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Post subject: Blues Tone
Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 1:34 pm
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Sorry if this is in the wrong place. I have a MIM Tele. Had it since the early 90's Played through a red knob and it sounded OK but not quite what I wanted. Lacked the twang and warmth. Well last week I picked up a Classic 30. Big difference. Rock tones are really easy (previous owner put Boogies in it all around) Jazz tones Not too bad. Twang.....like I have never heard out of this guitar. I just can't seem to dial in a blues tone that is full, warm and a bit dirty. Does any one here have experiece with this combination? Any suggestions? I have tried the settings in the manual but it was not what I was hoing for. And before someone uses the old maxim "just turn the knob until it sounds good" I've been doing that for a while now.

Thanks in advance


Last edited by Pete_z on Mon Jun 30, 2008 12:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 8:02 am
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it's hard not to say "just turn the knob until it sounds good" ... haha
Well when i had a my peavey i think i use to set it like this:
Bass: 6 Treble : 4 Middle: 8 something like that.
and i had the post at 5 with the pre at 8
or the post was at 3 with a maxed out pre...
i can't quite remember but i always stick with that EQ to get my bluesy tones.
p^.


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Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 8:34 am
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theres no magic way to set things for blues blues is a feeling

look at buddy guy is tone from back in the day is like a saturated fender bassman like just dimed all the way and some would call that a rock tone but it still is amazing for his blues

_________________
03 black stratocaster maple
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lots of stuff in my garage


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Post subject: thanks
Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 9:31 am
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Thanks for the feedback but I think I was just a bit too quick to post that question. Friday night I was trying again and I got much closer. I was trying to get it with low volume and only using the Pre. After bringing that way down and using the Post at about an 8 I started to get much closer to what I am lookling for. Trying to juggle volume and tone. Not perfect but much better.

Thanks again for the comments.


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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 2:27 pm
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[quote="phuot"]it's hard not to say "just turn the knob until it sounds good" ... haha
quote]

+1


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Post subject:
Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 6:54 am
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Don't overlook the fact that you can tweak your Tele's tone and volume controls as well to help shape the signal. Rolling off the tone pot a bit can make a big difference.


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Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 4:04 pm
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tube amp with good gain.
tele 72 with humbuckers, that should do it :)

tele highway 1 with rosewood fingerboard can also do it :wink:


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Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 11:37 am
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I think a lot of the blues tone has a lot to do with your amp and the ability of your fingers. Its not easy getting that classic blues tone your seeking. It's funny I never actually heard the typical twang from any of my teles. that was till I bought my esquire and changed to an scn pickup, man did it give me twang. I now know why country players use teles. All I can say is keep practicing and keep fine tuning till you can reach that delta blues tone your seeking. Good luck


Last edited by vcartier on Thu Jul 24, 2008 3:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject:
Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 1:55 pm
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Thanks for all the help. It took much more tweeking than I expected but I think I'm at a good starting point. I'll mess it up with too many tweeks but that's what happens when you don't leave it alone.

Thanks again


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Posted: Thu Jul 31, 2008 10:06 am
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I've been playing the blues for about twenty five years on Fender guitars, and seen a lot of players play right in front of me, from Albert Collins and Robert Cray to SRV.

There are two tricks to getting a soulful blues tone that spring to my mind. One is easy and expensive - the other inexpensive and harder.

1. Find the right amp. Some amps are built for the blues, some are not. A tube amp configured along the lines of a Fender Tweed or an old Silvertone is perfect. Put a tube screamer in front of one of these, and you'll nail it (the Tube Screamer's purpose is not to distort, but to drive the amplifier's own tubes to do it for you.)

2. Don't play with a plectrum (Pick.) The single most important tone improvement you can make is to learn to play with your fingers. Since most guitarists realize a lot of their tone is in the hand on their fretboard, it shouldn't be hard to realize you have even more tonal control in the other - you can soften and louden your playing far more dynamically with your hands, because they are part of you, and a pick is not. And the blues is all about dynamics.

This is particularly true of the microphonic pickups on a Tele - they pick up the difference between hand and pick better than any guitar I know.


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Posted: Thu Jul 31, 2008 4:30 pm
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Derek Trucks and Nils Lofgren are two guitarists I can think of off the top of my head who don't use picks. Both are great players and get great tone.


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Post subject:
Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2008 5:06 pm
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vcartier wrote:
Derek Trucks and Nils Lofgren are two guitarists I can think of off the top of my head who don't use picks. Both are great players and get great tone.


...also Mark Knopfler and Jeff Beck.

habit will force me to stick with a Dunlop Jazz III pick. Now if I could just sound like Eric Johnson who uses them. (rats, fat chance) :(


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