Help. Garageband guitar distortion

I've recently upgraded to Snow Leopard and now, when I create a real instrument track in Garageband for my guitar, the output sound is badly distorted like a broken speaker. The bad sound occurs when I am plugged in with my m-audio usb recording interface, or my Lightsnake guitar chord which is a direct usb chord. So the cause is neither the m-box or the lightsnake (I've tried both in every usb port). I've tried it with all other usb ports unplugged, different chords, same result. I've got everything selected correctly in main sound preferences and an garageband prefs. The crackling sound occurs with two different guitars with two different cords.
My M-audio Keystation 49e usb keyboard works fine. However, if I create a real instrument guitar track, the keyboard starts making the same terrible output noise, even though it's a different track. Delete the guitar track and the keyboard track returns to normal.
I've used Garageband for four years without a problem.
I've posted about this maddening dilemma before but haven't received any suggestions as of yet.

Is the level of your guitar track clipping?

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