Too much input from my guitar?

J

joetdc

Member
My sound seems to break up if my volume is turned up all the way on my guitar. The lower strings are unplayable. The higher stings sound like crap as well. I turn my volume back just a pinch. All of a sudden everything is nice and tight. I am playing through a Mackie Thump 15. I have tried several guitars. Carvin, American Strat, PRS, Les Paul and EVH Wolfgang. All the same with varying degrees. The all have a different sweet spot but, all need to be turned down. Only one of these has active pickups. All clean channels sound distorted unless I lower the volume as well. Does not seem to be a problem on the high gain stuff but, it still takes the edge off and sounds much better if I lower. What can be causing this and, is there something I can change globally on the AXE II? Is sounds like too much gain. If I turn the gain down on the preset, it screws it all up. Can it be my FRFR? Would upgrading to a better speaker make a difference? It's hard to keep a volume knob in just the right spot all the time. Thanks
 
No it is set at factory settings. I thought that was only with the old Axe. The Axe II does not have an input knob on the front panel.
 
press I/O and it's on the first page. whatever your loudest guitar is, set the Input level so the red Input clip light (NOT the out 1 clip light) lights up red occasionally.
 
This may not be it, but I feel a lot of the factory presets in the past have been optimized for single coil strat-type guitars. So you may need to adjust Gain/Master on your amp settings. Also, make sure you go to the Global menu and check that Amp Gain isn't turned up past 0 or 12 o'clock.
 
ok, so down to almost 0 and your sound still breaks up. no biggie.

set the input volume as described before using the input meters, don't worry about what it sounds like. that's setting the best signal/noise ratio.

if your sound still "breaks up" that means the presets that were made for someone else's guitar aren't dialed in the best way for your guitar(s). maybe your pickups are closer to the strings or any of the other many reasons.

that doesn't matter. just turn the Drive parameter in the Amp block down until it doesn't distort or break up. you may have to increase the Level parameter to compensate. (the Level parameter is repeated several times throughout the Amp block, it's the same dial each time). if it still is breaking up, you can also turn down the Master volume, which controls how hard the Power Amp tubes are pushed, too hard and it can break up. Master also affects volume a bit, so be prepared to compensate with the Level parameter again. there are a few other ways to stop it from distorting, but let's start there for now.

what Amp type is breaking up? or what factory preset?
 
Also, on my presets I almost always raise the low cut level to 109 db or so on the amp block advanced page. This helps tame the bass frequencies from my humbuckers combined with the extra bass response of the 4x12 cab IRs that I use.
 
Today I was working with Cliffs of Dover. Using my Strat. It's not Eric Johnson's but, it's still a strat. Then I tried my Carven and switched it to single coils. Same thing. Even the clean channels break up unless I turn the volume down. For clean I have to turn it about 25% or more to get a crystal clean sound. I will try all the suggestions and let you know. BTW anyone know when AXE Edit going to be ready? What happens if I use it old version with 9.0? It's a lot easier to get around that way.
 
It's not that much easier. Stick the front panel, you'll need it at the gig.

Cliffs of Dover is a distortion type preset, how can you judge that its breaking up from that?
 
Lowering input trim in the amp block (note this is not related to the input metres previously mentioned) is similar to turning down the volume on your guitar, only without loss of treble and with better S/N ratio.
Also, personally I find it best to avoid the factory presets. If you make your own, it will work with your guitars.

Also, check that you're not clipping the output. This will result in a most unpleasant distortion.
 
The two best tools you have at your disposal are the input signal meter on the tuner page and the Status page under the Utility button.
 
I know Cliffs is a distortion but, it gets muddy. Most distortions sound like a blown speaker instead of a chain saw. Cliffs sounds like the mids are scooped out and the bass is turned all the way up.
 
joetdc said:
I know Cliffs is a distortion but, it gets muddy. Most distortions sound like a blown speaker instead of a chain saw. Cliffs sounds like the mids are scooped out and the bass is turned all the way up.
Click to expand...

This is why you should make your own presets.
 
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