• Ernie Ball
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shredhed

Well-known member
Joined
May 23, 2010
Messages
212
My take on the whole chasing a certain tone....sometimes it can't be done, or if it can it's a fleeting thing.

Warren Di martini said he couldn't reproduce a guitar tone on "Out of the Cellar" album. I don't recall the details of whether he was taliking about a certain song or the whole album, but the point is the same. Sometimes it's just luck, or something else that can't be quantized.

Looked at it in another way......I actiully got pretty close to the tone I was after when I tried to emulate that guy no one can name around here (lol).

I was using Guitar Rig 3 and I got pretty close, only to find that after all that effort I really didn't want to sound like that.

After that I have a tone in my head and I can get close to it, but it just sounds like me and I'm cool with that:D
 

veniculum

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Joined
Dec 27, 2010
Messages
64
I have the Line6 Bogner SV MKI 2x12 combo and found that putting things such as a flanger and phase 90 in the effects loop on it doesn't sound near as good as it sounds when I put them through the front. For what ever reason when I put them throught the effects loop it makes the sound more digital if that makes sense, I posted this on the Line6 forum and they didn't have a answer, they just said that to do what ever sounds best to me.

I do have a MXR phase 90, and use it quite a bit with the pocket pod...when I play Eruption, it finally sounded like it when I added the Phase 90...little things like that make all the difference in the world. Which is why I think that I can achieve what I'm looking for...it's just a matter of time, patience..and a lot of suggestions

Also, have the same amp, and kinda hear the same thing...somebody once told me to put the EQ in the loop...holy dog crap batman. It just sounded completely digital...terrible.

Anyway....thanks again...much appreciated.

Todd
 

nobozos

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 10, 2002
Messages
675
Location
Pekin, Illinois
There is one piece of gear I forgot to tell you about that may help you achieve your tone. It's a BBE Sonic Stomp. The literature says to put it in front of the amp, but it's more effective in the loop. Don't use very much of the Process knob, if any, and bump up the Lo Contour knob to boost the bottom end on your sound. Works great. The process knob can add what to year ear, sounds like compression. That knob can make your amp sound pretty digital if you turn it up past 50%.
 

bazxkr

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Joined
Mar 15, 2010
Messages
428
Location
London, UK
Well I'm an inexperienced guitar guy and most of this stuff was gobbleygook to me. So got a digitech rp1000 effects processor and can experiment using it purely as a pedal board only if I want. ie kick in reverb,chorus,delay,distortion etc and adjust the levels as much or as little as I want & if I like save as a preset. Not only is it fun it educates me the different variances on what each feature gives. It can also do amp simulation too so that acts as a learning curve too. It is simpler for me this way than having say half a dozen different pedals sitting there for me to kick in or out.

So altho 'I don't know what I'm doing' is the usual comment in the household if I hear a guitar sound I like I can play around until I can emulate it. Obviously the more I play with it the more I understand what I need to tweak to hit the right sound. Easy way of teaching myself when there is no one to tell me what it is I want.

So as a learning tool this has been great for me to help me along

Just my 2 cents worth...

Cheers
Baz
 

nobozos

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Joined
Nov 10, 2002
Messages
675
Location
Pekin, Illinois
You know, a really good approach to learning and experimenting with tone, amps, effects, and how they all tie together into a tone that you would like, is to get a program like Line 6 Guitar Port, or AmpliTube. It gives you a chance to put effects in different orders, mess with their settings, and see what you like. You can try different cabinets with different heads and whatnot.

Since most of the pedals, amps and cabinets are modeled after real ones, most of the settings translate to the real ones pretty accurately.
 

veniculum

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 27, 2010
Messages
64
You know, a really good approach to learning and experimenting with tone, amps, effects, and how they all tie together into a tone that you would like, is to get a program like Line 6 Guitar Port, or AmpliTube. It gives you a chance to put effects in different orders, mess with their settings, and see what you like. You can try different cabinets with different heads and whatnot.

Since most of the pedals, amps and cabinets are modeled after real ones, most of the settings translate to the real ones pretty accurately.

Interestingly enough, I picked up the Peavy Ampkit and downloaded the app. Of course, I had to buy every single effect, cabinet, amp, and mic available.
I've been able to create some pretty cool sounds. But no matter what I do with that thing, it still sounds a little "digital". Just when I thought I got it tweaked to my liking, I plug in the pocket pod, and it just blows the doors off the ampkit.
Still...I agree...it's a cool toy to play with...and you really can get into some different sounds. No regrets on that purchase...not to mention, it's kinda nice to always have a practice rig on hand (provided you have the Amkit link and a cable with you)
 

nobozos

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 10, 2002
Messages
675
Location
Pekin, Illinois
It does give you a good idea about what type of amp, effects, and cabinets you want, and how to tie them all toghether. You could, for instance, find the ultimate tone you want on Guitar Port, then go into your local guitar store and demo the actual setup you created, and buy it. Even if it's just the effects chain. You could set up the amp on the digital program as close as you can the the amp you already have, then monkey with the effects settings and order until you get the chain you want.

A quick word about multi-effects processors. They are a great tool for general settings, but I've found that the sound quality on them just isn't as rich as individual stomp box pedals. Also, you will find that the parameters on each effect are not as editable on the multi-effects units.
 
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