Crosstalk? Guitar Rig Issues

ColForbin · April 27, 2012, 10:36:39 AM

Hey guys,

I am at a friggin' loss and going crazy taboot. I discovered an issue about a month ago with my rig. When I would engage my wah I would get this high pitched shrill feedback, usually until I can get the rocker back. First of all, here is my current rig:

AO Koa guitar with OBEL-->the wheel (AO)-->CAE M404 Dunlop wah-->Cmatmods Signa Drive-->TS9 Silver mod-->Ross Clone-->Emma Discombobulator-->Diamond Tremolo-->BBE Soul Vibe-->TC Electronics Flashback Delay-->The Wheel (AO)-->1972 Twin Reverb

Everthing is powered by a BBE supacharger and routed with George L's. The three pedals in question where it always seems to happen is the signa, compressor, and the wah. Playing at gig volume, for a medium sized club. I have tried everything, I tried using non George L's, putting my pedals in a different order, isolating those three pedals. It will do it with different wah pedals and different amps. Last week at my show, it wouldn't do it with the ts9, but with the signa. But today, I can get it to happen without engaging the wah, by having the ts9 and the signa on together. There is no boosting of the volume anywhere, and it doesn't happen consistently.

I am grasping here, looking for any nugget of wisdom to help me out. I've talked to Chad at cmatmods, AO and AO has talked to Brad Sarno on my behalf. Sarno seems to think it's crosstalk, which I feel he knows his shit, I just can't seem to track it down. At this point, I feel regardless of what tests I've done to just start replacing stuff until it is gone and out of my life.

Thoughts?

Heady Jam Fan · April 27, 2012, 12:53:28 PM

Sarno knows his shit for sure... If it was only with the wah, I would say Happy might be the forumite to talk to, but it seems more widespread than that.?.

I have to wonder if it is just normal feedback that occurs with a wah, comp and overdrive? If I am not careful, the same thing happens to me: right when I engage the wah, if I have a fair amount of drive going on, and my guitar is facing the amp, I get a high pitched feedback. Though maybe my rig has an issue too

I would try adjusting the amount of compression and see what changes: less compression might resolve the feedback, more compression might actually give you a more controlled feedback at a less... pitchy pitch. I find that when I really crank my comp, I get the most pleasant and controllable feedback honestly, just a sweet bloom and continuation of the note. Although I understand you probably have the comp set the way you like it.

Happyorange27 · April 27, 2012, 03:54:25 PM

I had crosstalk once when My switch went bad in my wahpedal. But that was a different symptom where you could hear wah in the bypassed tone. That's what totally got me started into mods because I had to figure that out and fix that.
It sounds like you have a different problem here. all I can recommend is a process of elimination. are you sure it's not your onboard effects loop in the guitar? I'm sure it's not I'm just asking. maybe hook up like a keyboard that plays a continuous loop through your ready and test all the petals in every combination. you may find it that way. That will let you do a hands-free test. Remember only eliminate or replace one thing at a time.
Good luck.

Walker done done · April 27, 2012, 04:00:58 PM

I hate to say it, but if I am reading you correctly I think it's the schematics of what you're trying to accomplish, and that it's not going to work. I'll tell you what, I'll PM you my number - give me a call to chat about it.

The reason I say this is because my first Phishy Hollowbody had the effects loop bypass (ala Jerry's guitars) built into it...and I could not use it. It was literally non-usable. I'm not sure if it's the hollowbody guitar itself that caused the problem, or if it was the wiring job, or what...but anytime I tried to utilize the effects loop I got the same high pitched shrill that rendered it useless.

Here's how my setup went: mono jack went straight into the amp. The stero jack, which had a switch on the guitar to turn the effects loop on/off (ala Jerry), had a Stereo cable > Hard Truckers Y junction box > all of my pedals > junction box. Sounds like the same setup you have....am I getting that right? I don't think it's your pedals. Try using your AO without the stereo output and just go into your gear like you normally would through the mono. Unless you don't have 2 jacks, in which case ditch the Wheel and go from guitar > pedals > amp.

