Pickup "Hotness" and Feedback

taylormade

A somewhat simple question, but complicated by the fact that it is across 2 different platforms of guitar. All of these questions are coming from my doing some recording, and trying to keep volume reasonable while getting the tone I want.

In general, do "hotter" pickups have a tendency to feedback easier/at lower volumes than cooler ones? How dependent on guitar shape/construction is it?

I ask, because my Jag-stang has been modded with some fairly hot pickups, both single and humbucker, and I can get it into easily controlled/modulated feedback at moderate volumes, as long as I'm close to the amp. My stratocaster, which is relatively stock, won't feedback, even at high volumes - unless I do the ol' "touch the neck to the cabinet" trick.

I've debated swapping pickups in the strat before, and this could be the catalyst to do it... 😀

tragictravisty

no, the hotness of the pickups have nothing to do with it, they just drive amps into distorting harder, so youll get more feedback at high volumes. the guitar has allot to do with it. get a semi-hollow which is really, really loud acoustically, and thats your best bet. frequency range has allot to do with it as well. also, a compressor will help.

feedbackismyfriend

one trick I've learned is to have a really high gain pedal you kick on when you want feedback. I used to use a Dunlop Jimi Hendrix Fuzzface as my main effect and during solos and stuff I would kick on a Boss Metalcore in addition to the Fuzzface. You can also use a delay pedal. you turn down every control except for the feedback control (I'm not sure if most delay pedals have a feedback control as I'm only familiar with the delay on my amp). A couple of things to note on the latter method:

1. do not crank the feedback control as it will be very loud

2. it is very hard to control using conventional techniques (ie: muting your strings)

3. it is not very good for Hendrix-esque feedback breakdowns (it basically just squeals)

The delay trick is pretty much only good for playing something, kicking on your delay, getting a squeal, and then kicking your delay off.

or you could use one of these:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXXLxXaLrB8

or these:

feedbackismyfriend

I also believe you can get a sound similar to feedback using a fernandes sustainer (I'm not sure though). I've also heard that your guitar will feedback if you put magnets close to your pickups (again, I'm not sure and this could also possibly ruin your pickups).

taylormade

The mobius doesn't seem to be available anywhere. The Distorto looks like maybe the ticket.

Mad-Mike

I used to get awesome bedroom level harmonic feedback using my old red Kramer Focus 3000 with a DOD FX-56B Super American Metal Distortion Pedal and a Peavey Backstage 30. Much of it has to do with how driven and how compressed the guitar sound is from my experience. I also could pull it off (with terrible tone) with the same pedal through a Sony tape deck using one of those CD to Car Tape Player adpaters on the Sony for the input.

Also, a guitar with good resonance wil have an easy time, like the Jagmaster, due to that huge hollow cavity under the pickguard, can feedback like a mofo harmonically, I can literally feel the scratchplate and the rest of the guitar vibrate when that thing gets going if I hold it loosely in my hands while it's feeding back. My Jag-Stang is much the same way, and the more solid the neck joint, the more controllable the feedback seems to be.

ModNuB

I just got a behringer "vintage distortion" pedal from a pawn shop for $15. Its supposed to be a like a fake big muff which is why I got it. I couldn't try it there as they didn't have any cables but once I got it I took it apart & could tell from its insides that it was NOT a muff. All this to say I ended up not really liking the pedal for distortion but w/ its sustain control past 5 it gives almost ebow like sustain that can lead to some really nice feedback that is very usable. I tried it out at a show this weekend & it worked freakin' awesome for several songs as well as "trash can" ending where I just needed feedback in the right key.

These pedal can be bought from target online for $30, I wouldn't pay that much but its worth $20 if your going to use it for this application other wise its pretty crap.

ModNuB

Also the nobs are big enough to turn w/ your feet on the fly in the middle of playing 😀 which was really cool 😀

tragictravisty

the reason a cranked amp can induce feedback is because a string is never truly silent. the string is always moving a small amount, and when this is blasted at 100 watts, it induces more movement - feedback. so when you have an extremely distorted tone with a very low amount of headroom, the noise floor can be as loud as a 100 watt stack, the very small amount of string movement is amplified as much as the stack. so with enough distortion, you can induce as much feedback as a guy with a wall of marshalls, but in your bedroom.

feedbackismyfriend

taylormade said: The mobius doesn't seem to be available anywhere. The Distorto looks like maybe the ticket.

I found a site the stocked the mobius recently. If I remember correctly it was $99. I'll see if I can find it again

Cymastar

Mad-Mike said:
Also, a guitar with good resonance wil have an easy time, like the Jagmaster, due to that huge hollow cavity under the pickguard, can feedback like a mofo harmonically, I can literally feel the scratchplate and the rest of the guitar vibrate when that thing gets going if I hold it loosely in my hands while it's feeding back.

This is one of my favorite Jagmaster features. Also, by holding the guitar to the amp at the right angle, or unplugging the guitar and touching the "guitar" end of the cable to the headphone input (don't plug it in, just touch the outside) it will give you an almost synthesizer like distortion, easily manipulable by the EQ controls on your amp.

feedbackismyfriend

Mad-Mike said:
Also, a guitar with good resonance wil have an easy time, like the Jagmaster, due to that huge hollow cavity under the pickguard, can feedback like a mofo harmonically, I can literally feel the scratchplate and the rest of the guitar vibrate when that thing gets going if I hold it loosely in my hands while it's feeding back.

Do you hate your amps or what?

Cymastar

Nah, I just love noise. 😁

Mad-Mike

Mad-Mike said:
Also, a guitar with good resonance wil have an easy time, like the Jagmaster, due to that huge hollow cavity under the pickguard, can feedback like a mofo harmonically, I can literally feel the scratchplate and the rest of the guitar vibrate when that thing gets going if I hold it loosely in my hands while it's feeding back.

Thats a bit of what I use my Fuzz Factory for, on the clean channel with the right settings I can emulate some of the 8-bit Nintendo sound channels, particularly those from Acclaim games like Wizards & Warriors.

taylormade

The "feeling the guitar vibrate" is what happens with the Jag-stang. You can feel it start to resonate through the neck/body.

Any more luck on the Mobius? That looks like -exactly- what I'm looking for, but I can't find one anywhere.

You guys are awesome - I'm not trying to generate NES sounds, but I am looking to get a "volume swell into feedback" kind of vibe - but without maxing out my somewhat limited recording setup (home studio type stuff).

ModNuB

I just remembered this!!!

You should also check out the "fuzz probe"!!! It may not be just what you're looking for but a buddy of mine loves his! I've never gotten to mess w/ his but you can check out a video of it on youtube. You can seriously get some very weird but very usable overdriven/fuzz sounds out of it & its all instantly controlable by just moving your foot!!! Seriously check it out!

endsjustifymeans

putting a green ringer inline with a fuzz will make some ####ed up sounds and solid feedback.