The Tone Thread

[muttley]

I should add that another thing that REALLY matters on both acoustic and electric tone is the strings you use...

[Greg_L]

Yes it will. In broad terms Maple is brighter and more immediate, mahogany is darker more complex and will normally assist you decay. The speed of sound and the reflective ability of both in terms of acoustic transmission is way different. Should you spend week aganising over the decision of which to use? No, both will work well. If you want more attack and high end, go with maple, if you want less attack and more decay but a darker tone go with mahogany..

But I have two guitars sitting right here next to me that are exact opposites of what you just described. That's why I put no credence in the tonewood fallacy. I like both guitars. I don't care what they're made of because they rip through amps.

[muttley]

Yes it will. In broad terms Maple is brighter and more immediate, mahogany is darker more complex and will normally assist you decay. The speed of sound and the reflective ability of both in terms of acoustic transmission is way different. Should you spend week aganising over the decision of which to use? No, both will work well. If you want more attack and high end, go with maple, if you want less attack and more decay but a darker tone go with mahogany..

But I have two guitars sitting right here next to me that are exact opposites of what you just described. That's why I put no credence in the tonewood fallacy. I like both guitars. I don't care what they're made of because they rip through amps.

Your sample size is extremely limited. 2 guitars out of millions does not convince me. 40 years making, researching and testing them does.. Sorry. Your opinion is valid to you thats fine but it doesnt chime with the luthier world regardless of what some guy at Martin may have said.

[JD01]

I've never heard of acoustic guitar builders saying wood doesn't matter.

I have a relatively cheap Martin (by Martin standards) and while they've skimped on the back and sides the top is still a solid piece of spruce.

[muttley]

I've never heard of acoustic guitar builders saying wood doesn't matter.

I have a relatively cheap Martin (by Martin standards) and while they've skimped on the back and sides the top is still a solid piece of spruce.

Back and sides are way less important than the top. The top and bracing are the most important things then the actual shape and size of the enclosure and then the rest of it... It all adds up and different types of instrument depend to differing degrees on certain aspects. On an electric the design and woods are less important but are still a factor. You also need to remember that not two pieces of wood are the same. Half the art of it is finding the right piece of wood and then maximising the potential when you work it. Martin and Gibson cant do that... Their production volume doesnt allow it.

[Greg_L]

Your sample size is extremely limited. 2 guitars out of millions does not convince me. 40 years making, researching and testing them does.. Sorry. Your opinion is valid to you thats fine but it doesnt chime with the luthier world regardless of what some guy at Martin may have said.

That doesn't matter either. My two guitars are my two guitars, sure, but I've also laid hands on jillions of others.

And I'm talking about electric guitars. I couldn't care less about acoustic guitars. They're firewood as far as I'm concerned. I mentioned the Martin guy just as an example.

[muttley]

Your sample size is extremely limited. 2 guitars out of millions does not convince me. 40 years making, researching and testing them does.. Sorry. Your opinion is valid to you thats fine but it doesnt chime with the luthier world regardless of what some guy at Martin may have said.

That doesn't matter either. My two guitars are my two guitars, sure, but I've also laid hands on jillions of others.

And I'm talking about electric guitars. I couldn't care less about acoustic guitars. They're firewood as far as I'm concerned. I mentioned the Martin guy just as an example.

OK...

[Minerman]

Wow, I go AWOL for a couple of days & the thread erupts like the old days...Been feeling shitty guys, so much so I actually went to see a doctor, nothing really figured out, only that I get really dizzy for no reason & more tests coming at the beginning of next week...I got home yesterday afternoon & thought "I'm just gonna lay here on the couch for a few minutes", then woke up about 30 minutes ago...I slept for like 17 hours...

I gotta say, Mutt's P'ups are better than great, they've turned my $300 MIM Strat into a fire breathing beast...Strat tones with 'em in single coil mode, souped-up humbucking mode, & anything in between...

I've been promising Mutt clips for like 2 days now, so I'm gonna have to shake this off & get him some proper clips for his website...

[Bubba]

Armi, it sounds more like behind-the-bridge string resonance to me. What's the break angle like between the bridge and the stop bar?

