Help horrible ear piercing bloom on 15th fret of TAG cobra

[quadrophenia]

Hi. When I play at and above the 15th fret on the high E string on my TAG cobra, the note seems to "bloom" into a louder, shrill ear-piercing sound. This happens regardless of pickup setting or volume level. Does anyone know why this is happening and what I can do about it? Serial # 08-14-99a. Edited to add that I am playing through a Ben Fargen Blackbird amp.

[tom]

like feedback? other amps do the same?

[quadrophenia]

like feedback? other amps do the same?
I haven't tried my other amp yet, Tom, but I know it's not feedback, I play clean at low volume.

[tom]

i'm having a hard time understanding what you're hearing. it's clean and it is changing tone as it sustains? it's only happening on the high e, you've changed strings?

[quadrophenia]

i'm having a hard time understanding what you're hearing. it's clean and it is changing tone as it sustains? it's only happening on the high e, you've changed strings?

yes the strings are fairly new. It only happens on the high e string, above the 12th fret. The notes , when I let them sustain, gain in volume and emit an ear piercing "pinging" ring. This does not occur as much if I bend the string up a microtone. It is also occurring with my 2nd amp, a Victoria.

[BrownDog]

Cone cry?

From the Weber website:

"As the speaker cone is vibrated by the voice coil, it can generate frequencies of its own that may be strong enough to be audible along with the intended note or signal from the musical instrument. These notes or tones may or may not be harmonically related to the intended note, and in some cases may be either higher or lower in frequency than the intended note. This usually means that the voice coil is driving the cone so hard that it is overcoming any damping and is essentially out of control. Sometimes manufacturers use huge magnets and loose spiders so they can win the 'sensitivity ratings' contest, but the result is a system that is difficult to control. Edge yowl is the term used to describe sounds that occur when the surround resonates, imparts energy back into the cone, and generates tones and notes that may or may not be harmonically related to the intended note."

With tone and oneness, Mike

[quadrophenia]

I appreciate the help but if it was cone cry, would it happen on two separate amps? And only from this guitar?

[BrownDog]

Only if the 2 different amps "have" cone cry - potentially unlikely.

The search continues to solve this mystry.

With tone and oneness, Mike

[quadrophenia]

Could it be a fret problem?

[tom]

i still can't hear in my head what you're after. it's not feeding back, but it gets louder instead of decaying? can you hear it acoustically?
don't think it's frets if it is doing it on more than one fret. maybe bridge saddle, but this is something i've not heard before. which saddles does it have?

[quadrophenia]

Yes it does happen acoustically. I have the "chrome non-tremelo fixed bridge." Tom I can e-mail your website my home phone number right now and you can hear this over the phone if you like. I'd like you to hear this.

[quadrophenia]

I'd love to get some help on this. When I play above the 12th fret on the high e, I get sharp, pinging overtones, I guess that might be a better way to describe this. Of course, like a toothache, I keep going over this area again and again,hoping it's disappeared. Were it not for this, my black cobra would be perfect.

[sylvanshine]

Perhaps someone could diagnose over the phone?

[tom]

you can call the shop, 805 498 1747. i'm in and out of the spray booth all day, but we can give it a try.

[tom]

another idea, what pickup is it? for me personally, the weaker humbuckers can be too shrill in the upper register.

[quadrophenia]

another idea, what pickup is it? for me personally, the weaker humbuckers can be too shrill in the upper register.
yea, for me too, on almost all guitars. In fact, just yesterday I drastically lowered the treble side of the Cobra's humbucker pickup, an HO1+. I wonder if that has anything to do with this.

[MEP]

When I read this thread, it made me wonder if it is an acoustic anomally of the room where the amps are located. Perhaps try moving the amps to a room that is pretty dead (like with overstuffed furniture or even outside if the weather permits). Then see if you are still getting the piercing sound.

We usually think of only lower frequencies creating these type of standing waves but they can happen with higher frequencies also.

[Pietro]

Just to help you out a little... Quad, (must be a Who fan), you said this is happening acoustially on the guitar, right? Sounds like it's verly likely NOT a pickup problem or an electronics problem, or an amp problem then. Right?

[Sir Ricardo]

......here are a couple of low-probability ideas

1) string saddle not making good contact; maybe the high E saddle is not making good contact with the bridge. The saddle has two height adjustment screws....maybe one of them is not making good contact with the bridge, and thus either the screw or the saddle itself is vibrating somehow. To correct this problem, look very carefully at the two screws, where they make contact with the bridge, and screw in the one that isn't touching the bridge.

2) string saddle is too low; maybe the high E saddle is too low, and thus the neck relief on the upper part of the neck is too flat for the high E string, and thus you are getting some string buzz that is masquerading as the symptom you describe. Raise the saddle and see what happens.


I think these are longshots, but who knows.....they have the advantage of being an easy "fix"....good luck - - - Richard

[quadrophenia]

Thanks, I'm reading the replies at work; my guitar is at home. Again, if I bend the high e string a little, microtonally, these symptoms disappear. Does that help narrow down the problem?

[tom]

another thought. i misread that is was not happening acousticlly. since it is, i'm leaning towards a saddle issue. check to see that both saddle screws have tension on them. sometimes one will loosen but the saddle won't go down and the screw just vibrates. i'm still open for a phone consult.

[quadrophenia]

When you say "both saddle screws" where on the bridge are they located? You can't mean the screws that are used for intonation because there are more than two.

[Sir Ricardo]

When you say "both saddle screws" where on the bridge are they located? You can't mean the screws that are used for intonation because there are more than two.

Each saddle has two height adjustment screws, they are located at the front of the saddle, the part of the saddle nearest the bridge pickup. These are different from the 1 intonation screw that enters the saddle from the rear of the bridge.

You adjust these two screws with a hex tool.

The function of these two screws is to raise/lower the saddle. The trick is, sometimes one of the screws is not actually touching the base of the bridge as it is supposed to. Its lower tip is just sitting there in mid-air. When this happens, that screw can vibrate, or can allow the saddle itself to vibrate.

You need to look very closely at where the screw is supposed to come into contact with the bridge base. It can be difficult to see, as it doesn't take much mis-adjustment for the screw to not make contact. You need to figure out which screw isn't touching the bridge base. If it is not visually obvious, look at the orientation of the top of the saddle. The top of the saddle should be level with the plane of the bridge. If it is tilting one way or the other, that's a giveaway that one of the screws is not making contact.

Best to look at the saddle, it will probably become clear once you see it in front of you.

good luck - - Richard

[quadrophenia]

Thanks for the clarification. If the top of the saddle is tilting down, which screw is loose, the one on the highest side of the saddle or the one on the lowest side of the saddle?

[Sir Ricardo]

Thanks for the clarification. If the top of the saddle is tilting down, which screw is loose, the one on the highest side of the saddle or the one on the lowest side of the saddle?

The saddle would tilt to one side, and the screw that needs to be screwed in (clockwise) would be the one on the low side.

let us know what happens.....Richard

[quadrophenia]

Now I have all the information I need. I'll get home at about 9:00 pm. Thank you.

[tom]

you may not be able to see it. just put the allen wrench in each one and just start to turn each. you'll be able to feel if there is tension on each one.