"stopping hollowbody feedback" question

walrus

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To follow up on the thread zom-zom put up regarding hollowbodies and feedback, I am wondering about those of you who said "put a rag in the f-holes". Do you place it in just the bottom of the guitar? Spread it out throughout the inside?

I am thinking of beginning to search for a Starfire II, and I am wondering whether feedback will be a major problem.

Thanks, walrus
 

zom-zom

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I've been using my Starfire III with a fairly high-gain amp, an older Park combo and have had no feedback problems.

Actually, the low, hollowbody feedback has been very nice to work with.
 

Squawk

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I'd sooner get a longer cable and face away from the amp - that usually works.
 

krysh

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hey walrus

before putting some foam into the f-holes - which will definately change the character of your sound, I would consider to let a good luthier "wax" your pickups. I don't know how it is called in english. This is what I did with my sf4, works perfect.

all the best

michael
 

Darryl Hattenhauer

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krysh,

Good point about foan rubber changing the sound. I've never heard a guitar played that way. And I've only seen one with the foam rubber in it.

Is waxing the same as potting a pickup?
 

krysh

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Darryl Hattenhauer said:
krysh,

Good point about foan rubber changing the sound. I've never heard a guitar played that way. And I've only seen one with the foam rubber in it.

Is waxing the same as potting a pickup?

hey hatted one,

right, a friend of mine was playing a 60's es 330 and was always complaining about a kind of dull sound, until I took a look inside and noticed that it was filled with foam. after he took the foam away the guitar was sounding amazingly bright and clear as it should.
not shure what you mean with potting, but what I mean is: put the pickup without the cap in a pot with hot wax, let the wax flow in the inside between the wire, than take it out, let it get colt, replace the cap...and voila: less feedback, same character.
I think you may also do it with epoxy resin that way, but then it is much more difficult to fix a broken wire.

all the best

michael
 

Darryl Hattenhauer

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krysh,

I think the process you describe is potting. I don't know if people do it only to reduce feedback, or if there are other reasons.

C'mon Guilders. What do you know?
 

krysh

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hmm, the link that graham posted - thanks graham, interesting site by the way :) says that you should pot the pu's with cover. may be I was wrong with this, can't remember what my luthier did. What is better?
What about our luthiers in this forum: hans? hideglue?

all the best

michael
 

walrus

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Thanks, guys! I am finding the feedback not really an issue so far, as I have been playing it for the first time today. I need to play it with other instruments and mikes around to see how it behaves then, too. I have also had more than one person tell me to just put a t-shirt or something in the bottom f-hole, which cuts the feedback, without changing the sound (supposedly). I may try that if it becomes a problem, just to see if such a simple technique would work. Perhaps that will be a good retirement for an old black Guild t-shirt I have!

With luck, I will not find the feedback an on-going problem - that would be the best situation!

walrus
 

capnjuan

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Sweet loretta martin thought she was a woman
But she was another man
All the girls around her say she's got it coming
But she gets it while she can,


and understandably so.
 

Scotter

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I know I'm coming in on an old post but I'd thought I'd chime in with some of my experience, such as it is, and maybe it'll be useful for future information.

I would say that most feedback like this is due to the top vibrating and not from unpotted pickups. People have tried many different ways to combat the problem: stuffing foam or rags in the body, plugging the f-holes, or rigging up an adjustable "soundpost" of some kind to couple the vibration of the top to the back and stiffen the overall movement. Gretsch did this with their late 50's hollowbodies with what some call their trestle bracing system.

Just so you know: the acoustic tone and response of your instrument will change if you do any of these things, so be ready for that. Between the above solutions and standing away from your amp, you could get by.

BTW, I have a '59 Gretsch with the trestle bracing, and it still feeds back if I'm not careful. I heard Setzer used to stuff rags in his trestle-braced 6120, too...

Take Care,

Scottie
 

walrus

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Hi Scottie - thanks - since you brought this post back to the "top", let me say that I have been playing the SF II for months now, and feedback is not a problem. The guitar has been great! Love it!

walrus
 
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