Controlling the lo end

kavevester

Inspired
My Gibson LP black beauty keeps on producing a floppy lo end.. What is the best method to investigate/adjust this problem?

1. String gauges
2. Pickup height (Lower to better harmonics, higher ? - don't know the impact on the bad lo end sound)
3. Pre gain stage EQ (use the eq before the gain/OD)
4. Keep on looking for an amp which has a better lo end tone (loose my patience doing this - shooting in the dark kind of thing)

The sound overall is juicy and fat but the lo end when played alone is week and floppy also missing attack/punch...
I like the Friedman's amps for this hi gain purpose but cannot adjust the amp block to better this lo end bad sound. (Guess it's not that bad but not perfect)


It's even worse on my Fender Strat. (the picture). That's why I only play clean parts with the start and that's not ok with a expensive guitar like that. So I need to understand the factors..
 
Hello @kavevester

A post of a recording or of the preset in question is alway helpful but.....
I have always found that the low end of guitar is where I was alway unhappy with conventional amps so I feel your pain.
Always good to make sure your guitars are setup to perform optimally.


In my experience the Fractal stuff gives you so many ways to shape the entire freq spectrum. it is incredible.

I am not as well versed as most on the forum but i have some suggestions for low end

- In the amp block you can pre-shape with the cut switch, the bass pot, the GEq on page 2, Page 3 the low cut freq is adjustable for fine tuning. The speaker tab within the amp block has the low resonance section.

- The cab block has low cut that is adjustable ( defaults to 20h if I recall... my presets usually fall between 70-120h). This is on the advanced tab of the cab block

- Parametric eq block is my fav for blocking off lows and highs and dipping out freqs I do not want.. Very powerful. Great for getting you guitar to sit in a mix with the other instruments.

- a drive block in front of the cab block set to 0 drive, 10 level and shape the sound preamp with the T,M,B controls and the low cut . Acts as a nice boost as well.

-Graphic eq blocks before or after are an option.

So many ways...
Post a preset and I will tweak it and post it back. I have learned so many things here & would like to help others out when possible.
One thing... Do not get too caught up in the #'s.. if it sounds good... it is.
Don't listen too long or your ears will betray you. I like to listen the next day to make sure that I didn't get away from a good sound.
Take snapshots (Axedit) along the way so if you stray from a good sound you can go back and grab it..
 
Try lowering your pickups but raising the pole pieces. That really helps the clarity and removes a little bit of woof from the raw tone.

If the low end issues are exclusive to this one guitar, that's your best bet. Next stop is replacing the pickups entirely.
 
The definition control on the amp block is useful, adjusting it tightens the lows and increases the upper mids for more attack. Also setting the geq in the amp block to “pre power amp” and lowering the lows there will help a lot.
 
without a preset or a recording we're shooting in the dark over here....or even amp type and cab.
 
Low Cut in the Cab Bass Cut in the preamp. Lower the Bass in the preamp and instead use Dynamic Depth for thump.
 
IR choice
Low Res Freq and level
Low Cut in amp block
Proximity in Cab block
Bass knob in Amp block

Recently I have discovered the joy of using a boost (Drive block) in front of my clean amps to add edge and do quite a bit of pre EQing. I like the SDD, the FAS Boost, the Timothy, and the FET Boost for this. Play with the Bass and Low Cut settings in the Drive block (also the Tone).

Unlike a previous poster, I don't think the Drive needs to be zero nor does the level need to be 10 - that is entirely dependant on which drive type you use and what sound you are going for.
 
Be sure your pickup choice in the guitar matches the natural timbre of the guitar. Be sure your electronics are well done.

Besides the obvious, I almost always have used the low cut/high pass (same thing, different name) in the cab block. I generally always start at 80Hz and go from there; that's what I use 99.999% of the time though.
 
IR choice
Low Res Freq and level
Low Cut in amp block
Proximity in Cab block
Bass knob in Amp block

Recently I have discovered the joy of using a boost (Drive block) in front of my clean amps to add edge and do quite a bit of pre EQing. I like the SDD, the FAS Boost, the Timothy, and the FET Boost for this. Play with the Bass and Low Cut settings in the Drive block (also the Tone).

