So, for a change I went guitar -> cord -> amp...

[some_dude]

So, for a change I went guitar -> cord -> amp...

...and I hated it!


I'm all for going back to basics every once in a while, but I really didn't like the way it sounded. I normally go through about 9 pedals and two 20 foot leads, so there's a significant amount of tone loss that I'm used to. I spent about 20 minutes trying to dial in my amp and guitar and I just couldn't get it to sound like I liked it. The clean attack was so sharp it hurt the ears, and even with the tone and treble rolled down I couldn't soften it up as much as I would like.

I'm thinking I might buy a 50' cable for those times I want to play simple.


So, is there anyone else out there who actually likes their tone loss?

 

[DeadSkinSlayer3]

Re: So, for a change I went guitar -> cord -> amp...

Not quite, but I do like how my NS-2 alters my tone just a tad. Add's crunch and a tad of definition actually.

 

[Curly]

Re: So, for a change I went guitar -> cord -> amp...

SRV used a phone cord type instrument cable sometimes to cut highs

Jimi used a phone cord cable too

still, I think you should get a good basic tone before adding pedals ... if not, it sounds like the pedals are covering something up, rather than enhancing your tone

 

[some_dude]

Re: So, for a change I went guitar -> cord -> amp...

still, I think you should get a good basic tone before adding pedals ... if not, it sounds like the pedals are covering something up, rather than enhancing your tone

I agree, but considering that all my effects are turned off, my basic tone seems to be whatever the cable length and various buffers have done to it, and I like it that way.....

.....the whole thing that brought this on is that I was looking at geting a Micro Loooper to bypass all the pedals except my GE-7 and volume, but now I'm not so sure I want to do that anymore.


I read once somewhere that someone hooked Santana upto a wireless for a performance, and he sounded like sh*t. So they took his 50' lead, wound it up, and tied it to his belt so it would bleed off his signal as if he was going strait into his pedalboard.

 

[Scott_F]

Re: So, for a change I went guitar -> cord -> amp...

I've tried a lot of FX and such... eventually they all go back into the drawer or onto ebay. For some reason an amp with a touch of reverb is all I need. Of course, when you play the same three songs over and over for 30 plus years, what else do you need?

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: So, for a change I went guitar -> cord -> amp...

So, for a change I went guitar -> cord -> amp...

...and I hated it!


I'm all for going back to basics every once in a while, but I really didn't like the way it sounded. I normally go through about 9 pedals and two 20 foot leads, so there's a significant amount of tone loss that I'm used to. I spent about 20 minutes trying to dial in my amp and guitar and I just couldn't get it to sound like I liked it. The clean attack was so sharp it hurt the ears, and even with the tone and treble rolled down I couldn't soften it up as much as I would like.

I'm thinking I might buy a 50' cable for those times I want to play simple.


So, is there anyone else out there who actually likes their tone loss?

Hey bro...to answer your question...no I do not like the treble loss that long cords and lots of effects cause but because I run between 1 and a dozen pedals as well as 2 pretty long cords I use George L's cords so I get very little loss, and I am thinking about a switching system in the near future so I have NO loss! But lots of guys (mostly 100% single coil guys) use long cords on purpose to mellow things out a bit...Billy Corgan uses a 100 foot cable to go from guitar to amp...he only un rolls about 25 feet of it!

I looked at your gear link...that is a reissue Poly Chorus right?

 

[Mincer]

Re: So, for a change I went guitar -> cord -> amp...

hey, i think that if going through 20 pedals gets you your sound, that is great. i dont think you have to start with one 'ultimate' sound before you start mucking with it. i always need a few pedals at least for me to be happy.

 

[some_dude]

Re: So, for a change I went guitar -> cord -> amp...

Hey bro...to answer your question...no I do not like the treble loss that long cords and lots of effects cause but because I run between 1 and a dozen pedals as well as 2 pretty long cords I use George L's cords so I get very little loss, and I am thinking about a switching system in the near future so I have NO loss! But lots of guys (mostly 100% single coil guys) use long cords on purpose to mellow things out a bit...Billy Corgan uses a 100 foot cable to go from guitar to amp...he only un rolls about 25 feet of it!

I looked at your gear link...that is a reissue Poly Chorus right?

I've been thinking about adding a switching system for awhile, but the cost has been slowing me down.....but it's more for reliability - and because I hate tap-dancing - than for any tonal reasons.

As for the cable, it's all high quality.

So far as I know, it's a 1990 or '91 original issue Stereo Polychorus. I don't think EHX reissued them until sometime in the late 90s.

 

[FireBros.]

Re: So, for a change I went guitar -> cord -> amp...

When I use my rack set up (GCX switcher and pedals on a shelf) I have the same attack problem. Its even worse if I use the buffer. With the switcher set up, only the pedals that you have on are in the circuit. With all my pedals plugged in my tone is smoother and a lot easier to tweak. BTW my non rack signal chain is GTR > 15' cord > tuner > 6' cord > Morley wah > EB volume > Sparkledrive > Fabtone > Vodoolabs Tremolo > Danecho > 6' cord > AMP
not a huge setup, but I'm sure there is a bit of signal loss, and it sounds good.

 

[theboatcandream]

Re: So, for a change I went guitar -> cord -> amp...

I like going straight to amp for cleans, but I don't like it for overdriven tones. It sounds bad. It's just the amp though... not the technique.

