Guitar question.

[TomBanks147]

Just a question to all those who play guitar. On electric guitar, I, like Lindsey suffer from a lot of low end and have a large (in some cases unwanted) dynamic range. So basically I want to know how to go about reducing the amount of bass.

Unlike Lindsey I don't use any nail when I'm picking. I tried growing nails once but just couldn't get them to work so I just pick with flesh. Playing steel string acoustic isn't a problem. I may loose a bt of the brightness in tone that I would gain from using nails but it's a sacfrafice I've already made and don't regret it. The same could be said about nylon also. The problem I'm having is finding a tone that I really love on the electric. My electric is a strat (it's a squire, a top range squire but a squire none the less. Still, I'm saving to get an american made Fender telecaster in a couple of months so I should have a real quality instrument then.) My amp is great. All tube Peavey valveking 212 (basically a 100 watt amp with two 12 inch speakers.) As far as pedals are concerned I have the Boss SD-1 (which I haven't really used.) and the boss DS-1 (that's in the post, not yet arrived.)

Soooooooooooooo, what do I do? Are there any pedals I could get? I was thinking of an equalizer so everything is the same volume, but that doesn't solve the overly bassy tone. Was also thinking of changing and or altering the position of the pickups in relation to how close they are to the strings. (with the advice of a guitar forum.)

Guitar forums are great up to a point, it's just there are few people that can help with playing the electric guitar without a pick. Do/did anyone else suffer with this problem? Also curious if you players use finger nails or not cause perhaps that's my problem.

Thanks

[Sarah]

Are you using factory pick-ups with factory settings? You may find a sound you like a bit better just by adjusting the pick-ups a bit if you haven't tried it already. Your manual may have a page about doing that. If not, you might check Fender's website. Many manuals are available in .pdf form.

EDIT. I meant to say that I, too, pick with the flesh of my fingers instead of the nail. Being that I'm a girl, I typically have nails, but for whatever reason, I just find this the best way for me to play. I use an 81 Fender Bullet with mustang pickups.. it's kind of a telehybridfrankenfender. Usually low end comes out heavier than the highs for me, too. I've pretty much just adapted what I play around it, and save the intricate bits for acoustic. There, I mostly play nylon now, but am looking for a good, parlor sized steel string with just the right sound. One of these days. The loss of brightness from playing with flesh instead of nail or pick doesn't bother me one bit, and I have zero desire to change.

[chiliD]

1) How do you set the tone controls on your amp?

2) Which pickup setting do you use mostly on your Strat?

[TomBanks147]

2) Which pickup setting do you use mostly on your Strat?

Mainly the neck one. On occasions the middle one or the combination of both the neck and the middle. I rarely use the bridge pickup as I find the tone harsh, apart from strumming chords (ironically)

1) How do you set the tone controls on your amp?

Well I'm not a great fan of effects. I don't plan on owning that many pedals and I want to be able to play clean. Therefore I use the clean channel. I set the tone by altering bass, middle and trebble (there are other fancy things on like reverd which i use a bit of. I can boost gain. there a push buton called "bright" and two other knobs for resonance and prescense.) As my amp is still pretty new I'm playing around on it to try and find a tone I like. There no real setting(s) I sick to.

Are you using factory pick-ups with factory settings? You may find a sound you like a bit better just by adjusting the pick-ups a bit if you haven't tried it already.

Well when I bought the guitar I hadn't a clue about them so I was led on by the shopkeaper. I certainly wouldn't of got a squire because in the long run it costs more hence me saving up for a real fender lol. But anyway, the shopkeaper held on to the guitar to sort it all out presumably alter pickup settings and lower action etc. So I don't really know if the settings are factory settings but I'll have a look, thanks.

They say the tone is all in the fingers so maybe its just me and my lack of nail that's causing the problem. I love my acoustic playing, however and like you i don't miss the nailless tone on nylon and steel strung acoustics, so I'm convinced it my electric guitar because if it was my amp I'd have a mental breakdown. I am slightly exaguratting here i can get a weak lindsey style lead tone it's just very hard to find that setting and keep it. My problem's not all that bad at least, still i start with the rythm

but am looking for a good, parlor sized steel string with just the right sound.

I have a "freshman" and I love it. Very good value for money. If you want a reallllly cheap acoustic and your from the UK try this. http://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_hbcg45.htm I don't own one but at that price it can't even be a gamble, probably plays like crap though, lol.

Offtopic but why oh why are the same guitars so much more expensive in the Uk than they are in america.

[Han Solo]

It's hard to determine the problem from a distance, but there are a few things you can try.

As mentioned before, lower the pickups. If neck and middle p'up are close to the same height as the bridge pickup they are way to high. I have most of my guitars set up with bridge high, middle halfway and neck even lower.

