NationStates Jolt Archive

Self explanatory really...But guitarists, answer these questions! :D

What sort of axe(s) do you have? What style(s) do you normally play? Left or Right handed? Favourite tuning? Acoustic or Electric? If electric, how big is your, ah, amp and what brand? What bass, midrange, treble, settings do you usually use on it? Do you use pedals? How long have you been playing? Any questions for the technical guitar people out there (but definitely not me included in that :p)?

Me, I started learning about 2 and a half years ago. I play an Indonesian made left-handed Cort X-2, with a 20 Watt Laney "Hardcore Max" amp. It's my first electric, but considering it was a really cheap package ($400 AUD all up, an absolute bargain for a lefty guitar), its surpassed all expectations and is very easy and comfortable to play. The only problem is a very fuzzy sound when using distortion (even at low levels) that's impossible to get rid of, no matter what settings I use on the amp or guitar itself. Any clues on what I can do to fix that? It's playable, but not gig quality sound...should I just buy a better amp? I usually play in standard or drop-D on this guitar, as I find it very hard to tune it differently, as it has a floating bridge. Any tips there?

I also have a 30 year old Japanese classical (nylon string) acoustic that was passed down to me. It was my first guitar...it's strung for a left hander as well. I still break it out for guitar lessons and when I just want to play without disturbing the neighbours too much. :) (Theres a retirement village next door.) Its got a really great sound, but it has unfortunately taken a few knocks over the years and I had to replace the machineheads. Still, it'll probably last a long time yet.

Also got a right-handed classical bought this year as a backup, incase strings break or something, or if I go on holiday. (I can play upside down as well)

I have an air guitar that I have been playing for about 15 years, and I can't stop. I just can't stop giving the V to the man!

I have an air guitar that I have been playing for about 15 years, and I can't stop. I just can't stop giving the V to the man!

Are you sure thats "air guitar" and not "jerking off"?

lol, j/k. :p

Are you sure thats "air guitar" and not "jerking off"?

lol, j/k. :p


Whoah!

Whoah!

Looks like I caught you out there buddy. :D

I have a cheap fender acoustic now, and it needs new strings.

When i played a lot, I had a blonde wood telecaster with light strings, 8s, and I used to like Dean Markleys the most.

I used the back pickup on mondo treble for scratchy spiky punky disco and the neck pickup on mid tone for funky rocky solo stuff. I put full bass, much treble and no mid at all on the amp when using the neck pickup and got a fat fat sound. Fat for a telecaster anyway.

The only problem is a very fuzzy sound when using distortion (even at low levels) that's impossible to get rid of, no matter what settings I use on the amp or guitar itself

spend a lot more money on an amp is my tip.

I have a problem with my guitar in that when I start to play it, it starts to moan. I put the key into it and twist it and I even put things in it to try and sort it out, but all it does is keep making a horrible moaning sound.

Please help me as there's wool getting all over the carpet as it does this.

I put full bass, much treble and no mid at all on the amp when using the neck pickup and got a fat fat sound. Fat for a telecaster anyway.

Hmm. I might try that.

One I enjoy is disabling the upper pickup, putting bass on about 1.5, midrange on 3, treble on about 5, and distortion on 7.5. Very indie-rock sound, works well when playing simple stuff like Nirvana...at least on my guitar.

spend a lot more money on an amp is my tip.

That's what I thought, but then again, it is a good quality amp, if small, and not exactly throwaway material. So it could be cheap pickups maybe?

I have a problem with my guitar in that when I start to play it, it starts to moan. I put the key into it and twist it and I even put things in it to try and sort it out, but all it does is keep making a horrible moaning sound.

Please help me as there's wool getting all over the carpet as it does this.

Uhh...are you Scottish or New Zealander?

Scottish? Do you mean Welsh?

I am neither cos I be a man with no brain!

I used to play bass, but some skinhead smashed it, so now I sing. I'm in a hardcore punk band called Cistern Chapel (we've been touring the country (Australia) by foot and as a result we're all hopelessly lost, I've come down very ill and I've been staying with a bunch of lifeless dope addicts in Nimbin for the last 3 *months*--- but that hasn't stopped us putting out our second 7 inch, a really dodgy one with no title and a picture of the World trade Centres collapsing with the words "The End of Supremacy" in big letters in front of it- PC bastards don't criticise me.)

-Now if I had a transporter device from Star bloody Trek, Planta Genestae, just maybe I could help y' with y' wool problem, but as it is...


Christina

Self explanatory really...But guitarists, answer these questions! :D

What sort of axe(s) do you have? What style(s) do you normally play? Left or Right handed? Favourite tuning? Acoustic or Electric? If electric, how big is your, ah, amp and what brand? What bass, midrange, treble, settings do you usually use on it? Do you use pedals? How long have you been playing? Any questions for the technical guitar people out there (but definitely not me included in that :p)?

Me, I started learning about 2 and a half years ago. I play an Indonesian made left-handed Cort X-2, with a 20 Watt Laney "Hardcore Max" amp. It's my first electric, but considering it was a really cheap package ($400 AUD all up, an absolute bargain for a lefty guitar), its surpassed all expectations and is very easy and comfortable to play. The only problem is a very fuzzy sound when using distortion (even at low levels) that's impossible to get rid of, no matter what settings I use on the amp or guitar itself. Any clues on what I can do to fix that? It's playable, but not gig quality sound...should I just buy a better amp? I usually play in standard or drop-D on this guitar, as I find it very hard to tune it differently, as it has a floating bridge. Any tips there?

