• JBSRV
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Topic: Guitar Tone

I'm currently playing a used SRV sig. strat through a Marshal MG series 100 DFX amp and I'm having a real problem getting the right lead tone. It seems that I always have either way too much or too little treble. The problem is most prevalent when i play SRV songs like "Tightrope" and "Texas Flood" or when I play "Bridge To Better Days". If there is anything anyone could suggest I would be very greatfull.

"It makes it sound like the amp is about ready to explode, that's because it IS about ready to explode." -Joe

"I've come all the way from Colorado... Long way from my home. Give me the hammer that killed John Henry..." The Ballad Of John Henry

2 Reply by bigjeffjones (edited by bigjeffjones 2008-07-06 18:11:44)

  • From: Edgewater, FL
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Re: Guitar Tone

Put soapbars in it?

ow..don't hit me.  I'm trying to be helpful big_smile

EDITZ:  P-90s

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  • From: Pittsburgh
  • Registered: 2008-05-22
  • Posts: 261

Re: Guitar Tone

This my be cliche and not too helpful but I truly find that the "tone" is in you.  You fingers and your head...and heart and soul.
Really, when I'm soloing and I feel like going into a Stevie type vibe...even when I'm using my PRS with humbuckers, I switch to the neck pickup and adjust my touch, how I approach the guitar, and how I "think"
I'm not familiar with that Marshall model.  Is it SS, tube, digital modeling??  A nice tube amp that breathes when you want it to is helpful.

So to be so cliche.


Sometimes too much distortion and saturation takes some of the top end bite off the sound, not enough and you'll get too much top end...try adjusting the distortion or OD to just where it starts breaking up.

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Re: Guitar Tone

DannyG wrote:

This my be cliche and not too helpful but I truly find that the "tone" is in you.  You fingers and your head...and heart and soul.
Really, when I'm soloing and I feel like going into a Stevie type vibe...even when I'm using my PRS with humbuckers, I switch to the neck pickup and adjust my touch, how I approach the guitar, and how I "think"
I'm not familiar with that Marshall model.  Is it SS, tube, digital modeling??  A nice tube amp that breathes when you want it to is helpful.

So to be so cliche.


Sometimes too much distortion and saturation takes some of the top end bite off the sound, not enough and you'll get too much top end...try adjusting the distortion or OD to just where it starts breaking up.

I am actually a firm believer in the "tone in the fingers" theory. Stevie was an amazing example of that. Although a few equipment tricks don't hurt.  I tried contour which helps a bit but it's still not quite there.

"It makes it sound like the amp is about ready to explode, that's because it IS about ready to explode." -Joe

"I've come all the way from Colorado... Long way from my home. Give me the hammer that killed John Henry..." The Ballad Of John Henry
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Re: Guitar Tone

First I would say if you use your bridge pickup at all, to modify your strat so that the tone control affects the bridge pickup as well.  This a totally minimal and reversible mod that can be found online.  Second from personal experience my SRV strat is not what I would call a "Fat" strat.  If I had to describe it I would say it was a "pretty" sounding strat.  Dont get me wrong it sounds good, plenty of high end and very chimey.  Though if you are looking to plug into an amp and get the Texas Flood album you will be dissapointed.  I have 10's on mine and heard that moving to 11's helps but it really doesn't sound bad just different than most would expect with the SRV name on it.  If you still cant get a suitable tone maybe some different speakers in the amp will thicken things up a bit and help you tame that high end.  Anyway best of luck to you.
Mike

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Re: Guitar Tone

SRVTWO wrote:

First I would say if you use your bridge pickup at all, to modify your strat so that the tone control affects the bridge pickup as well.  This a totally minimal and reversible mod that can be found online.  Second from personal experience my SRV strat is not what I would call a "Fat" strat.  If I had to describe it I would say it was a "pretty" sounding strat.  Dont get me wrong it sounds good, plenty of high end and very chimey.  Though if you are looking to plug into an amp and get the Texas Flood album you will be dissapointed.  I have 10's on mine and heard that moving to 11's helps but it really doesn't sound bad just different than most would expect with the SRV name on it.  If you still cant get a suitable tone maybe some different speakers in the amp will thicken things up a bit and help you tame that high end.  Anyway best of luck to you.
Mike

Thanks for the insight Mike! I have 12's on mine and they do help to get that thick SRV tone. I'm beggining to think the problem is mostly in the amp, but I can't be sure. Anyway, it's not a HUGE problem but it annoys me sometimes.

thanks,
Eric

"It makes it sound like the amp is about ready to explode, that's because it IS about ready to explode." -Joe