Also a lot of players ( as do I ) have the pickups on the bass side (Low E) slightly lower than on the treble side (high E) to even out the sound.

Test sounds with your guitar volume on 10. Squiers can be fine guitars but do not have sophisticated electronics. If you turn down the volume you will also dial out the highs leaving you with a lot of Bass.

Do not hesitate using "weird" settings on the EQ of your amp. "Everything on five" does not work with many amps, especially tube amps. On my Fender Twin Reverb I set the bass on 2. Anything more would blow out the windows.
On my other Fender amp, I have the bass on 6.........

I assume you play near the bridge; the closer you get to the neck, the more boomy it becomes ofcourse.

Good Luck.

[TomBanks147]

My pickups are almost exactly how yours are set jsut without that much of a tilt on them. I was hoping for them to be horendously wrong lol but oh well. I play usually over the middle pickup but can play near the bridge. I don't enjoy playing near the neck though.

I normally have my amp on 10 and my guitar on borderline 0 lol. I heard tube amps sound better at full volume and obviously could play both guitar and amp at 10 so just turned my guitar right down. I'm gonna turn the bass to 2 my volume on the amp right down and on the guitar upto 10. Thanks for the advice.

[Han Solo]

Believe me, I've tried it too ( Amp on 10, guitar volume low) It does not work unfortunately. With every strat-style guitar I have you can hear the treble disappear when you turn the volume below 7.

While it's true that most tube amps sound better at higher volume (but not on 10, more like around 6 or 7) this is more evident with single channel amps.
I see that the Valveking has two dedicated channels. I'm sure you will be able to get a good clean sound with the amp volume on 3 or something.

Keep in mind that tube amps are really loud. I can't even use a 15 watt amp at home without annoying the neighbours. And if you turn the volume really low, the speaker will not move enough air to generate a nice, full sound. It is a universal problem for all home players.
My solution: headphones
I am fortunately able to play in a friends soundproof room a few times a week. There you can be as loud as you want......

[chiliD]

Originally Posted by TomBanks147

Well I'm not a great fan of effects. I don't plan on owning that many pedals and I want to be able to play clean. Therefore I use the clean channel. I set the tone by altering bass, middle and trebble (there are other fancy things on like reverd which i use a bit of. I can boost gain. there a push buton called "bright" and two other knobs for resonance and prescense.) As my amp is still pretty new I'm playing around on it to try and find a tone I like. There no real setting(s) I sick to.

As previously stated, try keeping your "bass" control turned down and the "middle" about in the middle.

If you WERE playing with the amp cranked and the guitar volume turned down, that's 90% of your "overly bassy" problem, right there.

You might want to kick on the "bright" button, too...that boosts the highs, which at a low to moderate volume will give some nice "sparkle" to your guitar tone.

[mylittledemon]

Originally Posted by chiliD

As previously stated, try keeping your "bass" control turned down and the "middle" about in the middle.

If you WERE playing with the amp cranked and the guitar volume turned down, that's 90% of your "overly bassy" problem, right there.

You might want to kick on the "bright" button, too...that boosts the highs, which at a low to moderate volume will give some nice "sparkle" to your guitar tone.

Chili couldnt have solved your problem more easily. You probably need to play thru a nice clean amp too. That tone that Lindsey has on "The Chain" from the Dance album is probably the hardest to achieve.

[TomBanks147]

Wow, solved. Thanks for the help everyone. I turned my strat up to ten amp down to 1-2 ish and it sounds beautifull. I'm not 100% satisfied with the tone but I'd say im 95% happy with it.

[mylittledemon]

Originally Posted by TomBanks147

Wow, solved. Thanks for the help everyone. I turned my strat up to ten amp down to 1-2 ish and it sounds beautifull. I'm not 100% satisfied with the tone but I'd say im 95% happy with it.

That part you're not satisfied with could probably only be made up with actually having a Model 1 then I'd imagine.

[Madness Fades]

Originally Posted by mylittledemon

That part you're not satisfied with could probably only be made up with actually having a Model 1 then I'd imagine.

Possibly the single greatest advertising campaign ever for the RT Model 1.
Have you sent quote that off the the marketing department.

Tom, The Demon is Right. Thats exactly that missing 5% and more is.

[shackin'up]

I don't understand anything of what you guys talk about. But can you believe that I suck this stuff up everytime I read it? For what purpose?

[mylittledemon]

Originally Posted by Madness Fades

Possibly the single greatest advertising campaign ever for the RT Model 1.
Have you sent quote that off the the marketing department.

Tom, The Demon is Right. Thats exactly that missing 5% and more is.

HA! I'd work for Rick if the fates allowed! I will one day, hopefully within the year, own my own Model 1.

[BTFLCHLD]

Originally Posted by shackin'up

I suck this stuff up everytime I read it

I find these type of threads very interesting.