoustic 12, ES-330).

Newer version, newer models, newer sound. Sure, it'll sound a little different.

-Partev