How do I get rid of this sound?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Farno
  • Start date Start date
I think I'll keep it, just won't use it as much.

Obviously, I'd like to fix the problem though... I just don't know what it is.
 
So no-one knows?

Man, I would imagine someone would know! I don't want to buy a new guitar but it's not looking good.

EDIT: I'm copying my first post onto UG (ultimate guitar) and see if someone their knows.
 
I forgot to say this but I still get the sound even when I'm playing clean. It's clearly my guitar.
 
Farno said:
I measured from the pickups to the strings.

The 2 pickups to the right (looking down on it) are .6mm's away from the string. The next pickup (single one) is .7(5)mm's from it. And the last one is .9mm's away from it.

I'm not sure if their precise however.

EDIT: No, it's all the strings! And using no pick, I still get the same result.
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Wait a second dude those pickups are super high. Unless you've got kinmans in there or something, that's pretty damn close to the string. Or perhaps you're meaning CM?

It could be what some people call "strat-itis" (hehe)- what actually happens is the magnet(s) in the pickups are too close to the string and rather than just helping picking up the sound, the magnets are restricting the string vibration. Depends on your pickup type and all that, but the idea is the same; the magnet is actually choking out your sound because it's too close (and sounding weird while it does).

Lower (all of) them a fair bit. You might actually find because the string has more space in which to "sing" you'll get a better tone too. If you go super low you'll lose output volume, but otherwise nothing bad will happen and you might actually prefer the sound.

Make sure you measure your string to pickup height while holding down the strings at the high end of the fretboard; because if your measurements haven't taken that into account, your strings are definitely too close to the pickups when you're actually playing (if you get me there).

It's all a matter of taste but sometimes too close is too close!

Let us know if that helps any?
 
Yeah, I meant CM.

It's .5, .6 and .5 going to the left looking down. That's also holding the string down. I never touched my pickups since I bought my guitar.

And no, I'm not using a metal pick.
 
Farno said:
Yeah, I meant CM.

It's .5, .6 and .5 going to the left looking down. That's also holding the string down. I never touched my pickups since I bought my guitar.

And no, I'm not using a metal pick.
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Ah. Weird. Have you tried a different guitar with the same amp? Or tried a different amp with the same guitar?

My reasoning being perhaps it's got something to do with the modelling amp you're using? Maybe... just another consideration.
 
Alright, it hasn't been solved.

But I think I might know. At my guitar lesson, I don't think I heard it (I wasn't paying much atention to it) but it clicked on my way home.

Could my cable do it? I don't have another one but I'll get one soon.

Is it possibly my cable?
 
You never did say if you are using the compressor or not. I never had this kind of noise on my guitar until I started using a compressor.

A budget compressor (like the one in the Spider amp) will do that because the compressor attack is not fast enough to suppress the pick noise, but then the string tone gets compressed. The result is that the pick noise sounds as loud or louder than the string tone.

But you said it does the same thing when played clean? Are you sure by "clean" you mean no compressor no fx of any kind? If you play completely clean, bypassing all models and fx, it still makes the same noise?

Also, you could get a felt pick (typically used for bass) and try picking with that, and pick over the neck (not over the pickups) so that you cant "dig" into the strings. If it still does the same noise that way, then I have no clue what the problem is. But I like the "different amp - different guitar" suggestion. Thats the easiest thing to do before you start junking guitars.
 
Alright. So I'm going to try other guitars out, and amps and will figure it out sometime. I'll post an update soon.
 
When I strike a string, then press my pick against it, it makes that scrape noise. To make it clearer, I will post a sample of it soon.
 
Farno said:
Ok, so I'm to all this recording stuff and I have a cheap ASIO Driver (Lexicon Alpha). I hooked up the output of my amp and went directly into the driver, recorded it in Cubase LE 4 as a test. I got a nice clean distorted sound.

I have noticed however, a pick scrape sound when I play (recording or just jamming with my amp). Below is an example of what I mean.

Is it my guitar, or my amp or is it something that's always their and can't be removed?

Thanks, heres the link:

http://farno.sitesled.com/Samples/pick_scrape.wav
Click to expand...

That's the string ringing between the pick and the bridge between the time when the pick strikes the string and when you let it go. You can try to minimize it by using a softer pick, turning down the treble and/or gain, or modifying your technique so that you touch the string more gently with the pick. It's not "stratitis", your cable, or the cheapness of the guitar or driver.

My HO, of course.
 
ggunn said:
That's the string ringing between the pick and the bridge between the time when the pick strikes the string and when you let it go. You can try to minimize it by using a softer pick, turning down the treble and/or gain, or modifying your technique so that you touch the string more gently with the pick. It's not "stratitis", your cable, or the cheapness of the guitar or driver.

My HO, of course.
Click to expand...

This has already been pointed out to him. You can tell em you can't make em believe you.;)
 
Ok, I'll work on my techniqe. If nothing works then I'll figure it out.
 
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