Like I said I'm not sure if I'm reading you correctly so if I'm way off base I apologize and disregard this post. =)

manicstarseed · April 27, 2012, 09:37:13 PM

Have you tried a different amp yet?

ColForbin · April 29, 2012, 07:53:18 AM

Hey dudes, thanks for all the awesome input.

Walker, I will give you a call later and I will give the guitar straight in method a try, but I'm pretty sure I did that already and it did not solve the problem. I have tried so many different things, I'm beginning to forget what I tried. I should have really kept a log. Also, it will do it with two different amps, so I was able to eliminate that. That problem seems to be circulating around the compressor (always on) and the signa drive. I was testing the other day and I seemed to have the issue with the comp in the chain, whether it was on or not. I took it completely out of the chain and I could not hear the high pitched shrill feedback. So I thought, at that point, that it was the compressor. Now last night, I was able to get the awful noise happening with the signa drive as well. So, my current solution: Chad is sending me another signa and I will see if that makes a difference, and I will get him to send me a compressor as well I think, and go from there. Is it possible that two of my pedal are acting up? That would be weird, but maybe it isn't the pedals.

Walker, your situation has my intrigued, I will try bypassing the wheel again and get back to you...hopefully tonight. My guitar for the record, is not a hollow body.

sour d · April 29, 2012, 02:40:28 PM

Have you tried a different guitar? Not saying there would be anything wrong with an ao guitar because they are fucking bullet proof, but that's one of the things that hasn't changed in your scenarios. That and the power supply. Try using batteries in the pedals that you can.

raisingfreen · April 29, 2012, 03:53:49 PM

For what its worth. Try ditching your power supply and plug everything in individually using isolated power supplies (just too see). The supacharger is supposed to have multiple isolated outputs however. I had the exact same issue and it actually turned out to be my RMC3 plus power supply. I sent the wah back to have the power checked and fixed as well as started plugging everything in individually on a strip. It's not pretty but did equal no noise whatsoever.

Found this pick. Notice even Trey's tech uses individual power for every device. No daisy chains or power blocks, etc... Also notice the minor distance between the power strip and the actual pedals. Just enough to not cause any issues. Looks like crap sounds great!

ColForbin · April 29, 2012, 06:10:09 PM

This is what is perplexing me, I have tried to power just the pedals in question with brand new 9v batteries and I have used a passive guitar to yield the same results. So I don't think it can be power or the guitar. I think I'll just start switching shit out and hopefully get to the bottom of the issue. Thank you guys so much for your input thus far.

raisingfreen · April 29, 2012, 07:52:58 PM

You need the Isolator from Hard Truckers. Looks like a pretty handy tool to have around. I am know diagnosing a popping sound from a few pedals when they are engaged initially. Comes and goes. Very annoying.

Happyorange27 · April 29, 2012, 09:55:30 PM

Not that I don't want to give Hard Truckers my money but you can just run any loop through your chain or a keyboard with a key taped down for a continuous note.

Walker done done · May 03, 2012, 01:54:40 PM

Quote from: raisingfreen on April 29, 2012, 03:53:49 PM

What's this new pedal on Trey's board??? I assume this was just to use for the symphony gigs. (sorry for the hijack)

Heady Jam Fan · May 03, 2012, 01:59:53 PM

I was looking at that too, definitely an EHX, but I think specifically it is a #1echo, which i know nothing about.

Happyorange27 · May 03, 2012, 02:16:19 PM

Look like Ross is 8 o'clock on compression and dimed on output. Nice pic.

And yeah now that i think about it, all those wall warts are transformers which all serve as isolators.

the_great_lemon · May 03, 2012, 03:29:50 PM

Quote from: Happyorange27 on May 03, 2012, 02:16:19 PM
Look like Ross is 8 o'clock on compression and dimed on output. Nice pic.

And yeah now that i think about it, all those wall warts are transformers which all serve as isolators.

To me it looks like the output on the comp is around 10:30 or 11 o'clock. Could be wrong