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Any clue on how to give more "body" to D string?


giallanon
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I'm using hd500x and StageSource L2T and an ibanez EGEN18 (Herman Lee signature).

I've foudn a nice distort sound, pretty big on E string, a little less on A string but still good, very thin and "metallic" on D string.

I've played with EQ trying to find a good freq to boost the palm muted D string, but with no luck.

I've also played at rehearsal volume (and we play pretty high with the double bass that kick so hard..), so it's not a volume problem

 

It could be a problem in my technique, but even if I try to play slow, moving the right hand around the bridge, I still can't find a somewhat fat sound on D string.

To some extents, the problem is even worse on G and B string, I can't get the nice palm muted sound like in the intro of welcome to the jungle for example, but this is primaly a fault of mine, since I can get a quasi decent sound from G and B string if I really really pay attention.

 

Anyway, last night I've tried a Les Paul of a friend of mine (into a Line6 spider combo) and I could sound fat on D string (and G and B).

Surely the Les Paul helped a lot in this case, but I guess that with a bit of eq in the right spot(s), I can reach my goal with my equipment.

 

Any tips?

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I have a few that might apply. From what I can tell, it looks similar to my old S540LTD...I have a 91 Canary Yellow one. I think the S body and the LoPro trems make them a bit twangy. The primary thing that I did that got rid of a good bit of the twang was direct mounting the pickups.

 

What I would suggest is that you work with your guitar using a very clean and flat sound...basically, use a New Tone patch with nothing in it...Make sure that the balance of your strings fits your technique..Make sure the neck and bridge are leveled between each other....string volume leveled across the pups...etc...

 

Adjusting pole pieces can go a long way towards getting things closer to what you want...One trick on a bright string in to sink the pole piece on the coil nearest the bridge and raise the one further...What you find is that these small adjustments play out a bit bigger under high gain...anyways, that's my 2 cents...good luck...

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and just what the lollipop was wrong with his answer? 

 

Maybe the fact that saying "EQ" means nothing?

I asked for some eq tips. If you bother to answer, you shoudl also provide valuable information, like a range of frequencies, a specific eq tools or whatever.

Saying "eq your signal" means nothing

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adjustment of pickup height and pole pieces goes a long long way.  Should be plenty of recommendations on the web.  I would start by probably emulating that les paul.  Press the strings at the last fret and measure distance from pickup ring to individual strings, same with the pole pieces.

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String gauge too!! I used to play 42-09's, have switched to 52-11's, better balance, better harmonic content, sturdier tuning.  I cannot recommend any higher the value of a good luthier to set everything up, I thought I knew how to set a guitar up but in the hands of someone who does it every day world of difference.

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Change your strings to a thicker string or a different material. 

Change or adjust your pickups. 

Adjust your action. You'd be surprised at how thin guitars sound when there is a low action. 

Adjust your EQ. 

 

 

We can't actually tell you what to use because we don't know what you have or what you are searching for. 

But those are some standard things that can be done. 

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.  I cannot recommend any higher the value of a good luthier to set everything up, 

 

I've had horrible experiences with luthiers. 

Unless they are a guitar players that studied wood working to understand how to better fix guitars. In which case, they normally emphasize the guitar repairs and only mention that they are a luthier in passing. 

Like me, I am a musician. But I also own a chain of stores and some bars and some of this and some of that. Musician first. Investment guru somewhere else down the long list of things I do. 

 

The luthiers that i've seen (that promote that they are a luthier more than guitar player) are too much concerned about making the wood right, and making the parts in sync with each other, more so than they are about playability. But they make nice furniture and some awesome wooden duck decoys. 

 

Hell, I had one guy who was so bad at setting up a guitar, that I could only get a couple notes done before my hand/arm went into a spasm. 

Could you imagine being a professional guitar player, and instantaneously having your hand in so much pain that you feared long term damage that would ruin your livelihood? 

Play for a few seconds, be out of commission for a few hours. 

***That's what I get for trying to find someone local instead of using the guy an hour away that I typically use. 

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As with everything, finding the right person is crucial.

 

The luthier I take my guitars to is in Texas now (I'm in Iowa). His elderly parents live here, so he is back a couple or more times a year. He has a very good reputation, so when he is here, local guitar players get wind of it and pile on. Luckily, he always makes time for us. I had heard of him for years He used to live here, but some years ago moved to TX, as I said.

 

When he retires, or his parents pass away and he's not back here regularly, I (and a lot of folks) will have to find someone else, but will need to be very careful in finding one. When he looks at the guitar, the first thing he does is plays it -- from that little bit of action, and what I heard him play, I knew he knew what he was doing to see what was wrong, or how it could be improved.

 

Then when I got my first one back from him the first time, I saw he had the touch with them. He set them a touch lower than I liked for my picking style, and he now adjusts them to my liking, now that he knows my preference... To me the critical items are good personality, good ear, musicianship, and skill. He has them all.

 

Dave

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I would never put 10s on a guitar a LoPro type tremolo...broken too many bars that way...

 

I use 10s on an edge, and I've broken quite a few bars, including two of the newer carbon graphite bars. Would 9s really make much of a difference?

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I use 10s on an edge, and I've broken quite a few bars, including two of the newer carbon graphite bars. Would 9s really make much of a difference?

