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Joined:
October 2004
Posts: 180
Location: Chicagoland | So I purchased a Preacher for around $250, and I'm having some slight issues.
One, the electronics seem a bit iffy. If I rotate the cable
around in the socket, it makes large static fizzing noises and the pickups cut
out. This is true on both the mono and stereo socket.
The second is that the
tuners don't seem to be working too well. The bottom e and b strings, in
particular, are constantly falling about 50 cents flat, and the other strings
a little less so. I cannot play for more than 5 mintues without the guitar
either fizzing out, or falling out of tune.
Another problem is that when I try playing a single string, it sets the other strings vibrating slightly. Not too loud, but enough (espeicaly distorted) that it sounds like I'm playing with sloppy(er) technique.
Let me know if you have any thoughts on the matter. |
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Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13996
Location: Upper Left USA | The 20-30 year old electrical contacts are showing their age. There are several ways to clean the plug contacts up. Pull the pick guard and take a look for corrosion and such and clean what you can.
Tuners can be had from StewMac and others for a reletively affordsble price. For me, I like to take things apart. I you don't you need to locate a local repair Tech and start that life long bonding! |
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Joined:
October 2004
Posts: 180
Location: Chicagoland | StewMac dosen't sell orginalr Preacher tuners though, does he?
Is there a way to clean the contacts without taking off the pickguard? |
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Joined:
January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | The jacks should come out that side. The keys are Schallers and any of them will fit. It would be nice if the screw pattern was the same on the keys. |
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Joined:
October 2004
Posts: 180
Location: Chicagoland | Actually it seems the tuning problem is gone. It just took alot longer to settle in then new strings on my Strat. |
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Joined:
June 2002
Posts: 6202
Location: Phoenix AZ | If the mono and the stereo jacks both show the same static problem when moving the cable around, you might want to check that the problem isn't the cable. Try reversing the cable. |
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Joined:
October 2004
Posts: 180
Location: Chicagoland | Reverse what cable? The instrument cable? I've tried both of mine. Both have ht same problem, and dotn have that problem with my Strat. |
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Joined:
January 2004
Posts: 648
Location: Florida | By far the best contact cleaner is ProGold. Amazing stuff made my 79 Strat quiet, my 73 Guild (solidbody) quiet. Works great on old amps too.
www.tubesandmore.com have it |
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Joined:
November 2004
Posts: 29
Location: Northern Indiana | For the record, and posterities sake, and partly because the buyer has stopped responding to my emails since last Saturday for no known reason, the guitar "never" once showed any signs of electronic problems while I had it some 5 or more years. Although it was not played regularly, it was played and it never gave me a hint of electronic problems. I also tried to get him to replace the cord and check the amp's grounding etc. as a partially working cord can give irregular results. But he responded saying that the cord it ok and that the guitar is the problem.
The other problem he is facing is one that I have very little experience with. The action is too high and he wants to put on thicker strings, even thicker than 11's. Of course when he lowers the action too much the strings start to buzz out. Is there a way to adjust the action?
Also there is a modest arch to the neck from the headstock end to the body end, although I think that most of it is up towards the first position by the headstock. Anyway it may be a bit excessive, though I'm not sure. Can that be relieved via a truss rod adjustment and is that something a novice should try? I'm thinking about possible irreversible damage by stressing the neck or neck joints too much. I'm already concerned for the condition of the neck as he has already raised the action (he didn't say how much) by putting on thicker strings and yet still intends on putting on even thicker strings than I ever dreamed of using on it.
Thanks,
1Way |
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Joined:
November 2004
Posts: 29
Location: Northern Indiana | I don't doubt that the electronics may need some attention, they seem original to me and certainly the springs that hold the pickups assemblies up are corroded, so it is reasonable to assume that something may be wrong with the electronics. At the same time, I played that guitar for like 2 hours straight the day before delivery, and just like every time I've ever played it the dozens of times before in the past, it worked great without any problems.
