Two guitars-totally different volumes

[Riki1]

I've just got a strat, but my Gretsch is loads louder and much fatter and better sounding.

What is the advised way to set up the songs I'll be using the strat with.

 

Would it be to add volume at the end or the beginning ?

[jbuhajla]

I generally have separate presets for different guitars. I put something in the preset name to let me know which guitar it is set up for. 

[cruisinon2]

I've just got a strat, but my Gretsch is loads louder and much fatter and better sounding.

What is the advised way to set up the songs I'll be using the strat with.

Nobody can answer that for you...you're the only one hearing A vs. B. Every guitar sounds different. If your Gretsch has humbuckers, that's much of the difference right there, as they'll pretty much always have higher output and a "fatter" sound than single coils. But there are no magic Strat settings...gain, EQ, various FX, and overall patch volume can all be manipulated 1000 ways to get a sound you're after. But you'll never get a single coil to sound like a humbucker. A Strat is a Strat...

[Verne-Bunsen]

I generally have separate presets for different guitars. I put something in the preset name to let me know which guitar it is set up for.

This is what I do. Can be a bit cumbersome at times but it allows for making changes to suit one guitar without negatively impacting what was already perfect for another.

[specracer986]

I've just got a strat, but my Gretsch is loads louder and much fatter and better sounding.

What is the advised way to set up the songs I'll be using the strat with.

 

Would it be to add volume at the end or the beginning ?

 

If you just want to add volume, I usually do it at the cab or IR level control, or add an EQ block at the end where you can shape the final sound a little and also add volume.

If you want to fatten up the sound, then all effect blocks come into play and it's a matter of tweaking till you hear it. Bringing up the level of an OD block is going to add volume and OD, etc.

[Riki1]

Thanks for the help.

Think I'll put a big F at the end for fender and a G for Gretsch in the name.

Then add an eq block last like was mentioned then for the strat. I don't want it to sound like my Gretsch ,just louder and not so twangy

[hideout]

I only ever use one guitar at a time at gigs but I do take a different guitar every now and then. I just setup specific set lists tailored to each of my guitars.

[bobthedog]

I have guitars with coil tapping that do this on their own!

 

A gain block at the start of the chain assigned to a switch does wonders, every patch I make has one or maybe two of these.

[DunedinDragon]

I use a Gretsch (Silver Falcon), a Tele, a Strat, and a Les Paul commonly across all of our songs.  It actually makes a lot of sense to do so if you cover a lot of different genres and styles as we do.  It's easy for me because I have a preset for each song, so there's never a problem.  I'll always use the same guitar on the same song because that preset/song was designed for that particular guitar.  As far as volume differences I take that into account when I'm building my presets.  When I'm building the presets I have the L/Mono XLR out going into a small Alesys mixer which displays signal strength.  I keep my Helix master volume set at the same place (about 11 o'clock) and the gain on the Alesys channel I'm going into at the constant setting of 12 o'clock.  I dial in my preset normally and then finally adjust my output via the channel volume on the amp model, the output level on the cabinet or IR, or the output level on the output block until the signal meter is at a constant level of -6 with peaks no more than -3.

 

The advantage to this is that when I show up to the gig I only have to gain stage any single song because I know every song/preset will be at a constant level.  One trick I've discovered for keeping things straight is that the name of the preset is stored as meta data in the file when the preset is exported.  Therefore I can rename the actual filename and it won't affect the name of the preset.  So, for example, if I have a preset called "Start Me Up" which is designed for the Tele, I export it as a file to "Start Me Up - Tele".  The preset name will always remain "Start Me Up", but I know it's built for the Telecaster.

[specracer986]

I use a Gretsch (Silver Falcon), a Tele, a Strat, and a Les Paul commonly across all of our songs.  It actually makes a lot of sense to do so if you cover a lot of different genres and styles as we do.  It's easy for me because I have a preset for each song, so there's never a problem.  I'll always use the same guitar on the same song because that preset/song was designed for that particular guitar.  As far as volume differences I take that into account when I'm building my presets.  When I'm building the presets I have the L/Mono XLR out going into a small Alesys mixer which displays signal strength.  I keep my Helix master volume set at the same place (about 11 o'clock) and the gain on the Alesys channel I'm going into at the constant setting of 12 o'clock.  I dial in my preset normally and then finally adjust my output via the channel volume on the amp model, the output level on the cabinet or IR, or the output level on the output block until the signal meter is at a constant level of -6 with peaks no more than -3.

 

The advantage to this is that when I show up to the gig I only have to gain stage any single song because I know every song/preset will be at a constant level.  One trick I've discovered for keeping things straight is that the name of the preset is stored as meta data in the file when the preset is exported.  Therefore I can rename the actual filename and it won't affect the name of the preset.  So, for example, if I have a preset called "Start Me Up" which is designed for the Tele, I export it as a file to "Start Me Up - Tele".  The preset name will always remain "Start Me Up", but I know it's built for the Telecaster.

 

The meter you use on the mixer for leveling the patch output, is it led's? 

[Rocco_Crocco]

I have banks for different pickups... JB/Jazz, EMG, Super Distortion, p90s. For some reason the p90 bank sounds great will all the other pickups without any tweaking.

[DunedinDragon]

The meter you use on the mixer for leveling the patch output, is it led's? 

Yes.  This is the one I use.

[MrViv]

If it seems to you that your strat doesn't sounds good and have weaker signal compared to your other guitars, don't forget to check it's wiring.

 

I had this problem and after checking, I discovered that the jack plate wire was almost completely unsoldered.

[redmonda]

Another option - Put a compressor in front of your chain.  You can set up a switch to toggle the level higher/lower.   You can have the same button change the drive/bass/etc for the amp.  Call it a HB/Single Coil switch.

 

Single coils are generally brighter and lower output. So when the switch is engaged, you want to increase the input level, probably bump up the bass and maybe even adjust the drive gain on the amp.

 

In fact, there is a guy over on TGP who is a P&W guitarist.  He has presets available (for free, donation strongly encouraged as he his a stand-up dude...).  He does this technique.  You can try his patches to see what I mean...

 

https://alexdotguitars.wordpress.com/helix-presets/

 

He generally sets the amp gain higher than I prefer.  But you'll get the idea.

 

BTW, he puts this on FS1, so if you have a Helix Lt, you may have to look at the options assigned to that button in the editor and assign it to a different FS (he has it set up as "controllers" for the compressor level and the amp bass parameters...)

[FlyingsCool]

Also, by design, The "Volume" option on amps does not color the tone as the "Drive" and "Master" options do, and is meant to allow you to balance your presets one to another.