Low pitched unwanted feedback in Les Paul, and how to deal with it?

Jazzfiend101

New member
Hey guys, I'm Josh and I've been working at a Guitar Center in Jackson MS and have a few questions about a relatively newer guitar I've been looking at buying. I'm a big fan of Epiphone guitars, despite what some of the snobs may say about them, and I've come across a recurring issue over the years with my own Epiphone Les Paul Custom and now the newest addition to my stable, a very fancy Tommy Thayer White Lightning model.

I've never had any issue controlling high pitched feedback in the ten years of owning my Custom. As a matter of fact after getting the Hot Rod and keeping it set up regularly I'll say that it out plays most of the newer Gibsons in my store. But once upon a time it would give me issues with low pitched feedback. This seems to be an untouched topic on the Internet and I can't find very many sources on how to handle this issue. I'm glad to say that I'm in a successful covers band that does cool and goofy songs across the Southwest region, and believe it or not it helps pay the bills! No illusions of being a rock star as I'm just a dude who likes guitars and little dachshunds dogs, so I'm pretty normal. Here we go!

What does it do? Well, it acts like feedback, it appears seemingly at random (although I'm sure some science is to blame) and jumps out at different stages of volume and when and where I play. And what else? Well, the pickup literally moves!!!! It's alive!!! It will wiggle in its ring and when I touch it, or hold it, viola! It disappears from the sound... of course I can't lay a finger on it as that's kinda lame.

What does it sound like? Think the opposite of high pitched screechy feedback. This sounds like an owl whoooing at me. Like a low low A flat note or at least that's what my ears tell me. I'm not perfect pitch but I can tune a totally outta tune guitar in about a minute without a tuner as long as it isn't a Floyd Rose set up. So my ear leads me to believe if this is string related it's clearly on the lower strings being the culprit.

What have I done? Back in the day I used to stick black electrical tape over my bridge pickup, the fussy JB, and viola! Sound fixed... and now my guitar looks gaudy. Also, I've stuck foam under the cavity to alleviate the issue and that's worked to some degree. Also, and most importantly I've dialed my gain back significantly. I do love a good game of "Keep Up With Hetfield" by playing through Metallica records, but live I dial back my distortion and just drive the amp.

What am I using? Very simple set up. An Orange Dark Terror 15 usually in its 7 watt setting with the volume halfway to about 11 o'clock, and the gain at 1 or two o'clock which I hit it with a TC Electronic Dark Matter Distortion set with little to no drive and the volume way up, just to add teeth to the amp, and not further distort my tone. I have a chorus, phaser, and wah, and that's it. All coming out of one of my two 1x12 Orange Cabs (I switch them out gig to gig so they share the wear).

After satisfying my issue with the Custom, I recently put the TT to the test at the store and good Lord it was honky, owly, and just anywhere I walked it fussed. The TT has a pair of Seymour Duncans in its body (odd choice for a neck pickup but I actually don't mind the more aggressive sound in there). Guess who feedbacks? Yep. The bridge JB. And this time I did a test.

Using an OR15 through a 4x12 Marshall lead series set with average rock settings, basic EQ, mids up, the gain on two, 7 watt setting, volume only on 3... my goodness it would not shut up! So I picked a Gibson off the wall, with covered pickups, tapped it with a screwdriver and it made the expected thud. I did the same thing with the TT and it was like ringing a big bell. Even the slightest tap and it started vibrating and ringing in its low overtone.

Anybody got any ideas? Ithe killed on solid state amps, but this tube amp, which I play through, worries me. I love the guitar and have yet to stuff foam in it. Any ideas???
 
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