The Tone Thread

[JD01]

So shoegaze is essentially just delays and flangers and phasers and too much distortion?

Pretty much I think. I would have used a Fuzz pedal if I had one. But I put a high gain pedal into my crunch channel and added a flanger.

[JD01]

OK, here's a bunch of tones including the new Les Paul. Thought it would be more interesting to post the tones compared to everything else.
No processing, reverbs, limiting or EQ etc on anything.

Crimson.mp3

Les Paul.mp3

Tele Both.mp3

Tele Bridge.mp3

Mustang Both.mp3

Mustang Bridge.mp3

Crimson and Les Paul.mp3

[JD01]

The first thing that surprised me was how much reverb I seem to have just from playing loud in a small room.

My favourite is probably the Les Paul, its a bit like the Crimson but there's just more clarity to it.

Most disappointed by the Tele on both pickups - I normally like that sound but I usually use it for more gentle strumming and picked arpeggios and stuff - I don't think it works in a more rock n roll context at all! Tele sounds pretty good on the bridge pickup when its just being a tele though - bit scratchy.

The Mustang is way, way lower gain than any of the others, part of me thinks it just doesn't sound very good. But maybe its just 'cos my usual dialed in sounds with my other guitars are just so far away from what the Mustang needs.

Really like the Crimson and the Les Paul together - was looking forward to hearing this two hard panned.

[Lt. Bob]

that IS interesting ....... I don't even know what the crimson is ...... I've seen you mention it but I dunno what kind of git it is.

The paul has the weightiest sound of all of them .... very noticeable.

The tele is surprisingly weighty with both p'ups.

And aren't yas' glad you didn't ditch the Mustang?
Ain't gonna get that bright snappy sound outta anything else.

[Greg_L]

Keep the Crimson and LP Jr and throw the others away.

[JD01]

that IS interesting ....... I don't even know what the crimson is ...... I've seen you mention it but I dunno what kind of git it is.

The paul has the weightiest sound of all of them .... very noticeable.

The tele is surprisingly weighty with both p'ups.

And aren't yas' glad you didn't ditch the Mustang?
Ain't gonna get that bright snappy sound outta anything else.

The Crimson is a Custom build. Probably a bit like your Stinnet. Tele shape, but neck-thru with a cap on the body like a Les Paul and two Humbuckers. Probably the most traditional Les Paul style guitar I have.

Not sure about the Mustang - when I first heard these back I was like "Right, that's it, I'm selling it" 'cos I think it sounds shit here... but, thinking more, this test isn't actually how I'd use it in a mix at all. I've not had it long so I haven't done much recording with it yet. I've done loads of recording with the Crimson and Tele.

[JD01]

Keep the Crimson and LP Jr and throw the others away.

I was thinking the same thing at first. But I'm not always playing like this.
Really like the sound of the Crimson and the LP together.

[WhiskeyJack]

The Mustang just sounds like old Garage rock records. It's pretty cool on it's own and it has a good place somewhere.

The Junior is nice. Clear spanky solid and tight. pairs well with the Crimson. Sounds pretty big on their own.

[Armistice]

I think there's things you could use all those sounds for. On its own the Mustang is the least enticing, but get more stuff in there and it'd be fine.

The LP does sound nice.

[Greg_L]

1973 Les Paul Custom and a 1973 Marshall Super Lead 100 fully cranked played by some shithead also from 1973.

73LPC.mp3

[rayc]

Full throttle, full throat.

[Greg_L]

It's not the best example of what this equipment can do, but at the same time it kind of is. It's good to just blow shit out sometimes.

[JD01]

Sounds great, Greg. Pretty wild at full volume, but cleans up in a really nice way when you dial the volume knob back.
Even the full volume sound is perfectly usable though. Do your different Les Pauls sound notably different from each other with a really overdriven sound like this?

Is the pickup ever so slightly microphonic? Sort of had that sound when it was clean.

What was your mic setup on this?

[Greg_L]

Sounds great, Greg. Pretty wild at full volume, but cleans up in a really nice way when you dial the volume knob back.
Even the full volume sound is perfectly usable though. Do your different Les Pauls sound notably different from each other with a really overdriven sound like this?

Is the pickup ever so slightly microphonic? Sort of had that sound when it was clean.

What was your mic setup on this?

This was two mics - 57 and 421 - pointed at a G12-65. It was already set up from a previous recording so I just left it.

I'll do a more proper tone test later. This really was just crank it up and go. The LPs do sound different from each other, but that's mostly due to their very different pickups.

[JD01]

Cool. I do want to get a 421 at some point, but a G12-65 is slightly above it on the shopping list.

[Greg_L]

Cool. I do want to get a 421 at some point, but a G12-65 is slightly above it on the shopping list.

Greenbacks and G12-65s are my #1A and #1B speakers. They're both #1, neither is better than the other, they both excel at what they do.

[JD01]

Cool. I do want to get a 421 at some point, but a G12-65 is slightly above it on the shopping list.

Greenbacks and G12-65s are my #1A and #1B speakers. They're both #1, neither is better than the other, they both excel at what they do.

It'll probably wait until we've got the 3rd floor built out and I have a bigger space but if I see a decent price G12-65 come up I'll just buy it even if its gonna stay in a box for a couple of years. Greenbacks seems like they are starting to go up in price.

Won't know how much space I have until we have the revised plans but I'm estimating it'll be about twice the floor area I currently have... albeit with a sloping ceiling.

[Greg_L]

@JD01

Les Paul bridge pickup shootout?

The combatants...from left to right -
1973 Custom with T-Tops, 1978 Custom with Dimarzio Super Distortion, 2011 Traditional with Burstbucker 3, 2001 Custom with stock 498T.


Nothing fancy happening here. Not trying to be diverse. This is how I typically play. All played through the same amp to a click so they line up equally if you wanna jump around and compare.
1973 Marshall Super Lead 100 watt
Channels jumpered
Vol 1 - 7
Vol 2 - 7
B - 7
M - 7
T - 4
P - 5
Marshall 1960B 4x12 - Celestion G12-65
Shure SM57 on axis, 3" off grill, dustcap/cone seam
Senn MD421 on axis, 3" off grill, middle cone
50/50 blend
No FX or EQ

73 LPC with T-Top bridge pickup

73LPCTTop.mp3

78 LPC with Super Distortion

78LPCSD.mp3

2011 Traditional with Burstbucker 3

GldtpBB3.mp3

2011 LPC with 498T

01LPC498T.mp3

[JD01]

Great. I'll have a listen to these tomorrow.
Well, maybe later, but probably tomorrow

I'm intrigued to see if I can tell the difference.. or if there's even any difference

[rayc]

Wow, close to my ears, really close. The Super Ds stand out though I'm not sure it's a preferable tone.
I like them all but the 2001 custom seems to be just a edge ahead for me.