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Irritating high frequency on tones


bklicky2
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Setup

PodGo

PRS SE 24

Headrush 12

 

Patches sound good up until I hit high notes. The issues starts only on the high E above the 12 - 15 fret.  It sounds like a very fast, very irritating tremelo. This happens on most patches that are higher gain. Up to that point the sounds is great and then sounds like a cat mating.  Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

thanks

bruce

 

 

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Hi Bruce, in your set-up you have 5 components, and it's a case of troubleshooting to find which one is the cause (- it's up to you re the order you want to check things and my order below is simply a suggestion): 

  • PodGo
  • PRS SE 24
  • Headrush 12
  • Guitar cable (Guitar to Pod Go)
  • Speaker cable (Pod Go to Headrush) (NOTE: The cable from the POD to the HeadRush should be a "balanced" cable instead of a guitar cable.  It's the stereo type).

 

1. First thing is to check your Pod Go to Headrush cable - if you're using a guitar cable, I recommend you use a balanced stereo type cable instead of a guitar cable.  This is the one I use: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stagg-SAC3PS-DL-Deluxe-Instrument/dp/B0030LVCDK

 

2. If that's OK, next is to check your guitar set-up. (And based on your description, I think this is 'favourite')  If the strings are too close to the pickups, i.e. the pickups are set too high, the magnetic pull  can interfere with the strings natural oscillation.  As you press strings higher up on the fret-board, the strings get ever closer to the pickups. Have a look to see how near your strings are to the pickups when pressing above the 12-15 frets.  I'd suggest adjusting your pick-up height right down initially and seeing if this makes a difference - aside from getting a bit less volume if I'm right your warble should be gone.  If this fixes the problem, then it's a case of adjusting the  pickup height back up but not so high that the warble starts again. 

 

This warbling or double toning is typically more pronounced with distortion as opposed to clean tones, and impacts more on your wound strings, particularly the bottom E, because these are wound & thicker, and with more metal for the pick-up pull to affect - it's a particular problem with old Strats that have original pickups with non-adjustable set pole-pieces.  

 

Older or dirty strings can exaggerate the problem, so I'd also clean the strings with something like GHS Fast-Fret (especially any gunge underneath) or even change the strings if these are older, to ensure these are vibrating correctly.  But for a proper set-up, including setting intonation and the neck, you really need new strings.  If the neck is not set correctly, this can also be a factor as to how your strings are oscillating. 

 

3. If a correct set-up and new strings does not resolve the problem then this warble could be caused by the electrical signal. Particularly if you are in the USA, the quality of electricity can vary enormously.  Digital gear can be very susceptible to 'dirty' electricity by which I mean where the supply voltage and current fluctuates, and/or there is interference.  Try your set-up in different locations both in your own home and, if possible, a neighbour or friends home, to see if the problem is still there.  if this is the cause, you may need to invest in a line-conditioner that will clean & stabilise the electric voltage and current getting to your gear.

 

If it's none of the above then it's possible there's an issue with your Headrush or Pod Go eg a software file-patch corruption glitch. 

 

4. Next, I'd suggest backing up your Pod Go via Pod Go Edit, and doing a factory reset by pressing C&D foot-switch buttons whilst powering up. Then re-import your Pod Go back-up and test if the problem is fixed or still there.    

 

5. If you have other gear to put Pod Go through, eg a guitar amp, or you have access to a friends guitar amp, see if the problem is still there. 

 

 

 

Let us know how you get on?

 

 

 

 

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3 hours ago, voxman55 said:

Hi Bruce, in your set-up you have 5 components, and it's a case of troubleshooting to find which one is the cause (- it's up to you re the order you want to check things and my order below is simply a suggestion): 

  • PodGo
  • PRS SE 24
  • Headrush 12
  • Guitar cable (Guitar to Pod Go)
  • Speaker cable (Pod Go to Headrush) (NOTE: this should be an unbalanced cable, NOT a standard balanced guitar cable)

 

 

 

 

You got the one thing backwards.  The cable from the POD to the HeadRush should be a "balanced" cable instead of a guitar cable.  It's the stereo type.

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Hey guys thanks for the feedback.

To answer one question,... the cable IS balanced but this problem existed even before I switched from unbalanced to balanced ( which did fix other issues). I will start running through the suggestions tomorrow and hopefully this helps.

