[RedZeppelin]

Hi, all. I normally play with my guitar unplugged so as not to disturb my family, so I've only had it amped a few times since I bought it two weeks ago.

Last night I had it amped while I was doing some basic lessons. I was playing a melody on the first three strings, and I noticed this annoying tone that sounded like feedback. I narrowed it down to both the B and e strings. When I strike either one there is a long feedback-like sustain that is audible over subsequent notes.

It's tough to describe, but it's almost like a test tone.

At first I thought it might be the single pickup in the bridge getting interference from my computer, but the problem continued after I switched to the neck humbucker.

Then I thought it might be feedback from the amp because I'm sitting so close to it, but I plugged in phones and could hear the same thing.

I know it's not just me accidentally doing pull-offs and hitting the string while I'm playing, because I'm able to reproduce the problem by just striking the B or e without touching the neck. And it doesn't do it at all with any of the other strings.

What does that sound like to you? Guitar problem? Amp problem? No problem?

Thanks.

[eXperiment63]

Does it sound like a 'ping' sound? If so, try replacing the strings. If that doesn't work, raise the saddles of those two strings a little(probably fretting out).

[RedZeppelin]

No, it's not a ping. It sounds almost like feedback -- a steady tone.

[RedZeppelin]

Here is an audio clip on which you can hear the tone I'm talking about.

e string.mp3 - DivShare

[karcey]

That's going to drive you mad! I'd guess the problem isn't in the amp, otherwise it'd be there over more strings. Take the guitar back to the shop and play it through one of their amps ... if it happens there then they can do the worrying for you.

[allthumbs]

Hmm. Your getting an harmonic thing going on there. Maybe the saddles, maybe the nut or as karcey said, it is fretting out a touch. Damp the string behind the nut and try the E string, Then damp the saddle and try again. Is the harmonic still happening? Either way you most likely will have to take it in, A valid point is how old the strings are.

[fly135]

Whatever it is, it's 333hz (an E).

[RedZeppelin]

I took the guitar to the shop, and in a nutshell the tech blamed it on my playing. After I demo'd the sound for him he took the guitar and played it a bit and wasn't able to reproduce it. He said "It's playing style," with an arrogant grin, and said what I was hearing was sympathetic vibrations from the other strings. He blamed it on the way I was muting -- or not muting -- the strings.

I even played the audio cut I posted here and he said the same thing.

I'm not convinced though, because I play B and e the same way I play every other string and none of the others make the sound. Then again, maybe I'm just that bad at playing.

I told a guitarist friend of mine about it and he's going to take a look at the guitar for me.

[Andy S]

I don't know, Red.... My ovation will do that , unplugged , if I'm playing certain parts of the neck and not being careful to mute the open strings. It did, to me at least, sound like a harmonic tone from one of the other strings.

I've reread the thread and haven't seen anywhere that when you hear the tones, that you try to mute the other open strings. Also, you mentioned basic lessons and a melody line on the first 3 strings. If you're doing a melody part then not very often are the larger open strings muted. Unamplified, I can understand you not hearing the tones. Amplified, on this certain passage you are playing, it would be very feasible to get the harmonic ringing.

I would plug in, try the piece again and try to leave my picking hand just slightly touching the open strings. Or, if too uncomfortable or awkward, as soon as the ring starts, then mute the lower open strings. If the tones stop, bingo.

And as you progress in playing, you'll find that this will be less and less of an issue as your parts will be faster, include more movement to other strings and if it does happen, it will be for a split second as the next tone is struck and you will eventually learn to do mute when needed without thinking about it.

Just my expeience......I could be Waaay wrong.

[allthumbs]

Some of my guitars do that if I don't damp the strings. It is probably that the top strings are lighter so they can vibrate unintentionally where as the heavier strings wouldn't.

[chammon]

Probably not applicable to this particular problem, but weak batteries can result in some really weird sounds when using an amp.

[ThunderForge]

My computer monitor makes my amp weird out. I don't know if that could be part of the problem though. I just turn mine off when I'm playing.