TS-808 to boost amp for recording?

heisleyamor · 7th January 2008

My mesa doesn't sound that great after I record it...even after experimenting moving my sm7b around...It sounds great in the room...but I want a nice, close mic sound...Will an Ibanez TS-808 give me better results if I crank the volume and keep the gain low and mess with the tone a bit? I'm miking my mesa single rectifier by the way with my fender american strat

Kiwiburger · 7th January 2008

I like Tube Screamers. It will give a *different* tone - but there is something wrong if you can't get something you like out of the Mesa. Especially if you say you like the sound in the room.

What don't you like about your recorded tone? If you can identify it, the solution should become obvious.

heisleyamor · 7th January 2008

Well with the music I'm recording right now...I'm trying to get just a little bit of gain and the mesa can't do that with sounding well unless I try to work with the clean channel and add some gain or go to pushed...I'm doing an indie/blues/rock kind of guitar tone with my fender and I think the TS-808 will give it that blues fuzz and even out the bass a bit if I crank the volume...I think i might try to use the 57 as a room mic with the sm7b as a close up mic...what do you think?

Kiwiburger · 7th January 2008

Worth a try. If you check out the Guitar forums, you'll find people endlessly debating every possible combination of stompboxes, amps & speakers ... the thing is, they all can make useable tones. You'll just have to find a combination you like.

A lot of people will try to tell you that all you need is an amp - don't use pedals. If you are lucky to get the right amp, i'm sure that's correct. I try to get the sound I want without pedals first. I have a bunch of pedals, and most of the players I like use pedals. There is no right and wrong guitar tone - whatever works.

I have an Analogman TS9 with the 808 mod - it's less noisy than the standard reissues, and less midrangey. I like it a lot - especially when I want a very fine crunch that isn't too gritty. Definately good for blues.

A room mic won't give you a "close" sound that you say you want. Why not try both the SM7 and the SM57 close - perhaps the SM7 straight on the cone, and the SM57 out near the edge but 45 degrees. Then see if you prefer either, or a mix of the two. Or any other combination.

BLUElightCory · 7th January 2008

It seems that if you like the tone in the room, your problem is probably mic choice and/or placement. That said, the TS-808 can do wonders for Rectifiers; I generally find myself cranking the mids and easing off the gain on the amp, and then using the TS-808 to push the amp for whatever amount of gain I'm looking for, and using the tone knob on the pedal to dial in a bit of extra presence if I need it. The TS-808 will clear up and/or cut out some of the low/low-mid rumble of the Rectifier, which oftentimes helps in getting a balanced close-mic'd sound.

Cory

84K · 7th January 2008

If it sounds great at the amp, then the problem is coming after the amp and that is where you need to to make adjustments.

I highly doubt a tube screamer or any other pedal will give you what you want. I would try using a different mic and then a different pre. If the amp sounds good in the room, you should be able to get it to sound close to the same in recording. So, I would first go after getting a CAD trion 7000 to record the amp. Then, maybe look at the pre.

7th January 2008	#1
heisleyamor Lives for gear Joined: May 2007 Posts: 1,357 Thread Starter	TS-808 to boost amp for recording? My mesa doesn't sound that great after I record it...even after experimenting moving my sm7b around...It sounds great in the room...but I want a nice, close mic sound...Will an Ibanez TS-808 give me better results if I crank the volume and keep the gain low and mess with the tone a bit? I'm miking my mesa single rectifier by the way with my fender american strat

7th January 2008	#2
Kiwiburger Lives for gear Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 4,075	I like Tube Screamers. It will give a different tone - but there is something wrong if you can't get something you like out of the Mesa. Especially if you say you like the sound in the room. What don't you like about your recorded tone? If you can identify it, the solution should become obvious. __________________ My carbon footprint is bigger than yours.

7th January 2008	#5
BLUElightCory Lives for gear Joined: Sep 2005 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 1,824	It seems that if you like the tone in the room, your problem is probably mic choice and/or placement. That said, the TS-808 can do wonders for Rectifiers; I generally find myself cranking the mids and easing off the gain on the amp, and then using the TS-808 to push the amp for whatever amount of gain I'm looking for, and using the tone knob on the pedal to dial in a bit of extra presence if I need it. The TS-808 will clear up and/or cut out some of the low/low-mid rumble of the Rectifier, which oftentimes helps in getting a balanced close-mic'd sound. Cory __________________ Cory Spotts / BLUElight Audio\|Media bluelightaudio@cox.net http://coryspotts.com

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7th January 2008	#6
84K Lives for gear Joined: Oct 2004 Location: right coast Posts: 3,857	If it sounds great at the amp, then the problem is coming after the amp and that is where you need to to make adjustments. I highly doubt a tube screamer or any other pedal will give you what you want. I would try using a different mic and then a different pre. If the amp sounds good in the room, you should be able to get it to sound close to the same in recording. So, I would first go after getting a CAD trion 7000 to record the amp. Then, maybe look at the pre.