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7 hours ago, woffles said:

You got the one thing backwards.  The cable from the POD to the HeadRush should be a "balanced" cable instead of a guitar cable.  It's the stereo type.

 

 

That's what happens when you type late at night - doh! Quite right @woffles thanks for the good spot - I've updated the OP & given a link to the cable I'm using.

 

 

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7 hours ago, bklicky2 said:

Hey guys thanks for the feedback.

To answer one question,... the cable IS balanced but this problem existed even before I switched from unbalanced to balanced ( which did fix other issues). I will start running through the suggestions tomorrow and hopefully this helps.

I corrected my OP re cable, as above.  First thing then is to check your guitar set-up - is the tremolo tone worse (or only) on the wound bass strings?

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Hey guys - thanks for all your help.  I traded out components and Boo Hoo it turns out it is the PRS.  I never thought to check my other guitars out since I use the PRS  a lot. My strat sounds clean on the same patches that the PRS distorts. Sooooo now what..... Any suggestions?

 

Bruce

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2 hours ago, bklicky2 said:

Hey guys - thanks for all your help.  I traded out components and Boo Hoo it turns out it is the PRS.  I never thought to check my other guitars out since I use the PRS  a lot. My strat sounds clean on the same patches that the PRS distorts. Sooooo now what..... Any suggestions?

 

Bruce

 

As I suspected, it's the PRS set-up & you're likely getting double toning  - if the strings are older, re-string, check the pup heights (these likely need lowering a bit), intonation & neck relief.  

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12 hours ago, bklicky2 said:

Hey guys - thanks for all your help.  I traded out components and Boo Hoo it turns out it is the PRS.  I never thought to check my other guitars out since I use the PRS  a lot. My strat sounds clean on the same patches that the PRS distorts. Sooooo now what..... Any suggestions?

 

yeah most probably you have one or both pick ups too high (that's why you get that noise from the higher frets and up, where the strings get lower). just lower them. 

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On 10/1/2020 at 11:44 PM, bklicky2 said:

The issues starts only on the high E above the 12 - 15 fret.  It sounds like a very fast, very irritating tremelo. This happens on most patches that are higher gain. Up to that point the sounds is great and then sounds like a cat mating.  Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

Hi, actually I'm not a POD GO user but I accidentally caught your post because it was on the index page a moment ago.


I'd say your problem almost never depends on the particular multi-fx modeler used, or on its parameters settings.


This problem very often depends on bad/defective or worn out strings (especially the first 3 unwound ones),

when the unwanted awful tremolo thing on high frets happens (and it is normal that the distortion tends to accentuate a lot the defect) it is a sign that you need to replace them.  It has always worked for me.

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Wow Thanks for all the feedback........

I couple notes...

 

1) the strings are relatively new ---- ernie ball  - changed 2 weeks ago. But you are right that is is much worse with high gain patches.

2) I lowered the pickups and the issues remains.... I will try lowering them to the stops and see what happens

3) I tried dampening the strings temporarily.... I couldn't tell if this helped. When I put heavy palm pressure on the bridge it seemed to lessen a little. 

 

maybe this helps diagnose a bit more....

 

again THANK YOU!!

Bruce

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hey guys,

An update and thanks for all your help.  PRS and Sweetwater had me run through a few tests and make a video of the issue and the comparison to the Strat. I even changed strings to rule that out. PRS finally determined that it is an electrical issue (wiring, pickups or ???) and paid for me to ship it back to them to fix or replace. I gotta say that I got truly wonderful support from Sweetwater, Line6 and PRS and of course YOU!!!

 

When I get my puppy back I will let you know how it sounds

Bruce

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  • 3 months later...

Hi! any news so far? for me, using headphones, been able to hear that double "trebbly" noise in the back... after touching a lot of parameters, in higain amps, like jcm 800 model, reached to the conclussion that if you set to cero the ripple parameter, the noice disappears... try it! maybe would help.

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Sorry I didnt follow up sooner. So, it turns out that it was my PRS. There was a crack in the bridge saddle. PRS fixed it up and sent it back and the tones now through my PodGo are BEAUTIFUL. FINALLY!!!  I really appreciate all that chipped in here...

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