"Icepick in the Forehead Tone" - Where does is really come from??
- Thread starter Stevo
- Start date
B
BigDaddy
Guest
Re: "Icepick in the Forehead Tone" - Where does is really come from??
You'll find that when a guitar sounds bad or icepicky without the band playing many times it sounds great once the band kicks in. If the guitar is too loud than it probably won't, but if it in the right volume for the band it's a completely different sound.
Again that changes with the amount of mic'ing into the sound system and venue.
A lot of times a guitar that sound really fat gets lost, like when someone uses too much reverb. It sounds great but washes out when the band plays. Same for compression, especially when mic'd.
You learn that with gigging out, your sound evolves. You also learn to compensate for poor players too both in your sound and playing style.
If your bass player is too bright and you have to compete with him/her than you have a problem.
Same for drummers who do not know how to tune their drums. They either tune them too high or use too much ring. They make you sound out of tune even though you're not, that is one of the strangest phenomenon I have encountered. It has to do with acoustics, a lot of guitar players only think in terms of the electronic part and not what happens after the sound leaves their speakers.
I have seen a lot of guitar players and even more bass players try to get a tone standing in front of their amps. I tell them you have an 18 foot cable walk out into the audience and get an idea how it sounds. They alway come back with a puzzled look and say:"Wow......it sounds completely different". My response usually is wait until the band starts playing and than you'll be even more surprised.
It's a matter of professionalism. Not much of that these days even from the so-called professionals.
I had my own small sound reinforcement company for a while and it was like taking to a wall trying to get some know it all guitar player or singer to use proper technique when playing mic'd up. They only paid attention to me when I picked up a guitar and blew them away. Otherwise I was just a dumba** soundman who didn't know sh**, since they were the stars.....LOL...;-)
You'll find that when a guitar sounds bad or icepicky without the band playing many times it sounds great once the band kicks in. If the guitar is too loud than it probably won't, but if it in the right volume for the band it's a completely different sound.
Again that changes with the amount of mic'ing into the sound system and venue.
A lot of times a guitar that sound really fat gets lost, like when someone uses too much reverb. It sounds great but washes out when the band plays. Same for compression, especially when mic'd.
You learn that with gigging out, your sound evolves. You also learn to compensate for poor players too both in your sound and playing style.
If your bass player is too bright and you have to compete with him/her than you have a problem.
Same for drummers who do not know how to tune their drums. They either tune them too high or use too much ring. They make you sound out of tune even though you're not, that is one of the strangest phenomenon I have encountered. It has to do with acoustics, a lot of guitar players only think in terms of the electronic part and not what happens after the sound leaves their speakers.
I have seen a lot of guitar players and even more bass players try to get a tone standing in front of their amps. I tell them you have an 18 foot cable walk out into the audience and get an idea how it sounds. They alway come back with a puzzled look and say:"Wow......it sounds completely different". My response usually is wait until the band starts playing and than you'll be even more surprised.
It's a matter of professionalism. Not much of that these days even from the so-called professionals.
I had my own small sound reinforcement company for a while and it was like taking to a wall trying to get some know it all guitar player or singer to use proper technique when playing mic'd up. They only paid attention to me when I picked up a guitar and blew them away. Otherwise I was just a dumba** soundman who didn't know sh**, since they were the stars.....LOL...;-)
Re: "Icepick in the Forehead Tone" - Where does is really come from??
Ice Pick to the Forehead is what happens when you plug your ash bodied strat newly equipped with Texas Hot Antiquiites set on the bridge position into a tweed Twin that was set for a very resonant and bassy Les Paul with Burstbuckers.......YOWWWWW......BRAIN FREEZE!!!!!:laugh2: remember to check those tone controls and turn the bass back up from 1 to 5 and the treble and presence down from 8 and 7:fingersx:
Ice Pick to the Forehead is what happens when you plug your ash bodied strat newly equipped with Texas Hot Antiquiites set on the bridge position into a tweed Twin that was set for a very resonant and bassy Les Paul with Burstbuckers.......YOWWWWW......BRAIN FREEZE!!!!!:laugh2: remember to check those tone controls and turn the bass back up from 1 to 5 and the treble and presence down from 8 and 7:fingersx:
T
theodie
Guest
Re: "Icepick in the Forehead Tone" - Where does is really come from??
Its a Demon in anything other than a maple body!
Its a Demon in anything other than a maple body!
Re: "Icepick in the Forehead Tone" - Where does is really come from??