"I've come all the way from Colorado... Long way from my home. Give me the hammer that killed John Henry..." The Ballad Of John Henry
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Re: Guitar Tone

Cool.. 12's wow man that is killer.  Definatly a good foundation to start with.  If it is on the amp end then the first thing I would try is a speaker swap.  It's one of the cheapest and easiest ways to change the tone of an amp.  I would recommend a greenback style speaker somthing with a mellow high end.  It will probably thicken up your tone a bit as well.  Celestion Heritage and Anniversary,  Eminence, and Scumback make some great ones as well.  Check em out.  I have alot of fun with speaker swaps.  Like I said their is no better way to make a dramatic or subtle tone change.  Have fun.
Mike

  • From: Upper Yukon, Alaska
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Re: Guitar Tone

Been using 12's for a few years too. Everytime I try going back down, they come off the nx day and back to 12's. 

I just can't get that sound any other way; kinda like comparing a rotary pedal to a rotary speaker.

  • Registered: 2008-06-26
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Re: Guitar Tone

Is the amp a tube amp? your using a Marshall...
and as you probably know Stevie used a Fender amp with the pressence WAY down so that might have something to do with it aswell.

Thanx Yall

BB's guitar crys.... Stevie's growls... Albert's screams...but Buddy's sings.

10 Reply by ken

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Re: Guitar Tone

SRVTWO wrote:

First I would say if you use your bridge pickup at all, to modify your strat so that the tone control affects the bridge pickup as well.  This a totally minimal and reversible mod that can be found online.
Mike

I was going to say use the tone control, I didn't know the tone control didn't affect the bridge pickup. Is that true of all strats, or just the SRV model? I'll have to check mine out when I get home.

Also, If I was going to try to cop SRV's lead sound, I wouldn't be on the bridge pickup. I'd be on the neck or neck/middle or middle. Maybe even middle/bridge, but not bridge alone.

11 Reply by Ocean (edited by Ocean 2008-07-07 10:59:45)

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Re: Guitar Tone

jbsrv - I'd sure like to throw out some suggestions but after reading your original post, I'm still unsure as to what exactly you're after.  You mentioned three songs...are you after the tone on those records?  The fact that you have too much treble sometimes and not enough other times is a bit of a mystery to me.  I guess I'm saying that more details would be great!  Which of two problems is most prevalent when playing those songs?  Too much high end or too little?

Corby
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12 Reply by JBSRV (edited by JBSRV 2008-07-07 11:30:42)

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Re: Guitar Tone

alhurst wrote:

Is the amp a tube amp? your using a Marshall...
and as you probably know Stevie used a Fender amp with the pressence WAY down so that might have something to do with it aswell.

Thanx Yall

No It's not a tube amp and I guess that's some of the problem. I was looking at getting some kind of Fender Reverb amp but I just ended up getting a Boss 65 Deluxe Reverb pedal. It helps but has a #&*% load of feedback that can't be controlled.

"It makes it sound like the amp is about ready to explode, that's because it IS about ready to explode." -Joe

"I've come all the way from Colorado... Long way from my home. Give me the hammer that killed John Henry..." The Ballad Of John Henry
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Re: Guitar Tone

Ocean wrote:

jbsrv - I'd sure like to throw out some suggestions but after reading your original post, I'm still unsure as to what exactly you're after.  You mentioned three songs...are you after the tone on those records?  The fact that you have too much treble sometimes and not enough other times is a bit of a mystery to me.  I guess I'm saying that more details would be great!  Which of two problems is most prevalent when playing those songs?  Too much high end or too little?

Corby
OceanEFX

well what I'm after is a thick SRV tone (who isn't). The problem is when I get into solos the tone is never where I want it to be (or even close for that matter). I always use the neck pickup  or the neck/middle pickup because that what Stevie did. The problem with that is that the high end is just not there at all... the bass makes it impossible to get good crisp notes and good vibrato. I have tried to use the Bridge pickup but there is way too much high end. I have thought about replacing the texas specials with standard noiseless pickups, which is probably going to end up happening.

"It makes it sound like the amp is about ready to explode, that's because it IS about ready to explode." -Joe

"I've come all the way from Colorado... Long way from my home. Give me the hammer that killed John Henry..." The Ballad Of John Henry
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Re: Guitar Tone

JBSRV wrote:
Ocean wrote:

jbsrv - I'd sure like to throw out some suggestions but after reading your original post, I'm still unsure as to what exactly you're after.  You mentioned three songs...are you after the tone on those records?  The fact that you have too much treble sometimes and not enough other times is a bit of a mystery to me.  I guess I'm saying that more details would be great!  Which of two problems is most prevalent when playing those songs?  Too much high end or too little?

