davidmichael

After troubleshooting one of my 20th anniversary RG550's,we finally figured out it had an intermittent short in the neck pickup {after weeks of it driving me crazy as it would work when Id take it to my tech but not work most of the time at my house.Still aint figured that one out}so he put a Duncan he had there in and told me to try it for a week.worked fine so that told us it was indeed the pickup. Decided if I was gonna change pickups I would put a whole set in that would supposedly match up well. I wanted a set of Bare Knuckle Nailbombs,but unfortunately they were a little outa my price range at this point of time. My next choice were Dimarzio Evolutions,as I have a 2003 Ibanez Jem with them in it.I love the Evolution's xcept for the fact that the bridge pickup has "Ice pick in the ears highs" and is very unforgiving as far as showing the slightest mistake or variance in pick attack.{Unfortunately I'm not Steve Vai.} Then I started reading about the Evo 2's. It was designed to take just a little off the top end and open up the headroom in the mids and adding more overall clarity. Im a little on the paranoid side but finally brought myself to buy them. I purchased them from Musicians Friend and finally got them to understand that I wanted the Evolution set but to substitute the bridge for the Evo 2,as it cost the same if purchased individually.At first they said no,but then they said they would sell me the pickups individually and work the price down to what the set would cost,which they did and even threw in a Veterans day sale discount.Anyways I got a very good deal !!!! After getting the guitar back home and playing it through every amp and scenario I could think of,in my opinion this is an excellent pick up that actually does what it said it would do{which doesn't happen often at least for me}. Almost forgot .The harmonics are awesome !!!! And it holds it tone well as the volume is rolled down . Couldn't be happier with the pickups and the way Musicians Friend worked with me.

I do use processors but I must admit 99% of the presets arnt worth a darn. I typically take out the amp sims right off the bat if they are present.I have a few amps I really love and it would seem kinda stupid [for lack of a better word] to alter the main amps sound that I liked enough to purchase the amp to start with. Next I always run in manual mode and tweek each effect I have on to my liking and am able to engage or disengage each effect individually as need be on the fly. My main amps are a mid 80's Carvin X 100 B 4/12 halfstack , a Mesa Nomad 100 and a 1973 Fender Super Six Reverb [same head as a Twin but with 6/10's instead of 2/12's. Between these three i can get pretty much anything Im shooting for. I also run an ABY to run multiple amps at once for a very full stereo sound. Last but not least I have two bass amps I use for monitors or doing bass tracks My main processor is an old Digitech 2112 with the 2120 upgrade eprom chip.but I have four more that I use on occasion. But under other circumstances I also use old school stomps ,my favorite probabbly being a Dunlop Uni-Vibe.Its awesome if your into the Robin Trower stuff. When I hit the lottary Ill probabbly go for a Fractal Axe FX2. LOL

Appreciate yalls input , and I love how a conversation kinda flows from one conversation to the next while all kinda still having relevance to each other. Its kinda funny how some of the people in previous post swore by recording totally dry and adding all effects after the facts are kinda rethinking that , or bringing up issues that they cant get resolve with software as far as achieving the tone they are chasing for certain types of stuff. I must agree that if you have the resources , you cant go wrong with two interfaces , one capturing dry and one recording the mic'd amp side. I must admit that most of the recording Ive done has been jacked directly into my recorder , and it sounds decent ,but as much tweeking as Ive tried , I still cant get it to sound like it does coming out of my amp [especially my 4x12 closed back cab] . When moneys a little better I am getting a couple Shure 57's . As far as jazz , I dont really play much although Im a huge Guthrie Govan fan . I think he is awesome with The Aristocrats . Everytime I try jazz stuff it comes out more like funk , which Im really into as far as offbeat and sincopation . As far as picking technique Im usually a slightly angled picker , fairly choked up for pinch harmonics or muting out unwanted notes , and like you said , anywhere from the bribge to the neck depending on the tone Im looking for ,and also couldnt agree more about the pickup height having a huge impact on tone .Thats the last part of an overall guitar setup i perform , searching for the sweet spot for how I want that guitar in particular to perform . Same with a pick . Its hard to believe that the type of pick could have such a huge impact on the sound .I keep a dozen or so sitting on my desk where I play and know which ones will give me the sound I want usually .If not Ill just keep trying different ones till I find one for what Im doing . I guess I should figure out why in case I ever have to buy any . Fortunatly Im pretty good friends with some people at the guitar store I go to , and their all the time giving me picks to try !!!

