Switching between guitars w/ different output - How do you do it??

ByTheHandOf

Inspired
Hey Guys.

I have just had my strat (nothing fancy, '97 US std w HS pickups (HS 2 & 4s if i remember correctly)) back from a large overhaul at the shop, and I am in love with it all over again! I am going on tour soon, and my two main guitars are an LP R8 and the strat. Only issue is, that the LP has a tremendous output from it's Burstbucker PU's -even hotter that the EMG's in my ESP Eclipse.

My problem is, that when i plug in the strat, there is obviously a lot of body and grit missing compared to the LP, as it's not driving the amp as hard. I have come up with a solution that works somewhat ok, but I am curious to hear what you guys do.

I recorded the DI signal from both guitars, and did a matching EQ and metered the input. My eyes tells me that the strat is almost 14db lower that the LP, but my ears say approx 6-7 (still a lot I think!?), and the main difference in EQ was actually mainly in the lows (LP 2.5isch db louder around 55) and the highs (LP 4-5db lower around 5.1k). So I reied a few different blocks, and ended up using a parametric EQ for when I play the strat, where I have boosted 2.5 at 55hz (almost always cut by the lowcut (which I personally prefere around 90hz, but it still brovides a bit of beef, that I like better than the typical 150-250hz beefy boost), and cut a few db at 5.1k (i still want it to sound like my strat).

This is acceptable, though the strat does get a bit more gritty sounding than I care for, why I am seeking inspiration in what you guys are doing.
 
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In my opinion, you should set the input trim in the i/o menu so that the loudest guitar you have is not clipping. After that, the different guitars should feel different, if a strat has as much output as a Les Paul with high output humbuckers, its going to sound weird and unnatural. In a real amp you would have no options so why use the axe in a weird way.
Just my 2 cents, good luck.
 
So... you ended up with 2 LPs?
Hehe... Not quite ;) Thi is just to get the guitars in the same ballpark, so they stille fit in with the band, and the soundguy won't kill me, when all of a sudden there is too much difference in the highs and ows...


The input is trimmed to the hottest guitar, but the reason I need this boost is exactly to avoid a very destinct and weird difference, when I switch between the two at their output are very different. The main purpose of this is def not to get two similar sounding guitars, but to of cour level out the volume, but also to get the amps o react somewhat similat to the input.
 
Here's what I do. First set the master instrument input trim in I/O as other mentioned above (to hottest guitar). Then use an expression knob on your board. Bind it to Input Trim on all your amp blocks., set MIN at 0.5(or whatever), and MAX at whatever you want. Use it on the fly to adjust how hot you want whichever guitar you are using at the time. I do this on my AX8 board because I switch from Les Paul to Strat a lot. That way I can use any presets developed under a specific guitar. For me, it's two different bands, but I can easily switch guitars with any preset(of mine), adjust the hotness with my foot, and the baseline sound of my presets are maintained no matter which guitar..

Also, makes a nice way to 'heat up' any lead scene for a little more push. Just another tool in the box!



Major benefit of the knob, a tiny foot print on your board. I have two Expression Pedals(one for vol, one for wah) and the Knob dedicated to Amp Input trim on all my presets. HTH


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I make my presets for the guitar and don't really try to make my humbuckers sound like single coils or vice versa.

The whole reason for me to switch instruments is to get the intrinsic character of the instrument. If I want to sound like a Les Paul, I play my Les Paul :) I want my Strat to sound like a Strat too.
 
I make my presets for the guitar and don't really try to make my humbuckers sound like single coils or vice versa.

The whole reason for me to switch instruments is to get the intrinsic character of the instrument. If I want to sound like a Les Paul, I play my Les Paul :) I want my Strat to sound like a Strat too.

Unless you break a string mid song, and don't have another SC sitting there. You make it sound like we don't switch guitars for dynamics.. lol Of course I have to agree with this (above). For the most part BUT you can easily have more dynamic on the fly flexibility with input trim adjustments and expression no matter the chosen axe. Tweak WHILE playing. Don't have two Strats? Break string mid song? Reach over grab the paul... Easy adjustment, and not much changes. I have a pretty broad range in my SC guitars even. Lindy Fralins <> N3's. Sometimes it's needed, but of course Bahrecords is correct! Many ways to skin the cat!! Fractals motto should be "many ways to skin the axe". It just opens up so much, so easily.
 
