Help with congested sounding guitars

[STLMTLHD79]

So, i have 2 very similar guitars, very similar problem. both sound very congested/muddy but i cant seem to know the reason why.

Guitar 1:
Charvel Model 5. 2 vol/1 tone alpha 500k pots. 3 way selector. Duncan Custom TB-5 bridge, 59 neck

Guitar 2
Charvel 750xl. 1 vol/1 tone 5 way selector. Unknown pots, but i think they are original to the guitar. Duncan Full shred bridge and Neck pickups.

Both of these guitars sound terribly congested and lifeless. What would be the cause of this terrible tone?

 

[Swampy]

Re: Help with congested sounding guitars

What are you playing them through?

 

[STLMTLHD79]

Re: Help with congested sounding guitars

What are you playing them through?

5150III w/ an over drive pedal. nothing special. I dont have this problem with any of my other 20ish guitars.

 

[AlexR]

Re: Help with congested sounding guitars

Poor guitars
Too low action/setup
Wrong pickups for guitar

Can be a few things. Try bypassing all controls and see what the guitar sounds like pickup to jack.
With 20 guitars you can afford to let the passengers go.

 

[kramersteen]

Re: Help with congested sounding guitars

With 20 guitars you can afford to let the passengers go.

You don't just let go a model 5 or 750xl they are rare shred gems.

:18:

 

[Swampy]

Re: Help with congested sounding guitars

You don't just let go a model 5 or 750xl they are rare shred gems.

:18:

Except these aren't shredding, they're shrudding.

 

[Wattage]

Re: Help with congested sounding guitars

First thing I would do is make sure the pickups are setup well

https://www.seymourduncan.com/tech-tips?tip_id=34077

 

[Mincer]

Re: Help with congested sounding guitars

I can suggest swapping the magnet in the Custom for an Alnico V, which can de-mud for very little money. For the other guitar- I am not sure. Full Shred pickups are anything but muddy, so something else might be going on there.

 

[Chris Pile]

Re: Help with congested sounding guitars

Are they plywood guitars? Do they have urethane finishes? Both could contribute to the sound you reference.

 

[Mr. B]

Re: Help with congested sounding guitars

It would be a big coincidence if it was happening to all 4 pots at once, but a defective pot can cause that. I have pulled 500k pots out of guitars that read below 200k when tested.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Help with congested sounding guitars

Are they plywood guitars? Do they have urethane finishes? Both could contribute to the sound you reference.

I looked them up online and the 750xl is Mahogany while the Model 5 is "body wood".

I've got a few suggestions:

Bump the pots up to 1meg. This'll let more highs through.
Change the strings to something brighter.
Make sure it isn't a bad cord.
Move the pickups closer and lower the polepieces.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Help with congested sounding guitars

the 750 with the full shred shouldnt be congested sounding, id check the wiring and the pots

 

[kramersteen]

Re: Help with congested sounding guitars

Are they plywood guitars? Do they have urethane finishes? Both could contribute to the sound you reference.

Gerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr you dont know charvel obviously.

 

[Darg1911]

Re: Help with congested sounding guitars

Squirt some Afrin into the output jack ...

 

[Discharged]

Re: Help with congested sounding guitars

So, i have 2 very similar guitars, very similar problem. both sound very congested/muddy but i cant seem to know the reason why.

Guitar 1:
Charvel Model 5. 2 vol/1 tone alpha 500k pots. 3 way selector. Duncan Custom TB-5 bridge, 59 neck

Guitar 2
Charvel 750xl. 1 vol/1 tone 5 way selector. Unknown pots, but i think they are original to the guitar. Duncan Full shred bridge and Neck pickups.

Both of these guitars sound terribly congested and lifeless. What would be the cause of this terrible tone?

Without actually personally inspect'em, all I can offer is that the most probable cause for this is a poorly-done setup.

/Peter

 

[Jacew]

Re: Help with congested sounding guitars

Poor wiring? (cold solders etc...)

I'd start from removing the tone controls all together, replacing the vol pot and jack and testing how it sounds like. If it's still congested sounding, it has to be in the hardware.

Trem or nut could be the culprit...

 

[dave74]

Re: Help with congested sounding guitars

The model 5 should be very poplar.

 

[Chris0709]

Re: Help with congested sounding guitars

Definitely check pickup height and pole piece adjustments. If that has very little impact then most likely wiring. A total rewire with a little soldering practice isn't that hard and can give you more tonal control, so worth considering

 

[kramersteen]

Re: Help with congested sounding guitars

How do they compare to the others when not plugged in?

 

[STLMTLHD79]

Re: Help with congested sounding guitars

thanks for the recommendations guys. I purchased a brass block for the floyd in the Model 5 which i know will help brighten things up. I believe its the pots though-wiring is a bit suspect as well on the Model 5. the pots on the 750xl look to be well used so to say-could be cooked inside.