Muffled DXMG Guitar Sound, PLEASE HELP!!!

[S1I2F3]

I agree with the above, wiring directly to the output jack will tell you if your pot is bad, that should be what you do first.

Next, I'd say try a different pickup if you feel up to it, I would definitely do that before trying to put in an OFR. I have a DXMG with all the original hardware, and this thing is a beast, it is one of, if not my best, sounding guitars, and I have other axes with OFR trems. Maybe I got a good one? I don't know...

I personally don't think swapping the tremolo will change much, I have a feeling they will sound relatively the same. And in my opinion a Big Block isn't necessarily better. Perhaps there is a problem with the saddles? Remove the strings and inspect the point where the strings make contact, if there are excessive burs or just a lot of random gunk that may be what is choking your sustain. However, I know you mentioned it sounds fine unplugged, so if it were a bridge/saddle problem it would probably sound muffled unplugged as well.

Another test you should do, raise the action really high (as in almost unplayably high), and pluck an open string. If the string rings out like normal, you know the hardware/wiring is good, and the frets may be the problem. If it is still muffled, you now know the hardware/wiring is the issue, and that the frets aren't the problem. This doesn't really get you anywhere I'll admit, but at this point you just need to isolate every component of the instrument until you can figure out what is wrong.

Keep us posted with more info, we all want your guitar to work!

[texasfury]

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[straycat]

A sound clip would help I agree, what you call muffled may not sound that way to us.
Some guitars are just dead sounding for whatever reason.
A quality set of pots and caps could only help.
I would go that route first because it sounds like bad wiring to me.
The wiring in it may look OK but I have seen pots bleed off each other or a ceramic cap not up to spec causing problems like that.
I have wired hundreds of guitars and sometimes you find one that defies logic and can be a pain in the ass.
Quality pots and caps really do make a difference.

[tcwil8]

I also have a DXMG with swapped pickups (Duncan Distortion - Bridge and a PAF pro - Neck) and stock hardware. It's one of my favorites and I have quite a few guitars. Like others have stated, it may just be a dead guitar if it's not the wiring. I've had a couple over the years that just never sounded right even after swapping hardware and pickups.

[blackhatch]

post a sound clip.....a pic from the circuit too....

[jdr94]

This may be a stupid question but is it possible your pickups are way too close to the strings and causing the strings to stop movement sooner?

[84sups]

This may be a stupid question but is it possible your pickups are way too close to the strings and causing the strings to stop movement sooner?

LOL! Beat me to it. If the pickup is too close it will cause string pull and kill the vibration of the strings. But it honestly sounds like a bad pot or solder joint. Also does the jack snap in positively ot does it just go in? I know those barrel jacks suck and I've had issues with them before. Some food for thought

[silar]

I know that this thread is a few months old, but I had to share what I just found out that may help the OP.

Somewhat related, I just wanted to say that I have a DXMG with EMG-HZ's and it is one of my favorite guitars to play. To me, it sounds fantastic and is on par with my DX1 Professional with a Duncan Distortion. Good sustain and not muffled at all. Now to what I was going to mention...

I have a DK2M that has a SD Jazz in the neck, and a JB in the Bridge. The reason I brought up my DXMG is because what was weird was that my DXMG actually sounded more clear, bright, and articulate with the EMG-HZ than the JB did in the DK2M, which I thought was weird. Another thing was that the SD Jazz in the neck of the DK2M barely was audible, almost like my noise gate was muffling it. I turned the gate off and it was still tinny and muffled. I could barely get a pinched harmonic with the JB, which was also weird..

A week ago, I decided to change all the electronics out to see if that would fix the problem. I replaced both Pots with CTS 500k with a Sprague orange drop .223 cap and a new 3 way switch. I also gutted all the wiring and replaced with all new... except the wiring going to the jack, and the jack itself. I got it all put back together, and low and behold! The exact same problem. At that time, I chocked it up to a bad Jazz pickup and the JB was just not what I was looking for (I know they are high output, but had never heard one used before).

Well, I had some extra time today, and took another look at the DK2M. I added a new switchcraft jack and replaced the wiring going to it and... WOW!!! It all works now! The JB screams (killer tone) and the Jazz is beautiful! It's pretty amazing when you finally get to hear what this guitar actually sounds like when everything is working. Somehow the jack was deadening the sound slightly on the JB and just about killing it all on the Jazz.

The DXMG was my favorite guitar to play out of all my Jacksons, but now the DK2M is becoming my favorite!

[silar]

I always listen to a guitar acousticly first. I then set it on my lap put an ear on the upper horn and play a little more. If it sounds good those ways I then plug it into an amp. Sounds like something in your wiring is dirty, corroded or messed up in someway or another.

That's my point with the previous post. I think it is definitely something in the wiring, since I was having the same problem....

[ozzuk1]

If you have 25k pots you need to change to 250k or 500k the bridge wont make the guitar sound muffle dhwen plugged in... i'd replace all the electronics for something of a better quality, people will spend a fair ammount of a pickup but then dont bother with the pots or switches/jacks....

A better quality pot will help im certain, allthough whoever suggested wiring to the jack would determine if the pots/other componnents are to blame....

I prefer the JB in Basswood to anything else.....

getting a gotoh FR OFR or schaller FR will improve the tone, also get the studs/anchors installed with the new bridge, and the bridge need's to be matched to the flatter radius....