Cutting through without sounding harsh

[CountFunkula]

Shopping for amps, I played the Bogner Alchemist and I loved it. The problem is, if the mids are dialed more than 12 o' clock, it starts to sound harsh and a little "tinny". I'm going to be gigging with this amp, so I'm worried that I won't cut through the mix with a tone that I like. Believe me, I hate the scooped sound and I absolutely love mids. Is there any way to smooth out those mids? Add it back with an EQ pedal or TS? I have a feeling that this harshness won't go away in a band mix. I could be wrong, but I don't want to buy the amp to find out that it stays harsh. Besides moving on to another amp, what could I do?

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: Cutting through without sounding harsh

A harmonic generator adds just enough edge to make your sound stand out.

 

[Binnerscot]

Re: Cutting through without sounding harsh

I hate the scooped sound and I absolutely love mids.

No matter how scooped, guitars are still all mids, all day - even super scooped. Just back off your low end, mids will pop....you won't need to do anything extraordinary.

 

[Agileguy_101]

Re: Cutting through without sounding harsh

Shopping for amps, I played the Bogner Alchemist and I loved it. The problem is, if the mids are dialed more than 12 o' clock, it starts to sound harsh and a little "tinny". I'm going to be gigging with this amp, so I'm worried that I won't cut through the mix with a tone that I like. Believe me, I hate the scooped sound and I absolutely love mids. Is there any way to smooth out those mids? Add it back with an EQ pedal or TS? I have a feeling that this harshness won't go away in a band mix. I could be wrong, but I don't want to buy the amp to find out that it stays harsh. Besides moving on to another amp, what could I do?

Just out of curiosity... are you actually in a band now? If not, wait until you are to buy a new amp. Gig it at least once, and see how you like it.

 

[CountFunkula]

Re: Cutting through without sounding harsh

Just out of curiosity... are you actually in a band now? If not, wait until you are to buy a new amp. Gig it at least once, and see how you like it.

I am in a band. I didn't buy it, so I can't gig with it just yet. Also, I want to buy it used, so unfortunately I can't try it and return it.

 

[astrozombie]

Re: Cutting through without sounding harsh

mids. less bass.

 

[CountFunkula]

Re: Cutting through without sounding harsh

mids. less bass.

Did you read the OP?

 

[guitfiddle]

Re: Cutting through without sounding harsh

Sounds that might not be your ideal tone when the amp is played alone, could work really well live.

BTW, in my experience, if you get a harsh tinny sound, turn the treble back as you crank up the mids, and bring the bass up or at least leave it where it is. Bass + mids = warm

 

[Agileguy_101]

Re: Cutting through without sounding harsh

Sounds that might not be your ideal tone when the amp is played alone, could work really well live.

+9000
Seriously.

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: Cutting through without sounding harsh

Shopping for amps, I played the Bogner Alchemist and I loved it. The problem is, if the mids are dialed more than 12 o' clock, it starts to sound harsh and a little "tinny". I'm going to be gigging with this amp, so I'm worried that I won't cut through the mix with a tone that I like. Believe me, I hate the scooped sound and I absolutely love mids. Is there any way to smooth out those mids? Add it back with an EQ pedal or TS? I have a feeling that this harshness won't go away in a band mix. I could be wrong, but I don't want to buy the amp to find out that it stays harsh. Besides moving on to another amp, what could I do?

Just so you know....the mid level control on most amps also affects bass and treb. So if your mids are on 5, then bass and treb are also on 5 (even if your bass and treb dials say zero). What happens with the bass and treb controls is that they raise their particular levels above the mean (which is determined by the mid control). Have a look at this cool gadget from duncans amps that lets you actually see how a tone circuit changes when you work the dials....
http://www.duncanamps.com/tsc/index.html
now...having said all that - if you dont like the spound of the amp, then dont get it! theres plenty more tones out there. Dont just get an amp cos of its brand name and reputation...get the one you like the sound of totally.

 

[sosomething]

Re: Cutting through without sounding harsh

Shopping for amps, I played the Bogner Alchemist and I loved it. The problem is, if the mids are dialed more than 12 o' clock, it starts to sound harsh and a little "tinny". I'm going to be gigging with this amp, so I'm worried that I won't cut through the mix with a tone that I like. Believe me, I hate the scooped sound and I absolutely love mids. Is there any way to smooth out those mids? Add it back with an EQ pedal or TS? I have a feeling that this harshness won't go away in a band mix. I could be wrong, but I don't want to buy the amp to find out that it stays harsh. Besides moving on to another amp, what could I do?

Unfortunately I don't think midrange character is something "fixable" in a given amp. The mids are really the soul of an amp.

I know that isn't the answer you're looking for, but if it were me, I would consider any amp without "just right" midrange an amp I just didn't like.

 

[glassman]

Re: Cutting through without sounding harsh

Unfortunately I don't think midrange character is something "fixable" in a given amp. The mids are really the soul of an amp.

Quoted for truth. Midrange character of a given amp is a characteristic of the whole amp as a system. It's either got what you are looking for or it doesn't.

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: Cutting through without sounding harsh

Unfortunately I don't think midrange character is something "fixable" in a given amp. The mids are really the soul of an amp.

I know that isn't the answer you're looking for, but if it were me, I would consider any amp without "just right" midrange an amp I just didn't like.

This is very true . . . but the character of an amp changes when you're playing it with a bunch of other instruments vs on it's own. My settings are completely different between practice and playing with other people.

 

[sosomething]

Re: Cutting through without sounding harsh

This is very true . . . but the character of an amp changes when you're playing it with a bunch of other instruments vs on it's own. My settings are completely different between practice and playing with other people.

I hear you. A lot of people say that.

I don't find that to be totally true for me, though.

Maybe I'm so used to playing in a band context that my ideal tone at home is the same.

Or maybe it's because I've been using Splawn amps for years and they pretty much only make one awesome sound that sounds awesome no matter where you are or who you're playing with.

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: Cutting through without sounding harsh

Try some compression.

A very slight amount of compression on my signal gave me and my band exactly what we were looking for in our live mix.

Same basic tone, but easier to mix, easier to hear, and easier to identify.

 

[innerdreamrecords.co]

Re: Cutting through without sounding harsh

If you're playing a club and you don't have a sound man you're at the mercy of the house sound man. What you hear on stage isn't necessarily what the audience hears. I personally think that you don't need anything below about + - 80hz on a guitar rig when playing with a bass player and the sound man should eq out the specific regions for each instrument to sit well in the mix. I would just go for a good full sound that you and the band can hear on stage and inspires you to play well.