How do you manage thick guitar sustain and mud?

[Securb]

Re: How do you manage thick guitar sustain and mud?

I dial in for my preferred rhythm tone then use my Eventide H9 to slightly detune my leads via the harmonizer. It is simple, sweet and works with almost any setting.

[jeremy]

Re: How do you manage thick guitar sustain and mud?

on a lp you could switch to a master tone and master bass roll off which would allow the top and bottom to be controlled pretty easily for for little cost

[zionstrat]

Re: How do you manage thick guitar sustain and mud?

Put in a treble bleed in your guitar. Then you can roll back the volume to cut gain without rolling off all the highs. This works wonders with darker pickups . . . because otherwise you end up never really using the volume knob as it kills all your guitar treble.



I also like to EQ my amp so that it sounds perfect with the volume knob at about 9 and the tone knob at about 7-8. Then if I need more treble later on, I can always roll up the tone knob a bit. If I need more volume later on, I've got a little room to up the volume. If you don't have a treble bleed, this lets you roll back the volume knob a bit and then mix back in some highs.

Yep practically every guitar we do has TBs for exactly the reasons you list...

But I don't see volume as the primary solution for the mud issue. Backing off on volume can certainly back off crunch and reducing crunch can allow more articulate rhythm.

And for many songs and many players that is enough. However lots of times it isn't enough.

Think about Tom Schultz, at the opposite end of the spectrum. He kept the crunch and bite in rhythm on songs like don't look back that would have lost their punch if he simply brought down the volume and drive.

Of course this is the extreme example but there is lots of room in the middle and that's why there are so many ways to make this work.

And once again I'm with you treble bleeds are incredible, I have personally been on a reverend craze for a couple of years because the TB + bass roll off + long scale are one of the combinations to fight through the mud but still have a thick fat signal on leads.

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[Coma]

Re: How do you manage thick guitar sustain and mud?

At this point, I'm not 100% sure that treble bleeds are not, in fact, actual magic.

[NegativeEase]

Re: How do you manage thick guitar sustain and mud?

Personally, I would prefer to err on the side of icepick than mud.

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As the guitarist I agree -that's a lot of fun....but the kid at front of stage facing your speaker at eye level disagrees.....

[GuitarStv]

Re: How do you manage thick guitar sustain and mud?

As the guitarist I agree -that's a lot of fun....but the kid at front of stage facing your speaker at eye level disagrees.....

Yeah, but that's why you crank your 200 watt amps up to 11. Then he'll only complain for a few minutes until he loses the ability to hear the offending frequencies. :P

[LLL]

Re: How do you manage thick guitar sustain and mud?

One item to note for those who use a Marshall plexi or metal-panel style amp:

If you're playing cranked or close to, turn the Bass knob down, like anywhere from 2 to completely off.

[NegativeEase]

Re: How do you manage thick guitar sustain and mud?

One item to note for those who use a Marshall plexi or metal-panel style amp:

If you're playing cranked or close to, turn the Bass knob down, like anywhere from 2 to completely off.

Yeah I back off lows and highs and crank the mids!

[Demanic]

Re: How do you manage thick guitar sustain and mud?

As the guitarist I agree -that's a lot of fun....but the kid at front of stage facing your speaker at eye level disagrees.....

He can move.

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[zionstrat]

Re: How do you manage thick guitar sustain and mud?

EQ in front, drop the lows/lo-mids somewhat to remove the fat.

Alternatively, a cocked-wah pedal (not a wah pedal) can help and you can set it and forget it (Fulltone Wahful, etc).

Speaking of Scholz and his tone secrets, check out this vid I did (and yes, the wah does make an appearance):

If you go past the playing, I go over step-by-step how to do this tone. Pay close attention when I get to the wah part; it's very odd (about 14:30 mark).

(have the same guitar tracks in a vid without backing tracks as well)

Pretty sure I have the GP interviews (and others) if you need it. Scholz definitely mentions using a wah, and mentions it later
(disguised as a "narrow band eq").

LLL... Finally got a chance to watch the video. Loved the Boston riffs and the effect chain tutorial... I would have paid big money to see your vid in my Boston emulation days

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[GuitarDoc]

Re: How do you manage thick guitar sustain and mud?

I control the mud quite simply by using P-90s, and/or humbuckers on the bright side to begin with. (I have a series/parallel switch on many of my guitars with humbuckers).
All of my guitars are wired 50s style tone with independent volumes.
On every guitar, I have installed a treble bypass switch. I leave the switch on (allowing the function of the tone pot), and the tone control is lowered to about 3 or 4 on the knob. Then I adjust my amp to give my all-around full tone. When I need more clarity and brightness I simply flip the switch and remove the tone pot from the circuit. When I need extra oomph for leads, I use my MXR Micro Amp stomp box.


By the way...Great Boston tones there Lizard.

[Mincer]

Re: How do you manage thick guitar sustain and mud?

Keep in mind, that 'mud' is really in the ear of the beholder. Some people say the Sabbath tones I like are muddy, which they are obviously wrong.

[Juanhanglo]

Re: How do you manage thick guitar sustain and mud?

Hb sized p90s.

I found a high gain pedal into a low gain one gives me that singing sustain. I guess this is not to far off a compressor?

Check your cap values and think about 50s wiring or treble bleeds (again, there are different ways and values). Get this right and the volume drop will work.

Lastly, I love the bass cut feature! I have one in my yamaha revstar. It makes the p90s more tele like.

I adjust the amp bass to where it sounds good clean and then adjust the overall bass at my overdrive pedals. I have taken to using a rat to boost and fatten up my single coil guitars. This allows me to set my pedals so my humbuckers aren't muddy.

[LLL]

Re: How do you manage thick guitar sustain and mud?

LLL... Finally got a chance to watch the video. Loved the Boston riffs and the effect chain tutorial... I would have paid big money to see your vid in my Boston emulation days

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You can still pay me... (buahahahaaa)

[Jacew]

Re: How do you manage thick guitar sustain and mud?

I always wire my guitars with 500k pots and small cap values (10nf being usually the maximum I use).

I also never use treble bleeds or such. I dial out excess highs with single coil use by lowering volume.