Unwanted Distortion Please Help!!!

dzinger14 · 03-19-2010, 01:42 AM

I have an Epiphone g-400 Custom. When i play it clean it gives me unwanted distortion. I have plugged different cables and tried different amps and even my interface through the computer yet still i get unwanted distortion. a few days ago it wasn't working at all so i checked the connections and sauntered one of the wired to its base and it started working but with some extra distortion. PLEASE SOMEONE HELP ! I have Gigs coming up soon !!!

Telewanger · 03-19-2010, 01:55 AM

You may have dirty pots, jack, or switch. You can try spraying the electronics inside of the guitar with tuner cleaner first to see if that helps. While spraying, work the switch, volume, and tone knobs back and fourth. Then check for loose wiring and bad ground. Also a bad tone capacitor will make a fuzzy distorted sound sometimes.

Is this the diagram or similar?

http://www.dominocs.com/Gibson/Wirin...pCustomMod.gif

Parralax view · 03-19-2010, 05:20 AM

Have you raised or moved your pickups?? Sometimes if you raise them too high, it creates magnetic resonance on the strings called "Wolf Tones", these tones manifest themselves as unwanted sounds, sometimes being very high, or sometimes very low, like distortion.... Just a thought.

LATS · 03-19-2010, 05:28 AM

This is the sort of thing a competent guitar tech or luthier is ready to handle.

The tech I take all of my guitars to used to be a session musician. He plays my guitars to assess the results of his work. He is capable of pushing the instrument to its limits. I will readily admit that his skill level exceeds mine, by a large margin.

So, if he is satisfied that he has adjusted my guitar to a condition that will meet my needs, I know that he's right.

And I can get on with learning the songs I want to play, and no worries about my guitar.

Lander · 03-19-2010, 10:36 PM

I have an epiphone sg too and I have this problem too sometimes. Just keep the treble low and make sure the pickup is on rhythm.

Parralax view · 03-20-2010, 12:13 AM

Where do you keep your mids and bass on your amp?? Too much of either darkens the sound to the point of distortion sometimes. It may not be the guitar entirely. Keeping the Treble low and running on the back pickup almost ensures a bass, dark and distorted tone naturally with any volume, add, heavy mids or bass on the amp and you might get what you are describing.

dzinger14 · 03-22-2010, 12:33 AM

the main concern of mine is the fact that when i plug it in to my interface for recording it makes the sound. which i didn't make before as well as the amps . i appreciate the comment of keeping in on rhythm but i still usually played it on treble suitable for my music. I might take off the sauntered wire and clean and redo with tuner cleaner... for now. if all else fails it going to the fixershop. hope for the best

dzinger14 · 03-22-2010, 07:41 PM

PROBLEM SOLVED>>> Action Raised ! lol THANKS FOR ALL UR HELP GUYS

Parralax view · 03-22-2010, 07:47 PM

PROBLEM SOLVED>>> Action Raised ! lol THANKS FOR ALL UR HELP GUYS

Actually, if the action is fine for you, you did the job, but lowering the pickups as previously suggested would have done the same.... congrats on success!! If you find the action too high for comfort later, remember to lower the pickups to create the same distance so that the tones don't develop again.

03-19-2010, 01:42 AM	#1 (permalink)
dzinger14 Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 3	Unwanted Distortion Please Help!!! I have an Epiphone g-400 Custom. When i play it clean it gives me unwanted distortion. I have plugged different cables and tried different amps and even my interface through the computer yet still i get unwanted distortion. a few days ago it wasn't working at all so i checked the connections and sauntered one of the wired to its base and it started working but with some extra distortion. PLEASE SOMEONE HELP ! I have Gigs coming up soon !!! Last edited by dzinger14; 03-22-2010 at 12:35 AM.

03-19-2010, 05:28 AM	#4 (permalink)
LATS Olde Skool Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada Posts: 1,900	This is the sort of thing a competent guitar tech or luthier is ready to handle. The tech I take all of my guitars to used to be a session musician. He plays my guitars to assess the results of his work. He is capable of pushing the instrument to its limits. I will readily admit that his skill level exceeds mine, by a large margin. So, if he is satisfied that he has adjusted my guitar to a condition that will meet my needs, I know that he's right. And I can get on with learning the songs I want to play, and no worries about my guitar. __________________ This Rock Music you speak of, is it music from rocks? Music about rocks? Singing fossils, perhaps?

03-22-2010, 12:33 AM	#7 (permalink)
dzinger14 Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 3	interface the main concern of mine is the fact that when i plug it in to my interface for recording it makes the sound. which i didn't make before as well as the amps . i appreciate the comment of keeping in on rhythm but i still usually played it on treble suitable for my music. I might take off the sauntered wire and clean and redo with tuner cleaner... for now. if all else fails it going to the fixershop. hope for the best

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03-19-2010, 01:55 AM	#2 (permalink)
Telewanger Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 927	You may have dirty pots, jack, or switch. You can try spraying the electronics inside of the guitar with tuner cleaner first to see if that helps. While spraying, work the switch, volume, and tone knobs back and fourth. Then check for loose wiring and bad ground. Also a bad tone capacitor will make a fuzzy distorted sound sometimes. Is this the diagram or similar? http://www.dominocs.com/Gibson/Wirin...pCustomMod.gif

03-19-2010, 05:20 AM	#3 (permalink)
Parralax view Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Honolulu, Hawaii Posts: 1,393	Have you raised or moved your pickups?? Sometimes if you raise them too high, it creates magnetic resonance on the strings called "Wolf Tones", these tones manifest themselves as unwanted sounds, sometimes being very high, or sometimes very low, like distortion.... Just a thought.

03-19-2010, 10:36 PM	#5 (permalink)
Lander Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 18	I have an epiphone sg too and I have this problem too sometimes. Just keep the treble low and make sure the pickup is on rhythm.

03-20-2010, 12:13 AM	#6 (permalink)
Parralax view Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Honolulu, Hawaii Posts: 1,393	Where do you keep your mids and bass on your amp?? Too much of either darkens the sound to the point of distortion sometimes. It may not be the guitar entirely. Keeping the Treble low and running on the back pickup almost ensures a bass, dark and distorted tone naturally with any volume, add, heavy mids or bass on the amp and you might get what you are describing.

03-22-2010, 07:41 PM	#8 (permalink)
dzinger14 Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 3	PROBLEM SOLVED>>> Action Raised ! lol THANKS FOR ALL UR HELP GUYS

03-22-2010, 07:47 PM	#9 (permalink)
Parralax view Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Honolulu, Hawaii Posts: 1,393	PROBLEM SOLVED>>> Action Raised ! lol THANKS FOR ALL UR HELP GUYS Actually, if the action is fine for you, you did the job, but lowering the pickups as previously suggested would have done the same.... congrats on success!! If you find the action too high for comfort later, remember to lower the pickups to create the same distance so that the tones don't develop again.