General Tone Tips
- Thread starter Rainmaker
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Re: General Tone Tips
I like the comment about lowering the gain. Back in my early metal days I used to jack the gain to 12, then I heard someone with absolutely brillaint tone, great dynamic, thick, distortion that actually accentuated his picking dynamics. took a look at his rig and found that his gain was much lower than mine, but still his rhythms were crunchy, leads had great sustain. Started lowering the gain, and found that even with the tone controls set the same, the gain set at about seven at stage volume was much more dynamic, responsive, but much more brutal.
Also, remember that midrange is where guitar lives. Taking out all of your mids only serves to take away all of your frequency, and thus that wonderful crunch is actually being sacrificed. I start with everything at twelve, and make small adjustments from there on the tone knobs. Although, it seems that I still just end up sounding like me.
I like the comment about lowering the gain. Back in my early metal days I used to jack the gain to 12, then I heard someone with absolutely brillaint tone, great dynamic, thick, distortion that actually accentuated his picking dynamics. took a look at his rig and found that his gain was much lower than mine, but still his rhythms were crunchy, leads had great sustain. Started lowering the gain, and found that even with the tone controls set the same, the gain set at about seven at stage volume was much more dynamic, responsive, but much more brutal.
Also, remember that midrange is where guitar lives. Taking out all of your mids only serves to take away all of your frequency, and thus that wonderful crunch is actually being sacrificed. I start with everything at twelve, and make small adjustments from there on the tone knobs. Although, it seems that I still just end up sounding like me.
rickardgreg
New member
Re: General Tone Tips
Have to agree that bedroom presets are useless live. I've only played at church but the first time I did, I found myself quickly navigating submenus in search of the reverb setting.
Have to agree that bedroom presets are useless live. I've only played at church but the first time I did, I found myself quickly navigating submenus in search of the reverb setting.
rickardgreg
New member
Re: General Tone Tips
Also, check out the clean tone of Fender's Mustang 3 - real nice and solid state.
Also, check out the clean tone of Fender's Mustang 3 - real nice and solid state.
rickardgreg
New member
Re: General Tone Tips
Try wiring humbuckers in parallel. My Air Norton in the neck now has a nice distorted rhythm tone.
Try wiring humbuckers in parallel. My Air Norton in the neck now has a nice distorted rhythm tone.
El Dunco
Sock Supplier to RHCP
Re: General Tone Tips
Depends what kind of music you're playing. Can't beat an old school Randall for a heavy, riff-happy tone in the SS domain! That's what I pull out when I want something other than super fat and huge (Mesa) or bright and searing (Marshall).
mjsmanahan35
New member
Re: General Tone Tips
Treble, Mid and Bass set at 12 o'clock, Recorded using ISP Decimator II, Ibanez Tube Screamer Mini and Blackstar HT-Metal Pedal
https://youtu.be/zknoUlRa6b0
www.facebook.com/maschalismos
Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk
Treble, Mid and Bass set at 12 o'clock, Recorded using ISP Decimator II, Ibanez Tube Screamer Mini and Blackstar HT-Metal Pedal
https://youtu.be/zknoUlRa6b0
www.facebook.com/maschalismos
Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk
mjsmanahan35
New member
astrozombie
KatyPerryologist
Re: General Tone Tips
Worry more about the sound of your hands- it dictates everything else!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Worry more about the sound of your hands- it dictates everything else!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Chistopher
malapterurus electricus tonewood instigator
Re: General Tone Tips
Don't be afraid to have a knob hard to one end of its rotation. Unseasoned players who go overboard give coming controls a bad rep, but sometimes you need as much (or sometimes more) of what that control has to offer.
Don't be afraid to have a knob hard to one end of its rotation. Unseasoned players who go overboard give coming controls a bad rep, but sometimes you need as much (or sometimes more) of what that control has to offer.
Slartibartfast
New member
Re: General Tone Tips
Good advice.
Good advice.
Gtrjunior
New member
General Tone Tips
Yeah, I agree. I used to play in a band with a guy that always set his tone controls by “sight”. You know, Bass should be about here, mids about here....he would always say “man, I wish I could get a little more bass out of this amp” and I’d look at his controls and the bass would be on “5”.
You have to set the knobs with your ears and not your eyes.
Yeah, I agree. I used to play in a band with a guy that always set his tone controls by “sight”. You know, Bass should be about here, mids about here....he would always say “man, I wish I could get a little more bass out of this amp” and I’d look at his controls and the bass would be on “5”.
You have to set the knobs with your ears and not your eyes.
Re: General Tone Tips
-- Most people over-fetishize power-amp distortion. It's not the end-all be-all people think it is, and very few gigging artists have ever turned their 5150s, 2203s, or Rectos high enough to clip the power tubes. If the tone you're chasing wasn't done on an unmodded Plexi or a little Fender combo, don't worry about getting an attenuator or a super-low wattage amp; speaker involvement is the only volume thing that matters.
-- Your pickups are probably too high. Lower them.
-- The real purpose of the treble knob on an FMV tonestack is to adjust the mid-scoop. Treble knob higher = mid scoop lower = more upper-mid emphasis; treble knob lower = mid scoop higher = more lower-mid emphasis. Try using the treble knob primarily to sculpt your midrange, either raising it to find and notch out the "cardboard box" or lowering it to get rid of the "quack", and then using the presence knob primarily to control your high end.
-- Most people over-fetishize power-amp distortion. It's not the end-all be-all people think it is, and very few gigging artists have ever turned their 5150s, 2203s, or Rectos high enough to clip the power tubes. If the tone you're chasing wasn't done on an unmodded Plexi or a little Fender combo, don't worry about getting an attenuator or a super-low wattage amp; speaker involvement is the only volume thing that matters.
-- Your pickups are probably too high. Lower them.
-- The real purpose of the treble knob on an FMV tonestack is to adjust the mid-scoop. Treble knob higher = mid scoop lower = more upper-mid emphasis; treble knob lower = mid scoop higher = more lower-mid emphasis. Try using the treble knob primarily to sculpt your midrange, either raising it to find and notch out the "cardboard box" or lowering it to get rid of the "quack", and then using the presence knob primarily to control your high end.
Last edited:
timtheshredder
New member
Re: General Tone Tips
I had the pleasure of talking with Steve Lukather at NAMM last year. I asked him about what he thinks makes great tone and he said it all comes from your fingers. I doesn't matter what rig you play, tone starts with the player. If you put Eddie on your rig, he will sound like Eddie. I tend to agree. 90% of tone comes from you and your playing style.
I had the pleasure of talking with Steve Lukather at NAMM last year. I asked him about what he thinks makes great tone and he said it all comes from your fingers. I doesn't matter what rig you play, tone starts with the player. If you put Eddie on your rig, he will sound like Eddie. I tend to agree. 90% of tone comes from you and your playing style.
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