Epiphone Wildcat Royale distortion

[mjharrison7]

Hello, this is actually for a friend of mine (seriously). He is having some major feed back issues with his new guitar. He is running an Epiphone WildKat out of a Vox AD100VTH. Cable goes straight from the guitar to the head and the is major feedback when volumes are high.

Any solutions to fix this? I generally have no clue what causes feedback to begin with.


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[Chistopher]

Re: Epiphone Wildcat Royale distortion

Get a solid body, hollow and semi-hollow guitars are known for having issues with feedback, that's why the solid body was invented. You can either do that, turn the volume down, or stand further away, but that's about your only options.

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: Epiphone Wildcat Royale distortion

What he's running into is called microphonic feedback. Basically with high volume levels the sound waves cause the pickup to vibrate causing a whistling sound. The same thing happens with microphones. Hollow bodies exacerbate the problem because the sound waves bounce around inside the body. He could re-pot the pickups with wax. It's easy to do and works well. He could also wedge a piece of rubber foam between the pickup and the body which will absorb some of the vibration.

 

[PS412]

Re: Epiphone Wildcat Royale distortion

Every now and then I run my acoustic through my amp with gain.Turn the gain down and turn the bass way down it might help. Volume can't be cranked and don't face the amp.

 

[ICTGoober]

Re: Epiphone Wildcat Royale distortion

It is far more likely that acoustic feedback from the hollow body is the problem - not microphonic feedback from the pickups.

Is it a high squeal, or a midrangy and low frequency howling?

For the squeal - pot the pickups (or upgrade them to a brand name).
For howling - foam blocks or cotton batting stuffed into the body to reduce the acoustic resonance.

Here's a CHEAP way to kill feedback if it's acoustic feedback - put TAPE over the F-holes. It's ugly, but sometimes it works.
Good luck, and report back!

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: Epiphone Wildcat Royale distortion

Longer Cable
Stand Farther Away from Amp

 

[Nostalgic Distortion]

Re: Epiphone Wildcat Royale distortion



F them F-Holes!!!!

 

[jeremy]

Re: Epiphone Wildcat Royale distortion

those are semi-hollow guitars routed from a block of wood, the wings are hollow but there is a center block. id start with potting the pups. how loud is he playing?

 

[Darg1911]

Re: Epiphone Wildcat Royale distortion

I don't know if this still applies to current Epiphones but may be worth a gander ...

http://groenneerhverv.dk/upload/a73bf844-b123-45c3-9c8f-4f8578e9cab6/Epiphone%20WildKat%20Tone%20Mods2.pdf

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: Epiphone Wildcat Royale distortion

Another less common source is mechanical feedback. This can happen if the bridge, tremolo or nut is loose and sound waves hit the parts causing them to vibrate which causes a feedback loop.

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: Epiphone Wildcat Royale distortion

My Ehdwuld branded guitar does that
If I sit right in front of the amp, facing it
With the gain maxed and the volume cranked

If I stand up and walk the distance a 20 ft cord allows,
And turn my back to the amp
Maybe off to one side

It doesn't do it

My Ehdwuld is a chambered body with F holes in the top
Just like my Epiphone Florentine

The Ehdwuld has a potted set of pickups, JB and a Jazz

It could be that

 

[allstarrme]

Re: Epiphone Wildcat Royale distortion

That series epiphones are hollow, nothing under the bridge pickup to separate the f holes.

Get some expanding foam spray and fill it up, that will cut down on feedback. If you cover the f holes that will help some too but ruins the look.

Get a solid body guitar otherwise, that will solve all issues.

 

[ICTGoober]

Re: Epiphone Wildcat Royale distortion

Get some expanding foam spray and fill it up, that will cut down on feedback.

If you do that, the next repair guy to work on your axe will simply kill you for taking stupid advice from self-appointed experts.

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: Epiphone Wildcat Royale distortion

If you do that, the next repair guy to work on your axe will simply kill you for taking stupid advice from self-appointed experts.

I dont often agree with Goober
but here i do

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Epiphone Wildcat Royale distortion

I dont often agree with Goober
but here i do

+10!!!

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Epiphone Wildcat Royale distortion

That series epiphones are hollow, nothing under the bridge pickup to separate the f holes.

Get some expanding foam spray and fill it up, that will cut down on feedback. If you cover the f holes that will help some too but ruins the look.

Get a solid body guitar otherwise, that will solve all issues.

In the 10+ years I've been on this forum I've read some pretty stupid posts. I think you just won the gold medal!

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Epiphone Wildcat Royale distortion

The feedback he is experiencing is the nature of the beast for that type of guitar (hollow or semi). If he doesn't like it he needs to get a different guitar; stand in a different position further away from the amp; turn the volume down; reduce the distortion; get a different amp...(in that order of effectiveness).

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Epiphone Wildcat Royale distortion

The Kat series guitars are basically a LP body that's been scooped out, leaving only an island of wood under the bridge and tailpiece. They'll feedback pretty well if played at high volume. Matter of fact, that's the reason why I bought one.

If the pickups aren't the problem, just lower the gain or volume, stand farther away from the amp, or put your body between the cab and the guitar. Or, you know, Les Paul...