Corby
OceanEFX

well what I'm after is a thick SRV tone (who isn't). The problem is when I get into solos the tone is never where I want it to be (or even close for that matter). I always use the neck pickup  or the neck/middle pickup because that what Stevie did. The problem with that is that the high end is just not there at all... the bass makes it impossible to get good crisp notes and good vibrato. I have tried to use the Bridge pickup but there is way too much high end. I have thought about replacing the texas specials with standard noiseless pickups, which is probably going to end up happening.

Stop!  Don't go with the noiseless pups...please.  Based on what you're saying, you'll be disappointed.  If you like compressed mush, go ahead - but the chimey, bell-like strat tones will be hard to find with those things.  Pickups are not your problem!  You might look into the tone mod to the bridge pup that someone mentioned earlier, but I don't think that's even the root of the problem.  And by the way, there's a ton of bridge pickup useage in alot of Stevie's music...for some reason, people tend to say he was a neck or neck pup only guy...simply not true.  Listen to the solos in "Lenny" and "Pride and Joy" just to name two, and you'll hear him toggling in and out of the bridge pickup.  Don't change your pups!

I'd look at the amp situation.  I've never played thru that Marshall you've got, but you can find a really good single channel tube amp for not much coin these days.  Try and swing a good tube amp and things will really open up.  Epiphone, Traynor, and some of the smaller Fender stuff...Also, check your pickup height.  I'd say there's a good chance they're set too close to the strings.  Of course this is all just my somewhat blind opinion...I could be wrong

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Re: Guitar Tone

Ocean wrote:
JBSRV wrote:
Ocean wrote:

jbsrv - I'd sure like to throw out some suggestions but after reading your original post, I'm still unsure as to what exactly you're after.  You mentioned three songs...are you after the tone on those records?  The fact that you have too much treble sometimes and not enough other times is a bit of a mystery to me.  I guess I'm saying that more details would be great!  Which of two problems is most prevalent when playing those songs?  Too much high end or too little?

Corby
OceanEFX

well what I'm after is a thick SRV tone (who isn't). The problem is when I get into solos the tone is never where I want it to be (or even close for that matter). I always use the neck pickup  or the neck/middle pickup because that what Stevie did. The problem with that is that the high end is just not there at all... the bass makes it impossible to get good crisp notes and good vibrato. I have tried to use the Bridge pickup but there is way too much high end. I have thought about replacing the texas specials with standard noiseless pickups, which is probably going to end up happening.

Stop!  Don't go with the noiseless pups...please.  Based on what you're saying, you'll be disappointed.  If you like compressed mush, go ahead - but the chimey, bell-like strat tones will be hard to find with those things.  Pickups are not your problem!  You might look into the tone mod to the bridge pup that someone mentioned earlier, but I don't think that's even the root of the problem.  And by the way, there's a ton of bridge pickup useage in alot of Stevie's music...for some reason, people tend to say he was a neck or neck pup only guy...simply not true.  Listen to the solos in "Lenny" and "Pride and Joy" just to name two, and you'll hear him toggling in and out of the bridge pickup.  Don't change your pups!

I'd look at the amp situation.  I've never played thru that Marshall you've got, but you can find a really good single channel tube amp for not much coin these days.  Try and swing a good tube amp and things will really open up.  Epiphone, Traynor, and some of the smaller Fender stuff...Also, check your pickup height.  I'd say there's a good chance they're set too close to the strings.  Of course this is all just my somewhat blind opinion...I could be wrong

Well thanks for the warning. As SRVTWO was saying i might try a speaker change or a new tube amp either one should work. Thanks for the help

Eric

"It makes it sound like the amp is about ready to explode, that's because it IS about ready to explode." -Joe

"I've come all the way from Colorado... Long way from my home. Give me the hammer that killed John Henry..." The Ballad Of John Henry
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Re: Guitar Tone

this is the exact tone that I want


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKThn4hD9bE

"It makes it sound like the amp is about ready to explode, that's because it IS about ready to explode." -Joe

"I've come all the way from Colorado... Long way from my home. Give me the hammer that killed John Henry..." The Ballad Of John Henry
  • From: Edgewater, FL
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Re: Guitar Tone

Hey Eric are you dropped a half step to Eb?

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18 Reply by JBSRV (edited by JBSRV 2008-07-07 22:22:00)

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Re: Guitar Tone

bigjeffjones wrote:

Hey Eric are you dropped a half step to Eb?

yeah thanks I've been doing that for a while.

"It makes it sound like the amp is about ready to explode, that's because it IS about ready to explode." -Joe

"I've come all the way from Colorado... Long way from my home. Give me the hammer that killed John Henry..." The Ballad Of John Henry