upgrade ?

[musomaniac]

ok got ya , thanks again

[Chuck H]

On the capacitor issue... You mention your guitar has a capacitor but no tone control. So far the replies about the capacitor address it as if it were a tone control capacitor. I don't think it is. I think it's probably a "bright cap". That's a high pass filter on the volume control that helps the guitar keep some top end as the volume control is decreased. If you use the guitar on 10 this cap has nothing to do with the feedback. And nothing you do to it's value, type or size will affect the problem.

Surgical tubing is always a good idea.

What is the frequency of the feedback? Is it a high pitched squeal, midrange honk or low pitched drone???

[musomaniac]

i think its more of a mid-range honk , its definitely not a high pitched squeal as you would get from a microphone , i wonder if its got something to do with the room we rehearse in ? We have access to a concert room in a social club , which has a full size stage , the reason i mention this is because last tuesday , i left the Kramer at home , and took my Ibanez Prestige 3120 , and i began suffering feedback with that too , not as much as with the kramer , and slightly more controllable . The room is big , with a low ceiling , carpeted , with tables and chairs -- basically your typical concert room in a club .
When i got back home , i left the settings on the amp where they were when i was at the club , plugged the guitar in (Ibanez) and switched the amp on expecting uncontrollable feedback immediately , however there was only very little after hitting a chord and damping it . Nowhere near as much as at the club , yet back home i'm in a little room sitting more or less on top of the amp and cab . The amp by the way is a Blackstar 100 watt head , and the cab is a Marshall 1960's lead .

I then plugged the Kramer in , and again nowhere as much feedback as at the club , although more than the Ibanez . Problem is i need this volume to get over the drummer when at the club so i cant really turn down .

I will definitely get some surgical tubing and do both guitars with it , and i have also just received some copper sheet and tape , so i will also endevour to shield the Kramer , the volume pot on the Kramer is always turned up so should i take out the capacitor , as i use the volume pedal on the floor ??

[Chuck H]

The capacitor is not part of the problem. IME midrange honk is usually pickup springs. If the feedback stops when you physically damp the pickup by placing your hand on it or actually holding it with a couple of fingers it could be the pickup mounting springs and surgical tubing may fix it. If physically damping the pickup with your hand only helps a little then you may have loose coil windings, magnet/s or some other aspect of the pickups construction.

Just a note... Given enough gain anything will feedback. Since both your guitars do it (do they both do it at about the same frequency?) it could be the sheer amount of gain. If your an uber gainer then you may need to go the standard route and put sealed, potted, low impedance and preamped EMG's in there. Seems to be a popular fix for that ultra clipped sound.

[musomaniac]

This is surgical tubing.

Any rubber type tubing will do.
You can get small black tubing at your local Auto Parts store.
I guess you have Auto Parts stores in UK?
You want a piece of tubing that will fit over the threads of the Height Adjust Screws.
You don't want a long piece, just enough to compress a little when you have it the right height, snug, and rattle free.
when you have the pickup out check that all the bobbin screws are tight.
Make sure there is nothing loose in the control cavity.
If you still have the issue, I would try a different pickup to rule out the possibility of a pickup problem.
Good Luck,
Terry

I'm thinking of getting the surgical tubing from e-bay , what size would i be looking for ??

[David Schwab]

i think its more of a mid-range honk , its definitely not a high pitched squeal as you would get from a microphone , i wonder if its got something to do with the room we rehearse in ? We have access to a concert room in a social club , which has a full size stage , the reason i mention this is because last tuesday , i left the Kramer at home , and took my Ibanez Prestige 3120 , and i began suffering feedback with that too , not as much as with the kramer , and slightly more controllable . The room is big , with a low ceiling , carpeted , with tables and chairs -- basically your typical concert room in a club .
When i got back home , i left the settings on the amp where they were when i was at the club , plugged the guitar in (Ibanez) and switched the amp on expecting uncontrollable feedback immediately , however there was only very little after hitting a chord and damping it . Nowhere near as much as at the club , yet back home i'm in a little room sitting more or less on top of the amp and cab . The amp by the way is a Blackstar 100 watt head , and the cab is a Marshall 1960's lead .

I then plugged the Kramer in , and again nowhere as much feedback as at the club , although more than the Ibanez . Problem is i need this volume to get over the drummer when at the club so i cant really turn down .

I will definitely get some surgical tubing and do both guitars with it , and i have also just received some copper sheet and tape , so i will also endevour to shield the Kramer , the volume pot on the Kramer is always turned up so should i take out the capacitor , as i use the volume pedal on the floor ??

The Ibanez Prestige 3120 has the pickups screwed right into the wood, so this has nothing to do with springs. It sounds to me that you are using a lot of distortion? A slightly cleaner sound will cut through the mix better than a lot of buzzing. Are you standing too close to the amp? Or right in front of it? Try reducing your gain a little and stand away from the front of the amp.

[musomaniac]

thanks for all the help guys , much appreciated , i've sheilded the kramer , and replaced the springs with tubing , backed off slightly on the gain , and everything is as it should be , again many thanks