I also have a 30 year old Japanese classical (nylon string) acoustic that was passed down to me. It was my first guitar...it's strung for a left hander as well. I still break it out for guitar lessons and when I just want to play without disturbing the neighbours too much. :) (Theres a retirement village next door.) Its got a really great sound, but it has unfortunately taken a few knocks over the years and I had to replace the machineheads. Still, it'll probably last a long time yet.

Also got a right-handed classical bought this year as a backup, incase strings break or something, or if I go on holiday. (I can play upside down as well)

I also get a "fuzzy" feedback type sound when I plug in my guitar to my amp, but again, only when distortion is on. I think part of the problem may be I have a cheap acoustic/electric guitar (brand: Reedman). It only cost me $175, but for that price it really sounds great. Except for when I try to plus it into the amp and throw on the distortion... :mad:

I did notice that if I simply touch the exposed metal part of the cord going into the guitar or the pickup on the guitar the feedback immediately goes away, which makes it seem like some kind of grounding problem. I think the problem is with the pickup on the guitar, though, not the cord or amp. Problem is, there's no way to get at the pickup without taking the guitar apart, and then gluing it back together. Any suggestions?

I also get a "fuzzy" feedback type sound when I plug in my guitar to my amp, but again, only when distortion is on. I think part of the problem may be I have a cheap acoustic/electric guitar (brand: Reedman). It only cost me $175, but for that price it really sounds great. Except for when I try to plus it into the amp and throw on the distortion... :mad:

No, I mean when actually playing it, chords (the distortion in general really) sound a bit fuzzy...not feedback...

I did notice that if I simply touch the exposed metal part of the cord going into the guitar or the pickup on the guitar the feedback immediately goes away, which makes it seem like some kind of grounding problem. I think the problem is with the pickup on the guitar, though, not the cord or amp. Problem is, there's no way to get at the pickup without taking the guitar apart, and then gluing it back together. Any suggestions?

If it's not a major hassle, I wouldn't worry about taking anything apart. You definitely don't want to do that, because you might find that it sounds terrible afterwards and have to get a professional to reset the intonation, etc...

Thats what I was advised anyway when discussing changing the pickups with a musician friend. If it's really bothering you, pay a professional to do it.

I did notice that if I simply touch the exposed metal part of the cord going into the guitar or the pickup on the guitar the feedback immediately goes away, which makes it seem like some kind of grounding problem.

That definitely sounds like an earthing problem rather than a feedback problem.

That definitely sounds like an earthing problem rather than a feedback problem.

First plumbing, now this? I feel woefully inadequate in the DIY department...

First plumbing, now this? I feel woefully inadequate in the DIY department...

Hey, you know what they say - jack of all trades, master of none. Feedback is when the guitar resonates in sympathy with the sound produced by an amp and so an icnreasing feedback loop is produced - a simple way of making sure that it isn't feedback would be to set the amp up in one room and the guitar in another. Have someone listen to the amp, if the problem has gone away then it was feedback, and so you would need to turn down volume or mess about with EQ to knock out the frequency that the feedback was taking place at.

What you said about touching the cable strongly suggests an earth problem. Try with a different cable or amp, because they could be the problem.

What you said about touching the cable strongly suggests an earth problem. Try with a different cable or amp, because they could be the problem.

earthing for me is a guitar issue, especially if it's a cheap guitar and especially if it buzzes when you wiggle the jack in the guitar.

earthing for me is a guitar issue, especially if it's a cheap guitar and especially if it buzzes when you wiggle the jack in the guitar.

The question is whether it is there when the volume pot on the guitar is turned down or not. If so, then its a dodgy cable or something weird happening with the amp, assuming of course that the volume pot goes down to minus infinity.

I've been playing for about a year now. My guitar is an electric, model is a Samick Strat(ocaster) and I use it with a 20 watt Carlsbro amp. I play rock and metal, mainly GNR, Pink Floyd and Metallica. I right handed, can play with or without a plectrum and am better than all of you.

Mwa ha ha.

can play with or without a plectrum

Yeah, ditto to that as well. I prefer playing without though.

The question is whether it is there when the volume pot on the guitar is turned down or not. If so, then its a dodgy cable or something weird happening with the amp, assuming of course that the volume pot goes down to minus infinity.

If the jack is dodgy it can still buzz even when the guitar isn't pumping any current. Are you a girl?

If the jack is dodgy it can still buzz even when the guitar isn't pumping any current.

Do you mean jack plug or jack socket by 'jack' - I assume you mean jack plug, and therefore cable, which is what I was saying - if there is still the sound when the volume is turned down then the problem isn't in the guitar itself.

Are you a girl?

The relevance of my gender to that matter at hand is what exactly?

The relevance of my gender to that matter at hand is what exactly?

no relevance at all. It's a by the by.

no relevance at all. It's a by the by.

Fair enough. Are you tall, dark and handsome?

bump.

I'm looking at some cheap(ish) pedals, cause according to my guitar teacher it will fix the tinny sound problem right up. Anyone got/have used in the past any of these and what did you think of them? Or maybe suggest some others?

Ibanez FC-10 Fat Cat
Ibanez SD-9 Sonic Distortion
Boss DS-1 / DS-2
MXR M-104 Distortion Plus
Electro Harmonix Big Muff
"Fuzz Face" Clone of some sort

Fair enough. Are you tall, dark and handsome?

no.

EDIT: not even "tall, dark or handsome".