You do have a cruel streak in you.
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The Combo Club
- Thread starter ChefKen
- Start date
FWIW, pic of 67 TBird w/ original pg and tug bar:
and with new pg, not drilled for tug bar(which I saved):
I usually play fingerstyle between the pup cover and the bridge cover with my thumb on the pup cover. Occasionally play just behind the neck heel for really 'fat' lows.
- Oct 22, 2015
- 21,155
- 256,550
- Disclosures
- I am an affiliate for Ari Cap.
You do this often?
(some people pay good money for that kind of sensatio
iYou do have a cruel streak in you.
It shows?
The MM pickup has a space that historically sees a thumb-in-residence as I dig in. Sort of becomes a habit to play back there. The string tension is higher, and to my ear, the tone is articulate. As I returned to my bass after these years, found myself playing much closer to the neck. It's that tone I sought and found in the semi-hollowbody. It's a whole different experience in bass. The semi-hollowbody isn't where I go looking for Entwistle Alembic range tones.
Figure between the Stingray and the CHB-1, that's a lot of tonal territory.
Turning 'dem knobs ....
Seems to me if any proper catalogue of preamp settings needs to begin with what is "flat"? And more or less we know there ain't no such thing when every brand has its own tonal colour. Helps to know what that is before twiddling ... The Elf (yeah I know it's not a combo amp, but it's an example I can cite right now) has a native bump in the highs and lows, which makes it appear there is a mid-scoop with the EQ knobs at noon. Add some gain to engage a bit of compression and hey there's some mids. Magic!
Amps are weird. I love it.
You do this often?
(some people pay good money for that kind of sensatio
i
It shows?
The MM pickup has a space that historically sees a thumb-in-residence as I dig in. Sort of becomes a habit to play back there. The string tension is higher, and to my ear, the tone is articulate. As I returned to my bass after these years, found myself playing much closer to the neck. It's that tone I sought and found in the semi-hollowbody. It's a whole different experience in bass. The semi-hollowbody isn't where I go looking for Entwistle Alembic range tones.
Figure between the Stingray and the CHB-1, that's a lot of tonal territory.
Turning 'dem knobs ....
Seems to me if any proper catalogue of preamp settings needs to begin with what is "flat"? And more or less we know there ain't no such thing when every brand has its own tonal colour. Helps to know what that is before twiddling ... The Elf (yeah I know it's not a combo amp, but it's an example I can cite right now) has a native bump in the highs and lows, which makes it appear there is a mid-scoop with the EQ knobs at noon. Add some gain to engage a bit of compression and hey there's some mids. Magic!
Amps are weird. I love it.
A catalogue of of pre-ampian 'What is Flat?' would be mighty useful. It's probably a fair bit of work to collate and obtaining that information would be (much) tougher yet. Here, for example, is the work @fdeck did to ascertain flatness on a GK Backline 600: Invalid Link Removed. I like this approach because it bypasses the fickleness of our ears (admittedly both a curse and a blessing).
You are not wrong about the ELF - that ol' gain/compression knob is powerful and needs to be treated with care.
Ouch! Sounds like this is not just another colourful Aussie metaphor. Giffy, I hope you get that tonewood noggin checked out by some experts. You don't want your intonation to get thrown off. Might start sounding like a proper Brit if you're not careful.
.
When I drove truck(s), the first thing I did getting into a different truck was to familiarize myself with the control layout. (where are the wipers;headlights;dimmer on the floor or on the steering column;how many gears/what pattern). Each brand of car has some things laid out differently from your previous experience. Why should amps be any different? Gives us something to discuss/complain about-and hours of tweaking to achieve that elusive sound 'in our heads'. Or not.... NEXT!You do this often?
(some people pay good money for that kind of sensatio
i
It shows?
The MM pickup has a space that historically sees a thumb-in-residence as I dig in. Sort of becomes a habit to play back there. The string tension is higher, and to my ear, the tone is articulate. As I returned to my bass after these years, found myself playing much closer to the neck. It's that tone I sought and found in the semi-hollowbody. It's a whole different experience in bass. The semi-hollowbody isn't where I go looking for Entwistle Alembic range tones.
Figure between the Stingray and the CHB-1, that's a lot of tonal territory.
Turning 'dem knobs ....
Seems to me if any proper catalogue of preamp settings needs to begin with what is "flat"? And more or less we know there ain't no such thing when every brand has its own tonal colour. Helps to know what that is before twiddling ... The Elf (yeah I know it's not a combo amp, but it's an example I can cite right now) has a native bump in the highs and lows, which makes it appear there is a mid-scoop with the EQ knobs at noon. Add some gain to engage a bit of compression and hey there's some mids. Magic!
Amps are weird. I love it.
