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View Full Version : LONG demo of my gear: EMG85, Ceriatone EL84, 'Squier', Marshall pedals etc.



deeaa
July 1st, 2010, 06:19 AM
Almost 10 minutes. Playing my latest 'dee-constructed' LOL, thanks to who was it again who coined the name...Squier.

Trying to present my setup: no FX, just seven degrees of drive with basically same sound but using 3 pedals via a Carl Martin switchboard to achieve a smooth progression from rather clean to really wailing. BUT always no proper distortion/fuzz, always possible to play full chords with clarity - that's my goal. And, also never use any other pickup than the bridge, and only volume control. Since I got the CarlMartin board been VERY happy with the rig. Quiet as a mouse when not playing (except the Vox treble booster is a bit noisy) but the EMG85 really screams. IMO there is no other pickup so warm and full yet screams so well.

I still have an eight slot unused, and that I'll use for when I finally manage to get me a delay pedal...so far I have no reverb or anything like that. I always found they just screw up the sound and playing, although often I feel fast stuff would sound much better with some delay.

Especially towards the very end I just play simple riffs while always changing the sound dirtier, so the change is clearly displayed.

Despite the mic visible in the foreground, the sound is via my Panasonic camcorder mic only.

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progrmr
July 1st, 2010, 06:51 AM
pretty cool! Although I have to say I like your posters more than any of your gear :)

Eric
July 1st, 2010, 07:12 AM
Very cool rundown. I liked some of the squealy tones you were able to get at around 5:00-5:20, but I'm not sure what setting you were using there. Maybe comp + JH?

In general, I thought the tones from the compressor and amp alone were about what I'd use. The compressor and jackhammer were definitely too harsh for my taste in the direct comparisons, but it seems like they'd have their place for certain parts.

I liked the comparison at the end a lot. Very nice way to show everything. The amp sounds really good I thought.

One last thing: even on your "clean" setting, the amp didn't exactly seem clean. Sounded like it still had a little hair. I was playing around last night, seeing how clean I could get, and I could never quite get there with the active pup. Is this just part of active pickups?

deeaa
July 1st, 2010, 07:45 AM
Yep, when I record guitar (rhythm) I use mostly just the amp and comp; once processed and mixed in, more drive is just too much. But live, the Jack is perfect and sounds loud and mean, 'rock' enough. You always need a bit more drive live than when recording, IMO. And of course for rock leads. But still, in comparison to most players my drive settings are very humble; amp is on its cleanest, vol and tone both at 12 and OD pedal gains are about 1/4. Even with my hardest gain setting it sounds like a clean sound compared to the other guy's Spider III which is all but distortion buzz.

And yeah, there's no 'clean' with a cranked up 36W amp and bucker EMG's...unless I really cut down on guitar volume. For cleans, you want a Fender type amp and/or at least weaker pups. S/SA are MUCH weaker. For 13 years I played a Les Paul with a split neck pup and a bridge pup that had an EMG PA-2 preamp; so I switched between clean and drive by switching from neck to bridge. Worked wonderfully, but I always wanted a tighter, more marshally sound and EL84's seem to work best for me - they can be cranked up and still they don't melt the glass in the room with volume.

At 5-5:20 they would all be on simultaneously; comp/jack/treble booster

Eric
July 1st, 2010, 08:34 AM
But still, in comparison to most players my drive settings are very humble; amp is on its cleanest, vol and tone both at 12 and OD pedal gains are about 1/4. Even with my hardest gain setting it sounds like a clean sound compared to the other guy's Spider III which is all but distortion buzz.
Funny. I am used to hearing that whole distortion fuzz/buzz in the background of a lot of recordings, almost to the point where you're not sure it's a guitar anymore. I didn't mind it back in the day, but as a guitarist it kind of annoys me. I mean, why bother playing if you can't even hear the notes?

Maybe this shows I'm becoming a snob. Next thing you know, I'll be saying phrases like "note articulation"...


And yeah, there's no 'clean' with a cranked up 36W amp and bucker EMG's...unless I really cut down on guitar volume. For cleans, you want a Fender type amp and/or at least weaker pups. S/SA are MUCH weaker. For 13 years I played a Les Paul with a split neck pup and a bridge pup that had an EMG PA-2 preamp; so I switched between clean and drive by switching from neck to bridge. Worked wonderfully, but I always wanted a tighter, more marshally sound and EL84's seem to work best for me - they can be cranked up and still they don't melt the glass in the room with volume
S/SA are the single-coil versions of EMGs I take it? I'm doing a little surfing on their site now, but haven't come across them just yet.

Interesting stuff about these actives. I really want to understand how to use them effectively.

deeaa
July 1st, 2010, 08:43 AM
S/SA are the single-coil versions of EMGs I take it? I'm doing a little surfing on their site now, but haven't come across them just yet.

Interesting stuff about these actives. I really want to understand how to use them effectively.

Yes, they are the singles, fender single coil replacement style. I forget which is hotter, S or SA. They make also a new X-series which I understand is like their older 89 - a bucker AND a single coil in same pickup, selectable via switch.

I have the single SA's in two of my guitars, and when I switch to them, it's like 1/4 gain at most compared to 81/85. Wayyy weaker, but they do sound quite like strat pickups. A bit more 'note articulation' (har har) and less boomy, which makes them feel colder in some amps in direct comparison.

Initially, I bought EMG's because I needed the noiselessness recording in front of a CRT tube and fluorescent lights, and actually disliked them with my live rigs, felt they spewed out too much drive and power, but once I got into reducing the amp/OD side drive to compensate, I became a big fan of actives. You just can't compare them directly with passives, you need to adjust everything else to them before you can get the most out of them - mostly by reducing drives and gains quite heavily.