AZG: Let me give you some advice as a studio engineer that may be of use to you.
Firstly, you should NOT get a sub for the reasons you are looking for. A sub is for helping a mix engineer identify the low end in a mix so he/she is not second guessing what they are hearing. The reason being, nearfield monitors do not go down low enough to really paint a picture of our mixes. Regardless of what they say on their stat sheets, the fact remains that you will just about always second guess what you are hearing unless you have a sub.
That said, you are looking for thump, punch and warmth. Those elements are NOT the elements you would be getting from a sub nor do you need those things from a sub. In the real world as well as if you played live and had a soundman mix you, 9 times out of 10 he's going to high pass 80-100 Hz out of the guitar sound. You do not need loads of low end down there as that is bass guitar territory.
(Any of you reading this that are struggling with your recorded guitar tones, this is probably the reason...so read this and try what I'm saying, it will make a world of difference, trust me!)
Punch has nothing to do with bass. Warmth has nothing to do with bass. Thump, well, that could be a bass element but really it's more in how a tone is delivered as well as the amp of choice. Like, you probably won't get a whole lot of "thump" out of a Fender guitar amp. But, you sure will get it out of a Mesa Dual Rectum Fryer. The reason? One is geared for a neutral sound, the other, more rock/metal where you need that type of delivery. None of it has to do with the sub-low end you would get out of a physical sub, trust me on this. It may give you the idea that you are getting good stuff, but anything that low that is resonating is just not in the guitar frequency range.
Guitars fit in a mix when the bad stuff is removed from them. Sub low rumbles (as well as too much gain) are the biggest culprits of getting good recorded guitar tones. Those of you struggling with recorded tones, try high passing to where that nice low end that you like is gone....then add it back in a little at a time. Over time, you'll find just the right amount and you'll notice you'll be able to make your rhythm guitars louder in the mix.
The main reason for this is because we as guitarists are looking for that ultimate tone. When we find it, we wonder why it doesn't work in a mix. What I call "an all alone tone" which is a tone that sounds great all by itself, will fail miserably all the time in a mix. You have to tweak the tones for the material you are mixing or you will struggle every time. With bass in your guitar tone, you will fight like mad to make it work....and if you do, chances are your bass guitar will sound like ass.
So, if you guys are having problems in your STUDIO identifying bass sounds.....a sub will help you. Treated rooms are a plus.....monitors eq'd for flat are even more important than room correction. If your monitors are not adjusted, you can treat the room all day and lose big time. Correct the monitors and you are will be able to mix with good results even in a crappy room. I've ended up in some of the worst rooms imaginable over the years and delivered the goods every time as long as my monitors were eq'd for flat response. IK Multimedia's ARC is a blessing for stuff like that and I use it every place I mix in as well as both of my studio's.
If you guys are looking for a warm, punchy, thumpy tone, don't expect this out of a sub. Create a tone that has all the right stuff in it before you buy a sub. The more bass you add to your environment, the more of a nightmare you can have. Remember, if you hear low end hitting you in your stomach up to your throat, you are probably using too much low end. If you're a hobby guy....load up as much low end as you want and have fun. If you are a serious player/up and coming engineer, high pass that low end until the "whooomm" inside the tone is gone. You may have to high pass all the way up to 180 Hz depending on the tone. As soon as you remove the blanket of bass mud, your tone will shine in the mix as well as through your amp in a live situation. The last thing you want to do is compete with the bass guitar.....as mighty as we are with our loud amps....you'll lose to the bass every time...so stay out of his way!
Good luck!
-Danny
