• From: Detroit
  • Registered: 2006-06-02
  • Posts: 5,807

Topic: 50 way to improve your tone mentions JB

Photo of the Custom Shop GoldTop in the photo too cool
http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/ … -528489/20

- Nic from Detroit... posting on JB's Forum since 6-2-2006
Ask me about my handwound Great Lakes Guitar Pickups
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  • From: North Carolina
  • Registered: 2008-10-26
  • Posts: 2,926

Re: 50 way to improve your tone mentions JB

A few of those seemed like really cool ideas.  Like the coil split with a capacitor instead of grounding the extra coil in a humbucker completely you can cut out most of it and get a thin sound and some 60 cycle hum canceling.  Think that one is really cool.  Also the suggestion on how to use your fuzz face, and the tip about turning down the bass a little the louder you go.  In fact my buddy that plays guitar opposite of me was playing a gig with me outside a few months ago and he insisted that bass travels more then treble so we should turn our treble down  on our amps and turn the bass wide open.  I proceeded to inform him his sound was muddy and I wasn't going to do that with a amp that is getting mic'd anyway.  Now I can throw this in his face and laugh at him! Ha ha ha!

AD3THREE's Website

3 Reply by Charlie Foxtrot (edited by Charlie Foxtrot 2012-07-06 16:40:30)

  • From: Salt Lake City
  • Registered: 2012-04-04
  • Posts: 22

Re: 50 way to improve your tone mentions JB

AD3THREE wrote:

A few of those seemed like really cool ideas.  Like the coil split with a capacitor instead of grounding the extra coil in a humbucker completely you can cut out most of it and get a thin sound and some 60 cycle hum canceling.  Think that one is really cool.

I'm doing this in my PRS SE Standard with a matched set of Bare Knuckle Mules.  It works really well and helps make the output of a split humbucker closer to the overall output of a single coil pickup.  If you are mainly a single coil guy the split tones through a capacitor may not quite cut the mustard compared to your favorite strat, but for a humbucker guy like me it does a pretty good approximation.

EDIT:  On the same guitar I also have the ability to go from the humbuckers in series to parallel.  Parallel wiring has often been described as sounding like something closer to a single coil sound, but I find the coils split going through a capacitor has a much more natural single coil sound and vibe.

  • From: N.Wales, UK
  • Registered: 2009-03-06
  • Posts: 2,183

Re: 50 way to improve your tone mentions JB

Turning down the gain is probably the best tip. Amazing in a band situation sometimes...

  • From: Harrison, Arkansas
  • Registered: 2006-04-21
  • Posts: 3,155

Re: 50 way to improve your tone mentions JB

The bridge down against the guitar is a favorite of mine. I've definitely noticed a difference. Plus, I think it looks wicked cool top-wrapped.

"And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make"

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  • Registered: 2006-04-22
  • Posts: 1,168

Re: 50 way to improve your tone mentions JB

Tuning Down is probably the worst thing you can do...  It may sound fatter initially but it will mess your pitch up for a long time..  A-440 is the best bet in my opinion,  the E chord glows red and the guitar feels better.  My tips are. play Louder ( but baffle the amp), with Less gain and heavier strings..  Those are a sure way to get a bigger tone... Every time I wonder..  I go... Think Kossoff...  He didn't have to tune down.. 
Joe B

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  • From: Darwin, Australia
  • Registered: 2010-04-13
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Re: 50 way to improve your tone mentions JB

I love tip #42 lol

...big DNA fan here...

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  • tag2
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  • Registered: 2012-02-03
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Re: 50 way to improve your tone mentions JB

Here's a question I have that was brought up in the tips. Muting string noise. If I am doing a bend on the B string, I will get noise from the G string. Sometimes the G string will even pop off my bending finger, which really sounds bad. I have tried a few methods with a little success. I try to get the lower pitch string under my bending finger during the bend, which helps. I have tried palm muting, but it seems difficult to mute it with my picking hand without muting the string I am bending.

I am sure it is a matter of just practicing the correct technique, but what works best?

  • From: New Hampshire, USA
  • Registered: 2010-12-21
  • Posts: 3,650

Re: 50 way to improve your tone mentions JB

tag2 wrote:

Here's a question I have that was brought up in the tips. Muting string noise. If I am doing a bend on the B string, I will get noise from the G string. Sometimes the G string will even pop off my bending finger, which really sounds bad. I have tried a few methods with a little success. I try to get the lower pitch string under my bending finger during the bend, which helps. I have tried palm muting, but it seems difficult to mute it with my picking hand without muting the string I am bending.

I am sure it is a matter of just practicing the correct technique, but what works best?

