Creating New Tones and Guitar Pickups

[guitarplaya2000]

This may be a easy, simple question - and may I have answered it on my own...but I just need a little confirmation. :)

 

I've just purchased the HD500x and I own and play two guitars depending on the music that I play for a particular gig. One is equiped humbuckers and the other, single coils. I know both types will affect the sound of my custom tone; but I'm not sure how much.

 

If indeed the pick up type will affect my custom tone, should I create custom tones for each pick up type and then save them in their individual playlists? Such as a group of humbucker specific tones and save them in one of the custom playlists and another playlist for the single coil tones?

 

Thank you all in advance for your replies.

[silverhead]

Yes - your tone will change very noticeably if you use the same preset with the two different guitars. You should create presets specific to the guitar you are using with the preset. How you choose to organize them is up to you. Your suggestion sounds good to me.

[guitarplaya2000]

Awesome! I just wanted to make sure, thank you for your reply,

[pianoguyy]

Obviously (as stated), it is your machine, do what you want. 

 

But, as far as us and how we use our individual machines --- 

For example: I will never play 'metal' with an SSS (but I know people who do). I would always need a humbucker, if not two. So, designing a metal patch that sounded good with 3 single coils would be foolish for me. 

Nor would I ever use my neon-pink one-pickup speed-demon V-shaped guitar to play country. The two just don't work together. 

 

 

Outside of specific sounds for specific guitars and specific songs or geners... 

I actually make one set of sounds. Each guitar sounds different, but that is why I own different guitars. Same 'baseline', different end result. 

I have one guitar that I make sounds with. When I need more power, I use the more powerful guitar. When I need something a little 'twangy', I use something with single coils. And so on and so forth...

 

Go ahead, make different sounds for different guitars. It will always be the best solution. But it is not the only solution. 

[pfsmith0]

I have been very frustrated trying to get single coils and humbuckers to share the same signal path. The single coils have such a low level output that all my compression and overdrive settings wouldn't work as expected. I could have used an FX block to attenuate the humbucker output but I wouldn't always remember to engage that. It was easier to just have 2 different signal chains.

 

One option may be to plug one guitar into Guitar and the other into Aux. Attenuate the humbucker and then mix the two into a common signal path. That would probably work, although the tuner would only work with the Path 1 guitar.

[DunedinDragon]

My patches are individually geared toward the guitar I use on them.  Not only because the tone is different, but the volume can be considerably different depending on the pickups.  That way I only have to gain stage any single patch when we have sound checks at a gig and the rest will fall right in line.  The only adjustment I ever make to the Master Volume is during sound check and gain staging.

[joel_brown]

Pickups, capacitors, potentiometers, strings, etc., all make a difference.  Some more than others.

[shredjsx]

All of my guitars are SSH except for my new Silverburst LP...

Yes, setting up patches and banks for each guitar is great and can be a lot of fun, like for your SSS strat setting up a Bassman wit a Tube Driver or Screamer in front of it....

 

However I also use some patches for all of my guitars.... I set the gain on my amps cleaner amps, like the Bassman to my single coil pickups till they start to barely breakup....

Then when I flip to my humbucker lead pickup I boosted the volume and overdrive great without stepping on the distortion pedal switch...

 

I also have my lead pickup as high as I can set it without causing string pull, I set my middle single coil down low so it gets cleaner with a lower volume.

Then my Neck single coil I have set as close as I can because I can because I solo on it too....

 

So you can setup just one amp to run both too, just add the needed pedal in front....

 

Have fun bro.... If you can imagine it you can do it.... Just ask around here

 

Oh, check out JTV Variax 69 guitars on YouTube too, it's amazing what you can do when you add that in!!!!

[guitarplaya2000]

Thanks everyone! The conversation was very helpful; I definitely learned so much from you all.

 

I was up last night (knowing I had to go to work in a few hours) creating my tones for both guitars. I play gospel for a band and in my home church and the only time I play anything  that requires "rock-like" distortion is for the  praise and worship  for the youth choir who sings once a month. I've download several CustomTones and "tweaked" them for my humbucker guitar. Awesome rock and metals tones out there. The other three weeks of the month I play my single coil axe and create my setup for scratch. I switch between JC120 and Twin Reverb for my amps then I would configure several FXs, Mods and other "ear candy" that fit the music. 

 

I'm loving my HD500X! It will make it's debut in church this Sunday!  :)