Multiple Presets For Multiple Guitars?? Yes or No?

I find that guitars with different levels of output need adjusting. Drive blocks, for instance, react differently to different input gain levels and different settings in many blocks bring out the best sounds in Strats, Teles, LP types, P90s, etc. I generally use matching guitars at a gig, with taps or center single coils for the Fendery tones, and have a foot controller bank of presets for the hotter modern pickups like my PRS 513s, and a bank for the more PAF-ish 594s. A minor tweak for the P90s covers those, when the mood strikes.

One invaluable lesson learned is to not make the FOH guy start from scratch every night with wildly different sounds and levels… you can do it if you want, but you are likely to get buried in the mix as something that isn’t fitting. The way I overcame that was to use the same cabs no matter what I altered in the presets. The cab block is the glue that makes them all work without having to remix your sends from zero every night. Remember, remixing guitars normally means adjusting many other sends for the FOH, and isn’t the best way to be popular with the desk man… and that’s someone you want on your side.
 
The FM3 is the first modeler that I can really hear the difference when switching guitars. I like that because I have a lot of different guitars. If I need a volume boost I step on my compressor pedal or mostly just turn up my headphone amp a tad..

Same here. Super sensitive on the input side---like great tube amps are. Kind of why
I am asking the question. I have had experience with other modelers and profilers that
didn't allow the guitar's intrinsic tonal properties shine through so much.
 
I’m so used to having amps that the multiple guitar issue has been a constant battle for me lately. Everything will be dialed in perfectly but then I grab a different guitar and it sounds awful. Apparently my guitars are vastly different sounding from each other. That may be a sign for me to down-size. So far I haven’t had much luck finding a universal patch but the patches that I have dialed in (per guitar) sound amazing!
 
I quickly re-dial a preset for the guitar I pick up. My three most commonly used tools are probably:

1. OUT LEVEL of the input block.
2. Pre EQ in the amp block, esp. Definition.
3. Post EQ in the amp block.
Any words of wisdom how that looks for you most of the time, generalizing, either starting with a preset that was dialed in for medium-output humbuckers to convert to vintage single coil output? (or the other way round if that is more convenient). Thanks!

For me, going from humbuckers to single coil, I increased trim from 1 to 2. I also had to reduce highs and presence (regular controls).

Edit: I don't use drive blocks.
 
On most of my presets, I have a PEQ block inline that I can kick in w/a switch when I use a single coil guitar (strat/tele). I got this from Austin Buddy's setup. I create all patches first w/a PAF guitar... Works fairly well for me.
 
On most of my presets, I have a PEQ block inline that I can kick in w/a switch when I use a single coil guitar (strat/tele). I got this from Austin Buddy's setup. I create all patches first w/a PAF guitar... Works fairly well for me.

That sounds good to me. Where in the chain are you putting the PEQ? Recently bought a Strat. My 1st, always have had humbucker or P90 guitars. Getting used to it still. I like it and don’t like it at the same time.
 
I make presets from the same template and change drive/amp/cab to suit the type of geetar:
  • Low output HB (SD AlPro2,...)
  • High output HB (SD JB,...)
  • Telecaster
  • Stratocaster
  • Semi-acoustic
This is because I found that using EQ's to switch between Single Coils and Humbuckers didn't do it for me.
Sometimes I engage the bright switch for HB's and not for SC's...
Also some types of amps work better with HB and not SC's and visa versa but that's all IMHE

And I'm with Rick on this:
One invaluable lesson learned is to not make the FOH guy start from scratch every night with wildly different sounds and levels… you can do it if you want, but you are likely to get buried in the mix as something that isn’t fitting. The way I overcame that was to use the same cabs no matter what I altered in the presets. The cab block is the glue that makes them all work
 
That sounds good to me. Where in the chain are you putting the PEQ? Recently bought a Strat. My 1st, always have had humbucker or P90 guitars. Getting used to it still. I like it and don’t like it at the same time.
Not in front of Axe-FX currently, but I believe these patches (created by @austinbuddy), place the FILTER (Not PEQ) block in front of the Amp and use a switch to kick it in/out. I have his "Gold" pack and it was well worth the money for educating me on how to create great patches...I highly recommend @austinbuddy's work.
 
