Fix for a bright guitar..

[BloodRose]

Every so often I get to play an Epi Ace Frehley. It plays great, but I always grumble that it doesnt have that dark LP tone.. It has a maple neck so its alittle bright sounding. Not bad, and it cuts thru nicely.. But I always wish it sounds more like a normal LP. Well..... Tonight I tried something simple... I dropped the tuning down a half step and it helped to darken and fatten up the sound. VERY cool!! Whole step works good too.
Just wanted to share.

 

[B2D]

Re: Fix for a bright guitar..

I didn't know the Ace Epis had a maple neck to them... and i just played on last week. Interesting.

I find that lowering tuning and not having the strings at standard-tuning tension does mellow out the sound a little if the guitars bright... generally. I dropped down just 1/2 step on my strat one time and it actually seemed like the bass AND the treble seemes to pop out more!

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Fix for a bright guitar..

Yeah, I learned that when questioning Gibson/Epi as to why it was bright sounding and lighter than other LPs. (maple neck)

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Fix for a bright guitar..

Plus, doesn't that model have licensed DiMarzio Super Distortions? Thin city!

That guitar would sound nice with CC/59N/59N

 

[Neeradj]

Re: Fix for a bright guitar..

Super Distortions are supposed to sound fat don't they?
Played one and it was incredible IMO. Yes it was a little bit bright, but the variety of sounds I could slam out of it were so awesome. I heard two guys playing Metallica up loud so they could here eachother despite being in seperate soundproof practice rooms. The guys came out and smiled chearingly at me, it was either the Epi's sound or my playing, but heck it's one cool guitar

 

[Simon_F]

Re: Fix for a bright guitar..

A really great way to fatten up the sound of a Les Paul bridge pickup is to turn the tone control down a bit. Try going to 7, 5 or even 3. Backing the volume off to 8 helps too. I know this sounds obvious, but if you always play with everything on 10, just try it sometime.

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Fix for a bright guitar..

Yes, it came with a trio of Super Distortions. Ive replaced the neck with a Paf Pro for more variety. My Ace is a black one. Dude at local shop didnt believe they made em in Black.. haha
Simon, yes, have rolled it back. This guitar has almost a "Plink" to it playing accoustically. Please dont anyone get me wrong.. It isnt painfully bright or thin. Just doesnt have the low chunk I dig.. But if I were a lead player, it would cut thru like a champ!

 

[papersoul]

Re: Fix for a bright guitar..

Did someone say bright? Reaplce the pickups with a Rio Grande BBQ/Texas and replace the tail piece with an Aluminum tail and you will be in good shape.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Fix for a bright guitar..

Every so often I get to play an Epi Ace Frehley. It plays great, but I always grumble that it doesnt have that dark LP tone.. It has a maple neck so its alittle bright sounding. Not bad, and it cuts thru nicely.. But I always wish it sounds more like a normal LP. Well..... Tonight I tried something simple... I dropped the tuning down a half step and it helped to darken and fatten up the sound. VERY cool!! Whole step works good too.
Just wanted to share.

That is absolutely true and one of the reasons SRV got the sound out of his Strat that he did. Much warmer, less glassy tone than a standard tuned Strat. My buddy AJ plays heavy strings and detunes his Strat to E flat. Makes it kind of tough on him when he jams with other guitarists though...he has to finger a song in E with F fingering and every song in A like B flat! No open notes. But he manages to sound great anyway! Lew

 

[rinse_master]

Re: Fix for a bright guitar..

he has to finger a song in E with F fingering and every song in A like B flat! No open notes. But he manages to sound great anyway!

I got a cure for that, stick a capo on the first fret, works for me!

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Fix for a bright guitar..

Papersoul,
Rios darken the sound?? I have a Carvin V220 that is all maple and so bright it makes a tone zone sound thin.. Will the Rios help?? Ive heard the BBQ set sounds good, but have never played them,
Lew, same question? Also, do you sell them?? $$??

 

[theboatcandream]

Re: Fix for a bright guitar..

Plus, doesn't that model have licensed DiMarzio Super Distortions? Thin city!

That guitar would sound nice with CC/59N/59N

Duper Distortions thin? No way. If anything they sound muffled, having a load of mids and bass end but not so much treble.

 

[theboatcandream]

Re: Fix for a bright guitar..

A really great way to fatten up the sound of a Les Paul bridge pickup is to turn the tone control down a bit. Try going to 7, 5 or even 3. Backing the volume off to 8 helps too. I know this sounds obvious, but if you always play with everything on 10, just try it sometime.

Yeah. This is a requirement when I play my epi 7 string les paul with dimarzio PAFs. The neck is nice, like a telecaster without the twang, not the way a les paul should sound but still good. The bridge though is twangy and middy. I like the middy, but the twang has to go so I roll back the tone to two or three.