getting bright, edgy guitar tones

CDP · 26th September 2005

I find I spend a lot of time try to get guitar amps to cut the way I like. I think I like my guitar tones brighter than most people here, but I don't like them to have that fizzy brightness (like a JCM 2000, or a cheap "Metal" guitar pedal), I like to be able to still hear the strings. I have sometimes used a 57 on guitar, but I often don't like the fizziness of the high end in it. I have never heard of anyone else doing this, but I often use a Lawson L47mp for amps. I was digging around here reading about R121s and that lead me to the question...

What do YOU do when you have a guitar tone that sounds really good, but you want a brighter edge to it?

Think Buckcherry's first album.

EQ and mic placement can do the trick for me sometimes, but I am mostly wondering if there are better mic choices for me.

CDP

Tom VDH · 26th September 2005

When I could use many other things, I used a Pignose, a Fulltone Full-Drive2 with a Gibson LP Special on today's session.
I love the R121, but a 57 right in front of the speaker totally did the trick...you get the feel of an amp cranked to 11, at ridiculously low SPLs.
And yes it was bright and we could feel the strings, no eq, no nothing...how less gearslutty is this set-up,

! One trick poney though...
The best would be to hide the pignose behind a Marshall stack because your client might not wanna believe he actually paid to have his guitar tracked thru a Pignose!!AAAhahaha!

Tom

swankdoc · 27th September 2005

Well, start with a new set of strings. Pickup choice and amp settings are important as well. And oh, there's guitar technique etc. Picking towards the bridge can be chimy-er. And find a pick like a tortoise shell pick.
Me thinks that if you like it coming out of the amp, then mic selection and preamp etc is just icing.

ie its 99% player, guitar, amp...
and 1% recording setup.

DAWgEAR · 27th September 2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by CDP

Think Buckcherry's first album.

That makes me think of POD XT. Seriously.

I don't mean that as a slam on either one of them.

Telecastr · 27th September 2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by swankdoc

And find a pick like a tortoise shell pick.

When I think of tortoise shell in this context, I think of a color, more of a pattern really. What does that have to do with anything?

TYY · 27th September 2005

Cut the track with an Esquire; problem solved.

FYI real shell picks supposedly (I've never even seen one) have a brighter sound than plastic et al. Dunlop as a newer pick called the "ultex" that is supposed to simulate the sound (but not the look) of a shell pick. I have some, and indeed they have a crisper attack than tortex, celluloid, or nylon.

swankdoc · 27th September 2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Telecastr

When I think of tortoise shell in this context, I think of a color, more of a pattern really. What does that have to do with anything?

Tortoise shell pics have a consistency that strikes the strings with just the right amount of timbre. These are picks that are well known in the jazzers world but havent found much mileage in R&R. Theres a few pick variants for high timbre like a metal pick and fake tortoise shell.....but as always, the original is the bees knees.

If you're wondering if a pick can really matter in such things, try playing with a penny. You'll have string overtones galore. Problem is of course, those are very cumbersome. But a great shell pick will do the same, and feels like magic.

elambo · 27th September 2005

Real tortoise shell picks are actually illegal to manufacture. If you have one that was harvested before the law, it's technically OK (even in not morally so), but there's a company called Tortis that makes picks that are extrememly close to the real thing. I have two and they are amazing. Tortoise seems to be more popular with the acoustic players.

More to the point - the type of pick you use has a large effect on tone. Harder picks will be brighter, and picking technique will help control tone at least as much as the type of pick.

CDP · 27th September 2005

Tom VDH - I am curious as to what Pignose you used.

Everyone else, thanks for the pic suggestions, I am going to look into it.

I am on my way to Guitar Center to buy an Esquire and Pod XT. THAT must be what Steve Jones used!

Telecastr · 27th September 2005

Thanks for clearing all that up about tortoise shell. I've only use picks with the color pattern, not a pick made from the actual thing. I've seen and used the metal picks and some other variants, but never really liked them. You learn something new everyday.

26th September 2005	#1
CDP Gear nut Joined: Apr 2004 Posts: 105 Thread Starter	getting bright, edgy guitar tones I find I spend a lot of time try to get guitar amps to cut the way I like. I think I like my guitar tones brighter than most people here, but I don't like them to have that fizzy brightness (like a JCM 2000, or a cheap "Metal" guitar pedal), I like to be able to still hear the strings. I have sometimes used a 57 on guitar, but I often don't like the fizziness of the high end in it. I have never heard of anyone else doing this, but I often use a Lawson L47mp for amps. I was digging around here reading about R121s and that lead me to the question... What do YOU do when you have a guitar tone that sounds really good, but you want a brighter edge to it? Think Buckcherry's first album. EQ and mic placement can do the trick for me sometimes, but I am mostly wondering if there are better mic choices for me. CDP

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26th September 2005	#2
Tom VDH Gear maniac Joined: Aug 2004 Location: in the studio Posts: 247	When I could use many other things, I used a Pignose, a Fulltone Full-Drive2 with a Gibson LP Special on today's session. I love the R121, but a 57 right in front of the speaker totally did the trick...you get the feel of an amp cranked to 11, at ridiculously low SPLs. And yes it was bright and we could feel the strings, no eq, no nothing...how less gearslutty is this set-up, ! One trick poney though... The best would be to hide the pignose behind a Marshall stack because your client might not wanna believe he actually paid to have his guitar tracked thru a Pignose!!AAAhahaha! Tom

27th September 2005	#3
swankdoc Lives for gear Joined: Jun 2005 Posts: 2,135	Well, start with a new set of strings. Pickup choice and amp settings are important as well. And oh, there's guitar technique etc. Picking towards the bridge can be chimy-er. And find a pick like a tortoise shell pick. Me thinks that if you like it coming out of the amp, then mic selection and preamp etc is just icing. ie its 99% player, guitar, amp... and 1% recording setup.

27th September 2005	#6
TYY Gear addict Joined: Aug 2003 Posts: 406	Cut the track with an Esquire; problem solved. FYI real shell picks supposedly (I've never even seen one) have a brighter sound than plastic et al. Dunlop as a newer pick called the "ultex" that is supposed to simulate the sound (but not the look) of a shell pick. I have some, and indeed they have a crisper attack than tortex, celluloid, or nylon.

27th September 2005	#8
elambo Lives for gear Joined: Aug 2004 Location: Up here Posts: 6,185	Real tortoise shell picks are actually illegal to manufacture. If you have one that was harvested before the law, it's technically OK (even in not morally so), but there's a company called Tortis that makes picks that are extrememly close to the real thing. I have two and they are amazing. Tortoise seems to be more popular with the acoustic players. More to the point - the type of pick you use has a large effect on tone. Harder picks will be brighter, and picking technique will help control tone at least as much as the type of pick.

27th September 2005	#10
Telecastr Lives for gear Joined: Jul 2004 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 621	Thanks for clearing all that up about tortoise shell. I've only use picks with the color pattern, not a pick made from the actual thing. I've seen and used the metal picks and some other variants, but never really liked them. You learn something new everyday.