Background feedback while playing

[stevelightning]

Hi all.  I got a set of ceramic black hawk's for my ec 1000 at Christmas and I am after some advice. Because it was the Xmas period and you only have 2weeks with bare knuckle to get them fitted before you can return them I decided to fit them myself as couldn't get to a professional in time. I followed the bareknuckle diagram for a 3 way switch with 2 volumes and 1 tone. All went well when played on practice amp at low volume but when I got to playing with my band at high volume I noticed I was getting a high pitch feedback kind of sound while playing. The guitar didn't feedback when I stopped it was only while playing. I've never experienced anything like this with other guitars. Could this be something I have done when wiring it up.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[darkbluemurder]

A high pitched squeal can have many causes. A wiring error regarding the pickups appears to be unlikely though. But we need to tackle this systematically:

- do you get the squeal on both pickups or just on one?
- does it stop (or get less) when you stop playing but have the volume control on your guitar open?
- does it stop (or get less) when you move away from the amplifier?
- does it stop (or get less) when you reduce the volume or gain of your amplifier?
- does it do the same with other guitars?
- if you use effects between your guitar and amp, does it do the same if you plug your guitar directly into the amp?

Good luck,
Stephan

[stevelightning]

Hi thanks for the reply. I only really use the bridge pick up so not noticed it on neck. Yes it does stop when I stop playing with the volume open. It's the same if I'm stood close  and distant from amp. I reduced the gain a little and still did the same. When the guitar had emgs fitted it was fine. I tried the guitar in another amp and cab and still got the same. I only use a mxr noise gate pedal but still does it with or without it.

I'm puzzled as to what it is. My other guitar works fine through same set up.

Thanks.

[stevelightning]

Also I have noticed this mainly when palm muting. I play fairly high gain riffs so could it be that the pups are to sensitive for the mahogany body causing them to pick up the vibrations from the higher strings when palm muting thus causing it to feedback. The noise is just in the background but you do notice it.

[Dave Sloven]

Could be vibration through a loose pickup mount causing the issue.  Maybe check the springs and add some foam (that foam that comes in the BKP boxes is good) under the pickup

[darkbluemurder]

When the guitar had emgs fitted it was fine.

This may be the clue to the solution. Guitars with EMGs do not have the strings grounded like most guitars with passive pickups. That is why you need to add a string ground (= a wire which connects the bridge to the ground connection of the circuitry - usually to the back of a pot).

There is an easy test to determine whether your guitar has a string ground: plug the guitar into the amp, turn up the guitar volume but do not play. Listen to the background noise. Now mute the strings with your hand. Does the background noise get less? If yes, your guitar has a string ground so we need to check other possiblilites. If no, a string ground needs to be installed.

Good luck,
Stephan

[stevelightning]

Yeah I ran in a ground from bridge to pot. Could it be the wire I used to do this. I just used a bit from some 1mm twin cable I have at work. It's copper cable and is insulated.

If not tried the foam thing. The body is quite thin on the ec1000 so just wondering if there woukd be space for it. Any things worth a try tho.

Thanks for replying guys.

[PK]

Are you using a valve amp?
Could be you have a microphonic valve.

And did you put some foam underneath the pickup? This can solve a lot of weird feedback issues.

[Dave Sloven]

The reason why I tended to think that it was something other than a bad bridge ground is that it happens during palm muting, when the palm would be touching the strings.  I had a lot of feedback problems with pickup vibration on one of my guitars, so that's the first place I'd look, but by all means ensure that he grounding is all working.  You can use a continuity checker function on a multimeter (not all multimeters have this, check yours) to test the ground.

[stevelightning]

Great info guys I'll give this all a go. I'm looking at sending it to a specialist tho. At least this will give me piece of mind. Thanks I'll let you know what happens.