 

[PUCKBOY99]

Re: So, for a change I went guitar -> cord -> amp...

I'm almost always guitar into amp with the occasional wah & overdrive pedal.

P-90s into a Mesa Boogie Blue Angel 4x10 is so F*ckin' sweet, it's almost a sin to use anything at all!!!!!!!

 

[stonabus]

Re: So, for a change I went guitar -> cord -> amp...

the only pedals i have are a vintage big muff and a doctor q. i rarely use them. my favorite setting is a clean amp with a tad reverb, sometimes a lot of reverb, and my pup switch at 2 or 4 (strat). lately its been all clean, pup switch 3, drive at four, bass at 8, mid and treb at 9. but i have been playing a lot of blues lately. its another story if i am on a surf/thrash tangent.... :smoker:

 

[FireBros.]

Re: So, for a change I went guitar -> cord -> amp...

I'm almost always guitar into amp with the occasional wah & overdrive pedal.

P-90s into a Mesa Boogie Blue Angel 4x10 is so F*ckin' sweet, it's almost a sin to use anything at all!!!!!!!

I agree, I never have a problem when I run my L.P. Special through my B.A. 4x10. I did have that icepicky attack problem running a strat thru my old MKIII w/EV, and a THD Univalve I had. They always sounded way better with a few of pedals in front.

BTW what tubes and speakers are you running in your Blue Angel

 

[Quencho092]

Re: So, for a change I went guitar -> cord -> amp...

i just use my tone knob and the bright switch to fix this, but i usually use position 2 on my strat that's neck and middle with the middle tone rolled down to 5, which is usually really smooth anyway.

I've never used more than 2 pedals at a time, and many times i like the big cut i get compared to my bandmates.

 

[Tony_H]

Re: So, for a change I went guitar -> cord -> amp...

I use one to seven pedals, depending on how lazy I am, and once in six months I use no pedals at all. Usually I like the raw tone better but I've come to the conclusion that I need some overdrive to kick the solos out.

My full stompbox setup is: Zoom Ultra Fuzz to Boss SD-1 to Marshall Bluesbreaker II to Guyatone VT-2 tremolo to Guyaton WR-2 Wah Rocker to Dano Pepperoni Phaser to Dano PB+J delay to Laney LC-15. I find the unprocessed tone lacking with so many pedals in the chain, so I usually have to decide which pedals to use and which to leave at home. It's always a matter of compromise.

Recently I bought the SansAmp TRI-A.C. that I'm raving about in my other post, so that may cut down the number of OD pedals. Still, that fuzz pedal can sound so nasty ... and when you hit both the tremolo and the Wah Rocker, the trem speed does the quacking for you ... and there's a number of sick effects you can do with the fuzz pedal's noise gate. I've been considering the LC-15R, as it has an FX loop in addition to the tone that I know and love. But first I have to try what happens if I put some of the FX in the loop. One thing is for sure - the Fuzz must be right after the guitar in the chain, and the closer the trem and the WR, the better. I like the sound when the OD is after the tremolo, but with the tremolo in the loop, the OD would be before it ... so I need to try this out.

My posts are getting longer and the punchline ... where's the punchline? Never mind ... we'll do it next time.
Time to go to bed.
Peace
Tony

 

[Empty Pockets]

Re: So, for a change I went guitar -> cord -> amp...

i'd love to be a guitar-cord-amp guy but my Bassman won't distort without a kick in the face...

Hot Rails are ALMOST enough but a DS-1 does it every time

-X

 

[Mincer]

Re: So, for a change I went guitar -> cord -> amp...

I agree, I never have a problem when I run my L.P. Special through my B.A. 4x10. I did have that icepicky attack problem running a strat thru my old MKIII w/EV, and a THD Univalve I had. They always sounded way better with a few of pedals in front.

BTW what tubes and speakers are you running in your Blue Angel

I always use a TS7 Tube Screamer (set to hot) as well as a Line6 DL4 delay with my Blue Angel 1x12. I usually keep it on the 6v6 setting, with 'Fat' on. Ahh, glorious sounds.

 

[PUCKBOY99]

Re: So, for a change I went guitar -> cord -> amp...

I agree, I never have a problem when I run my L.P. Special through my B.A. 4x10. I did have that icepicky attack problem running a strat thru my old MKIII w/EV, and a THD Univalve I had. They always sounded way better with a few of pedals in front.

BTW what tubes and speakers are you running in your Blue Angel

Right now I'm using the stock rectifier tube, some JAN Phillips 6L6WGBs, Ei EL84s & Ei 12AX7 silver plates.....Love the Ei's but not completely sold on the JANs, but they're better than the stock Mesa 6V6s.

The speakers are the stock Jensens....I thought about changing them, but they do sound pretty damn smooth. Maybe swap 2 out for some Eminence Copperheads to see how they sound.

Yourself????

 

[Hellion]

Re: So, for a change I went guitar -> cord -> amp...

I'm not fond of my "straight to the amp" sound, either, so don't feel badly. My own signal is so processed it's probably not even recognized by a normal amp anyway. But I like a wet sound. And hey, it gets me what I'm wanting!

 

[LesStrat]

Re: So, for a change I went guitar -> cord -> amp...

Aha! A new pedal idea!

The TONE DRAIN!!!!!!!!!