lead tone / setup...compressors?

Hi Guitartony82

I would think a good overdrive that will boost your signal would be best. Many guitarists love the classic Tubescreamer pedal. This is not a high gain pedal in itself, but it will send a nice boost to your preamp which gives you more volume and sustain. The Ibanez TS808 is supposed to be the copy of the famous 80's original tubescreamer, but most will say it is not quite the same. There are many other versions like Keeley modded, Maxon and others. I use a Behringer TO800 which I think is an excellent pedal for leads. Here is a good demo that will show how it boosts an already distorted tone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3l4V7RvQ7yw

There are so many ways to go on this, you could add a delay which will also give the effect of the notes sustaining longer. A compressor will also add sustain. Many lead guitarists use effects like chorus and delay as well. It is a personal thing really.

I agree totally. the tubescreamer, to my ears, compresses a bit.
you would pop out in front for sure.

Me three ... Tube Screamer.

Assuming you have a tube amp, a boost / overdrive pedal with a midrange hump (like the Tubescreamer) will help with your lead tone. If that's not "metal" enough, something like the Zakk Wylde overdrive should do the trick, but it's basically a tubescreamer circuit with different paint, and some say a lot more noise (not in a good way.)

just wonderin what peoples opinions are...lots of crazy squeals and sounds and lots of long held out notes and things... I have a ultra heavy hig gain brutal tone...and thats what Im goin for...my question is... what should I use when doing leads

That sounds like me!

So, okay...for the 400th time:

Use extremely light strings (.008's) and string your action so low it'll buzz if you get too animal. Use the lightest pick poskibubble, too.

IMPORTANTLY: go out and find Jeff Beck & Jann Hammer's "Wired"...(Try NOT to smash your guitar into a wall or someone's head after you hear what he does!!!)

He's playin' LIGHT as all gittout...with HEAPS of squeaks and whatnot blazin' through it all. Amazing stuff...amazingly LIGHT touch...all through a teeny weeny Fender Princeton.

Cat

I have a ultra heavy hig gain brutal toneHate to be a pain in the butt but if you already havre a higain sound dont get a booster, no point in boosting an already red&hot flattened uberhigh-gain sound. I'll probably get shot for this but try a compressor AFTER the preamp, if you can afford it between the poweramp and cab. You'll need to convert the poweramp-out to line-level and send it to a second poweramp for it but you can compress without changing the tone which will happen if you send a compressed sound into the preamp. And get a thick pick: you can get every sound of a thin pick out of a thick pick with proper technique but not the other way around. Just basic physics, although you'll probably already developped your own playing style.

For the rest: what dont you like about your current sound? Dont spend for the sake of spending, identify any issues and aim to fix those. Most importantly: dare to be honest when you reached the sound you like. Too many people keep on adding and changing gear only to find out they were already at their destiny much later. Good luck!

Hate to be a pain in the butt but if you already havre a higain sound dont get a booster, no point in boosting an already red&hot flattened uberhigh-gain sound. I'll probably get shot for this but try a compressor AFTER the preamp,

True!
And get a thick pick: you can get every sound of a thin pick out of a thick pick with proper technique but not the other way around. Just basic physics, although you'll probably already developped your own playing style.

SURE ya can, matey! Ya just sort of squeeze your thumb a tiny bit into the centre of the pick b'tween yer first and second fingers to make it slightly concave. It'll behave just like a thick one! In the middle of your playing you should be able to vary the flex to accent what you want...but, hey, don't hold yer breath. It took me donkey's years to get it right.

Be Merry & Happy

I'll get back to you in donkey's years about it then. :D

I have a ultra heavy hig gain brutal toneHate to be a pain in the butt but if you already havre a higain sound dont get a booster, no point in boosting an already red&hot flattened uberhigh-gain sound. I'll probably get shot for this but try a compressor AFTER the preamp, if you can afford it between the poweramp and cab. You'll need to convert the poweramp-out to line-level and send it to a second poweramp for it but you can compress without changing the tone which will happen if you send a compressed sound into the preamp.
The OP needs MIDS for a lead tone, not compression, though some added sustain might help. But it's mids that cut through the mix.

I'll bet that ultra heavy brutal high gain tone is scooped.

Also the blanket statement about compressed signals changing tone when sent to the preamp is not accurate.

And get a thick pick: you can get every sound of a thin pick out of a thick pick with proper technique but not the other way around. Just basic physics, although you'll probably already developped your own playing style.

