Question about Collings guitar with feedback trouble

[themass]

Hi, wondering if anyone has had the same issue or knows of any solutions. I bought a Collings slope shoulder dread and loved it... Until I tried it amplified. I played it acoustically extensively at the store and at home for the past few months. When I put pickup in it however I've been having big trouble with low A and B notes feeding back. Ive tried 2 different pickups (k &k western and a d-tar dual source), and at about 6 different gigs. It that just inherent in the guitar or should I work harder with equipment to control the feedback?

[Wolfram]

Hi!

In general, I've found more responsive guitars like your Collings to be - almost by definition - more prone to feedback when plugged in.

Are you using a preamp, or plugging straight into a PA or amp? If you have the capability, on your preamp or PA desk, try inverting the phase of your guitar input - this changes the relationship between the output of the speakers and the vibration of your top, and can help keep feedback under control (as well as sometimes improving your overall tone). If you are able to, some low / low-mid EQ cut may also help.

Failing that, there are soundhole plugs available that can help to damp the feedback - but I personally haven't used one so can't comment on how effective they are.

Cheers,
David

[DenverSteve]

Yeah. It's not a problem, it's just what it is. It's not the pickups or the strings - it is the specific environment that you are playing in. If you are in your "studio" or a small space it may be inevitable. If you are in a big room and can't get positioned away from the speakers, use a feedback buster and you won't have any more problems.

[lschwart]

Originally Posted by themass

Hi, wondering if anyone has had the same issue or knows of any solutions. I bought a Collings slope shoulder dread and loved it... Until I tried it amplified. I played it acoustically extensively at the store and at home for the past few months. When I put pickup in it however I've been having big trouble with low A and B notes feeding back. Ive tried 2 different pickups (k &k western and a d-tar dual source), and at about 6 different gigs. It that just inherent in the guitar or should I work harder with equipment to control the feedback?

Are you using monitors? Speaker placement is your first line of defense with feedback. After that there's the phase switch and EQ, depending on what's available.

Louis

[ricdoug]

Sound hole covers can help:

http://lutehole.com/

High end guitars like Collings are so rich in resonance, they can be difficult to control. Go to the App Store on your smartphone or tablet and download an Audio Spectrum Analyzer to pinpoint the offending feedback frequency and use a 30+ band graphic equalizer to notch out just enough of that offending frequency to eliminate feedback. Ric

[Andy Howell]

A good preamp is worth the investment. I use a Headway preamp which has five bands of EQ. While this sounds complicated it is easy to get used to and has enough flexibility to use in almost any situation. It also has a notch filter system which can be very useful as well.

All of my guitars are lively and responsive and so benefit from this. Just occasionally I plug straight into a PA and I can tell the difference immediately. Just taking the edge of the bass, lower mids and sometimes the upper mids solves this problem.

[Silly Moustache]

What David said, and Andy.

When I got my first Collings - I was having a Baggs Dual source fitted and the store bossman said - y'know that is a very fine ACOUSTIC guitar - no pick-up we can fit will ever duplicate the tonal quality of it - If I were you, I'd keep the Collings acoustic, and buy a cheap Takamine or Yamaha for playing electrically.

I ignored him. A few short days later I did a pub gig, and left the podium with the cable still plugged in - I'll never know what caused it but then - a crash and my brand new Collings was lying face down half on half off the podium with the head-stock in splinters.

I put it down to someone pulling/tripping over the cable, or just the weight of the cable .... I'll never know.

Only got one guitar with lektriks now only because it came with them installed.

I use mics if necessary to amplify sound levels.

[Howard Emerson]

Originally Posted by themass

Hi, wondering if anyone has had the same issue or knows of any solutions. I bought a Collings slope shoulder dread and loved it... Until I tried it amplified. I played it acoustically extensively at the store and at home for the past few months. When I put pickup in it however I've been having big trouble with low A and B notes feeding back. Ive tried 2 different pickups (k &k western and a d-tar dual source), and at about 6 different gigs. It that just inherent in the guitar or should I work harder with equipment to control the feedback?

I would search out one of these units:

https://reverb.com/item/340209-sabin...ack-eliminator

You may be able to find one for less. I found mine, new in the box, for $50.00, but that was a year ago.

Read the description of the one I linked to. They are basically an automatic parametric eq, or notch filter.

HE

[Howard Emerson]

PS- Here's a used one, cheap enough to experiment with:

https://reverb.com/item/1345252-sabi...FdCPHwodh38CPA

HE

[themass]

thanks for all the suggestions - I'm goanna try and identify the frequencies causing the problems. I've been using a small bodied taylor for years live and I took it for granted how feedback resistant it was.