NGD: McTang multiscale 8 string

[nightsprinter]

Y'all have power conditioners? That may help.

 

[Zehailiu]

I used to work for an "external dev partner" studio, and currently work on audio middleware.


It could be a combination of both - if something is funky in the guitar's wiring, and you don't notice it with other guitars, maybe something in this one is more sensitive to the environment for some reason.

I fight with the same thing - my general desk area, conveniently where I would do most recording, generates a ton of electrical noise and I never figured out where it's coming from. Doesn't seem to matter which guitar, or where in the room I stand, or which gear I'm using, and I don't think it's a ground loop or something since it doesn't seem to matter what else, if anything is plugged in, or where, etc. It's just a noisy room.

Yeah you could be right, of course. I don't really know enough to tell. I brought the guitar to a friend's place and compared it to his $50 strat copy into a $50 practice amp with gain cranked. Both guitars were quiet, regardless of me touching metal parts or not.
Back at home, my guitar buzzes somethin' fierce if I don't touch metal.

I waved it around the room like a mine detector and found the noise level goes through the roof when it's near the floor.
Current solution is I moved my gear setup to another room, and now it's much quieter. Have you tried that?
I put a EQ on the beginning of the input chain in my DAW, then another in the end, both do a bit of high shelf and low shelf, and a few very narrow notches where the noise is strongest, and now it's very quiet. I figure it should be low enough that in a mix it'll disappear. So far that's good enough for me.
Still have to touch metal at all times though, or it's buzz-city.

I haven't gotten around to trying out some more drastic solutions like DI box, power conditioner, USB isolator, hum eliminator, etc. My free fix is currently good enough and I just want to get to playin' rather than endlessly trouble-shooting.

I would like to compare the guitar to my RG8 just to see how much the pickups differ in terms noise. But currently it's in pieces needing some paint work. I will report back when I get around to it.

If you come upon some solution to your problem I'd love to hear it also.

 

[TedEH]

Still have to touch metal at all times though, or it's buzz-city.

In my case, I suspect I really just need a power conditioner or something - but if touching metal makes a difference, that sounds like a grounding problem to me.

 

[Un1corn]

Happy NGD.

It's great to see actual Chinese brands recognized by western little by little. China actually builds nice guitars like NK, McTang and Shijie (also great).

I don't get the reason that such industry can be so undeveloped here, mass-produced guitars like Ibanez, there shouldn't be difficulties. Money is enough, tech is enough (machines are simple and cheap these days). Just they don't seem to make money from it, so they don't do it.

Too sad in domestic markets they aren't particularly known as well, most main stream Chinese brand things are just shit. Those things as well are only known inside people who actually plays guitar, so actually brands like McTang will have fairly tight connection with players, as some luthiers are players themselves, these are good, but not well known.

 

[Zehailiu]

Happy NGD.

It's great to see actual Chinese brands recognized by western little by little. China actually builds nice guitars like NK, McTang and Shijie (also great).

I don't get the reason that such industry can be so undeveloped here, mass-produced guitars like Ibanez, there shouldn't be difficulties. Money is enough, tech is enough (machines are simple and cheap these days). Just they don't seem to make money from it, so they don't do it.

Too sad in domestic markets they aren't particularly known as well, most main stream Chinese brand things are just shit. Those things as well are only known inside people who actually plays guitar, so actually brands like McTang will have fairly tight connection with players, as some luthiers are players themselves, these are good, but not well known.

From what I gathered chatting with the McTang owner/luthier, it sounds like it's just generally very hard to make a living unless you're selling mass produced cheap guitars. I imagine the vast majority of guitar players just want something affordable that kinda plays alright. Only a minority of enthusiasts would be interested in something more elaborate, like nice tonewood, handwound pickups, multiscale, extended range, etc, that's all fairly niche stuff that will be hard to sell a lot of anywhere I imagine. (Except on a forum like this? haha)
I'm sure there are also people who only recognize and feel comfortable with established brands like Ibanez, so as a small shop you'd also have to fight for some recognition before anyone will take a chance on you.

The economy right now is probably not helping?

Overall it sounds risky financially and isn't something you can make happen over night. I think it also took years for brands like NK and GoC to gain any traction overseas.

McTang guy said he's into nice guitars himself, and got tired of working for one of these large factories that just churn out cheap knockoffs, and that's why he started his own thing.
I do wish there are more like him who try to change the trend and make more interesting stuff happen.

 

[Zehailiu]

In my case, I suspect I really just need a power conditioner or something - but if touching metal makes a difference, that sounds like a grounding problem to me.

I deduced in the end that it's still related to the guitar, because when I finally put together my RG8 that was sitting waiting for a paint job, the EMGs on that are whisper quiet. No noise at all.
I guess probably some soldering was knocked loose during shipping. Stuff can be thrown around real carelessly during shipping. I don't even want to picture what the package goes through from China to overseas. >.<

 

[nightsprinter]

Can you post a pic of the electronics cavity?