Describe this "Tone" - Video Clip

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comstox

New member
Hi guys! I put this post here in the Pickup Lounge, because I feel it has most to do with pickups. I do realize there is a LOT that goes into creating a specific "tone," other than just pickups, but I really like the sound of this guys guitar.
So again, how would you describe this tone? Here's a link and I'll give credits to Lee Brice for his song: "Rumor." I'm specifically talking about the short solo from: 2:10 - 2:26


BTW, I'm not looking for a pissing match with replies telling others what a bonehead they are for THEIR description of the tone. Just tell me how YOU describe the tone.

Thanks guys!
Glen in New Hampshire
 
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Re: Describe this "Tone" - Video Clip

I'd call it pretty "meh". To be more descriptive, it's a bit weak and in between all of the things that I believe create a good tone. Part of that may be the placement in the mix, but I was left really wanting for more of anything. The tone isn't big enough to sound fat, too clean to sound pushed and too short on top end to have sparkle. It's a really middle of the road tone that doesn't stand out in any way to me and sounds "incomplete" for lack of a better term.

Please don't take my comments as an indictment of you, the player or the song. It's just not my bag, as I'm sure many of the sounds I like aren't your bag and it would be a boring world if we all agreed on what sounded good.
 
Re: Describe this "Tone" - Video Clip

Warm, round and tubular

First impression: lipstick pickups with mild overdrive (though other singles and even some split/parallel humbuckers could cop a similar tone)

Check this out:

 
Re: Describe this "Tone" - Video Clip

I have gotten a similar tone with a split Sentient/Hybrid set through my Boogie Subway Rocket and a Boss CS3
As set of Texas Specials with the right set up would also pull it off.
 
Re: Describe this "Tone" - Video Clip

What comes to mind is:

P90 pickup into a real Blackface Fender (I'll go with a Deluxe).

It doesn't have that PAF chime, so no PAF humbucker.

It's a slightly driven, gritty tone and I swear I hear Blackface circuit (I own a '66 Deluxe)... with that unique EQ to it.
 
Re: Describe this "Tone" - Video Clip

Sounds like what I've heard on hundreds of "my wife left me, my dog died and my truck broke down" songs. Then again, I've never listened to those songs often enough or long enough to analyze the tone beyond the point of familiarity to the tone in the clip that was posted ...

:D
 
Re: Describe this "Tone" - Video Clip

Depending on your level of tone snobbery, you might not agree with this, but a Texas Special in the neck of a Strat through a Blues Driver into a Fender 212 will get you as near as makes no difference to the tone you are looking for. You might even get a better sound if you know what you are after.
 
Re: Describe this "Tone" - Video Clip

was gonna say a strat neck pup into a tube screamer into a bf fender reverb amp = that tone. is that was hes using? dunno but with that setup, you could get that tone
 
Re: Describe this "Tone" - Video Clip

His touch is important : there are some left fingers vibratos and various level of picking attack (= dynamic)
This is a neck pickup, maybe a Strat. It could have a compressor (but not a Dyna-Comp (the only one I've got) since it does not have the typical MXR red comp additional 6 milli-sec attack).

PS : Thanks to Masta' for the Lipstick pup demo. Interesting.
 
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Re: Describe this "Tone" - Video Clip

But on a serious note guys. I was more looking for answers like, (Warm, cool etc...) I get confused when I ask a question someone says a tone is "warm," but I'd call it cool. or "Hot," and I am saying, Hot??? what???.
What if we went on from here trying to define what "Cool" or "war" even means?

Also, like a lot of you mentioned, I'm sure it was a Strat neck pickup. But is the tone cool? warm?? Meh???

thank for the input!
Glen in New Hampshire
 
Re: Describe this "Tone" - Video Clip

You already have your answer in the first couple posts...generally a warmer, thicker, rounder tone. It's all subjective, don't get too hung up on what we think :)
 
Re: Describe this "Tone" - Video Clip

Oh yeah, I'd put money on lipstick pickups. If you A/B the video I posted, they both have that "tubular" quality (no other way I can describe it) and a very similar sound/response.

It's a fairly easy tone to copy with a regular single coil, but there's a subtle "something" that a lipstick has...kind of that extra jangle you get in a P90, for example
 
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