Optimizing for different guitars?

[666was999]

Graphic EQ is available as a block with 10 band option. Put it after the input and switch on/off/change channels just like any other block via switches.

It's easily put in there, but then think about what happens when you go to abother preset or scene. There are ways to also cover these problems, but it's always a bit complicated and you need to be aware of what you. These things drain your attention away from other things. When you get overloaded from too many tasks you might start to blunder. That's where an easier solution makes sense. Changing a guitars on stage is always a bit stressful.

 

[Chromatizm]

It's easily put in there, but then think about what happens when you go to abother preset or scene

Well, I had to put this block in all my scenes using the Library saved setting, and use it just like Drive block when I need to get single-coil sound from my humbuckers.
I'd imagine it just the same for switching guitars.

 

[666was999]

Well, I had to put this block in all my scenes using the Library saved setting, and use it just like Drive block when I need to get single-coil sound from my humbuckers.
I'd imagine it just the same for switching guitars.

Ah, I see.
That's a different way of using/ playing your gear.
I never switch eqs for humbuckers vs single coils. I have different presets or scenes that are already meant for humbuckers or single-coils.
But when I grab a different guitar it's about it's different output volume and it's overall different tone. I then switch on the correction and that has to stay engaged until I change to the original guitar and switch the correction off again.
You could argue that a correction is never as perfect as an extra preset for each guitar and that's true but I own lots of guitars and stuff and have a number of presets and that's the way how I can maintain everything.

 

[Chromatizm]

You could argue

Never was my intention
Just mentioned that external EQ is not needed, we already have it

 

[666was999]

Never was my intention

Mine neither. Please apologize if it my words came irritating.

 

[Sixstring]

OP here....I don't need the guitars to sound the same, just good. When I switched from a strat type to a Les Paul type guitar, I didn't like my lead tone. More specifically, the contrast between the lead and clean rhythm tone wasn't as distinct as I programmed them to be on my strat.

I don't change guitars for different songs. I change if I break a string or if I just feel like spreading the love.

Ill try global performance controls first. That would mimic the changes I'd make to an amp if I swapped guitars. A 2nd batch of optimized presets seems easy enough. This, I suspect, would be the way to go if I swapped to a semi hollow body guitar.

Keep the suggestions coming!

I'm a little on the lazy side so I duplicate presets and EQ them for the guitar.

 

[kywabunga]

OP here....I don't need the guitars to sound the same, just good. When I switched from a strat type to a Les Paul type guitar, I didn't like my lead tone. More specifically, the contrast between the lead and clean rhythm tone wasn't as distinct as I programmed them to be on my strat.

I don't change guitars for different songs. I change if I break a string or if I just feel like spreading the love.

Ill try global performance controls first. That would mimic the changes I'd make to an amp if I swapped guitars. A 2nd batch of optimized presets seems easy enough. This, I suspect, would be the way to go if I swapped to a semi hollow body guitar.

Keep the suggestions coming!

Here's an easy way to dial the same preset for multiple guitars:

Place a Parametric EQ block after the Input block. Leave Channel A at the default settings (i.e. no change), and then dial Channel B to get your backup guitar sounding good with the preset. Engage Scene Ignore on both channels A and B, and then set the Channel to A.

Channel A gets used with your main guitar and leaves your tone unaffected. Then, in the event you break a string or simply want to switch guitars, change the EQ block over to Channel B and rock on. I typically set this as the hold function on my dedicated tuner switch.

I'm like you in that I don't particularly like having multiple presets for different guitars, and the thought of navigating around presets should I need to switch during a performance is way more hassle than I want to deal with. I much prefer a "kitchen sink" approach and only want to change presets if I need something special or processor-intensive. With an EQ block and Scene Ignore I can dial a single preset to my main axe, and then drop in an EQ from my block library depending on the backup I want to bring on the road.

 

[Anthony76]

I don’t know, I use what ever guitar I want to that night and just twist the virtual knobs on the performance pages and play

 

[joecooll]

How do you guys deal with matching your presets to different guitars? Due to string breakage, I played my HB equipped guitar instead of my strat style Tyler - the guitar on which I built my presets. I noticed my lead sounds were more mushy and didn't jump out from my core rhythm sound. Not horrible, but not as good.