I always hear icepick as a result of picking dynamics, ceremic magnets, and a bright sounding amp. (Twin with the bright switch on.) Steel saddles can also add to this.
I usually only hear it in lower output pickups.
Just my worthless 2c.
My guitar teacher DEFINED ice pick in ear tone. His tone was WAY to bright to even be listenable. (And everything about his tone came from the things I listed.)
I always hear icepick as a result of picking dynamics, ceremic magnets, and a bright sounding amp. (Twin with the bright switch on.) Steel saddles can also add to this.
I usually only hear it in lower output pickups.
Just my worthless 2c.
My guitar teacher DEFINED ice pick in ear tone. His tone was WAY to bright to even be listenable. (And everything about his tone came from the things I listed.)
Jocelyn
New member
Re: "Icepick in the Forehead Tone" - Where does is really come from??
What bothers me is that a kid who's been playing 4 months, using a plywood guitar, strung with the original strings, plugging into a Zoom practice amp has the right to go on harmony-central and write a bad review about Duncans, which lowers the rating.
I agree with both of you.I have actualy rarley found HC usefull. 75 LES Paul I actulay do just what you do look at how long someone has been playing..... So may time on HC I found people just slamimng Gear .. But the problem is their gear is not even setup properly.
I don t mean to Slam newbies and some one who has been playing for a couple of months, some of them could probebly play better then me I dont think I am all that good on the guitar nor consider that I play great. But yes someone who has played for a while at least knows what he is talking.
Also it does matter -- what is your total RIG...Justyhaving one great Guiatr and ac rappy amp and pedal wont make your guiar sound great .. and vice versa
What bothers me is that a kid who's been playing 4 months, using a plywood guitar, strung with the original strings, plugging into a Zoom practice amp has the right to go on harmony-central and write a bad review about Duncans, which lowers the rating.
Gearjoneser said:
75lespaul said:
I agree with both of you.I have actualy rarley found HC usefull. 75 LES Paul I actulay do just what you do look at how long someone has been playing..... So may time on HC I found people just slamimng Gear .. But the problem is their gear is not even setup properly.
I don t mean to Slam newbies and some one who has been playing for a couple of months, some of them could probebly play better then me I dont think I am all that good on the guitar nor consider that I play great. But yes someone who has played for a while at least knows what he is talking.
Also it does matter -- what is your total RIG...Justyhaving one great Guiatr and ac rappy amp and pedal wont make your guiar sound great .. and vice versa
kmcguitars
GuitarArtologist
Re: "Icepick in the Forehead Tone" - Where does is really come from??
I had a 77' Twin (Ultra Linear 135 watts) with a pair of Celestion G70M's in it.:smack: A very bad combination to say the lease. The amp had a upper mid-range spike that would have made Albert Collins cringe. Any attempt to EQ the spike out resulted in turning your tone to mud. I got so pissed off with the amp that I gave it to my Brother-in -Law. He put a pair of EV SRO's in it...The amp sounds great now!:yell:
I had a 77' Twin (Ultra Linear 135 watts) with a pair of Celestion G70M's in it.:smack: A very bad combination to say the lease. The amp had a upper mid-range spike that would have made Albert Collins cringe. Any attempt to EQ the spike out resulted in turning your tone to mud. I got so pissed off with the amp that I gave it to my Brother-in -Law. He put a pair of EV SRO's in it...The amp sounds great now!:yell:
kevlar3000
Bullet Proof Toneologist
Re: "Icepick in the Forehead Tone" - Where does is really come from??
I think it is a combo of everything. Amp, speakers, pickups, tubes, hands... The Pearly Gates in my Strat never worked for me, as it was just too toppy. Lil bit of everything contributes to the sound.
I definately believe that pickups, esp magnet type and wind, can effect tone as much as any of the other culprits... I can only base it on what I hear with my own gear, as I am a constant tinkerer... There is no one set of rules.... I have guitars that sound amazing through one amp and need eq changes through another.
I think it is a combo of everything. Amp, speakers, pickups, tubes, hands... The Pearly Gates in my Strat never worked for me, as it was just too toppy. Lil bit of everything contributes to the sound.
I definately believe that pickups, esp magnet type and wind, can effect tone as much as any of the other culprits... I can only base it on what I hear with my own gear, as I am a constant tinkerer... There is no one set of rules.... I have guitars that sound amazing through one amp and need eq changes through another.
Similar threads
