Did you ever have a revival of an old set up

[Jimi75]

I acquired a lot of gear over the past few years, so I have logically built up a totally different set up with every piece that came. Another amph, another guitar, another pedal(s).

But did my sound really improve? Or did it only change? I have never asked myself this question. I was sure my sound improved.

Then our drummer gave an old video to me that he shot while we were rehearsing 6 or 7 years ago. From the first second on I was flashed by the guitar sound I had at that time.

Could that be? Could it be that good? The stuff I was using was simple. Line6 Flextone I (Black Panel Model), an Ibanez TS-9, my Jimmie Vaughan Strat.

Luckily, I still have that equipment at home, so just out of pure curiousness I played through that old set up. Haven't done that in years.

It was magic. It fit like an old glove. In fact it felt so good, that I am gonna play this set up for an upcoming gig.

Isn't that strange? Did such thing ever happen to you? :thwap

[hubberjub]

All the time. I've been playing a pretty involved set up for the last few years. Running my guitar into a very large pedal board and into my amp and back into my time based effects via a snake. I'm always suprised how much more I like my tone when straight into my amp with maybe an overdrive and a basic delay for a little flavor. It's also a lot easier to carry and set up. Unfortunately my current gig has me playing pedal steel. My set up for that has me carrying an eight space rack and a six space rack along with my guitar and amp.

[Eric]

Interesting. I almost fear this, because most of my 'improvements' have involved getting lighter and simpler, so I don't want to find out that a big heavy setup sounds better!

Still, very good observation that new toys don't always equal better tone. Maybe I should try out that 50-lb amph again...

[deeaa]

I almost laughed out loud reading the original post, because it's so damned true...whenever I listen to my old stuff I always tend to be amazed - well not always - but quite often anyway, about how damned good something sounded.

I know this one guy who's had this, I dunno what, THD or some three-letter maker tube 1x12" combo, dual channel, since 80's and he's never changed and he gets a very very good tone indeed. I asked about him once and he said what I believe is very true: 'sure it sometimes sounds like shit to me but in the end, if I get another amp, it'll sound just as bad as this in a few months. And basically, I've always been very pleased how this sounds when I listen to what I've recorded, despite it sometimes feels like I'm so bored with it.'

I think he's very very right about it. Human ears are very very subjective, and what sounds good one day sounds bad the next. When I was a kid I enjoyed the most shrilliest ACDC sounds; these days those old, non-remastered first CD editions sound like buzzaws to me while the much warmer and rounder re-masters are the sh*t.

I myself fall for the changing of gear cycle, but ultimately I don't usually much use EQ at all or change my tone - I do keep looking for new gear and testing stuff, it's fun, and might change entire amps etc...but I do realize it's a folly in most part. You can endlessly tweak your gear and make minor adjustements and spend thousands in 'exotic woods' and 'special pickups' but in the end the bottom line is, you get some good gear in the style you like, it ain't getting REALLY any better unless you get the improvement from your fingers. You may think putting $400 towards new pickups was a great deal and sound improved, but a year later you may feel it was better before.

All the guitar rigs I've owned have been quite excellent enough.

[Jipes]

Well some hardcore fans of simple gear would say "High tech, no sound" straight to the amp is most of the time the best solution :dude I came back from playing with racks and stomp boxes and rather use my fingers to get the sound that I want and it's so much easier :AOK

The Graal quest in terms of tone is anyway a never ending story isn't it :crazyguy

[deeaa]

That's right Jipes...without exception, whenever I for some reason just plug straight to my Ceriatone, I'm always blown away how damned great the thing sounds.

For me, it's been for a long time just a battle for how few pedals I can get away with and STILL get the tones I need, i.e. at least 3 different gain levels and a wah. I'd just play staight to amp - if I were a millionaire I'd just get three Ceria heads and ABC switch between them and that's it.

[mainestratman]

Human ears are very very subjective, and what sounds good one day sounds bad the next.