[Greg_L]

That doesn't even really sound like "guitar feedback" to me. That sounds like you've got a string ringing a harmonic after you pull off, or maybe a microphonic pickup, or maybe strings resonating behind the bridge or past the nut. It does sound like feedback, but not really guitar and loud amp feedback. Weird.

[Bubba]

That doesn't even really sound like "guitar feedback" to me. That sounds like you've got a string ringing a harmonic after you pull off, or maybe a microphonic pickup, or maybe strings resonating behind the bridge or past the nut. It does sound like feedback, but not really guitar and loud amp feedback. Weird.

My thoughts exactly.

[Minerman]

Here's one of the clips I've been working on for Mutt...All guitars are : Strat > Mini Jubilee > Greenback > '57

Amp settings:

• 20 w mode
  Presence: 0
  Bass: 4
  Mid: 6
  Treble: 4
  Output Master: 10
  Lead Master: 7
  Input gain: anywhere from 3 to 10 depending on different parts of the clip...

The only effects are some room reverb on all the guitars...

This is obviously not finished (bass), but lemme know what you think so far, of course the guitars, but everything else too...

MUTT P'UPS DEMO 4-26-2018.mp3

[Greg_L]

Lol wow that's pretty nice! Folsom!

The intro split slide lead is pretty bright. A little too bright. The rest of the medley sounds great to me.

[Minerman]

Lol wow that's pretty nice! Folsom!

The intro split slide lead is pretty bright. A little too bright. The rest of the medley sounds great to me.

Are you talking about the lead to the Johnny Cash, or the 2nd part (which is supposed to be the Allman Brothers "One Way Out")???

Lemme know man, it would literally take 2 minutes to re-record any of the guitar parts, which is why I always record the di's: To be able to re-amp 'em...

[Greg_L]

Are you talking about the lead to the Johnny Cash, or the 2nd part (which is supposed to be the Allman Brothers "One Way Out")???

Lemme know man, it would literally take 2 minutes to re-record any of the guitar parts, which is why I always record the di's: To be able to re-amp 'em...

The Johnny Cash bit. Just that first lead bit is pretty bright.

[Minerman]

Are you talking about the lead to the Johnny Cash, or the 2nd part (which is supposed to be the Allman Brothers "One Way Out")???

Lemme know man, it would literally take 2 minutes to re-record any of the guitar parts, which is why I always record the di's: To be able to re-amp 'em...

The Johnny Cash bit. Just that first lead bit is pretty bright.

Ok thanks man, the reason I was confused is you mentioned slide, & that's not until the 2nd little part...

I'm gonna re-amp that part then re-upload it to see if it's any better...I gotta chop/solo these guitar parts up too like you/Jdude did for Mutt...

More to come...

[rayc]

Leave the feedback in, mate! I'd love your music to sound a bit wilder and more aggressive.

My lanky Alien Facehugger fingers trip over eachother when trying to play lead on shorter scale guitars.

Listening to it this morning I'm not sure I'll get away with it - it's not particularly musical feedback. Weird. Left ear, in the verses.

New project 14 Two guitars No bass.mp3

No ideas from me. I really like the music though.

[rayc]

Nice Miner.

[muttley]

Nice miner... First listen on pretty crap speakers..On that high end on the Folsom Prison thing I think that is about where some of that sound comes from. If you put a lot of plate reverb on it so you can hear it slap it could turn out good. You would need to use full stick bass though then you got some killer rockabilly..

Your call though man it's you chops and your pups..

[Minerman]

Listening to it this morning I'm not sure I'll get away with it - it's not particularly musical feedback. Weird. Left ear, in the verses.

That does sound like string resonance behind the nut/bridge to me Armi, I put foam on all my guitars behind the nut, behind the bridge (LP/SG), & I even put foam in the springs on my trem equipped guitars to stop any funky noises...The LP/SG both had weird little sounds until I put the foam on 'em...


I like the tones dude, & like the tune too, it's got a laid-back feel to it but with tension that builds as it goes along...Cool stuff...