Got it !!! Thanks again . Will try to program it into my processor over the weekend and let you know how it turns out. Thanks again. David

That would be Awesome !!!! Like everyone else Im allways looking for something new . Appreciate it.

After my last post about effect chains , that kinda turned into a conversation about recording wet or dry and adding your effects after the fact ,it got me to wondering about how many of you are actually still using mic'd amps while recording ,or are just going strait into an interface and strait to the computer and working it from there. Are amplifiers becoming obsolete unless your playing out ? [as I sit in a room with 6 amps ] Advantages /Disadvantages etc. Lets see where this one goes !!!

Quote : " I had got it all wrong of course, but its one of my favorite patches and I use it extensively playing live." This is kind of the reason I started this thread . ​i pretty much know the recommended order the effects should go in , but stuff like this is exactly what I was looking for . Set ups out of the norm with good results that people would be willing to share . I don't really know how this thread went from effect order to a whether to record wet or dry debate , and dont mind one bit .It made for excellent conversation that i must admit , some of it I absolutely agreed with and some I wasnt really on board with , but its all good and leads up to my next topic . Thanks for everyones insight and info !!!!

Hey Kaige I had not heard of that brand of guitar until reading your post. And also like you , couldnt find alot of info beyond coming to the same conclusion as you as far as the dating issue. I did hear some demos with that guitar being used on that sounded very good but thats hard to go by due to all the things you can do editing. I did read that some are made in Japan and some in other countries.I have quite a few Ibanez's and love them , but all the ones I have were made in Japan , which in my opinion is where their quality instruments are made , In other words Id consider the Japanese model to be a plus . About the only other advice I could give is that hopefully there is one local that you could try and compare against the other guitars you are considering , as I wouldnt consider buying a guitar without playing it unless there was a FULLPROOF moneyback guarantee if you werent satisfied with the product . Best of luck on your purchase !!!

That's me also. I need to know my "Finished Product" tone while Im playing and recording,as thats what gives the song its character. It also lets me gauge my string attack as that is a huge part of the "Attitude" you get while playing,and in your finished product. About the most altering I do after the fact is mess around with volumes on the different tracks in the mastering process.

I wasn't really intending this post to be directed towards anyone in particular Mike,but I do appreciate the response. I was actually about to delete the post,due to lack of response. You can read 10,000 articles about it and none are the same,just due to personal preferences. I just thought it would be an interesting topic for discussion;to hear about different peoples setups,and their reasoning behind the order and placement of the effects in their chain. As for myself I always run my wah and compression up front before any distortions.I keep a delay before and after distortions,and will use whichever one that seems to suit what I'm playing best,where as I know most people swear by putting delays and reverb at the end of the chain,as well as gates. As far as modulating effects that's where the big question mark seems to be.I keep a Uni-Vibe out front also but pretty much everything else winds up in the middle of the mix somewhere. Like I said in the original post,just looking for ideas. Rock on everyone !!!