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Not in front of Axe-FX currently, but I believe these patches (created by @austinbuddy), place the FILTER (Not PEQ) block in front of the Amp and use a switch to kick it in/out. I have his "Gold" pack and it was well worth the money for educating me on how to create great patches. Here's an example of the FILTER:

View attachment 85391
Not sure that should be posted in a public forum.
It's AB's work for sale.
 
If you are switching from humbuckers to single coils, your volume will drop slightly in many amps because single coils put out less signal going into the amp's input than humbuckers will.

I compensate by boosting the signal from the single coil going into the amp block about +5db, which roughly makes my vintage-yStrat or Tele or a single coil tap hit the amp going in as hard as a medium output humbucker does. It works pretty well, and the Live Gold TonePack is set up this way for scenes 5-8. Of course you can use a humbucker on those same scenes too for a boosted sound too.

IMHO all single coil pickups will sound phatter and warmer with a little boost before the amp, just like with real world amps. I rarely run them straight any more.

I really like the MicroAmp drive block boost to do this same thing too, set to 2.0 gain to 3.3. Some guys like to use a compressor too and that has the boost (output level).

Sometimes, based on the amp tone, you may need to shave a little treble off a single coil signal as well, especially the bridge.

But as always, best to dial the patch in specifically for the guitar you use with it!
 
I have a control switch on output1 level for my coil split guitar which is very low output in split mode compared to normal humbucking. I also found +5db to be the best value. Other than the split coil use case, I'm dialling in for a specific guitar, or at least for humbucker vs sc.
 
You definitely need different presets to get the most out of each guitar. Like you would do with a real amp. Every guitar is different, so it needs different settings if you're looking for the best possible tone.
 
That sounds good to me. Where in the chain are you putting the PEQ? Recently bought a Strat. My 1st, always have had humbucker or P90 guitars. Getting used to it still. I like it and don’t like it at the same time.

Haha! I feel your Strat love/hate. My difficulty---especially with a traditional Fender SSS setup is not
sounding like Hendrix or SRV when I play. It's like this massive sonic groove that I just fall into as soon
as I pick one up.
 
For me, absolutely, much of the time. There's some set ups that will accommodate more guitars, pickups, tunings, but there's most often stuff I'll change.

That said, there's also cases where some guitars-pickups-tunings still sound acceptable or even good with a single preset.

What I wouldn't say is I'm necessarily trying to make all guitars-pickups sound the same via tweaking.

It's just that -- often enough -- what brings out the best out each instrument requires different settings in fm3.

But this doesn't mean the end result has to sound the same or even super close.

And then there's also cases where i will, indeed, say, try to make a JB give me a more EMG 81 response. Just not necessarily.
 
Wow... awesome posts. Thanks everyone. Just great how everyone here in Fractalandia
is so eager to share their knowledge and expertise. Lots of cool stuff to try now. :)
 
Haha! I feel your Strat love/hate. My difficulty---especially with a traditional Fender SSS setup is not
sounding like Hendrix or SRV when I play. It's like this massive sonic groove that I just fall into as soon
as I pick one up.

I put a Duncan Little 59 in the bridge as soon as I bought it. The little 59 is seriously bright even on the 250k pot. Still pretty meaty compared to the stock bridge. I made up a preset for it, 2 scenes for the neck and middle, and 2 for the bridge. Took it to band practice and at volume it sounded ok but just ok. So I appreciate the advice here from all of you, and will keep working on it.
 
I have separate presets customized for my Strat and Les Paul, but I also use the scheme described in this post (similar to AB's boost approach) so that the Strat will work 'good enough' with the Les Paul presets, and vice versa. I have both the Strat and LP continuously connected to the Axe (through Input 1 and 2 respectively). If a set involves (for example) mostly Les Paul use except for a song or two with the Strat, I can therefore choose to just play through with the LP and avoid a guitar change (and vice versa).
 
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