What tips do you have for tweaking your presets to accommodate different guitars? First, what types of tonal adjustment is wanted when switching from, say, a strat to a Les Paul, to a ES335? Second how do apply this in a live situation?

I can see having separate group of "sister" presets optimized for different axes. Or perhaps a filter block in your presets.

I just remembered that Austin Buddy has scenes in his presets he indicates are optimized for single coils. I'll see if I can gain insight there. But I welcome comments from users with experience. Thanks!

like you do in real Amp dial the tone knob or bass/middle/treble EQ controls.
Learn what they do by turning each from zero to maximum while you play
Till you get the sound you want .

 

[JD Elliott]

I built my bunch of own presets using my Les Paul. I purchased a Dean Thoroughbred Select as a back up single cut which sounds the same with them but then I got an HSS Strat and there is some differences, but just mild differences in EQ. I tend to voice the EQ in the amp block in a way that it doesn't impact the tone when different guitars with different pickups are used by not using too much bass and mid's. I think if you have bottom / mid heavy presets that work well with HB equipped guitars, then Strats (with true single coils) could sound mushy and muddy.

 

[Joe Bfstplk]

An external 10bd eq like the MXR KFK can solve most of the problem in a live situation. Though I prefer to not needing any additional stomps, cables and wall warts lying around.
If you have some cpu reserves left in your presets you could add a switchable eq block as first block in all of your presets.

I did a PEQ block to tame humuckers on some presets. Seemed to work pretty well. Backed off the level on a low-ish Q 400Hz PEQ band and it really helped a lot. None of my humbuckers are plutonium-powered super distortion headbanger shred-o-matic superduper high gain humbuckers, though, so take it for what it's worth....

 

[skolacki]

None of my humbuckers are plutonium-powered super distortion headbanger shred-o-matic superduper high gain humbuckers, though, so take it for what it's worth....

I installed a Duncan Invader in one of my guitars long ago. Didn’t last long. Not my thing but sold it someone whose thing was hi gain. That’s really all it would do.

 

[Joe Bfstplk]

I installed a Duncan Invader in one of my guitars long ago. Didn’t last long. Not my thing but sold it someone whose thing was hi gain. That’s really all it would do.

Yeah, seems you can do either high gain/output pickups or high gain amp/drives, but not both, or mush is the result....

 

[@danserrano]

I use a kitchen sink preset w both my fm3 & fm9. I make little adjustments in the peq for my cuts and the Amp block eq section. Just use whatever preset I need per guitar.

 

[Dyersbrew]

How do you guys deal with matching your presets to different guitars? Due to string breakage, I played my HB equipped guitar instead of my strat style Tyler - the guitar on which I built my presets. I noticed my lead sounds were more mushy and didn't jump out from my core rhythm sound. Not horrible, but not as good.

What tips do you have for tweaking your presets to accommodate different guitars? First, what types of tonal adjustment is wanted when switching from, say, a strat to a Les Paul, to a ES335? Second how do apply this in a live situation?

I can see having separate group of "sister" presets optimized for different axes. Or perhaps a filter block in your presets.

I just remembered that Austin Buddy has scenes in his presets he indicates are optimized for single coils. I'll see if I can gain insight there. But I welcome comments from users with experience. Thanks!

I use 5 different guitars in my band. One has active humbuckers, two have passive humbuckers, and two are baritones with active humbuckers. I found that I need a separate preset for each type. The passive electronics tend to be more bassy than my actives and the baritones, of course, get down into a whole different range and need a little tweaking to make room for the bass guitar.

I build my initial tone with my regular guitar with active pickups. Then, I save a copy of it and tweak it for the passive guitars. And, another copy gets tweaked for the baritones.

I run an FM9 as my primary rig, with an FM3 as my back up. Since the FM3 is the most limited (with only 3 switches), I base my workflow around 3 switches for both units so my transition is easier. To make this most effective, I then use the Sets/Songs feature to assign the 3 switches (scenes) I need depending on the song. In the FM9, I set up my FC layout so that View 1 shows my 3 active switches and View 2 shows the 3 passive switches. That way, if I break a string in the middle of song with an active guitar, I grab a passive guitar, switch to View 2, select the corresponding scene, and keep going.