Unlike a previous poster, I don't think the Drive needs to be zero nor does the level need to be 10 - that is entirely dependant on which drive type you use and what sound you are going for.
I do use the drive block to warmup the amp.. I'll try settings in the drive block as well then
 
Here are some ways to slay low-end flub and mud:

  • Lower the Master Volume - Higher Master Volume settings can result in muddy or flubby tone.
  • Enabling the Cut switch (in the Amp block) can tighten the low-end and help alleviate low-end flub.
  • Raise the Low Cut in the Cab block. Start at 90 Hz and keep boosting to taste.
  • Lower the Depth(in the Amp block). Higher settings contribute to low-end "whomp".
  • Lower the bass side of your pickups.
 
lower your pick ups to start.
grabbed a 78 LP Custom on Craigslist a couple days ago....cleaned it, strung it, adjusted action, plugged it in....very farty on the low end.
Lowered the pick ups a bit....much better.
After that, all the suggestions above for adjusting your preset are great tips.
 
Be sure your pickup choice in the guitar matches the natural timbre of the guitar. Be sure your electronics are well done.

Besides the obvious, I almost always have used the low cut/high pass (same thing, different name) in the cab block. I generally always start at 80Hz and go from there; that's what I use 99.999% of the time though.
Scott!! hope you're well bro!
 
Here is the preset. Upload of recording wav keeps on failing due to size (75K) ???? (change the upload settings to flash but still fails)

It's just that when it sounds like this without a lot of sugar it's not good. Have to have a more firm and solid lo end. When enhancer, chorus, drive block is on it is ok but to much going on then.

If anybody have a hum b guitar try this out it might be bad settings but there are so many. :)

P.S I have just raised the stop bar (I think it's called) so there is less contact to the body..
 

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Here is the preset. Upload of recording wav keeps on failing due to size (75K) ???? (change the upload settings to flash but still fails)

It's just that when it sounds like this without a lot of sugar it's not good. Have to have a more firm and solid lo end. When enhancer, chorus, drive block is on it is ok but to much going on then.

If anybody have a hum b guitar try this out it might be bad settings but there are so many. :)

P.S I have just raised the stop bar (I think it's called) so there is less contact to the body..

I tried your preset, but I don't have the same IR you're using. I had to substitute it with a different one. I've attached an updated version of your preset for you to try. Simply replace the IR in it with the one you were using originally. Personally, the low-end didn't really stand out to me using my Les Paul with Humbuckers. The issues you're hearing could be related to your room, guitar or IR. Without hearing a sample, it's difficult to say. You can upload samples to Soundcloud or Dropbox and post the link here.
 

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Hello @kavevester

A post of a recording or of the preset in question is alway helpful but.....
I have always found that the low end of guitar is where I was alway unhappy with conventional amps so I feel your pain.
Always good to make sure your guitars are setup to perform optimally.


In my experience the Fractal stuff gives you so many ways to shape the entire freq spectrum. it is incredible.

I am not as well versed as most on the forum but i have some suggestions for low end

- In the amp block you can pre-shape with the cut switch, the bass pot, the GEq on page 2, Page 3 the low cut freq is adjustable for fine tuning. The speaker tab within the amp block has the low resonance section.

- The cab block has low cut that is adjustable ( defaults to 20h if I recall... my presets usually fall between 70-120h). This is on the advanced tab of the cab block

- Parametric eq block is my fav for blocking off lows and highs and dipping out freqs I do not want.. Very powerful. Great for getting you guitar to sit in a mix with the other instruments.

- a drive block in front of the cab block set to 0 drive, 10 level and shape the sound preamp with the T,M,B controls and the low cut . Acts as a nice boost as well.

-Graphic eq blocks before or after are an option.

So many ways...
Post a preset and I will tweak it and post it back. I have learned so many things here & would like to help others out when possible.
One thing... Do not get too caught up in the #'s.. if it sounds good... it is.
Don't listen too long or your ears will betray you. I like to listen the next day to make sure that I didn't get away from a good sound.
Take snapshots (Axedit) along the way so if you stray from a good sound you can go back and grab it..
Thanks'. I posted the preset further down in this thread. If you have the time please try it out. I DO think my ears are betraying me cause it sounds different every day (I know about this) but just makes it all more complex/hard. But that's how our ears works..
 
Hello... I will take a look at your preset this afternoon. I do not believe I have that exact IR but I will try to use a factory cab so it is all apples to apples. Pretty Les Paul BTW!!!!
 
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