Yeah practicing is the key also if your action is too low your fingers may not grab correctly and can slip. But maybe you are too high if they slip over.  Also first if you have not already have it set up properly by a guitar tech. Then maybe some further adjustments may be needed.
Cheers Ron

"Joe B saved my soul, forever grateful Ron"
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  • From: York, PA
  • Registered: 2010-08-27
  • Posts: 1,749

Re: 50 way to improve your tone mentions JB

Scallop your fretboard!;) Yeah it probably is attributed to the string height being too low, and or your overall technique. I'd say since the string you're bending isn't popping off your finger, then it is more in your technique. Also having those overtones from other strings kinda adds some attitude to your solos so its not necessarily a bad thing but I can see having it pop out from under your finger probably does sound awkward. -S

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  • From: Darwin, Australia
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Re: 50 way to improve your tone mentions JB

tag2 wrote:

Here's a question I have that was brought up in the tips. Muting string noise. If I am doing a bend on the B string, I will get noise from the G string. Sometimes the G string will even pop off my bending finger, which really sounds bad. I have tried a few methods with a little success. I try to get the lower pitch string under my bending finger during the bend, which helps. I have tried palm muting, but it seems difficult to mute it with my picking hand without muting the string I am bending.

I am sure it is a matter of just practicing the correct technique, but what works best?

I've been fighting with this issue for a while.  I guess it will depend on your own picking technique, but my solution is to occasionally just use the tip of my right hand pinky finger to rest on that 'G' string to prevent any sound while I pluck the 'B' string.

Works best when I am playing slow phrases.  When playing faster it is not always practical, but as Seth pointed out - sometimes the overtone effect of that string ringing out actually works in your favour!

JBLP Gold Top #129 - redubbed "#1 in Oz"
  • Registered: 2012-04-02
  • Posts: 38

Re: 50 way to improve your tone mentions JB

Joe Bonamassa wrote:

Tuning Down is probably the worst thing you can do...  It may sound fatter initially but it will mess your pitch up for a long time..  A-440 is the best bet in my opinion,  the E chord glows red and the guitar feels better.  My tips are. play Louder ( but baffle the amp), with Less gain and heavier strings..  Those are a sure way to get a bigger tone... Every time I wonder..  I go... Think Kossoff...  He didn't have to tune down.. 
Joe B

Hey Joe, I think guys like Hendrix tuned down for the ease on the voice, but I think Hendrix's sound was huge all the time with all the cranked Marshalls etc. For guys like EVH, I think he's said he tuned down to get some harmonics available that he couldn't get other ways, that along with re-tuning the b string depending on the chords in the songs.

I think it certainly gives a different feel and vibe to the sound but it wouldn't be vital to achieving the best tone out of a guitar. Cool list though! Makes you think about all the variables to deal with as a guitar player, and trying to get them all right haha smile

Cheers Alex.

  • From: North Carolina
  • Registered: 2008-10-26
  • Posts: 2,926

Re: 50 way to improve your tone mentions JB

I tried that tip about using less distortion and my buddy in our band was complaining the whole night that he couldn't hear the monitors because my amp was too loud!  We stepped away from the stage and we sounded equal in volume, so a cleaner sound really does carry more.  I was impressed.

AD3THREE's Website

14 Reply by helrazr84 (edited by helrazr84 2012-07-08 10:11:37)

  • From: York, PA
  • Registered: 2010-08-27
  • Posts: 1,749

Re: 50 way to improve your tone mentions JB

AD3THREE wrote:

I tried that tip about using less distortion and my buddy in our band was complaining the whole night that he couldn't hear the monitors because my amp was too loud!  We stepped away from the stage and we sounded equal in volume, so a cleaner sound really does carry more.  I was impressed.

Shut him up quick didn't you!!

I think about the only time you can get away with a more aggressive gain is when you're a 3 piece instrumental type, virtuoso guitarist like Vai or Satch since in that situation; your guitar is going to be way above the band in terms of volume. And even so, you still can't get too crazy unless you have a separate gain structure for soloing which you then have a little more leeway of using a high gain tone.

