Tone Happiness!

[marnold]

OK, folks, I can't get over it. I never thought I'd like the way I sound as much as I do. I don't mean my playing per se because I still suck. But when I do play it sounds great. The combo of my DK2M->Thesis 96->Boss DD-6->JCA20H is just wonderful for me.

I've got the Thesis 96 to provide a straight-ahead Tube Screamer thing. The DD-6 adds 500ms delay with just a couple of repeats with the effect level set very low. I set the gain on the amp to 6 and the volume to what I can tolerate and let it rip! It gives me that straight-up 80s metal tone that I love ever so much.

For cleans I just back off the gain on the amp to about 2, increase the volume to about 4 or 5 and kick off the Thesis 96. Actually, if I set the gain to about 3, I can get anything from bluesy crunch to cleans, depending on how I twiddle with the guitar volume.

With all of this I've had a record low level of GAS. Color me thrilled.

[Katastrophe]

That's awesome, Rev!

Some chase a certain tone for years, and never are satisfied with their sound.

[marnold]

Some chase a certain tone for years, and never are satisfied with their sound.
I'm just hoping I don't wake up one morning and suddenly my ears hear everything differently (and if I do, I hope it just means that a new set of t00bs are in order).

[Eric]

(and if I do, I hope it just means that a new set of t00bs are in order).
Or that you should just put the guitar down for a day and come back later -- some days a tone I would normally love just sounds bad to me...

[kiteman]

Or that you should just put the guitar down for a day and come back later -- some days a tone I would normally love just sounds bad to me...

Ain't that the truth. :)

One day it's delicious the next day I'm checking the knobs trying to get it back. Weird.

I guess that's why we have several guitars and amps, to keep the tone fresh.

[marnold]

Ain't that the truth. :)

One day it's delicious the next day I'm checking the knobs trying to get it back. Weird.
I've really been expecting that. I'm almost looking for problems, but I haven't found any. Talk about weird, yet very cool.

[deeaa]

Or that you should just put the guitar down for a day and come back later -- some days a tone I would normally love just sounds bad to me...

Ain't that the truth! Exactly the reason why I don't ever fiddle with tone knobs...only when it's been like 5 sessions and one recording, and I still feel it's a bit dark, I will up the treble, and so on. Because if I do, it's an endless road. Every damned day it sounds a little different anyway!

[duhvoodooman]

Glad to hear that you're so pleased with your tone....and that the Thesis 96 pedal is some small part of it!

I'm feeling much the same way about one particular tonal combination of my own gear. That Blues Junior amp that I've put so much time (and ~$350) into tweaking pretty much nails that quintessential Fender tone that I hear in my head. Particularly when I play my CV '50s Tele or Strat Plus through it, it sounds fantastic. I'm still working on achieving the same degree of satisfaction with a British/Marshall kind of tone, though.....

[Eric]

I'm still working on achieving the same degree of satisfaction with a British/Marshall kind of tone, though.....
Well, that brings up an interesting point: what is the best way to get there? It's my main area of interest, and while my amp does a passable job with it, it isn't the greatest mix for band use.

Is a 4 x 12 with a JTM/JMP/JCM/Jubilee/JVM amp the only path to "enlightenment"?

[Tig]

Ah, sweet tone-e-ness!
Some people will go a long way to find the tone they seek...
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/60/210625425_fb1ef5d23b.jpg

"This isn't the tone you're looking for."
http://pancakedominion.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/obi-wan.jpg


I'm glad you found yours right at home! :thumbsup

[kiteman]

Well, that brings up an interesting point: what is the best way to get there? It's my main area of interest, and while my amp does a passable job with it, it isn't the greatest mix for band use.

Is a 4 x 12 with a JTM/JMP/JCM/Jubilee/JVM amp the only path to "enlightenment"?

Don't forget the pickups Eric, they play a factor in the tone. When I used to have the Windsor half stack it was so british sounding that I got tired of it, it was so so.

That changed when I got the NOS M22T and M22V pups from Carvin. They were different from the other pups, I can't really descibe them but they sounded good, just kind of midrangey somehow. The pups sounded the best in mahogany (another factor) which is my BD guitar.

I plugged it into the Windsor and it was a match made in heaven. Kind of make sense because the amp is model after the 80s marshall and the pups were made in the 80s.

Since I don't have the Windsor anymore I took the pups out and put in the Carvin Holdworths pups.

[Eric]

Don't forget the pickups Eric, they play a factor in the tone. When I used to have the Windsor half stack it was so british sounding that I got tired of it, it was so so.

That changed when I got the NOS M22T and M22V pups from Carvin. They were different from the other pups, I can't really descibe them but they sounded good, just kind of midrangey somehow. The pups sounded the best in mahogany (another factor) which is my BD guitar.

I plugged it into the Windsor and it was a match made in heaven. Kind of make sense because the amp is model after the 80s marshall and the pups were made in the 80s.

Since I don't have the Windsor anymore I took the pups out and put in the Carvin Holdworths pups.
Huh. Well that's kind of interesting to hear. I generally think Marshall=rock, which is my bread and butter, and since finally finding some good Marshall tones here and there, I'm beginning to understand the tone a little better.

It doesn't seem like finding a convincing rock tone should be quite so nuanced, but I do know that pickups make a big difference in everything else, so it follows that they would have an impact in this area too.

I'm basically just blathering now, but...interesting nonetheless.

[FrankenFretter]

Glad to hear that you've found your tone nirvana, Rev. It is an elusive thing. I had found what I felt was the perfect Alex Lifeson tone, circa Exit Stage Left, using my Epi Tribute LP, my DVM-modded Tube Screamer, Ibanez Chorus and both my Marshall and my Vox in stereo. It was fleeting though, I haven't been able to quite find it again. I know it's there...just not sure why I can't nail it quite exactly anymore.

[kiteman]

Like I said, the Windsor was modeled after the Marshall it did not sound as good as the Marshall.

[marnold]

My Jet City does the mid-heavy Marshall thing well, but it is still it's own animal.

[gorkblok]

That's awesome, Rev!

Some chase a certain tone for years, and never are satisfied with their sound.

that is true, I mean I've been playing for almost 10 years now, And I still find myself switching pickups, amps, and gear all the time. Right on. Maybe I'll give that set up a little try.

[gorkblok]

Glad to hear that you've found your tone nirvana, Rev. It is an elusive thing. I had found what I felt was the perfect Alex Lifeson tone, circa Exit Stage Left, using my Epi Tribute LP, my DVM-modded Tube Screamer, Ibanez Chorus and both my Marshall and my Vox in stereo. It was fleeting though, I haven't been able to quite find it again. I know it's there...just not sure why I can't nail it quite exactly anymore.

I know what you mean. One of the things that help me dial in a tone is to keep a small tone journal to keep tabs on what I'm tweaking. Man, Never thought I'd have to study tone when I set out to study guitar. I've been known to spend more time on that then running scales at times, lol.