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Why tone controls set so low??

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  • #16
    Re: Why tone controls set so low??

    Originally posted by Dave Locher View Post
    p.s. Presence I have NEVER turned to 10 on ANY amp that has it! Below noon always, sometimes all the way off.
    That was me for a long time . . . but when you are playing higher gain stuff, try cranking the presence. Low gain and it's just a piercing/bright knob. High gain though, it stops being a brightness thing and starts tightening up the sound somehow. Weird control.
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    • #17
      Re: Why tone controls set so low??

      Originally posted by ItsaBass View Post
      Muddiness is a big problem with today's high output pickups and high gain amps, plus people tending to use lots of pedals.
      THAT'S IT! I have never plugged into ANY of the modern high-gain amps and I use no pedals most of the time other than an OD for solo boost!
      I literally haven't plugged into a new-model amp since the 1980s, only new "old" models or reissues. No Boogies, no 5150s, nuthin! I think that's a big part of it.

      Appreciate all the input in helping me understand and think through this. Maybe for giggles I will try out an amp designed after 1980 and see if I don't wind up below noon on some of the controls...

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      • #18
        Re: Why tone controls set so low??

        Originally posted by Dave Locher View Post
        Good example! Does a plexi have massive low end or something? Marshall is always the amp where people say things like "I turn the bass off" which is pretty close to what you are saying.
        Depends on the Marshall and it depends on how loud it is being played. Early plexi's such the JTM45 and the JTM45/100 have large coupling caps which let a lot of bass through. I only run the bass at about 2 on my JTM45.

        An 800 requires a different approach. With an 800 I run the treble and presence at about 2 and the bass up.

        Run loud, you usually run the bass lower on a plexi Marshall. Reportedly Hendrix ran the bass on 2.

        A Marshall Jubilee has a very effective tone stack and very small adjustments make a significant difference. With that amp you probably want to start at 5 for each eq knob and make small additions or subtractions from there. Reportedly Joe Bonamassa ran the bass on 10 on the Jubilee with the master volume also on 10. However, the Jubilee has an innovative bass control using a dual pot that doubles as a variable deep switch. Increasing the bass causes the bass to tighten and deepen as more is added.

        On the Vintage Modern the detail and body knobs have a greater impact on the tonal balance of the amp than the eq knobs do.

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        • #19
          Re: Why tone controls set so low??

          Originally posted by JB_From_Hell View Post
          Have you heard Matt Schofield describe how he sets his eq? He cranks the up until there's some hiss, then turns each knob until it hits the sweet spot, where you can hear the hiss sort of change. I tried it, and that's how I arrived at my settings, which I just checked, and are damn near exactly the magic six.
          Yes I have. Matt Schofield probably has one of my favorite tones of the “modern” era. His method of setting an amp/pedal really gives the most dynamic tone out of your gear, it’s pretty cool.
          Oh no.....


          Oh Yeah!

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          • #20
            Re: Why tone controls set so low??

            Most of tone stack I've encountered tend to lose a lot of frequency response when tone controls set up high. It tends to get less dynamic and too "hi-fi" so to speak. To get full sounding mid-range I have to set them somewhere half way and cut or add from there.

            Except with fender stacks, where I just have to remove the bass almost completely and set the treble where it's good but not piercing and then set mids to the sweet spot. I haven't played actual Fender tube amp, but that has been the case with every fender inspired pedal and models I've used.

            EDIT: I have tried the everything full approach few times, but it always leads me to dial each of the controls down in turn until they end somewhere between 9 to 15 o'clock.

            BTW: To me running bass full tilt more often that not tends to induce nausea
            Last edited by Jacew; 11-19-2019, 11:53 PM.
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            • #21
              Re: Why tone controls set so low??

              I have allways wondered that, if there is a default setting to tone controls which amp builders build their amps? I mean like this is how the amp is supposed to sound at all tone controls at twelve a clock.

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              • #22
                Re: Why tone controls set so low??

                One thing not mentioned is how players choose bass when playing solo (or at home) and in a band situation. With a bass player alongside, there’s really no reason to have very much bass coming from the guitar amps at all. In fact, reducing bass and boosting mids, while also slightly pulling back gain can do wonders for live tone in a band setting.


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                • #23
                  Re: Why tone controls set so low??

                  Originally posted by VinceT View Post
                  One thing not mentioned is how players choose bass when playing solo (or at home) and in a band situation. With a bass player alongside, there’s really no reason to have very much bass coming from the guitar amps at all. In fact, reducing bass and boosting mids, while also slightly pulling back gain can do wonders for live tone in a band setting.


                  Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
                  Try explaining that to a guitarist who then says that, with things set like that, that the guitar doesn't sound "full" enough.[emoji21]

                  Sent from my Alcatel_5044C using Tapatalk

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                  • #24
                    Re: Why tone controls set so low??



                    In this video, starting at about 4:00, they describe a method of dialling in an amp by starting with all the EQ knobs at zero then rolling each up to the sweet spot then tweaking from there. I haven't tried it, but I can see how it makes sense if you're encountering a house amp you haven't played before. You're listening to the taper of the control as it rolls up from zero.

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                    • #25
                      Why tone controls set so low??

                      Originally posted by Demanic View Post
                      Try explaining that to a guitarist who then says that, with things set like that, that the guitar doesn't sound "full" enough.[emoji21]

                      Sent from my Alcatel_5044C using Tapatalk
                      The scooped Metallica curse....

                      even though the guitar tone on all of their albums have plenty of mids present.

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                      • #26
                        Re: Why tone controls set so low??

                        Originally posted by Gtrjunior View Post
                        The scooped Metallica curse
                        Yes, the irony being that that guitar sound isn't as scooped as most people think.

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                        • #27
                          Re: Why tone controls set so low??

                          The bottom line is we all have different ears and different tastes. Whatever floats your boat go for it.

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                          • #28
                            Re: Why tone controls set so low??

                            I think it is just a case of players using the amp differently than intended by the manufacturer. Marshalls were not initially supposed to be turned up to the point of distortion. Either were Fenders. So the actual players changed the 'rules' in how an amp should be set up. No doubt that would require extreme settings.
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                            • #29
                              Re: Why tone controls set so low??

                              In my experience, the more volume you have, the less extreme EQ adjustments you need.

                              At low volumes, I crank the bass and almost go full treble because I want to simulate a loud amp. When actually loud, they sit at 12 o clock.

                              Settings that sound nice and crisp on their own can be piercing as hell once miked and through the PA.
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                              • #30
                                Re: Why tone controls set so low??

                                Originally posted by Demanic View Post
                                Try explaining that to a guitarist who then says that, with things set like that, that the guitar doesn't sound "full" enough.[emoji21]

                                Sent from my Alcatel_5044C using Tapatalk
                                To be fair, a lot of us first come into live settings playing in bands in high school and similar. Whatever small gigs you may have probably won't feature a sound technician, so Noone had ever requested that you alter your tone which has "always worked live" before (and at home) . Of course, the smart ones know to actually listen to the sound tech.
                                --------------------------------------------------------
                                1973 Aria 551
                                1984 Larrivee RS-4 w/ EMG SA/SA/89
                                1989 Charvel 750 XL w/ DMZ Tone Zone & Air Norton
                                1990's noname crap-o-caster plywood P/J Bass
                                1991 Heartfield Elan III w/ DMZ mystery pups
                                1995 Aria Pro II TA-65
                                2001 Gibson Les Paul Gothic w/ PG-1 & SH-8

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