|  | 
03-23-2008, 08:48 AM
| | | | How does Stuart Zender get that huge fat tone with light gauge steel roundwounds?
Sign in to disble this ad
This has always puzzled me because his tone is always so warm and fat, yet he uses Elite Stainless Steel Roundwounds gauges 35, 55, 75, 95. I have read this in many interviews so that isn't false. A perfect of the tone I am talking about is in this live version of Too Young To Die - http://youtube.com/watch?v=F81ruflokdc -. It always seems like his highs are subdued despite using these strings. Could his use of Trace tube amps + lots of compression + tone rolled off compensate for his choice of stings? |
03-23-2008, 11:34 AM
|  | Registered User
Manager and Partner, Fodera Guitars (as of 10/14/09) | | Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: NE United States | | Quote:
Originally Posted by AqueousView11  This has always puzzled me because his tone is always so warm and fat, yet he uses Elite Stainless Steel Roundwounds gauges 35, 55, 75, 95. I have read this in many interviews so that isn't false. A perfect of the tone I am talking about is in this live version of Too Young To Die - http://youtube.com/watch?v=F81ruflokdc -. It always seems like his highs are subdued despite using these strings. Could his use of Trace tube amps + lots of compression + tone rolled off compensate for his choice of stings? | I am not sure how he gets his tone, but on my Fodera Monarch 4-string bass I use 40-55-75-95 round wounds and I can get pretty fat tones by dialing down the mid-range and treble slightly and picking fairly softly. Much of the brightness of thinner gauge strings is accentuated or reduced by your right hand technique. Also, again, the brightness tends to appear mostly in the mid-range and lower treble...hope that helps. BTW, I do NOT use any compression...
__________________ Just Thumpin' |
03-23-2008, 11:48 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Timisoara, Romania | | | It's all in his hands...
__________________
"We think that Music stops at the ears. That is a mistake. Vibrations can be felt in all places and at all times, even with the eyes." - Victor L. Wooten
|
03-23-2008, 12:40 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Sweden | | | Lighter gauges (or lighter tension, rather) naturally makes your tone "warmer", since the harmonics drop off, making the tone more fundamental-focused, not the other way around. That means that it's easier to get Stu's tone with light-gauge strings.
That being said, EQing out some treble and putting the balance towards the neck-pickup helps quite a way, but I'm 95% sure that Stu also uses compression, as that has always come up when this topic is discussed. |
03-23-2008, 12:50 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Denton, TX | | | With the massive amount of digital and analog effects Zender was using on jamiroquai recordings, I would argue against the whole "it's all in his hands" thing. His tone was heavily processed...HEAVILY.
__________________
Yeah, I double...don't you? |
03-23-2008, 12:51 PM
| | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Roland777 Lighter gauges (or lighter tension, rather) naturally makes your tone "warmer", since the harmonics drop off, making the tone more fundamental-focused, not the other way around. That means that it's easier to get Stu's tone with light-gauge strings.
That being said, EQing out some treble and putting the balance towards the neck-pickup helps quite a way, but I'm 95% sure that Stu also uses compression, as that has always come up when this topic is discussed. | Thanks for the input, I always thought lighter gauge meant brighter but I this is a pleasant surprise. | | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | | | | 
Posting Rules
| You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off | | | |
