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I seem to get feedback consistently on just about any full hollowbody archtop on the A string, 6th fret.
It doesn't seem to matter what guitar, or what amp.
It's been pushing me towards solidbody or semi-hollow designs lately.
Any tips to get rid of feedback?
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03-20-2014 02:24 PM
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I guess Eb is the resonant frequency of your guitar.
Your options:
- Lower the amp volume
- Position yourself away from the direct shot of the amp. May only help a little.
- Cover the F holes with either a set of pre-made F hole covers or even painter's tape. Ugly, but it helps.
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1. not possible, since I need to be able to play at that volume in my playing situation
2. I've been experimenting with this, but this frequency seems quite persistent
3. I'd rather play a solid or semi-hollow than take a gorgeous looking archtop and make it ugly
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Have you tried playing around with EQ? I found that turning the bass right down (almost to zero) helped with my feedback issues....
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The best thing to do is cut some bass and learn where your instrument feedbacks.
Then, don't face the amp.
What I do is that I have my hand ready to mute the strings.
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I usually have the bass well down on my amps. I think there's a portion of the lower mids that needs notching.
It seems a parametric EQ might be the best solution.
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What is the environment where you are so loud? And what amp/settings? Is it always happening, or just when you turn up for a solo? I play in a very loud high energy modern big band with a D'Aquisto, and while it does happen, often right on the fringe, it's controllable.
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Loud big band. I'm coming around to the idea that a semi may be the best guitar for what I'm doing.
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Parametric Eq's are great.
I think theres one called Empress. I had it and its Sh*t hot. Beware that a lot of Parametric eq's and actually parametric.
Also I notice your a godin fan. What guitar are you playing, cause if its a king pin, forget it lol
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Right now, I'm primarily getting feedback on my Ibanez AG75 (small bodied 175 type, HH).
Originally Posted by GoergeBenson
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If you have to play so loud that any hollow body and/or amp feeds back, I hope you're wearing earplugs. If not, you'll experience hearing loss in short order.
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Interesting. I have an archtop that I get feedback on about 2 frets up from there, F.
If you can't turn the volume down, then parametric EQ is definitely the next best thing.
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If you need to play loud enough that you're getting consistent feedback (i.e. low note howling) and you've tried blocking the f-holes, then you need a different guitar AND/OR amp. For guitars, personally I'd probably go for a semi, like a 335/9 style. Borrow one before you buy though! As for amps, you might need more power. Try a Twin. Originally Posted by GodinFan
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Yeh Es-175 types will feed back at reasonable volume. Your guitar body is essentially too big. Bummer I know. Originally Posted by GodinFan
You need to get a slim line or get one with a narrower body, pref two hum buckers and of course a laminate maple top.
You could get a semi, but it won't sound the same.
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my 175 type guit (Ibanez AF120)
is half stuffed with foam
just the bottom left bout of the guitar is stuffed now
It works for me ...
no more feedback now (Bb and A) and
I still get the thump of an archtop which I like ...
I can't get enough thump out of a semi or solid
but that's just me
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Get yourself a good solid body (Gibson SGs are great), put on George Benson flat wounds , plug into a Fender tube amp, and you're good to go - zero feedback.
-Alastair
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Could be wolf tones - frequency buildup that is peculiar to a particular guitar/amp/room combination. An amp with a sweepable antifeedback filter will do wonders for that problem. I agree a thin line semi would be a good solution as well. Or a Tele...
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Yep, that's what it was. I've gone with the semi solution. I use my tele as well, but the semi has a more comfortable body size for sitting without a strap. Originally Posted by Doctor Jeff
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A few thoughts:
1. A laminate guitar is less feedback prone than a solid wood guitar.
2. A thinner body is less feedback prone than a deeper one.
3. You can EQ the feedback out, but it usually results in thin crappy sound. EQ is best used for tone shaping a good sound, not for feedback control.
4. Standing or turning away from the amp can help, but it isn't always practical -- and it isn't always enough.
5. Taping the F holes or stuffing the guitar with foam does help a lot, and doesn't fundamentally change the electric sound of the guitar.
My 2.75 inch deep laminate archtop is significantly more feedback resistant than my 3.25" deep solid top archtop. My 3.25" deep solid top archtop is just as good as the laminate when I stuff it with foam. Either guitar is usable with a big band, although I have to stuff the solid top guitar. And either guitar will feed back at sufficiently high volume. I doubt I could use either one with a loud rhythm section. My 1" deep PRS Hollowbody is virtually feedback free at almost any volume, despite being a solid top guitar. The stop tailpiece and little solid blocks probably help with that. It's my go-to guitar when I'm playing in a loud situation.
