The Tone Thread

[JD01]

OK, been doing a bit more work on this. Main thing, I reckon they use way more gain that I've used for years, particularly on the studio recording - they use a lot less now and they play it a lot faster too.

So,

OCD and TS.mp3

Dodgy Old Wah.mp3

Verse Fills With Wah.mp3

Decided to just use the bridge humbucker on my Crimson for everything - the guitars are never playing the same thing at any point in this song.
While the Hand Taun is a smoother overdrive I decided to go for the OCD and a TubeScreamer on this as I reckon this guitars need to sound a bit gnarly.

Also, my dodgy old re-wired wah sounds fine in a mix even though its scratchy has hell and basically not fun to play when I'm just noodling.

[Greg_L]

Sounds pretty good. Are you trying to "nail" their tones or just get something that works?

[JD01]

Sounds pretty good. Are you trying to "nail" their tones or just get something that works?

I'd like it to be vaguely reminicient of the original - but the riff is distinctive enough for that - mainly I just want something that works and sounds decent. The tones actually aren't that great on the original mix, bit muddy and awash with reverb... that being said, it sounds great on the Brendan O'Brien remix.

I'm most surprised by how tidy my old wah wah sounds in a mix. That's saved me 150 quid - I really was expecting to order a new wah this week but just fancied checking it first and maybe recording a rough draft with it.

Now... time to learn that solo - I may be some time.

[rayc]

Sounds fine & yes, a little more defined than the original.

[JD01]

First tone test with the Mustang. I try to play pretty similar stuff, just a few chords that came off the cuff started on the neck pick then I played the same thing on both pickups, then the bridge pickup, then the daft out of phase setting.

Then I widdle a bit on the neck up, widdle a bit on the bridge pickup, then add an overdrive, widdle a bit more before playing some power chord stuff.

Mustang Tone Test 1.mp3

Just my normal settings on the H&K overdrive channel into an i5 with nothing added in the DAW.

[JD01]

My initial thoughts, the neck pickup sounds pretty nice, might need to be careful with it in a mix 'cos its a little flubby but its fine with slight crunch.
I really like both pickups together I think I'll use that a fair bit.
Bridge pickup is savagely bright and pushes the amp harder than I was expecting - will probably be fine in a mix, but its a little harsh in the room.
Both pickups out of phase just sounds naff.

Don't think it copes with loads of gain for rhythm - just sounds totally OTT.

[Greg_L]

It sounds a lot like a Strat.

[JD01]

Yeah I could see uses for both of the pickups individually, but on a clean dry setting the out of phase doesn't sound much use - there may be other ways of using it.

Whatever you're doing from 2.16 sounds useful as well. Think that's before you do the overdrive, which also works.

I'm sure it'll work well in mixes for certain types of music. And it's a stepping stone to that Jazzmaster, cardigan, teen angst and bum fluff on your chin style that I know you'll want to be aiming for.

The stuff from 2:16 is just the bridge pickup but played quite aggressively.

You're right - I think I'll start bonging again... not sure the mrs will approve

[rayc]

I like the OOP stuff.

[JD01]

It sounds a lot like a Strat.

It does actually - after you said that yesterday afternoon, I played some.. what I think of SRV style riffs (I don't think I can actually play any SRV), you know, riffs on low strings with little fills, played really aggressively.. it does sound a lot like a strat.

[Lt. Bob]

(I don't think I can actually play any SRV),

dunno about that ..... SRV ( I've jammed with him once before he got big ) doesn't do squat for me .... almost everything I hear from him was lifted from Hendrix who was one of his biggest influences.
And Hendrix ( one of MY biggest influences ) just played blues and R&B turned up to Marshall stack levels

SRV was good for sure but not incredible to my ears.
I've never specifically copped any of his licks because I don't hear anything there I didn't already play.

[JD01]

(I don't think I can actually play any SRV),

dunno about that ..... SRV ( I've jammed with him once before he got big ) doesn't do squat for me .... almost everything I hear from him was lifted from Hendrix who was one of his biggest influences.
And Hendrix ( one of MY biggest influences ) just played blues and R&B turned up to Marshall stack levels

SRV was good for sure but not incredible to my ears.
I've never specifically copped any of his licks because I don't hear anything there I didn't already play.

Oh, Bob. I think I could I just don't know any. I'm not an SRV fan, i just thought it sounded like him when I was hacking away on the neck pickup earlier.

[rayc]

Wasn't SRV a 1/2 tone down player?
I know he's revered by many but I'm as unimpressed by him as I am by Bonamassa. Both excellent players but one did too many Hendrix covers and the other only sounds right when he's playing with B.C.C. as his version of the blues reminds me of Clapton's Journeyman album...anaemic!

[Lt. Bob]

LOL - you're a tough crowd.

SRV managed to either tap into the zeitgeist or head it off in another direction entirely in terms of guitar-heavy blues rock. Now I never exactly worked out Scuttlebuttin' note for note and can't really be bothered now, but I did play Mary Had A Little Lamb in a covers band - god knows why, no-one had much heard of it, but my bandmates indulged me.

I drag him out every now and then.

Plus, you can write the initals "SRV" and everyone knows who you're talking about.

I play a few of his tunes but I've never bothered to learn any of them note for note ...... it's just blues ..... anything competent works

[Greg_L]

I had enough of white redneck texas blues rock decades ago. Fuck that shit.

[Lt. Bob]

I had enough of white redneck texas blues rock decades ago. Fuck that shit.

I'm right there with ya' .... TBH there never was a time I was deeply into blues although I did dig deep into B.B.King and also some Johnny Winter for a bit.

But to me blues is just swing jazz with a guitar instead of a horn section ..... "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" and that sort of stuff ... "Stompin' At The Savoy" etc.
Originally B. B. King was big band ..... so was James Brown ..... google him singing "What Kind of Fool Am I?"

[JD01]

Almost forgot I owned it! Just plugged the Mustang bass in for the first time since I got it home. This is just into the clean channel of my H&K, no pedals or overdrive.

P pickup first, middle position P/J second, bridge J pickup third.

Mustang Bass Tone Test.mp3

First impression, P pickup clearly has the most body to it but might need a bit of EQ care to get it to play nice in a mix.
Middle position is fine and will probably be easy to use.
Bridge position is probably useless for me.

[Greg_L]

Almost forgot I owned it! Just plugged the Mustang bass in for the first time since I got it home. This is just into the clean channel of my H&K, no pedals or overdrive.

P pickup first, middle position P/J second, bridge J pickup third.

Mustang Bass Tone Test.mp3

First impression, P pickup clearly has the most body to it but might need a bit of EQ care to get it to play nice in a mix.
Middle position is fine and will probably be easy to use.
Bridge position is probably useless for me.

They all sound good. No clack.

[JD01]

Almost forgot I owned it! Just plugged the Mustang bass in for the first time since I got it home. This is just into the clean channel of my H&K, no pedals or overdrive.

P pickup first, middle position P/J second, bridge J pickup third.

Mustang Bass Tone Test.mp3

First impression, P pickup clearly has the most body to it but might need a bit of EQ care to get it to play nice in a mix.
Middle position is fine and will probably be easy to use.
Bridge position is probably useless for me.

They all sound good. No clack.

Cheers, I don't actually have any songs to use it on right now but it's going to make my life much easier.

[JD01]

Bought a Mustang - time to shoegaze

Shoegaze Project.mp3