OMG, you are NOT kidding.

One day, I'll be playing and everything sounds *perfect*... the next, it sounds like crap, and I wonder WTF happened... to the point, I thought someone was changing the settings on my amph or my Bad Monkey, to the point that I wrote down all the settings to compare.

Alas... the settings were the same. 'Twas the ear that needed tweaked.

[markb]

I'd be quite happy if someone gave me enough money for a JMI copper panel AC30 just like the ones I used 30 years ago :AOK

[deeaa]

OMG, you are NOT kidding.

One day, I'll be playing and everything sounds *perfect*... the next, it sounds like crap, and I wonder WTF happened... to the point, I thought someone was changing the settings on my amph or my Bad Monkey, to the point that I wrote down all the settings to compare.

Alas... the settings were the same. 'Twas the ear that needed tweaked.

Indeed...that's why I hardly ever change my settings on my amps after the 'honeymoon period' when I've set them to my liking, except when I have recorded something and still think it sounds too dark - only then I'll up treble for instance. But if, some day, for some reason, the amp sounds darker than usual, I just leave it the hell alone, because I know it just gets adjusted back the next time.

[deeaa]

I'd be quite happy if someone gave me enough money for a JMI copper panel AC30 just like the ones I used 30 years ago :AOK

Yeah, and however much a Marshall-style guy I am these days, I'd not mind having my Ampeg VT-22 and Fender Vibrolux, DeVille and Twin back in my garage...sigh...especially since when I sold 'em they were like $200 value each. Now it'd be five-six times that easy.

[markb]

Yeah, and however much a Marshall-style guy I am these days, I'd not mind having my Ampeg VT-22 and Fender Vibrolux, DeVille and Twin back in my garage...sigh...especially since when I sold 'em they were like $200 value each. Now it'd be five-six times that easy.

You list a DeVille with those amps?? Shame on you :)

Now you come to mention it I wouldn't mind the SFVR back either. Oh, or the early tweed/alnico Pro Jr, or the Rivera-era Concert 1x12, or... ;)

[deeaa]

Yeah, DeVille wasn't a bad amp at all. Traded my Twin for it back in the day, I liked it better then for the brighter sound...

[mainestratman]

I've never been one for "bright" tone.. prefer something darker with a hint of midrange... But I think depending on what I've been listening to immediately preceding play time directly influences what I expect to hear when I plug in and turn up.

Nothing touches my JCM2000 as far as tone. I've gotten my Hotrod *close*, but it simply lacks the cabinet space for that "huge" response I like.




Actually (thanks for reminding me), maybe I should run it through my 4x12 for that outdoor gig... or.. maybe I'll just take the Marshall for the outdoor gig.. hrmmm..

[kiteman]

Sometimes I wished I kept my old Silvertone piggy back amp. :)

That was the same amp Mike White have in "This Might Get Loud."

[ZMAN]

I do this every other day. I have 4 amps set up in my guitar room. I have a 65 deluxe, A blues Junior special edition, a Marshal DSL401 and a Marshall DSL100. I also have an Avatar cab 2/12 set up, and with one plug I can go between the 401, and the 100. I have a pedal board with mostly Fulltone pedals, and a Boss DD20 through the effects loop on the Marshalls. I still have my Boss DS1, BD2, and Ibanez TS9. I have 17 electrics that I have collected over the last 15 years, so I can go back very quickly to my old set ups. The only amp I have sold is my Blues Deluxe Reissue and that went in trade for my Classic Gold Top.
I guess I can say that my old set up is slightly different and therefore refreshing. Mainly a Fender tone with clean channel slightly distored, or overdriven. Fender reverb, Fender single coil/Gibson HB. My tone lately has been more of a Marshall/Slapback delay/ OD/ humbuckers/in the Joe Bonamassa tone area. (not the playing though)
When I have one of those days where my current tone sounds awful, I switch over to the "old" set up and play for a couple of days and feel refreshed. But I usually come back.