Gain difference when switching guitars - How do you do it?

ByTheHandOf

Inspired
Hi guys.

Lately I've been practicing on many different guitars, and am having some challenges with my go-to presets. Where a marshal preset sounds awesome on Les Paul, it becomes thin and way less distorted (not that I am using very much diistortion to begin with) when I plug in my Strat. And when I lug in my ESP, it goes completely bananas, with way too much gain, and all the dynamics dissappear.

I like the idea of using all guitars on the same preset, the same way as if I had only one "real" amp. I was thinking of either assigning an expression pedal to the input gain of the amp, or using a vol block at the very beginning of the chain, to even out the difference in levels(-isch).
I know there are many ways to go (some also advise a different amp mod/preset for each guitar), but I would like to know what you guys do. My four "main" guitars are an S7 Les Paul, two strats (a '57 CS and a '97 standard) that are very different in sound (and output), and a Kramer Striker (weird mix I know, but it works).
 
Input Trim would probably be the simplest way; doesn't color tone like the input drive can, and can be assigned to a modifier as well. Input Drive would work fine too if you prefer that though.

That said, I don't really tweak for different guitars myself (beyond making sure the preset volume stays consistent if need be, but that's not often).
 
I use a bank of presets for humbucker guitars and a bank for single coil guitars. Each bank has the same presets in the same location, but each bank is tweaked to match the type of pickups. I save the presets with identical names but the presets for the humbuckers have a "-H" at the end of the name. The presets for single coils have a -S at the end of the name. I just scroll a bank up or down depending on what guitar I am using. When gigging, I take a humbucker guitar and a single coil guitar. Don't need anything else.
 
My dad does a similar thing. He copy's the patch and adjusts per guitar, then saves the name with each guitar.
 
I guess with real amps, we would just bump the gain control up or down.

Boring answer, but as of the last update I haven't felt the need to make multiple of the same patches for different guitars. I'm not sure if it's because of the firmware, because I got a new cab, because I treated my room, or because I decided to start embracing the unique sound from each of my guitars, rather than trying to make them sound like each other.

Granted I don't often use single coils, mostly just humbuckers. But I have a strat with a PAF, various other SD's and a guitar with a Lundgren M7, and I use the exact same patches for all.
 
I use a bank of presets for humbucker guitars and a bank for single coil guitars. Each bank has the same presets in the same location, but each bank is tweaked to match the type of pickups. I save the presets with identical names but the presets for the humbuckers have a "-H" at the end of the name. The presets for single coils have a -S at the end of the name. I just scroll a bank up or down depending on what guitar I am using. When gigging, I take a humbucker guitar and a single coil guitar. Don't need anything else.


yep - every guitar has a different preset.
 
I also use different presets.

With real amps, I would not have my amp set the same for my Strat and Les Paul. I would have different gain and different tone stack settings.

Same with the Fractal.
 
I miss the input control on my Ultra. I want a global input gain that affects the level to the first block. Having to build a common block for this into every preset is not practical.
 
Thanks for the input guys. I'll try to see if I can get results from messing with the input gain, otherwise I'll give it a go with making presets for each guitar.

Ior because I decided to start embracing the unique sound from each of my guitars, rather than trying to make them sound like each other.
It is definatly not my intention to make my guitars sound the same, otherwise I'd just buy two similar guitars, and be done with GAS ;) My only issue is the gain staging, eg. my Lead preset for my Les Paul, is a chrunch preset for my strat at best. And my Clean preset for my strat, or almost hugh gain, when I plug in my EMG loaded ESP ;)
 
I use the same preset for several guitars and switch in a GEQ block at the start of the chain with a different global preset for each guitar. The GEQ has tone settings that just get the guitars into a roughly similar tone balance (and of course a strat still sounds like a strat, etc) and also adjusts the gain to suit.
 
I do what GM Arts stated. Or you can use a filter block. You can boost either the level or EQ or both.
The main thing is to save it to a global block so you can call it up super fast.

That works for choosing a guitar spontaneously. My preferred scenario is to decide ahead of time what guitar is going to be used for that preset and stick to that.
 
Hi guys.
.....
I know there are many ways to go (some also advise a different amp mod/preset for each guitar), but I would like to know what you guys do.

I have 15 presets that are kinda complicated, and use 3 guitars on most gigs, sometimes 4 (National, Strat, Johnny A, Flying V) ... I thought about presets for each guitar but then if I want to modify one preset I have to multiply that by each guitar ... then I get a new guitar and need to make another set of presets ... TERRIBLE!

So instead I use the source audio programable EQ pedal just before the input on the Axe ... I tweak the preset for my number one guitar (Strat) then I use the EQ pedal to make up for gain differences and some tone shaping. This preserves the sound of the guitar and the feel of the amp when switching.

http://www.sourceaudio.net/products/toolblox/programmable_eq.php

This is a common enough problem that I think the folks at Fractal should invest some time into creating a better solution. Like a global guitar compensator block or something ... with like 10 named slots that you could put on one of the knobs on the front, dial up Flying V ... and Rock ... :)
 
I usually set up my presets with 5 scenes, from clean (or whatever is appropriately clean on the amp model) to high gain. The first three are intended as rhythm settings, and the last two as lead settings, so those two have delay added (and whatever else makes sense for lead on that preset).

For the most part the gain changes are done through scene controllers on the input gain. I'll also often use X/Y on the amp model to change other settings for the higher gain settings, or even to swap the amp model. I'm using FCB-1010/UNO as my controller, and I've set up most of the presets so that the second tap on the footswitches which select presets/scenes kicks in the bright switch on the amp models. Usually I set this up to add just enough brightness to compensate for darkness between the neck and bridge pickups.

For the most part, I set up the presets using a Mockingbird with Duncan PG and SH-1 pickups since this has become my reference guitar. I balance all of the preset volume levels (between scenes and between presets) with this guitar. There are some presets I've set up specifically to work with certain guitars, so I handle those a bit differently.

For the most part, if I'm using one of the few guitars I have with SC pickups, I can just move one scene down the line to get same gain level as I would have from HB pickups. The only place where this causes any headache is using scene 4 instead of scene 3 for rhythm with an SC, since the delay comes on by default - so I have to tap the delay switch to turn it off.
 
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