Feedback…help

[23outlaw]

I’m really hoping somebody can help me here… I’m a professional musician, playing in bars and clubs 4 to 5 nights a week in Pennsylvania… I recently just purchased two brand new 614 CE and one 814 CE… For some reason when I play any one of these guitars, I get a high-pitched, almost harmonic sound coming out of the speaker… I have tried everything I have even taken phosphor bronze strings off and tried 80/20 with no result
It is even more prominent when I use a Capo
It seems to be coming from the D or G string for instants, if they make a D chord with the capo on the second fret, the first finger on the a note seems to bring out a high-pitched sound, and then all the way up the neck if that makes any sense… I’ve had patrons of the bar approach me and asked me if I noticed I was getting feedback… This is what’s even more bothersome is it’s annoying people in the crowd


I tried to adjust the pick ups. I have done everything in step-by-step formation, including bypassing any effects, and starting everything flat on the EQ and working around still no better results… I have a gibsons and Martin’s and I have no issues… It’s something in this ES two system

I have tried a sound hole plug with no result

The sound is nesting in my ear and very distracting when I play I’m about to take all three and return them but I like the actual guitar itself as I have six other tailors with no problems… It’s somewhere in this ES to pick up system… I have done a lot of research and still can’t pinpoint it

My set up are use is from the guitar to a boss VE8 then into an Allen heath  mixer, then into a QSC k10
 powered speaker.

I have even switched the mixer to my Bose tune match and even tried my Yamaha mixer, and pre sonus mixer

I do know that the old ES1 systems needed to have a balanced output cable which I am not using… I went to the music store yesterday and the representative told me that on the new system is the balance cable will not change anything

I am at a total loss here, as I am very particular with my sound when I play… There has to be somebody on this board that is experiencing the same thing. Any help with greatly be appreciated.

[Edward]

Hey Outlaw,

You new Taylors have the ES2 so indeed, no balanced cable there, just a regular T/S guit cable.  This "high pitched" sound you're getting seems very strange, indeed.  Are you a solo act or in a full band?  I trust you aren't pushing serious decibels, right?  If you're like most typical "bar acts" the volume isn't that loud, and along with the fact that a sound plug didn't change anything, I doubt it is any kind of feedback.  Are you using a monitor at all? ...if so I trust you're not cranking it, right?  Also, you're not using compression into a floor wedge, right?

Also, is the problem the same on both guitars, and at the same chord/note positions?

You also mentioned "adjusting the pickups" ...describe exactly what you mean by this, will you? 

Your various mixers aren't the issue, as you've noticed.  I've used all the above and not had issues at all.  I'd suggest you setup at home exactly as you would live but straight into the A&H sans Boss, and all volume/eq same as you would.  Position all gear same as you would as proximity and volumes are all inter-related.  Get it as close to your live setup as possible at home, and then replicate the issue.  Chime back in with what you hear, particularly with what kind of "squeal" that it is you're hearing.


Edward

[23outlaw]

I’m a solo act, I do not use a floor monitor
And have never had any issues. I’ve been doing this for over 20 years.
By adjusting the pick ups, I mean behind the saddle, there are three little exits to adjust the pressure of the pick ups… I have tried backing them off and typing… Either way it doesn’t make a difference. The chime noise is still there it almost sounds like a hard harmonic.

[Edward]

Ok, gotcha!

This "hard harmonic" is weird, but certainly not feedback.  And is it on both your Taylors you just bought?

Further, is it limited to only those strings or can you replicate it by hitting those notes on different strings?  If only on particular strings, it just may be the piezos that you adjusted.  So the three hex screws at the saddle are .050" allen screws ...are these what you loosened?  Because you can loosen them all the way such that you get very low output from that string pair.  As you said, the D and G are the greater culprits so that's where I am leaning toward.  It's not so much a "volume" adjustment, but an "attack" adjustment with these screws.  Seems the more pressure on the piezo, I hear a harder "brittle" timbre to the tone.  So you back off the screw a bit which changes the timbre on that pair of strings (as well as decreases volume as a byproduct). Best adjusted with headphones as you can hear the nuances better. 

Lemme know what ya get...

Edward

[23outlaw]

Thats exactly what I did with the adjustments on the screws
Ibacked them down til the sound diminished and turned them back up a little at a time
No major change but……
On a hunch I wanted to try something completely unorthodox so don’t hammer me too much… Lol
Your description as brittle is perfect… Taking that information, I took a piece of plastic wrap, and just placed it under the G string on the saddle, so it was sandwiched between the string in the saddle just a very tiny piece… Plugged it in and played it, softened it up And makes it much more bearable

So I think it’s somewhere in the saddle… I’ve done many major guitar repairs and this is a first for me trying some thing like this, but I seem to be on the root cause… Maybe there’s a different saddle I can use as I believe they use micarta. I’m wondering if there’s a softer type of material

Thanks for taking the time to answer and help but the race has not been won yet

[23outlaw]

*****UPDATE***
The sound is gone….
After some extensive research I put a piece of electrical tape between the saddle and g and d strings and it diminished
Checking that information I moved my investigation to the saddle
These guitars I bought have a micarta saddle which is much more dense and hard in the bone saddles… The bone saddles tend to give you a warmer sound so I installed a factory, Taylor, bone saddle, restrung plugged in and it now sounds like a normal guitar
Im so relieved this issue is gone and I hope someone else can benefit from this interesting discovery

[Edward]

Well there's an excellent outcome!  Glad to hear it, and thanks for posting here, man!  Outstanding news!

Edward