Weird Loud Picking sound on my strat or amp?

[slianto]

Hi i'm new here, and looking for this solution elsewhere, but no luck. hope it solved here

Here's the soundclip: soundcloud.com/slianto/guitar-or-amp-noise

I heard a loud picking sound coming through the amp ( a new amp, roland cube 20xl). and an used strat vintage CIJ. (texas pickup maybe)
it's even louder when i increase the volume, on a clean sound i still can hear it loud, but not as loud as with high gain+distortion.
Actually i think it's not picking sound itself, because the sound's like when the pick is 'make contact' or 'touching' the string before picking,
that's why i heard this before the notes itself.

Every note. so if i play 5 notes, i heard 5 pick sounds.

I search everywhere, and try some alternative like use a thicker pick, decrease the treble, gain, but still the same.
and I guess it's not the picking technique, i try all the angles, try gently picking, etc. but the noise is coming when my pick/nail make contact with the string (not grounding noise). it's like "cloc cloc cloc" if i turn the treble/gain down then the picking sound become more dull but still loud out there like "blugh blugh blugh".

I feels like the pickup/amp is super sensitive catching all the sound. I try this: i completely muted the string with my left hand and touch the edge of my pick on the string, it's making contact/touch sound coming though the amp, almost the same sound i heard when i picking.
So once again..it's not about the picking, it's when the pick/nail is touching the strings.
I try all 5 switch position but it's the same. very loud with high gain+distortion it's about the notes sound:60%, picking/touching sound:40%.

The question is, the problem is my guitar?or my amp?
I have no another guitar or amp, so i can't figured it yet.
Pls kindly help.. thanks.

[1150lefty]

Can you record a sound file an post it here?

It could actually be your cable; try a new/better quality cable.

[slianto]

I'll try to record it.. hope i can catch the noise that i mentioned..
where's the best place should i upload the clips when it's done so u guys can play it easily?

also this could really heard easily if i pick the same note continuously.

thanks lefty!

[ijustwannastrat]

Do you use massively huge picks? I used to use Dunlop stubbys, and those things made a lot of noise when the amp isn't distorted like a mad man. When I switched to a smaller pick with some flex I noticed the sound reallly gott bettter

[1150lefty]

Feb 29, 2012 10:46:54 GMT -5 slianto said:

where's the best place should i upload the clips when it's done so u guys can play it easily?

www.photobucket.com

While it might take some time and sometimes the sound doesn't sync up with the video, I've found that even the cheapest videos cameras sound good on photobucket. Even with the lowest bass:

23Hz and up, around 300 watts (HD)



(my newly built 2x6.5" cab, with migraine on some really strong meds)


It may just be you're pick attack too. I only replied to your post, because I had the same problem for a while. One of the other things I found out I was doing wrong after all these years.

[cynical1]

Just to add more into the fray, have you recently changed your setup? As in pickup height, string height, strings, new nut...etc...

HTC1

[slianto]

Feb 29, 2012 12:34:12 GMT -5 ijustwannastrat said:

Do you use massively huge picks? I used to use Dunlop stubbys, and those things made a lot of noise when the amp isn't distorted like a mad man. When I switched to a smaller pick with some flex I noticed the sound reallly gott bettter

I use thin pick and medium pick... but even i use my finger i still can hear the noise...

[slianto]

Here's the soundclip: soundcloud.com/slianto/guitar-or-amp-noise

[cynical1]

You mentioned the Roland Cube 20xl is a "new" amp. Was there an "old" amp before this and did it make the same sort of noise?

It's almost like a microphonic capture of the initial string contact.

With no other guitars or amps to test against it's going to be pretty hard to nail it down. Ever think of taking the guitar to a music store and test out a few different amps to see what happens?

Might try a few of their guitars to see if it comes back to just your guitar.

Happy Trails

Cynical One

[slianto]

I've sold both of my old guitar and amp,
So this is the only pair i have at the moment.

I've been thinking about that too, if my pickup is being a bit microphonic.
If i tried another guitar on my amp is fine then i'll try to potting my pickup then ;D

Yeah, i'll try to test it out on another amp/guitar and try to isolate where the problem is coming from. But this coming days i'll be very busy and will let u know later.


thanks cynical!

[slianto]

Feb 29, 2012 14:31:47 GMT -5 cynical1 said:

Just to add more into the fray, have you recently changed your setup? As in pickup height, string height, strings, new nut...etc...

HTC1

I just bought this used strat with no strings, and i put a new one.
so no significant changes. and i've no historical records on this one.
but when i tried this first time i did not notice 'that sound' because i tried it in clean mode and not so loud volume.

[rockledge]

Do you rest your hand on the bridge or strings?

If so perhaps when you do the string is far closer to the pickups than it is when you just look at it.
Try fretting the strings at about the 20th fret and check the distance between the pickups and the strings.