Home › Forums › Help/Technical Questions › Worm gets Distorted

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  • October 16, 2009 at 7:30 pm #79131
    punkbasse
    Member

    Whenever I use the Worm, it starts to breakup and gets distorted, even at low volumes. It gets progressively worse as the volume on the amp is increased. I have a solid state Fender amp. Other than replacing the amp, is there aomething else I can do to increase the headroom? What else can I get to make it sound cleaner? I also use a DMM w/Hazarai, and that is ok by itself, but when used with the Worm, the Worm gets even worse with breaking up.

    Thanks,
    Eddie

    October 16, 2009 at 7:40 pm #102335
    Fender&EHX4ever
    Moderator

    Putting a compressor before the Worm is the easiest way. Turning down your volume before the Worm is the other easiest way. but no guitarist ever wants to hear that advice :D

    I haven’t heard of any mods to increase headroom, but if the 2 above options aren’t feasible, then the Worm might not be your bag.

    October 16, 2009 at 8:59 pm #102340
    punkbasse
    Member

    I had put a compressor after the Worm since it seems to make a noticible jump in volume that I do not want. Having the compressor before the Worm did not seem to help with my distortion issue. I guess my amp is just not that compatible with it??
    On a side note, is there any way to adjust the volume on the Worm so it does not make everything louder when it is kicked in? And is that normal for the Worm to make everything louder when engaged?

    November 22, 2009 at 10:18 am #104061
    mn001
    Member

    I use the worm at the front of my fx chain – I have noticed some problems when it sits in the middle of a chain but distortion was not the issue. does the problem occur on all of the worm sounds ? Also what guitar are you using? single coils ? Humbuckers?

    November 23, 2009 at 3:37 pm #104113
    punkbasse
    Member

    I think the problem may be the compatibility with the small Fender solid-state amp I am using. There may just not be enough head room to accomodate it. On low volumes, I can usually get it to sound ok since I eliminated some effects in between, just at louder volumes is when I have an issue. I use a Gibson Les Paul Vintage Mahogany with humbuckers. I may try single coils, and see how it goes. Whenever it starts getting distorted, it occurs with all of the sounds.

    November 23, 2009 at 5:46 pm #104117
    mn001
    Member

    OK. I have used both single coils and humbuckers and apart from the obvious sonic differences I have not experienced the distortion problem. I have read that the Worm can be noisy but that is a different issue. I have only used it with a Laney Cub 10 which is all tube I will plug into a transistor combo and check that out but it does seem strange !!!!!

    November 23, 2009 at 7:26 pm #104123
    B.Daws
    Participant

    I used my Worm for the longest on my board and there were none of these problems you speak of. I got a new amp and now have the worm in my effects loop and instantly start getting the distortion out of the Worm (is this your case?). Simple answer, turn down your channel volume to get the signal below the level the Worm distorts and you can still blast your master as much as you want. I noticed this because my Vintage Time Machine has an overload LED so I can tell when the signal is too much thanks to it. I also have to use the Low input on my amp instead of the High to be able to do this. I have the new version, what about you? Hope this helps!

    November 24, 2009 at 4:58 pm #104171
    punkbasse
    Member

    I have the new XO version. My amp unfortunately does not have a channel volume and a master, only a clean volume and distorted volume when the drive is engaged (clean volume no longer in play then). I think I am having the same issue as you dawson. I may just have to get another amp. What type of amp did you have before? I am looking for a decent amp for <$500 that may work, so if anyone knows what might work for the Worm, let me know.

    November 24, 2009 at 8:23 pm #104190
    B.Daws
    Participant

    It works fine on my Line6 and my Epiphone Valve Junior. My Behringer Twin knockoff has issues with it if it’s in the effects loop, I have to put it before the preamp.

    May 18, 2011 at 1:44 pm #115225
    jimmypinch
    Member

    My Worm has the same thing, it seems as if the input of the Worm is very sensitive for a Gibson neck Burstbucker when the guitar volume is on full, especially when you play with your thumb in a punchy way. I’ll wager it’s not your amp but a high output pickup and your guitar volume on ten. By lowering the guitar volume on the guitar it helps. Also by lowering the range control on the Worm to a less bassy sound helps. The LPB-1 is similar with it’s sensitive input, another fave EHX pedal of mine. Lowering the guitar volume helps this but not the hiss.
    You have to work your guitar volume knob with EHX sometimes (same for old tube amps and Pignose). So many young players these days just leave the guitar volume on ten, but you get more tones out of a good old volume pot at differing levels for different applications.
    I also bet that if EHX fixed the sensitive inputs the pedals would probably not sound as good overall. I tried a little experiment putting the LPB-1 before the Worm to either lower or higher the input signal and discovered you can either decrease the breakup or send it into fuzz land.

    (I use a Gibson 58 VOS Les Paul or Fender 52 Tele into a 1966 Fender Deluxe Reverb or a Marshall 1973 Lead and Bass 50 watt half stack or a Pignose 7-100)

    May 18, 2011 at 2:09 pm #115228
    jimmypinch
    Member

    .

    May 23, 2011 at 8:21 pm #115279
    punkbasse
    Member

    Thanks Jimmy! Yes, my guitar has the Burstbucker Pro humbuckers, and I keep the volume dimed on the guitar. I have tried dialing back on the volume on the guitar, but could never settle into a tone I liked, but I will try it again when using the Worm. Thank you so much for the input!

    May 25, 2011 at 10:40 am #115303
    jimmypinch
    Member

    Thanks, I find that the old Bumble bee caps work well with my Deluxe reverb when I’m driving it for rhythm and lead, as I come in for a solo it adds a bit more top as I turn up the volume on the guitar to give a bit of cut through the amp break up. But If I want a low volume on the Les Paul but to keep the sweet treble then the EHX LPB-1 is bloody brilliant for putting that sweetness back in. You just set the LPB-1 to match the volume you want. Very useful. The Worm is good for beefing up a Tele I put it on the Trem setting with the range up and the manual switch kicked in, and it adds just the right amount of bass boost. I never got the worm for an EQ but that is how I’ve ended up using it.

    May 25, 2011 at 12:02 pm #115305
    Fender&EHX4ever
    Moderator
    Quote:
    The Worm is good for beefing up a Tele I put it on the Trem setting with the range up and the manual switch kicked in, and it adds just the right amount of bass boost. I never got the worm for an EQ but that is how I’ve ended up using it.

    Yes. The Worm makes a fantastic tone shaper in manual mode :thumb:

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