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  • Could anyone explain grainy??

    Hi guys,

    Could someone explain what is meant by grainy tone? I hear this a lot in the description by some of certain pickups and amplifiers...but I don't understand the term and what exactly is meant by it. Would this be the opposite of a smooth pickup? Not sure, but I have loved certain pickups that others mentioned were way too grainy in a bad way but I didn't see it.

    Maybe this is the same type of thing where some people like Mesas and some like Marshalls.

    Thanks for the insight.

  • #2
    Re: Could anyone explain grainy??

    Grainy...like walking on small stones, or grinding two stones together...that unpleasent krrk krrk sound, and it is almost like holes in the sound.
    Some fuzz's are very grainy due to the excess squarewaves.
    Crunchy is more like crisp chips or cookies

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Could anyone explain grainy??

      I think grainy means the sounds isnt as smooth as it should be... like, it sort of sounds like grinding, whereas a smooth sound is more flowing and the tones are purer.
      • EBMM JPX BFR (Crunch Lab/Liquifire)
      • Schecter C-1 Classic (Custom8/Jazz)
      • Mayones Duvell 7 Standard (Instrumental SFTY-3/Decomp)
      • G&L Tribute Comanche
      • Godin Stadium 59 (Custom Cajun/'59)
      • Horizon Precision Drive --> Fulltone FB3/FD 2 --> Crybaby From Hell (Fasel) --> Boss BF-2 --> CH-1 --> TC Flashback X4
      • Mesa/Boogie Mark IV-B (SED =C= 6L6) + EarCandy BuzzBomb 2x12 (V30/C90)

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Could anyone explain grainy??

        Grainy is a horrible sound ... like tubes just before they die, or overdriven, clipping solid state. Grain resides at about 5k, I would say.

        I don't think any guitar maker would make a guitar intentionally grainy, (aside from those horrible Ibanez's with the duct tape on them) nor any pickup manufacturer, and would only use "grainy" to describe a problem with the rig itself, not a particular amp, pickup, or guitar.

        Just my $0.02
        Why don't you take your little Cobra Kais and get outta here?!
        My collaborative PROGRESSIVE ROCK PROJECT, As Follows.

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        • #5
          Re: Could anyone explain grainy??

          I brought this up because I have been told the Rio grande BBQ pickup is too "grainy". But, in my opinion...my ears tell me it growls and is throaty. I share this opnion with manu others but I guess some hear this as grainy.

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          • #6
            Re: Could anyone explain grainy??

            I think grainy goes both ways. Its a complement or an insult. If you took John Pettruci's pick attack through a triple recto thats a grainy tone. I think that when you hear the pick alot in your sound and tone, thats grainy IMO. Pick material is the result of "grainyness" since you could be using a rough pick, going against the string and you hear a grain like sound, like shaving . I think that a grainy tone could be awesome, like hearing some pick attack in a low PMed riff. Thats just my .02 cents though.
            bones_brig: im too short in the pants to be a pornstar.

            Dime59hum: stfu you tone racist
            WasteofO2: I'm not a tone racist
            WasteofO2: I'm only racist with people

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            • #7
              Re: Could anyone explain grainy??

              If it sounds like a box of 'healthy cereal' it's bad. If it sounds like like a giant wood bat hitting a softball outta the park, it's good. Hope that helps! LOL

              Ever since my list of tonal descriptions got deleted from the Vault, I've been in the dark with everyone else. LOL
              Originally posted by Boogie Bill
              I've got 60 guitars...but 49 trumpets is just...INSANITY! WTF!

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              • #8
                Re: Could anyone explain grainy??

                Pretty good job there, G !!!!!!
                Only The Strong Survive











                ________________________
                *Spina Pedal Mods Endorsee*

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Could anyone explain grainy??

                  Gearjoneser, that was some awesome poetry . Nothings worst then healthy cerial tone
                  Gear: Carvin CT6 flame top(alnico 2 pro,JB), Strat scappoled fretboard(59,CC), Morgan monroe ovation knock-off, yamaha nylon acoustic,Boss super overdrive with TS-808 "silver" analogman mod, Boss DS-1 with keeley mod, Vox wah with true bypass mod, Fender Super Reverb 65.

                  Originally Posted by Jeff_H
                  The APH is like slipping into a tub of warm honey spashed with the silky essence of virgins.

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                  • #10
                    Re: Could anyone explain grainy??

                    lol yeah... damn those stupid HEALTH foods and their GRAINS!! *shakes fist*
                    • EBMM JPX BFR (Crunch Lab/Liquifire)
                    • Schecter C-1 Classic (Custom8/Jazz)
                    • Mayones Duvell 7 Standard (Instrumental SFTY-3/Decomp)
                    • G&L Tribute Comanche
                    • Godin Stadium 59 (Custom Cajun/'59)
                    • Horizon Precision Drive --> Fulltone FB3/FD 2 --> Crybaby From Hell (Fasel) --> Boss BF-2 --> CH-1 --> TC Flashback X4
                    • Mesa/Boogie Mark IV-B (SED =C= 6L6) + EarCandy BuzzBomb 2x12 (V30/C90)

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Could anyone explain grainy??

                      Grainy is the tone on those starve the plate voltage 12AX7 fuzz boxes that we bought as the last ditch before the master volume mod on our Marshall's…oh this old guy told me that…I wouldn't know…before my time. Any how do 12AX7 fuzzes still sound ah…Grainy, and what about amp modeling...oh sorry PaperSoulMan just razzing ya...surprises me how far digi fuzz has come. When I was growing up Germanium fuzzes were considered grainy, now there back. My '51 P-90 sounds grainy in comparison with my '68s...I figure that's cause of oxidation pockets in the coil wire intermittently changing the capacitance of the circuit...
                      Personally I look for a tighter kernel kinda fuzz...LOL...Dude when ever you play with some grunt there's always gona be someone who likes it cleaner or smother that thinks it's to grainy.
                      Me and Neal's stage rig.

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                      • #12
                        Re: Could anyone explain grainy??

                        I hear that term used a lot when talking bout the duncan distortion model?

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Could anyone explain grainy??

                          That's cool RG…I razzed PS, now your razzing me. LOL Fortunately Seymour made that PU easy to convert to alnico. My point is that grainy should be added to that long list of subjective terms we use to describe pickups. Hey man wasn't that you talking about wire gauge in the BBQ thread...Did you get your info from DGB or other and could you share?
                          Me and Neal's stage rig.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Could anyone explain grainy??

                            Originally posted by Lightning
                            That's cool RG…I razzed PS, now your razzing me. LOL Fortunately Seymour made that PU easy to convert to alnico. My point is that grainy should be added to that long list of subjective terms we use to describe pickups. Hey man wasn't that you talking about wire gauge in the BBQ thread...Did you get your info from DGB or other and could you share?
                            I was refering to the C 5 and wolfgang bridge pup not the BBQ.
                            i was told that both the C 5 and wolf use the same wire gauge and are both at 14.4 resistance

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Could anyone explain grainy??

                              Originally posted by RG 2570
                              I hear that term used a lot when talking bout the duncan distortion model?
                              I have a DD, and grainy, yes, but I like it that way for most stuff.

                              I like to use the term "texture" instead of "grainy".

                              The only way I can describe it is..........like peanut butter. You can have "smooth and creamy" (alnico pro II) or you can have the "crunchy/chunky" (DD) peanut butter.
                              Bridge pups: Full Shred-Custom-DD
                              Neck pups: '59-Aph1-DD

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