 

I am not sure about an Edge...I have played on a few of them and my guess is that since it has that zero point, that there might not be as much that you could do to ease the tension on the bar. I suppose that if 9s were used that likely you would be able to loosen the springs some to get have the same zero point behavior and there would be less tension...but that is just a guess...

 

I can speak from my own experience with Floyds, Kahlers, Bigsby and stock Fender types that when they float, the lower gauge seems to help things behave a bit better overall. Intonation on bends can be a pain for some players...9s with 4 springs seems to be a pretty nice point where I have had pretty good luck over the years...In terms of tone, heavier strings give more output...But whether or not that contributes to the target tone someone is aiming for is completely subjective IMHO. There are plenty of guys with killer tones that use light strings...But I think technique and strength play into this...Now that I am a bit older, my hands don't last as long as the used to and I am going lighter...Seriously thinking about doing the Billy Gibbons thing and start using 8s on the trembar guitars...With my fixed bridge guitars, I am totally happy using 9s now where I did use 10s before my hand got old...

 

If the 10s tone is what you want, then I would say try to make it work...There are always some tricks here and there that will get you closer to solving a particular problem. For me, I have found that 10s on almost every floater I have used does improve the tone overall...But with some pups, more output is not always better. Sometimes the tone benefits from backing the pups off since the mags have more metal to pull on...My own problem is that I would generally have to put 5 springs in to keep bending decent and the tension on the bars is a lot...After breaking several strat bars I moved to 9s and 4 springs and that has worked really nice for me...

 

All tremolos seem to have their little pain in arse moments because they simply wear out faster than any fixed bridge and require maintenance to keep functioning at optimum...

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I am not sure about an Edge...I have played on a few of them and my guess is that since it has that zero point, that there might not be as much that you could do to ease the tension on the bar. I suppose that if 9s were used that likely you would be able to loosen the springs some to get have the same zero point behavior and there would be less tension...but that is just a guess...

 

I can speak from my own experience with Floyds, Kahlers, Bigsby and stock Fender types that when they float, the lower gauge seems to help things behave a bit better overall. Intonation on bends can be a pain for some players...9s with 4 springs seems to be a pretty nice point where I have had pretty good luck over the years...In terms of tone, heavier strings give more output...But whether or not that contributes to the target tone someone is aiming for is completely subjective IMHO. There are plenty of guys with killer tones that use light strings...But I think technique and strength play into this...Now that I am a bit older, my hands don't last as long as the used to and I am going lighter...Seriously thinking about doing the Billy Gibbons thing and start using 8s on the trembar guitars...With my fixed bridge guitars, I am totally happy using 9s now where I did use 10s before my hand got old...

 

If the 10s tone is what you want, then I would say try to make it work...There are always some tricks here and there that will get you closer to solving a particular problem. For me, I have found that 10s on almost every floater I have used does improve the tone overall...But with some pups, more output is not always better. Sometimes the tone benefits from backing the pups off since the mags have more metal to pull on...My own problem is that I would generally have to put 5 springs in to keep bending decent and the tension on the bars is a lot...After breaking several strat bars I moved to 9s and 4 springs and that has worked really nice for me...

 

All tremolos seem to have their little pain in arse moments because they simply wear out faster than any fixed bridge and require maintenance to keep functioning at optimum...

 

Thanks for the nice detailed response. I just realized we might be thinking of different things. I saw LoPro and assumed what was being talked about was a Lo Pro Edge, which is basically the same thing as an Edge, only it has a lower profile. When you break a bar, where does it break for you? Inside the arm holder, or where the bar is gripped when using it?

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Edge trems are funny that way. 

Edge, II, III. Pro. Pro II, Lo Pro Edge. And we can't forget the TRS models. Plus now, instead of ripping off Floyd Rose, they now are ripping off Kahler with the cam rollers of the Zero Point trems.

Doing a setup is fun too - because some are to be level on the top of the trem while others are level on the bottom, and I think there is one that is level on the saddles and not the base plate. 

 

I break bars, but only when doing acrobatics.

Hey, I am an entertainer, it may not do anything for the music, but the crowd digs it.

Usually before they break, they get bent out of shape. That's when they should be replaced.  

 

 

 

I don't think the feel has to do with the bar or string gauge. It has to do with the springs. 

Sure, thicker strings add more tension, which means you need more counter tension, so it is expected that to be stiffer. But at the same time, I don't know too many guys that are using 13's tuned standard for the wobbliness. 

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better strings, better pickups... adjust the pole pieces on humbuckers (Can't on single coil)

if it sounds good on E string, the d string SHOULD sound the same tonally as far as the Pod see's it... the problem is whats going INTO the pod... if the d string sounds weak, it is likely not being pickuped as well, so it is guitar/string related issue

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 the problem is whats going INTO the pod... if the d string sounds weak, it is likely not being pickups as well, so it is guitar/string related issue

 

Damn, I am glad you said it. 

I didn't answer the post at first because I didn't want to be 'the voice of reason' once again. 

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Damn, I am glad you said it. 

I didn't answer the post at first because I didn't want to be 'the voice of reason' once again. 

well it IS common sense...lol.. the pod doesn't know which string is which, it only processes what it gets from the guitar...

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I've spent more on pickups than everything I've purchased from Line6.  Not to mention all the time I took installing them, plus choosing the correct caps and pots.  But it may be possible to tweak a few things and make what he has better.

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