First of all I am kind of new to effects pedals. I recently sold my Tube Screamer so I can get a BK Butler Real Tube Driver. *Well Gilmour has a couple of them* I have been having problems with the lower strings sounding real muddy (maybe the tube driver was ment for a larger scale). Overall I really like the Real Tube Driver but I don't like the Muddy sounding lows. I traded the 12AX7 for a 12AU7 and I like it a little better but the low notes are still muddy sounding. I am going to try a 12AT7 tube also. I need some advice; do I need a compressor in front of the pedal or do I need to sell the Real Tube Driver and get another Tube Screamer and have it moded like I moded the other one I had.
I play an American Stratocaster with EMG DG20s (getting ready to install a Kinman Traditional MkII Stratocaster pickup set) I don't believe I like the active pickups. I play trough a 40W Fender Pro Tube Custom Vibrolux® Reverb. I also have a Boss GE-7 equalizer if that will help. I want to stop spending money to try to get quality sound. I need some advice to maybe help save time experimenting and tweaking with my rig to get that perfect tone.
First things first. I'd not change anything on the pedal until you have installed the Kinman's. They are a totally different kettle of fish and may solve your problem without any further ado.
Simply changing the tubes will not, necessarily, improve your sound, you'll simply get less/more overdrive/distortion. What will get more distinct results is changing the brand of tube. I don't know what you're using, but try another make, like JJ/Tesla or Ruby Tubes. I've heard, but not had any personal experience, that the cryogenically treated tubes offer more clarity than conventional tubes.
As I have already said, I wouldn't do anything until I had the new pickups installed.
I started with nothing - and I've still got most of it left.
Did you know that the word "gullible" is not in any dictionary?
Greybeard's Pages
My Articles & Reviews on GN
A good EQ pedal will clear up that muddiness.
On a standard 7 band EQ you 100Hz, 200Hz, 400Hz, 800Hz, 1.6kHz, 3.2kHz, and 6.4kHz frequencies. In my opinion, 200Hz (second slider from the left) is the real culprit when muddying tone. Everybody is different, but I slightly boost 100Hz for some nice bottom end, but I cut 200Hz about 10-15 decibels. This will really tighten up your tone.
And by the way, the Danelectro Fish and Chips EQ shown here works excellent (I own 2 of them) for about 1/3 the price of more expensive brands.
If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis
yeah, muddiness and overdrive. not a pretty world. I modded my tubescreamer and the low end is crispier. it has a touch of sparkle. my dirt is loose and defined. geez, what kind of language am I speaking. the terminology for tone is crazy.
I play thru a tube Vibrolux amp. I have the treble straight up usually. the bass may be around one o clock. I use single coils, Lace Sensor Gold, on my strat. maybe it's those pups and amp.
when I play thru an old 50's Gibson amp my low end shows mud. but that is the amp more than anything.
it took me a long time of messing with the dials and trying pedals to get the tone I wanted.
most time it is under my control, but there are some days were everything sound s off. it could be the electrical current in the place I set up. my home set up varies even.
I found that jotting down notes of my settings helped. when something works write it down so you'll remember what you did.
an EQ is nice. very handy for a lot of purposes.
PROBLEM SOLVED... The Kinmans are awesome pickups these pickups are the best noisless traditional straocaster sound I have heard and I have traded the BK Butler Real Tube Driver (I assume that Tube Driver is better for larger format) for a boutique pedal from L/S Effects it is called an 8-oh-8. By far the best overdrive I have ever heard. This thing is clean and even better than my old moded Tube Screamer. Check it out http://www.lseffects.com/ he has several other boxes too... I am also using a BOSS GE-7 which really balances my tone. Thanks for all of the advice...
I like how the Boss EQ can sharpen or hone the overall tone.
I love my modded tube screamer, but that pedal you mention has my ears all dancing.
nice. thanks for the follow up.
a number of more recent OD/distortion pedals now have a mix feature to dial in clarity or "sparkle." if the pedal is generating some of the crunch internally (not really OD, but distortion in the pedal), the mix allows adding in some of the dry signal into the output restore the highs. nice feature.
-=tension & release=-
Hey, I just wanted to add that when using the BOSS GE-7. For example, when I used to play my electrified version of the Beatles “Blackbird†all of the notes seemed to blend together a little when I played it. (I did not realize till I hooked up the GE-7) Now that I use the GE-7 I can hear every note distinct and clear… Much better, like bringing everything into focus…