So thinner guitars really are a lot better, as are laminates. Stuffing a guitar can help significantly, but it's no panacea. That's been my experience anyway.Last edited by Jonathan0996; 03-23-2014 at 01:41 PM.
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Jonathan's reply is about as good as it gets, but I wanted to add the following in case someone does a search of this topic. The following was written Jack Grassel and posted on his website:
- Stuff the guitar with foam rubber or inflated balloons. Bend a wire coat hanger to facilitate installation or removal.
- Tape up the f-holes. (The tape may ruin the finish).
- Put foam rubber in the f-holes, closing them. Doug Turner will design foam plugs for your guitar. See them at: Doug's Plugs - hand-made f-hole covers to eliminate feedback in your archtop guitar They look so cool you can't tell they are there. I highly recommend these.
- Glue thin balsa wood painted flat black to the underside of the f-holes. Because of it's permanence, this isn't recommended.
- Use a metal bridge instead of wood.
- Use flat wound heavy strings.
- Place the amp to the left so that your body shields the guitar.
- Set the amp at a lower volume.
- Wind more of the string onto the tuning gear stem, adding weight to the head stock and more tension on the nut.
- Place a thin strip of foam under the strings in the first fret to dampen open strings.
- Wrap a thin strip (quarter of an inch) of duct tape, adhesive tape, or packing tape around the strings at the first fret, "sandwiching" them between the tape.
- Remove the pickup covers for a thinner sound.
- Use a solid body guitar or an arch top with a plywood top if you must play in a situation which causes feedback.
- Use as little tone enhancement as possible on the amplifier. Start with the tone controls on zero and try to get a sound you like with the lowest possible settings.
- Turn in the pickup screws on strings 5 and 6 to reduce the volume a little.
- Since each guitar will vibrate differently and create feedback differently, experiment with all 6 screws, turning them in and out to find the best combination. Joe Leonard told me that Steve Howe turns all six screws in as far as they go.
- When playing with a band, have the bassist and amp on the drummer's left, put your amp on the drummer's right and then you on the right side of your amp. Your body will be between your guitar and the rest of the band and amps, shielding it. In the venue pictured above, for some reason, the overall sound was better setting up the opposite way. That's my Stromberg with a plywood top. It doesn't feedback.
- Get the bassist to use as little tone enhancement as possible and play softer. Bass guitars cause more feedback than upright basses. The smaller (an fewer) the bass amp speakers are, the less trouble you will have. Hire a bassist with a focused sound that isn't "boomy".
- Beware of drummers with shiny new cymbals.
- If you can be happy with a 10 inch speaker it will cause less feedback than a 12 or 15. The fewer speakers you have, the less feedback there will be. Four 10 inch speakers will cause more feedback than one 10 inch speaker.
- Use a closed back speaker cab. The sound only comes out of the front.
- Put your amp on the floor, not on a chair. Aim it straight ahead. Don't tilt it up toward the guitar.
- Have a luthier put a "sound post" in your guitar connecting the front and the back.
- Plywood tops feed back less than spruce because the accoustic response is minimized.
- Holes cut into a guitar top to install pickups result in less feed back than floating pickups.
- Play softer, beneath the feedback threshold.
- If the drummer is using clear heads, they may be tuned to a pitch that makes your guitar go crazy. You could invesigate this and perhaps ask the drummer to change his tuning. If that doesn't work, hire a drummer with coated heads next time.
- David Phillips of Texas uses an accoustic amp with a notch filter.
- If you don't like flat wound strings, use round wound on strings 3 and 4. Use flats on 5 and 6 where most of the feedback comes from.
- Try a multi-band equalizer to reduce the sound areas that cause feedback.
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That's great list. It oughtta be a sticky at the top of the forum. The last entry is a good solution, if you can get a good EQ, but I solve the problem usually by mic'ing the amp. As long as I can hear myself well, I'm good, so amp near my ears or stage monitor with lots of guitar in the mix. I find that loud bands and venues usually have a sound system ... I just bring a couple of long mic cables and an SM57, just in case the sound guy is out to lunch, and I'm good.
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Did I hear that Doug's Plugs went out of business? Their website still exists, though, so I sent an email this morning asking about plugs for one of my guitars. No reply yet but perhaps it's still too early to say anything more...
Update: I heard back from Doug this morning and he is indeed still in business; sorry if I misled anyone.Last edited by jasaco; 04-25-2014 at 08:10 AM.
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31. Give up and bring your Tele.
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Pedals that prolong sound (delays, sustainers) make feedback significantly worse on an archtop - not surprisingly.
I find I can use those only on my solid bodies.
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I had him make me a set about 10 yrs ago, I think he was out of the loop for awhile. Originally Posted by jasaco
good to know he's back.
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