***
If I can add to the one tone tip mentioned in the article about using 2 amps: (One dirty and the other cleaner.)
That really does work great to give a one guitar player band a huge boost. I'm not talking the JB method of one amp doing the mids and the other doing the top and bottom. Instead; set one amp with a good thick rock tone and the other amp about the same in terms of EQ, only VERY clean (think Fender clean). When combined, it gives you a very warm, powerful tone as the sounds are layered on top each other rather than split and separated in a typical stereo fashion. This trick is nothing new but it works. I used to do when I was in a more rock and roll based band. -S

  • From: North Carolina
  • Registered: 2008-10-26
  • Posts: 2,926

Re: 50 way to improve your tone mentions JB

He still can't figure out why a blues jr was louder sounding then then his peavey 410 classic.  But the fact of the matter is he uses his pedals for distortion.  He could have turned up loud as hell if he wanted to but he tone as distorted as it was would only get muddy turning up louder and would have over powered the drummer who wasn't mic'd.  As it stood we a had a great mix just turning our guitar volumes down a little for rhythm parts or turning up for lead parts that didn't need to stand out, keeping the boost pedal in the back ground for the huge solo sounds.  But yes I shut him up after the first song.  Told him what I was doing and he quickly turned the gain down on some of his distortion and overdrive pedals. smile

helrazr84 wrote:
AD3THREE wrote:

I tried that tip about using less distortion and my buddy in our band was complaining the whole night that he couldn't hear the monitors because my amp was too loud!  We stepped away from the stage and we sounded equal in volume, so a cleaner sound really does carry more.  I was impressed.

Shut him up quick didn't you!!

I think about the only time you can get away with a more aggressive gain is when you're a 3 piece instrumental type, virtuoso guitarist like Vai or Satch since in that situation; your guitar is going to be way above the band in terms of volume. And even so, you still can't get too crazy unless you have a separate gain structure for soloing which you then have a little more leeway of using a high gain tone.

***
If I can add to the one tone tip mentioned in the article about using 2 amps: (One dirty and the other cleaner.)
That really does work great to give a one guitar player band a huge boost. I'm not talking the JB method of one amp doing the mids and the other doing the top and bottom. Instead; set one amp with a good thick rock tone and the other amp about the same in terms of EQ, only VERY clean (think Fender clean). When combined, it gives you a very warm, powerful tone as the sounds are layered on top each other rather than split and separated in a typical stereo fashion. This trick is nothing new but it works. I used to do when I was in a more rock and roll based band. -S

AD3THREE's Website

  • From: Detroit
  • Registered: 2006-06-02
  • Posts: 5,807

Re: 50 way to improve your tone mentions JB

tag2 wrote:

Here's a question I have that was brought up in the tips. Muting string noise. If I am doing a bend on the B string, I will get noise from the G string. Sometimes the G string will even pop off my bending finger, which really sounds bad.

I am sure it is a matter of just practicing the correct technique, but what works best?

I raise my action via the bridge (on a les paul) until the G string doesn't do it anymore. You end up getting better sustain too because the strings have more room to oscillate cool

- Nic from Detroit... posting on JB's Forum since 6-2-2006
Ask me about my handwound Great Lakes Guitar Pickups
Since 2010, Bonamassa fans have taken advantage of my JB friend discount = my cost + shipping. cool

17 Reply by Jon

  • Jon
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  • Registered: 2007-03-19
  • Posts: 39

Re: 50 way to improve your tone mentions JB

tag2 wrote:

Here's a question I have that was brought up in the tips. Muting string noise. If I am doing a bend on the B string, I will get noise from the G string. Sometimes the G string will even pop off my bending finger, which really sounds bad. I have tried a few methods with a little success. I try to get the lower pitch string under my bending finger during the bend, which helps. I have tried palm muting, but it seems difficult to mute it with my picking hand without muting the string I am bending.

I am sure it is a matter of just practicing the correct technique, but what works best?

If you're bending with your third finger, support the bend with your second finger, but with your first finger, instead of using that to support the bend, let it stick out a bit further, resting over the strings so the pad is on the B string and the tip is touching the G string - this way the G string is always muted throughout the bend and release - it may feel a bit odd to start with but stick with it and it will start to become second nature. Use the underside of the l/h fingers to mute the higher strings and the edge of the palm to mute the lowest strings also, and you should be able to strum across all 6 strings and only sound the ones you want.

18 Reply by Zen Guitar (edited by Zen Guitar 2012-07-09 17:04:54)

  • Registered: 2010-09-30
  • Posts: 163

Re: 50 way to improve your tone mentions JB

One tone tip that I would add is to spend time with the rest of the band on the overall mix. Your guitar tone is going to be heard in relation to everything else and sometimes the difference between an inspiring guitar tone and a frustrating one is adusting volume levels and EQing for the other instruments. Big guitar tone killers are too much midrange in the bass guitar, too loud bass guitar, and to much bass in the kick drum. As a rule of thumb, if your guitar tone is getting lost, try turning down a competing instrument and/or competing frequencies in those instruments. Be willing to do the same to make those other instruments sound better, too, by adjusting your guitar rig's EQ, etc. Giving similar thought to how parts are arranged and how dynamics are used will help greatly as well.

Cheers,
-Matt