I'm sure it isn't really - but it sure sounds like it!

 

So today I took receipt of a Jamman Solo XT pedal. My first looper - very exciting.

 

Anyway following the instructions, I have it plugged in to an amp and my guitar (so no elaborate multi-pedal set up) and as soon as  I press the pedal to start recording a loop, an almighty high-pitched whine comes out of the amp. I tried a second amp with the same results. I tried a different guitar, same results. Even if it's not plugged in to any guitar, the pedal simply causes the amp to scream as soon as I press the pedal.

 

This isn't some kind of low-level static or something like that - it's as loud as anything I might be playing and it is in no way comparable to the sort of static noise that comes from the amp when only the guitar is plugged directly into it.

 

Anyone got any ideas?

 

Hmm... I had some high-pitched squealing noises in my pedals, but it's been awhile. Usually I think of feedback, my amp is too close, or mic.

 

I think I also had a Digitech delay pedal that caused the loud squealing. I had some issue with the power adapter, the wires got frayed and it caused not enough current to go to the pedal and it caused that high pitched sound. Maybe check your power adapter. Are the wires fine? Does power adapter have the right voltage?

 

Here's a pedal maintenance guide. Take a look at that as it describe various issues and noises.

http://www.premierguitar.com/articles/Pedal_Troubleshooting_and_Maintenance_101_Part_3

 

Here's the part on high-pitched squeals:

 

White noise, a sort of a hissing sound, is another common type. Most pedals will have some, but excessive white noise could be due to some bad electronic components or a need for calibration. The last common type of noise is a high-pitched squealing sound. This can be caused by feedback oscillations in the pedal due to poor wiring layout—wires should not be in neat parallel lines, like those found in some boutique pedals. In analog delay pedals and others with BBD chips (chorus, flangers, etc), squealing can be caused by poor calibration. 

 

Open up the pedal while it’s still plugged into the guitar and amp, leaving the volume on the guitar all the way down. Probe the inside of the pedal with some non-conductive device to see if you can locate the source of the noise. It could be a bad solder joint, failing switch contact, faulty connections with a jack or pot, or it could be a faulty component on the board. Try wiggling the battery clip to see if that causes any noise. You can also try to re-route the wires to stop some noises, like whistling. Unfortunately with most mass-produced pedals made these days, there is nothing you can really do inside: everything is directly soldered to the board, no hand wiring, and using proprietary parts that can’t be replaced. When one of these pedals dies past the warranty, you’re probably holding a paperweight. 

 

Not sure if you want to open up the pedal since you just bought it, though. Maybe get a replacement pedal or new power adapter.

Hi - thanks for your thoughts. I'm not too sure about the power adaptor but I do know that it came in the same box as the pedal so I would have thought it was the right thing.

 

Yeah, I'm definitely not going to open it up. Hopefully I'll hear back from the supplier soon but I thought it might be something obvious that more experienced players might know about...

are you able to have the power adapter farther away from the amp and pedal I thought I read somewhere that some make noise if they are too close.  I could be remembering wrong but its worth a shot.

Sounds like feedback tbh, you sure you got the cables plugged into the correct slots?

 

If you have then it sounds like a faulty unit, I'd look into sending ti back.

I just wanted to say thanks for your thoughts on this. I managed to solve the problem by telling the pedal to 'clear' all recorded loops. Even though I'm pretty sure I hadn't recorded anything on the channels that were creating this whine, it seemed to do the trick.

 

I do (sigh!) have another issue, so if you're feeling generous with your time, I'd certainly appreciate your thoughts on this.