I know the majority of guitarist here use computer based systems with interfaces and software. Im also hearing that most record a dry signal and add their effects after the fact,but for us old school people that still use actual amps and actual effects,it would be Awesome if some of the pro's out there would explain the correct locations for different types of effects,as far as the order they should go in,and which should be in front of the amp verses in the effects loop. I have a pretty good idea how I like my rig to run for the best sound,but that's just from years of trial and error,a lot of reading,and checking out a lot of the different musicians rig run downs on You Tube. I'm sure with the wealth of knowledge on this site,there's some good advice to be given for players like myself that just arn't into the software setups yet,[besides quit living in the 80's],or information that could be used when playing out live. Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated. David

I mainly play guitar,but I do have one bass I use for doing my own bass tracks when recording at my house. Its a 5 string that i love mainly because after messing with it forever I got it set up with the action pretty much the same height as most of my guitars=less than a 16th and it still sounds great and is very comfortable for me to play being a guitarist As for the B,I usually kinda have the edge of my palm resting there,keeping it muted unless Im actually playing the B.That also is kinda my anchor point to help me keep track of where i am,as id use the bridge on a guitar.

Well done Mike. Alot of good advice that I could stand to apply to myself. And also Ive allways wondered why I play so much better in the mornings. Many a day Ill get up at 6am and just tear the strings off the guitar.{No wonder my G.F. loves me so much.Still havnt figured out how the volume knobs work.LOL}

Ive been sitting here for an hour wondering how to answer your question,hopefully doing more good than harm. This is coming from someone thats been playing for over thirty five years,still learning every day,and still just a mediocre player that LOVES to play. First off,as Rudi said,maybe theres not a lot of relevance in learning things you dont think apply to what your trying to achieve,but who knows what youll be trying to achieve down the road.If possible Id try to absorb every aspect I could.If I could start from scratch,I would learn every scale in every mode and how they all relate to each other. Second is practice,practice and more practice,but not to the point where you get burnt out on it.You might get frustrated from time to time when learning new stuff,but thats when you regroup and play some stuff youve allready mastered to make it not seem monotonous. Next in the learning process I find that just slowing things down to what seems like ridiculous speeds till you get it down ,then slowly build your speed up to the tempo you are trying to achieve. Next is making sure you are achieving the emotions in your playing.It doesnt matter if you can play 1000 notes a minute if theres no feeling to it.Simpler sounds better when your heart is behind it. As far as lessons or not I dont know how to answer that as I never had them,but most of the greats have either had them or taught them at some point of time.If you could find a teacher that could keep it interesting and fun ,Im sure that would be awesome. Im sure you are aware of all the material as far as lessons for songs and technique on youtube.Tons of helpfull info !!! Also getting together with other players can give tons of insight. Another piece of advice Id offer is when you come up with an idea,find a way to make sure youll remember it,be it a scratch track recording or simply writing your progression down.Thats coming from a person that cant remember what he played ten minutes ago. I could go on forever but the cut and dry: Play from your heart;Play to enjoy;Maintain your focus on what YOU are trying to achieve;Stay in the groove,and dont be afraid to go outside the box.Some of my best stuff has come from just an experiment or even a mistake that turned out sounding good. Best of luck and keep on jammin. David

Space That is an Awesome track .Dont know what else to say xcept that it sounds great. Still trying to figure out whos song your covering but if I close my eyes I think im listening to Black Label Society , Well done my friend !!!!!!

Definitely used for a couple of reasons: As far as Im concerned , unless you get into high dollar instruments , they just dont have the quality that they used to . Second consideration: I wouldnt buy a guitar that I wouldnt consider the fact that I might want to keep the rest of my life . I must admit that I am a bit of a negotiator price wise , and wont hesitate to walk away from a transaction unless I feel Im getting an excellent deal . I have bought many guitars for a couple hundred dollars that are worth a thousand to a few thousand ,mostly due to the fact that someone didnt know what they had , or they were just needing quick cash .I know it sounds terrible to take advantage of someones misfortunes , but better me than someone else getting the deal .Example : I bought a 1972 Les Paul Custom for $160 from someone severely down on his luck .I still almost feel guilty about that one . Third consideration ; Do your homework and know what a guitar is really worth before you even start negotiating .Also never buy an electric without actually plugging it in and seeing what it truely sounds like as far as electronics [pots/pickups/switching/etc] Also look closely for frettwear and neck issues.[straightness/trussrod working correctly/tuning stability/etc] Thats my 200 and 22 cents worth .Also if it seems too good to be true , it usually is. Best of luck !!!!!!

