Improving clean tone??

[BloodRose]

My amps have a decent clean sound (PV ultra plus and classic 30) but I find playing clean very boring. I hear alot of recordings done clean that have more life and dimension.. What can be done to improve clean tones? I seem to read alot about people using compressors. How does this help?

What else can be done?

Thanks

 

[Fender_Punk]

Re: Improving clean tone??

replacing pups, TBX tone pot, buying a Fender etc...

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: Improving clean tone??

Pedals rock for adding interest to clean sounds! A compressor will add a little sustain to your clean playing (similar to the effect that you get from overdrive, but without the crunch), a chorus will give you a little sparkle, a phaser/flanger gives you a spacey vibe, delays/reverbs will take you from the Police to Rockabilly type sounds . . . I really like neck and notch positions on a strat for playing clean, or just the neck position on a 2 humbucker guitar.

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Improving clean tone??

replacing pups, TBX tone pot, buying a Fender etc...

LOL!! I have aftermarket pickups in everything.. I dont have a fender but I have a Extremely modded Squier strat and a Japanese Squier strat that IMO plays better than any Fender Ive ever played.

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Improving clean tone??

Pedals rock for adding interest to clean sounds! A compressor will add a little sustain to your clean playing (similar to the effect that you get from overdrive, but without the crunch), a chorus will give you a little sparkle, a phaser/flanger gives you a spacey vibe, delays/reverbs will take you from the Police to Rockabilly type sounds . . . I really like neck and notch positions on a strat for playing clean, or just the neck position on a 2 humbucker guitar.

Thanks ! I should have mentioned in my orig post that I have Chorus, phase, flange and a bevy of pedals and yes, they all make things more interesting. What I am looking for is how to improve the tone without coloring it. Compressor may do the trick as the added sustain.. My guitars sustain well, but I just want it to be more complex /fuller sounding..

Thanks

 

[mrturtle_91]

Re: Improving clean tone??

Something I like doing to make clean a bit interesting is using a gain booster. If I crank my booster up to full, it'll overdrive it ever so slightly, to make it sound pretty grungy. You might also want new pickups if your clean tone isn't doing it for you.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Improving clean tone??

I find the best clean tones aren't actually clean at all, but on the verge of breakup. Does your amp have a volume/gain and master on the clean channel? If not, I'd also advise a clean boost to get a little extra sparkle. A compressor can also do this if you have a level control that boosts. I like a compresor on some clean parts, but not on others, it depends if I want that real even and smooth sound.

If you get a touch more gain and a hint of chorus (just enough that you notice when you turn it off) you should have a nice clean tone.

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Improving clean tone??

I find the best clean tones aren't actually clean at all, but on the verge of breakup. Does your amp have a volume/gain and master on the clean channel? If not, I'd also advise a clean boost to get a little extra sparkle. A compressor can also do this if you have a level control that boosts. I like a compresor on some clean parts, but not on others, it depends if I want that real even and smooth sound.

If you get a touch more gain and a hint of chorus (just enough that you notice when you turn it off) you should have a nice clean tone.

Yeah, I have a master volume on my clean. My main amps are a Peavey Ultra plus and I also use a classic 30 alot. Both have a nice clean tone. Just dry.. I guess I need to use alittle effects, but level it low enough to just give a bit of color instead of big swoosh..

Thanks All.

 

[Bludave]

Re: Improving clean tone??

The best way to get a really good clean tone is to crank the amp and turn down the volume on the guitar. Think of the Wind Cries Mary. The opening phrase is a Marshall cranked with the volume turned down. It works wonders. The amp has a lot of character when you do this.

 

[guitfiddle]

Re: Improving clean tone??

The best way to get a really good clean tone is to crank the amp and turn down the volume on the guitar.

Plus ONE!

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Improving clean tone??

mmmmmm! playing this washburn MG s/s/h in pos 4. very delightful complexity ! sweet, fut but not muddy like my 59s buckers can get. very responsive. pick hard it clucks, soft, its sweet.. Been playing clean for an hour.. never spent this much time on the clean channel!