My sound is kinda muddy.

Mr. Tee · 06-30-2009, 05:38 AM

After a few days of playing around with my 7 string I found when I go for power chords using the B string my sound is kinda muddy.

My first guess was it could be the overdrive channel on my amp. My second place to look were the strings. When I bought the guitar I didn't by a replacment set to refresh the sound and get a nice response.

Other than that I'm clueless.

Silimtao · 06-30-2009, 05:48 AM

Do you have low, mid, and high settings on your amp? Mebbe your low setting is set too low (or is that too high?). Just a WAG (wild assed guess). How is it on the clean channel? Using any pedals, like an overdrive?

Mr. Tee · 06-30-2009, 05:54 AM

My OD channel has

Gain-Bass-Contour-Treble-Volume
all go up from 0-10

On my clean setting I can get my guitar to sound almost acoustic. The low B string sounds like a bass guitar would on the clean setting so I don't use it.

And I don't have any pedals except for my Visual Sound Jekel and Hyde OD/distortion pedal that I dont't use anymore.

Silimtao · 06-30-2009, 06:04 AM

Mebbe bring the gain and bass down, and up the volume? Mr. G will probably have better suggestions in the morning.

btw- I have the Jekyll and Hyde I don't use often. Sell it, and get the Keeley comp!

Rustee · 06-30-2009, 06:12 AM

I don't have, and have never even played, a 7 string, so take this into account.
Sure...change your strings and fiddle with your eq. I imagine that will be the consensus here.

But otherwise, is it the single string by itself, or perhaps when incorporated with others, like in barre or power chords? If it's the latter, it might be that you need to modify your approach to chord phrasing. For instance, use either the B or E as a bass root, or alternate between them, rather than having both bass strings competing for sonically harmonious space. Within the realm of a normal guitar, it might be similar to attempting to strum a six string chord with distortion...it just doesn't work that well.

Mr. Tee · 06-30-2009, 06:12 AM

I'll play with the settings to get some clarity.

I'm thinking it could also be my tuning aswell because I've been trying to emulate a Nevermore kind of tone, so I'm tuned a half step down from standard and the strings the guitar came with might be a thick enough guage even though the tuning is that far down.

Edit: The most popular low toned power chords I've been cycling through are this

B----0---l---1---l---3---l---5---
E----2---l---4---l---5---l---7---
A----2---l---4---l---5---l---7---
Dx
Gx
Bx
ex

And I'll follow that type of progression.

Edit on toop of the edit...

I do some barre chords where for example I'll take the 3rd frets on the B E and A string to mix it up a bit.

Other than the chords the B strings ok by itself.

Silimtao · 06-30-2009, 06:22 AM

I was going to ask if you were in standard tuning. Generally, when one down-tunes, they'll use heavier gauge strings. Lighter gauge on the bottom tends to get...muddy, or what I call "wobbly" if you catch what I mean.

Mr. Tee · 06-30-2009, 06:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silimtao

I was going to ask if you were in standard tuning. Generally, when one down-tunes, they'll use heavier gauge strings. Lighter gauge on the bottom tends to get...muddy, or what I call "wobbly" if you catch what I mean.

Yeah, I'll have to ask about string guages. I know for a 7 they can get pretty heavy.

Between Ernie Ball and D'Addario I found guages that go from 9-65 (not one set).

Looks like I have a new assignment when I go out to test effects.

Mr. G. · 06-30-2009, 02:54 PM

How do you have your controls on your amp set? Are you using the bridge or neck pickup?

You said you're playing through a Marshall MG 50-watt combo right? If so, they can't handle lows very well. I used to have a Marshall VS100 100-watt combo that was the predecessor to the AVT series. It would get pretty muddy if the bass was turned up too high. Also, the speaker would fart out if the volume was up too high and too much bass was being used.

If you have the amp sitting directly on the ground, try raising it off the ground by setting it on something like a milk crate, or an amp stand. This will help give the low end some more clarity.

Mr. Tee · 06-30-2009, 03:42 PM

Quote:

How do you have your controls on your amp set?

My bass is at 8, treble 7, and volume is 5.

Quote:

Are you using the bridge or neck pickup?

I use the bridge pickup the mostly.

Quote:

If you have the amp sitting directly on the ground

I'll get right on fixing that.

Thanks!