Your assistance in helping with these issues is much appreciated. And I hope will make the purchase more rewarding. |
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Joined:
October 2004
Posts: 180
Location: Chicagoland | I didnt mean to offent 1Way, I've been pretty busy with school and havent had much more signifigant to report. Suffice to say i have tried all of my cables and my freinds, and recent got a new amp, and i have the same problem still, and no problem at all with my Strat. I am in no way disatisfied with the guitar.
I'll be taking out to a guy I was recommened who is familiar with Ovations. (though im not sure about an electric) He should be able to help with the buzzing, but I know my gauge string are not excessive. Stevie Ray Vaughn is an example of a person who prefered heavy strings. |
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Joined:
November 2004
Posts: 29
Location: Northern Indiana | Eric, good to hear from you again. I was not necessarily offended, but I was and am concerned, and I am still hoping for your guitar to work better and become impressive. I hope you understand that I am naturally surprised that the guitar's electronics are not working as they should. Although I am happy that you are not dissatisfied with the guitar, I will be much happier when it's in good working order. In the mean time, I simply want to be of any service that I my offer.
Did anyone take a peek inside the guitar's pickguard before these problems started to happen, or did they happen immediately?
Does the "buzzing" and "cutting out of sound" happen all the time, or just sometimes?
Have you tried playing the ovation through someone else's amp and guitar cord and electric power outlet that is also known to work without problems?
If the two guitar's that you have are wired differently (i.e. out of phase, in phase), theoretically a problem with your power wiring outlet (one of several) might cause issues with the amp and guitar setup. I once plugged my Gibson Explorer into another location and with their amp and it would hum and buzz pretty loudly, yet at my house and on my amp, it never did that.
Musical instruments and amplifiers can be finicky things when it comes to household current, nearly good sockets, deceptively good cables, nearly properly grounded power, almost shielded guitar player, playing in socks verses playing in shoes, etc, etc. etc.
I am simply expressing the fact that I have never had problem one with the guitar's electronics and on the other hand, while setting at a different location, my Gibson became tempermental almost like your description, but when taken back to my place, it has worked fine before and after. The entire electrical system in a house, including if you are wearing shoes or not, or are standing on thick carpet or on a cement floor can influence an electric guitar's humming and buzzing, sometimes significantly. Some guitars that are setup to have the humbuckers in phase, are set up wrong from the factory and are actually out of phase. Some homes have excellent grounding and other are bad or spotty. Some homes have reversed wiring, others have consistent proper wiring. They make power receptacle wiring and grounding tests available on some computer type power strips and especially on a backup power supply. If I was you, I would assume nothing and try to positively eliminate alternative issues systematically and thoroughly. Changing one or two issues when there may be 6 or more involved is not a clear indicator one way or another. And it would be more helpful for us (chuckles) armchair techs if you gave more detailed descriptions of what happens when it goes wrong and for how long it goes wrong.
Please keep us posted (as you find time).
If players use thicker strings, I'm sure they accommodate the added neck pressures with sufficient adjustment and or reinforcement. Please note that to my understanding, if you bend or stress the neck too much, you may incur permanent irreversible damage. Best wishes getting your new ax back into tip top shape! |
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Joined:
November 2004
Posts: 29
Location: Northern Indiana | Perhaps you could go to one of your buddies house and try out your guitar (only) completely on his system, and he yours, etc. |
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Joined:
November 2004
Posts: 29
Location: Northern Indiana | Eric, you know those pictures that I sent you for the guitar? I also shot my Gibson Explorer during the same photo session, and when I went to pick up the case with the guitar in it, I reached for it at a bit of an angle and slightly twisted the plastic handle and it broke right then and there. The case just dropped back to the table top, nothing else damaged. What timing. But I try to look on the bright side, at least it broke while I had it. I'd rather it happen that way rather than surprise a new buyer. I hope that the guitar troubles will be remedied soon. |
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Joined:
November 2004
Posts: 29
Location: Northern Indiana | Still looking for help with the following.
The other problem he is facing is one that I have very little experience with. The action is too high and he wants to put on thicker strings, even thicker than 11's. Of course when he lowers the action too much the strings start to buzz out. Is there a way to adjust the action?
Thanks |
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Preacher Problems