I know a lot of people dislike amps with master volumes {why i have no idea}. Without a master , youve kinda got a one trick pony , where as with the master i can open up the master and ease the pre amp for super cleans with plenty of headroom , or on the other hand , wind down the master and push the preamp for the desired amount of dirt I want in the signal. It just seems insane that someone woudnt want the best of both worlds out of an amp. Needless to say , all my tube amps have masters . [Carvin / Mesa / Fender] All that jabbering was supposed to have relevance to what Space said about starting a low volumes and working your way up , and I do thank you for the advice and your input to the post .

Mike That was indeed a very thorough article you wrote on the yamaha thr10c , and I did find a vidio showing it miced up.Sounded pretty good .But half the sound Im relying on for my tone comes out of the closed cabinet of my halfstack {for hard rock or metal} Also a quote from your reply to this topic : "The thing about having too many choices is while experimenting is fun ....nothing ever gets done" That is exactly why I want to mic my amps . The true tone of the sound Im producing from the amp is the motivation driving me to play the way I do while Im playing ,and also lets me know how to attack the strings for the mood Im trying to produce . Yes I do use a lot of effects but I work out how and when thell be used before I actually record ,and if I dont like a portion I use punch in /out to overdub the area Im unsatisfied with . Cant wait to get my mic's and see what I wind up with !!!!!!!

Hey all Just wondering how many people here mic their amps when recording vs. running straight into an interface and just using software to get their sound. Ive spent years adjusting settings on my amps,and fairly recently started splitting my signal and playing through two amps. I love the tones Im getting and cant imagine how I could ever replicate the tones starting with a dry input and trying to insert my effects after the fact,but Im an old geezer,old school,the old dog that dosnt easily learn new tricks. Just thought this might start a good discussion topic for people to share their techniques and ideas about ways for people to get their desired tone,as far as micing up,software used,or any other methods used. Also,Im about to buy a couple mics for my amps,and from what Ive read,and most peoples opinions Ive talked to,Shure SM 57's are the way to go. Any opinions on that? Any and all advice would be appreciated. Rock On !!!!!

Thats Awesome !!! Ive seen a few others doing the percussion on the guitar and its so cool. I believe Id have to have two more brains [that worked correctly] to keep up with all that goin on,but it does give many good ideas about how to incorporate different techniques into your playing. But I think what amazes me the most is the detune and retune with every thing else going on and him hitting the pitches pretty much dead on as hes doing it. Reckon he had to practice that once or twice ?

I cant play slide worth a darn,but I have an E-Bow I get out occasionally and really enjoy using. Not the greatest at it ,but its a lot of fun and Im up for the challenge of getting better on it .

I ,like Rudi use E.B. 9's or 10's depending which guitar Im playin. Been wantin to try the Cobalts but their kinda pricey ,but I saw where Guitar center has them 3 packs for 20 bucks this month so Ill probably pick up a few sets just to see. As for the 8's,like alot of the others i tend to break them.Im bending halfway across the board half the time !!!!!!!

Still workin on gettin some decent mic's to mic the amps with.As soon as I do ,Ill post a little something. I coulda bought a couple for what I put in gas in my boat over the 4th weekend ,but we had a good time on the water !!!!!

I dont do facebook but I had my girlfriend enter for me and all her familly also. I wonder when they draw for it?

Hard rock I use a pick . Slower ballad like stuff or bluesy jamms I melow out using my fingers . But.......my favorite is slap bass which ive been tryin to learn for a few years with mediocre results ,but thats probabbly cause I only pick up my bass a couple times a month unless im doing a track while recording .