Guitar might be breaking preamps..?

[odelo]

Hello everybody!
I hereby welcome myself to the forum and immediately give you guys a hard one to tackle. Ok, here goes:

I have this unexplainable problem on guitar tone. Here's a clip of me playing just to two notes, one on the low-e and one on the high-e. No vibrato and other strings muted. Too Files - Free File Hosting - No limit - Kitara - kitara.wma - Too Files

It sounds like the signal is being sort of filtered and the result is just absolutely awful. Now here's where it gets interesting, the same problem occurs with a completely different setup (guitar, cable, effects pedal). Sounds just as shitty. I've spent hours trying to solve it, but it just doesn't make any sense. The only theory I have is that the other guitar (my first one, I have two) is somehow breaking the "amps". I have two multieffects and an amp. The problem occurs with every combination of setups.

A few weeks ago I got a different multieffect from a friend of mine, plugged it in with my newer guitar (the one I don't think has the problem) and the tone was amazing from the start. The problem was not there. Then the next day I used the pedal with the older guitar and it also worked like a charm. I played for some time and put the guitar down. A few days passed and I played again. THE SAME ####### PROBLEM as described earlier.
This is such a mystery. Please help me solve this! All thought are greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance.

P.S. Sorry for making you download the sound clip. I didn't know a more convenient way.

[Jazz P Bass]

Is this an amplifier problem that you are describing?
What amp are you using?
The first rule of troubleshooting your equipment is to narrow down the issue.
Swap everything.
Start off with zero pedals.
Swap out the guitar, the cord, the amp.
One at a time until you prove out what is "good".

[odelo]

Is this an amplifier problem that you are describing?
What amp are you using?
The first rule of troubleshooting your equipment is to narrow down the issue.
Swap everything.
Start off with zero pedals.
Swap out the guitar, the cord, the amp.
One at a time until you prove out what is "good".

I really don't know where the problems is. I've tried narrowing down the problem but it always remains. Even with completely different setups. The only common part is me. I forgot to clarify that I've used the multieffects pedals with headphones and PA, so it's not the amp I have. So there is not one single part that causes it, rather something breaking a certain part of any setup; e.g. the preamp circuit. I'm not sure if that can even happen though...
It's starting to feel that the problem is caused by something spiritual... Haha!

Thanks for your input!

[MarkusBass]

I really don't know where the problems is. I've tried narrowing down the problem but it always remains.

How exactly have you tried to isolate the problem? As Jazz P Bass writes the easiest way to check the problem is to play without effects (guitar->cable->amp). This can be tested in 10 seconds. Have you tried this? Another way to isolate the problem is to use another amp (still without effects). It sounds like problem with the amp or the effects. Does the guitar have active electronics?

Mark

[odelo]

How exactly have you tried to isolate the problem? As Jazz P Bass writes the easiest way to check the problem is to play without effects (guitar->cable->amp). This can be tested in 10 seconds. Have you tried this? Another way to isolate the problem is to use another amp (still without effects). It sounds like problem with the amp or the effects. Does the guitar have active electronics?

Mark

Yea, sure. For example:

Guitar1 ---> cable1 ---> amp1
Guitar2 ---> cable2 ---> amp2(thinking a multieffect-pedal as an amp)

= Problem occurs even though they don't have a single common part..

That makes it such a mystery. The only thing I can come up with is that one component is breaking something. For example, guitar1 could be breaking something inside the amps (preamp section, EQ?).

-Otto

P.S. Forgot to add that no active PU's.

[jmaf]

Use just your multieffects without the amp. Does the headphone output on it sound ok?

[odelo]

Use just your multieffects without the amp. Does the headphone output on it sound ok?

No, it doesn't. And I actually have two multi's. The same problem with both...

-Otto

[jmaf]

No, it doesn't. And I actually have two multi's. The same problem with both...

-Otto

Well, you really did solve the problem yourself on the initial post: it's your guitar. Inverted phase pickups, bad ground, bad jack, loose solder or let's nope not a bad pickup.

[odelo]

Well, you really did solve the problem yourself on the initial post: it's your guitar. Inverted phase pickups, bad ground, bad jack, loose solder or let's nope not a bad pickup.

Yes, I think so too. It's just that I don't understand how it could be breaking something because the output level of a guitar is so low.. And also what is it that it's breaking? I've never heard of anything like that happening. It kind of sounds like the signal/tone is being filtered so could it be maybe in the HP/LP -filter section?

-Otto

[jmaf]

Yes, I think so too. It's just that I don't understand how it could be breaking something because the output level of a guitar is so low.. And also what is it that it's breaking? I've never heard of anything like that happening. It kind of sounds like the signal/tone is being filtered so could it be maybe in the HP/LP -filter section?

-Otto

I got a 404 for that file you linked to, so I couldn't hear it. Lacking a ground connection, or an open pickup winding can give strange results. I'm hoping it's not the latter.

[Jazz P Bass]

I would advise that you take your euipment to a reputable tech.

[Jag]

+1

Your guitar isn't breaking anything. Your guitar is what's broken.

[MikeH]

He's saying that both guitars seem to have the same 'brokedness'. IOW, same problem, with 2 different guitar and 2 different amps right?

First off, there is NO WAY that a passive guitar could cause internal damage to an amplifier or FX unit, short of using it as a club to smash either.

If you can't come up with a single combination that works proerly, sounds like there is more than 1 issue going on. My advice would be to find some working guitars and amps and start interchanging your pieces into that setup (cables, guitars, amps) to find out what exactly is working and what exactly isn't.

[Jag]

Sorry, you're right. I read the first part of this thread last week and forgot that he had tried two guitars.

So this problem occurs even when you plug your guitar straight into the amp, no multi effect pedal plugged in at all?

I'm wondering how close you have the pickups set to the strings?

[jmaf]

....
A few weeks ago I got a different multieffect from a friend of mine, plugged it in with my newer guitar (the one I don't think has the problem) and the tone was amazing from the start. The problem was not there. Then the next day I used the pedal with the older guitar and it also worked like a charm.

The way you describe a problem may lead or mislead whoever is helping you into conclusions. He never said the other guitars failed, he said the guitar with other setups failed.