phase cancellation phenomenon?

[avdekan]

O.K. here is the thing:
When I play an open low note on my guitar, let it ring and at the same time play high notes the low note sort of "dissappear". When I stop playing the high note the bass note returns. the bigger the interval the more pronounced the effect. This effect is way more audible when I play distorted (its kind of cool for chuck schuldiner style reefs with added bass  :lol: ).

After several of contemplating this issue I figured this has to be some sort of phase cancellation (hence the thread subject), but my question is where along the sound chain does this happen?

Can it take place at the pickup itself, and if so does different pickups have varying degrees of this effect?

in the amplifier?

in the speakers?

in my ears?

OR, in all of the above  :euuuh: ?

for reference I use a custom guitar with a pair of nailbomb 7's, engl savage 60 amp and framus 212 with v30.

Thanks, Binya

[Oli]

Low frequencies mask higher ones, and louder masks quieter- the higher notes will be there, but they will be masked by the lower pitched, louder tones. It's not phase cancellation, but the effect happens at your ears. If you're off axis to the speaker, this will strengthen the phenomena as low frequencies are more omni-directional, whilst higher frequencies are directional; if you're not in front of the speaker, you'll be hearing less of the high frequencies too.

:)

[avdekan]

Low frequencies mask higher ones, and louder masks quieter- the higher notes will be there, but they will be masked by the lower pitched, louder tones. It's not phase cancellation, but the effect happens at your ears. If you're off axis to the speaker, this will strengthen the phenomena as low frequencies are more omni-directional, whilst higher frequencies are directional; if you're not in front of the speaker, you'll be hearing less of the high frequencies too.

:)

but I was describing the exact opposite. the lower notes are masked by the high ones!