Getting very strange frequencies from my guitar

[CTN]

I decided to overhaul the wiring in my Blue Bastard since it was old and kinda messy, and some things were coming loose.

so I redid the wiring, everything works just fine.

and then I realized something. This guitar has been making weird sounds which to me at least sound like added frequencies, but only on the high E string. It's the most annoying sounding thing, because I can't record any solos or anything without it sounding like it's outta tune. Even if it is perfectly in tune, it still gives off these screwy frequencies on some of the frets.

take a listen, this is just me going 12, 14, 15, 14, 12, 10, 12 on the high E (tuned to D):
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_songInfo.cfm?bandID=584727&songID=9153938

Anyone have any idea what might be causing this? I've even fixed the intonation so it can't be that, I have no idea what might be causing this.

 

[Jessie Sammler]

Re: Getting very strange frequencies from my guitar

What pickups are in that guitar? SuperDistortion/PAF Pro?

If they aren't active, I'd be tempted to suspect something with the bridge, like the high E saddle.

 

[fatigueofheart]

Re: Getting very strange frequencies from my guitar

Keep it that way, sounds really cool!

 

[CTN]

Re: Getting very strange frequencies from my guitar

yeah jesse, SuperD, Paf Pro.

yeah I was wondering if it was the saddle too. It's a wilkinson VS-100, so the saddle is locked down tight and the intonation I just checked. Would a burr in the saddle potentially cause that frequency thing?

 

[Jessie Sammler]

Re: Getting very strange frequencies from my guitar

I think it could. Can you swap the saddle temporarily with the saddle for another string -- ideally the one next to it?

 

[Warheart]

Re: Getting very strange frequencies from my guitar

change the string, then re-intonate.

if that doesn't fix it, perhaps your pickups are too close to the strings, causing a magnetic pull

if that doesn't fix it, check your room/apartment for computer monitors that are on, fans of any kind, anything else that can cause electrical interference.

if that doesn't fix it, swap saddles.

 

[CTN]

Re: Getting very strange frequencies from my guitar

took a look at the saddles, neither the B nor the E saddles have any burrs or deformities, no grime or rust or anything like that.

Incidentally after listening carefully, I realize that the B string has the same problem.

 

[CTN]

Re: Getting very strange frequencies from my guitar

hokay, gonna have to get some new strings tomorrow

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: Getting very strange frequencies from my guitar

change the string, then re-intonate.

if that doesn't fix it, perhaps your pickups are too close to the strings, causing a magnetic pull

if that doesn't fix it, check your room/apartment for computer monitors that are on, fans of any kind, anything else that can cause electrical interference.

if that doesn't fix it, swap saddles.

yea I'm going with this too

sounds like somethings touching the string

 

[ibanezrocks]

Re: Getting very strange frequencies from my guitar

If you haven't changed strings since noticing this issue, try that before considering anything else.

 

[CTN]

Re: Getting very strange frequencies from my guitar

I backed off the pickups from the strings already, but they weren't touching the strings to begin with, and backing off did nothing to alleviate the weird frequencies.

in any case, gonna try changing strings tomorrow and see if that helps at all.

Also, the guitar isn't any noisier than any of my other guitars, despite the monitor/fan/lights/speakers in my room.

 

[astrozombie]

Re: Getting very strange frequencies from my guitar

thats pretty ****ing weird dude. i was going to ask if the strings were new.

 

[CTN]

Re: Getting very strange frequencies from my guitar

hah, no, they're ancient. Don't use the guitar except for noodling at home nowadays, so i haven't really needed to change strings for a while.

but we'll see, hopefully it is just the strings, although I suspect it's probably hardware related.

 

[Jessie Sammler]

Re: Getting very strange frequencies from my guitar

I know it makes sense to try new strings, but for some reason it's almost never the strings when I've got a weird problem like this. It's usually solar flares or ghostly apparitions on the blooper reel from the Gimme a Break boxed set.

 

[CTN]

Re: Getting very strange frequencies from my guitar

ahahahahaha, well, I don't think my E and B strings are picking up solar flare activity, or old TV show signals from the Kuiper belt...but I definitely think it's more hardware related than anything else.

I wonder if a worn out nut slot could be the cause...

 

[Warheart]

Re: Getting very strange frequencies from my guitar

it shouldn't be the nut slot if the problem is only at the 12th fret and upwards.

nuts only deal with open strings.

It sounds to me like old strings that are rusty, so rule that out first.

 

[MojoMonster]

Re: Getting very strange frequencies from my guitar

Anyone have any idea what might be causing this? I've even fixed the intonation so it can't be that, I have no idea what might be causing this.

I'd check the entire string path.
Tuner, string tree, nut, saddle.
But, yea, new strings first.

I had a Tele make weird noises and discovered it was the kind of string tree I was using.

MM

 

[WhoFan]

Re: Getting very strange frequencies from my guitar

i've had lots of issues with Strings Ringing Out Behind The Nut.... on a few guitars i had it took me forever to find out the overtones i was hearing was the strings ringing out behind the nut with some notes and not others... and it was not with open strings, it was with fretted notes as well......

also check all hardware is tight... i've had PU's and tuners vibrate with some notes and not others as well that can cause some weird noises like what i hear in your soundclick clip... the PU will send odd vibration noises from loose hardware to the amp... and for some reason it's only on some notes and not others...

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Getting very strange frequencies from my guitar

I'd be tempted to suspect something with the bridge, like the high E saddle.

+1

Take a close look at the saddles for wear and even cracks.

Wilkinson has offered several variations of the VS100 vibrato bridge. The early Made In USA variant featured a mechanism for locking the bridge as if it were a hardtail. If your guitar has an aluminium spring cavity plate, it should also have a round steel doohickey set right below where the (extended) vibrato arm passes through the body. The end of the arm is supposed to plug into this steel receptacle for "hardtail" mode.

If your VS100 is this version, I suspect that some of the locking components could be resonating. They are obviously in need of tightening.

EDIT#1: The early USA VS100 employed two wedge-shaped collars around the vibrato arm shaft. If one (or both) of these is loose, it would resonate.

EDIT#2: Before you fit new strings and service everything, sample that resonance. Notes, false harmonics, melodies, divebombing effects, anything.