SURE ya can, matey! Ya just sort of squeeze your thumb a tiny bit into the centre of the pick b'tween yer first and second fingers to make it slightly concave. It'll behave just like a thick one! In the middle of your playing you should be able to vary the flex to accent what you want...but, hey, don't hold yer breath. It took me donkey's years to get it right.

Be Merry & Happy

For most playing, gotta go with Arjen on this. While I understand what you are saying, Cat -- and even use some pick flexing if a stiff pick isn't available, it's got some limitations: The thin pick will still wear away or shred (nylon) too quickly, if not out right shatter under some types of aggressive playing. Thins also deform permanently and even fatigue, and when one isn't choking up on the thin pick, there's that damn clicking -- my fingers and wrist don't do that (yet).

... but then IIRC, you like 0.008 gauge strings sets. That would demand less stiffness of your pick. I prefer to work 0.010s and up.

I have a ultra heavy hig gain brutal toneHate to be a pain in the butt but if you already havre a higain sound dont get a booster, no point in boosting an already red&hot flattened uberhigh-gain sound. I'll probably get shot for this but try a compressor AFTER the preamp, if you can afford it between the poweramp and cab. You'll need to convert the poweramp-out to line-level and send it to a second poweramp for it but you can compress without changing the tone which will happen if you send a compressed sound into the preamp.
The OP needs MIDS for a lead tone, not compression, though some added sustain might help. But it's mids that cut through the mix.

I'll bet that ultra heavy brutal high gain tone is scooped.

Also the blanket statement about compressed signals changing tone when sent to the preamp is not accurate.

It's going to depend upon the compression mechanism. Maybe both of you should explain a bit more about what you each mean -- might be talking about different types of compression, as a couple are mentioned above.

+1 on going for midrange boost.

Happy & Merry to all...

Hey, Gnease...yeah...the picks do wear out PDQ...as do the strings. I've always found this a bummer because no matter HOW many I stock up on...I run out. (Sorta like beer stacked up in the fridge!)

My own style of playing seemed akin to what the original post was all about. That's why I suggested a listen to Beck's "Wired" album to see what I mean. Truly, whatever pick/string/brand of guitar/elec or acoustic/etc depends upon what the player has an affinity for. I mean....008's on a Dobro????

Over the time I've been on GN I've often enough urged a postee to "go light" only because (as it seemed to my own mind) they had come upon the same "wall" I did as I read into the particular question they posted. I was there once, too. About 30 years ago someone got me to "go light" and the logo on the Ibanez Artist's pickups I use made heaps of sense to me when I saw it.

Oddly enough...now that my fingers are 58 years old...and gettin' more gnarly by the day...I may well need to start using .10's again!!!! Ha! Ya can't win, can ya!

All in all...I certainly have enjoyed the reparté zippin' around GN. It's entirely a good thing to stretch the envelope every now and again! So...yeah...wishing all a "new" New Year!

All the best...

Cat

My own style of playing seemed akin to what the original post was all about. That's why I suggested a listen to Beck's "Wired" album to see what I mean. Truly, whatever pick/string/brand of guitar/elec or acoustic/etc depends upon what the player has an affinity for. I mean....008's on a Dobro????

yeah, also a Beck fan -- since Blow by Blow/Wired. pretty sure I still have vinyls of those kicking around somewhere ... don't think Beck used a pick even back then, did he? and IIRC, his v cool tone came from a very minimalist setup: LP (=>Strat for Wired and later), ProCo Rat and Marshall, with the occasional wah.

Hey, Gnease...didn't have you pegged for a Beck fan! GREAT to tuck that info into my head!

Quite some time ago he was touring with Rod Stewart. So...living in Tucson at the time...I flew my Arrow up to Salt Lake to catch the act. He was soooooo pissed off he played from pretty much off stage. The audience (except for the Beckistas) was all women...and (I kid you NOT) panties were being thrown on the stage. Beck KNEW there were some of his hard core fans in the crowd and he had to feel as small as can be. He saw the few of us sitting there mouth-agape...and shook his head in resignation...and even embarassment. It was his last day with Rodney. (Thank ye ole gods!) If he'd uv konked (and killed) Rod with his guitar he'd uv been acquitted in court...it was THAT bad!

Hey! He'd uv been better off doin' jingles!

But! I did catch him a year later with Bonnie Rait. Wow!!!!!

Have a great NY, dude!

Cat