Ice cold bottles of Coopers applied both topically and internally would be my guess.
My fave rave from back in the day:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
- Oct 22, 2015
- 21,155
- 256,550
- Disclosures
- I am an affiliate for Ari Cap.
The only "tool" at my disposal is a smrtphne spectrum analyzer, with no real idea what to do with it. With the controls "flat" there's still the native tone of the amp (that's good).
Seems to me "flat" is already figured out for Rumbles too.
My former life was partially spent as a spectroscopist (mass and light, but not sound) so I kinda geek out on this stuff; what to do with the measurements is always the rub.
I think it's useful (as an informed consumer) to know what the baked-in EQ curves of at least 'families' of amps are. Then, of course, we get to figure out what the spectral responses of speakers cabinets are (if that's our idea of a good time and we've got the requisite measuring gear - very, very difficult to do right).
- Oct 22, 2015
- 21,155
- 256,550
- Disclosures
- I am an affiliate for Ari Cap.
In revisiting this ^ thread - began to read it when it appeared and fell off when it began to feel more like watching a tennis ball than enlightenment - and in context of this discussion at Combo Club
Just understanding what these knobs on our amps do is a big deal. The doc that came with my amps is probably accurate, yet not particularly illuminating. Navigating a FVM tonestack is hardly intuitive (for example, this household is FVM tonestack-free - I think?)
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Great points. I tend to stretch my fingers while anchoring the neck pickup, but am beginning to understand floating the thumb over the E-string. Both pickups are set at max, though I tend to keep the bridge off. As far as using the thumb in conjunction with my other fingers, haven’t ever tried it.
I do so agree with you that more fitness without the digging in really makes for a beautiful tone. I love the dynamics between the light touch and more normal, even plucking. As such, I don’t use a lot of compression either.
You do have a cruel streak in you.
Yeah, she does, but I knew that upon replying to her post. Sometimes, GP, ya just gotta let folks have some fun!
Giff, I’m late in replying, but is the door okay? I mean, it was only solid wood crashing into your noggin’. Seriously, let us know if you’re okay. What a lousy way to return home. Keep us posted, okay?
I wasn't saying it was a bad thing.Yeah, she does, but I knew that upon replying to her post. Sometimes, GP, ya just gotta let folks have some fun!
I concur with all of your points. I read the technical threads in hopes (sometimes vain) of separating fact, fiction, and folklore. It's taken a while to calibrate my bombast filter, but even without a scorecard I've learned to tell the players.
Is FVM 'Fender Vox Marshall'? Here is a Tone Stack Calculator from Duncan Amps. It seems to be safe and is fun and educational to play with. It demonstrates how the various knobs of some of the classic tonestacks interact with one another. Yep, as you say, hardly intuitive.
TSC
Edited to Add from the TSC Help Page:
Picking a tone stack style
There are seven flavours of tone stack to choose from:
Fender
Vox
Marshall
James
E series
Bench
Big Muff
Hiwatt
The Fender and Marshall stacks are similar in construction, while the Vox stack can be viewed as a Fender stack with a fixed mid control.
The James control was described in Wireless World during February 1949, although it is claimed that Michael Volkoff first used this type of control in July 1939. Many would describe it as a Baxandall control, although the true Baxandall control was an adaptation of the James control using negative feedback.
The E series is another (older) variant of the Fender tone control.
The Bench tone stack is named after Steve Bench who offers this design as an alternative to the normal resistor/capacitor tone stack.
The Big Muff tone stack is a simple hi/lo tone control suggested by Jack Orman. This type of sweeping control is common in FX units.
To change the type of tone stack, simply click on the tab with the appropriate name.
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- Oct 22, 2015
- 21,155
- 256,550
- Disclosures
- I am an affiliate for Ari Cap.
FVM yes, Fender Vox Marshall and that's what TB adds to my knowledge base.
"Turn the knobs until it sounds good," seems to creep into every TB thread on EQ.
Which reminds me of a tale told about the Invalid Link Removed lab at MIT. A graduate student (? forgotten detail) in the lab was about to reboot the computer when the Senior Designer / Big Dog stopped him. "You can't possibly expect to solve this by rebooting the machine if you don't understand the problem," he told the operator. Whereupon he rebooted the machine and the student was enlightened.
"Turn the knobs until it sounds good," seems to creep into every TB thread on EQ.
Which reminds me of a tale told about the Invalid Link Removed lab at MIT. A graduate student (? forgotten detail) in the lab was about to reboot the computer when the Senior Designer / Big Dog stopped him. "You can't possibly expect to solve this by rebooting the machine if you don't understand the problem," he told the operator. Whereupon he rebooted the machine and the student was enlightened.
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Post a funnier picture than the one above - Parallel Universe Edition- Latest: Just go for it
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