06-30-2009, 05:38 AM	#1 (permalink)
Mr. Tee Perfectionist in Training Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: A very nice dumpster Posts: 1,930	My sound is kinda muddy. After a few days of playing around with my 7 string I found when I go for power chords using the B string my sound is kinda muddy. My first guess was it could be the overdrive channel on my amp. My second place to look were the strings. When I bought the guitar I didn't by a replacment set to refresh the sound and get a nice response. Other than that I'm clueless.

06-30-2009, 05:48 AM	#2 (permalink)
Silimtao Super Model Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: here Posts: 8,123	Do you have low, mid, and high settings on your amp? Mebbe your low setting is set too low (or is that too high?). Just a WAG (wild assed guess). How is it on the clean channel? Using any pedals, like an overdrive? __________________ Instant Karma's gonna get you...... If you don't know where you're going, you will probably end up somewhere else.

06-30-2009, 06:04 AM	#4 (permalink)
Silimtao Super Model Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: here Posts: 8,123	Mebbe bring the gain and bass down, and up the volume? Mr. G will probably have better suggestions in the morning. btw- I have the Jekyll and Hyde I don't use often. Sell it, and get the Keeley comp! __________________ Instant Karma's gonna get you...... If you don't know where you're going, you will probably end up somewhere else.

06-30-2009, 06:12 AM	#5 (permalink)
Rustee Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Gulf Coast, Texas Posts: 1,598	I don't have, and have never even played, a 7 string, so take this into account. Sure...change your strings and fiddle with your eq. I imagine that will be the consensus here. But otherwise, is it the single string by itself, or perhaps when incorporated with others, like in barre or power chords? If it's the latter, it might be that you need to modify your approach to chord phrasing. For instance, use either the B or E as a bass root, or alternate between them, rather than having both bass strings competing for sonically harmonious space. Within the realm of a normal guitar, it might be similar to attempting to strum a six string chord with distortion...it just doesn't work that well. __________________ We all have our moments.

06-30-2009, 06:12 AM	#6 (permalink)
Mr. Tee Perfectionist in Training Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: A very nice dumpster Posts: 1,930	I'll play with the settings to get some clarity. I'm thinking it could also be my tuning aswell because I've been trying to emulate a Nevermore kind of tone, so I'm tuned a half step down from standard and the strings the guitar came with might be a thick enough guage even though the tuning is that far down. Edit: The most popular low toned power chords I've been cycling through are this B----0---l---1---l---3---l---5--- E----2---l---4---l---5---l---7--- A----2---l---4---l---5---l---7--- Dx Gx Bx ex And I'll follow that type of progression. Edit on toop of the edit... I do some barre chords where for example I'll take the 3rd frets on the B E and A string to mix it up a bit. Other than the chords the B strings ok by itself. Last edited by Mr. Tee; 06-30-2009 at 06:22 AM.

06-30-2009, 05:54 AM	#3 (permalink)
Mr. Tee Perfectionist in Training Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: A very nice dumpster Posts: 1,930	My OD channel has Gain-Bass-Contour-Treble-Volume all go up from 0-10 On my clean setting I can get my guitar to sound almost acoustic. The low B string sounds like a bass guitar would on the clean setting so I don't use it. And I don't have any pedals except for my Visual Sound Jekel and Hyde OD/distortion pedal that I dont't use anymore.

06-30-2009, 06:22 AM	#7 (permalink)
Silimtao Super Model Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: here Posts: 8,123	I was going to ask if you were in standard tuning. Generally, when one down-tunes, they'll use heavier gauge strings. Lighter gauge on the bottom tends to get...muddy, or what I call "wobbly" if you catch what I mean. __________________ Instant Karma's gonna get you...... If you don't know where you're going, you will probably end up somewhere else.

06-30-2009, 02:54 PM	#9 (permalink)
Mr. G. Commander-in-Chief Join Date: May 2008 Location: Nova Scotia, Canada Posts: 4,269	How do you have your controls on your amp set? Are you using the bridge or neck pickup? You said you're playing through a Marshall MG 50-watt combo right? If so, they can't handle lows very well. I used to have a Marshall VS100 100-watt combo that was the predecessor to the AVT series. It would get pretty muddy if the bass was turned up too high. Also, the speaker would fart out if the volume was up too high and too much bass was being used. If you have the amp sitting directly on the ground, try raising it off the ground by setting it on something like a milk crate, or an amp stand. This will help give the low end some more clarity. __________________ No advice is better than bad advice. >My Soundclick Page<

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