Unless you break a string mid song, and don't have another SC sitting there. You make it sound like we don't switch guitars for dynamics.. lol Of course I have to agree with this (above). For the most part BUT you can easily have more dynamic on the fly flexibility with input trim adjustments and expression no matter the chosen axe. Tweak WHILE playing. Don't have two Strats? Break string mid song? Reach over grab the paul... Easy adjustment, and not much changes. I have a pretty broad range in my SC guitars even. Lindy Fralins <> N3's. Sometimes it's needed, but of course Bahrecords is correct! Many ways to skin the cat!! Fractals motto should be "many ways to skin the axe". It just opens up so much, so easily.

I just have presets setup for my other guitars and rock on. I don't compensate between guitars by adjusting my presets on the fly.

But that is just the way I work. There is not a wrong way to do this :)
 
I like the idea of a separate external trim pot.

Where I see the biggest need is not for tonal/EQ adjustments (which are definitely important if you have a patch specifically tuned to sound good with darker humbuckers or bright single coils), but for getting the gain profile right on edge-of-breakup tones. I have a strat with push-pull knobs to switch between H/S pickups at bridge and neck... sometimes I freak out when I play a patch that I thought sounded great when I built it and it sounds like crap when I try again, and then I notice I'm not on the right pickup combo I customized it for. It matters a lot for how the volume knob controls clean/breakup in some amps.
 
If you're trying to get a Strat to sound more like a LP, why? I might be talking crazy but how about using the guitar that best delivers the timbre you want? Dial in the preset for the "right" guitar for a given song and call it a day.
 
I like the idea of a separate external trim pot.

Where I see the biggest need is not for tonal/EQ adjustments (which are definitely important if you have a patch specifically tuned to sound good with darker humbuckers or bright single coils), but for getting the gain profile right on edge-of-breakup tones. I have a strat with push-pull knobs to switch between H/S pickups at bridge and neck... sometimes I freak out when I play a patch that I thought sounded great when I built it and it sounds like crap when I try again, and then I notice I'm not on the right pickup combo I customized it for. It matters a lot for how the volume knob controls clean/breakup in some amps.

^^^^ This. is what I was trying to say. LOL. Thanks.
 
The way I do it is to have separate presets for different guitars. However, another way to do it would be to put an EQ block in every preset that could be globally switched on/off. Of course, you'll have to be using a midi controller that supports globally doing this. Then for one guitar, have the block off. For the other guitar, globally turn it on so any preset you go to will now be set to work with that guitar.
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Austin
 
I'm not against anything that helps you make the noises you love :)

But I personally couldn't see messing with input gain during a song; e.g. I break a string. How would you solo yourself mid song to dial in the gain??

And its a pet peeve of mine when musicians obsess and dick around with their gear during a show. Have your shit together, sound check, then entertain :)
 
I'm not against anything that helps you make the noises you love :)

But I personally couldn't see messing with input gain during a song; e.g. I break a string. How would you solo yourself mid song to dial in the gain??

And its a pet peeve of mine when musicians obsess and dick around with their gear during a show.

LOL Dick with what? a pedal with your foot? You make it sound so complicated. Guess what? It's not even remotely complicated. Try it. I've see a ton of guys mention using Input trim on AMP for drive. What's the difference? Except the fact the value is adjustable with my FOOT. So you telling me you never goose a single coil with a drive pedal? For that matter, are we now scared to control Rotary Rate with expression tooo live? Just another tool.
 
LOL Dick with what? a pedal with your foot? You make it sound so complicated. Guess what? It's not even remotely complicated. Try it. I've see a ton of guys mention using Input trim on AMP for drive. What's the difference? Except the fact the value is adjustable with my FOOT. So you telling me you never goose a single coil with a drive pedal? For that matter, are we now scared to control Rotary Rate with expression tooo live? Just another tool.

My girlfriend changes all my settings at shows.
 
My girlfriend changes all my settings at shows.
Mine (wife) changes all mine after the show ;) Sometime before too.. lol It's all good bro. That's cool I just wanted to share the Expression Dial idea. Think I got it from reading Scott P's setup years ago. I had an Expression Dial laying around doing nothing. Tried it for Input trim. Couldn't be happier having that right there at my foot if needed. I mostly don't touch it though, but when I do, it's pseudo-GLOBAL really. Just another nice add-on for me.
 
Mine (wife) changes all mine after the show ;) Sometime before too.. lol It's all good bro. That's cool I just wanted to share the Expression Dial idea. Think I got it from reading Scott P's setup years ago. I had an Expression Dial laying around doing nothing. Tried it for Input trim. Couldn't be happier having that right there at my foot if needed. I mostly don't touch it though, but when I do, it's pseudo-GLOBAL really. Just another nice add-on for me.

My wife is terrible with tech.
 
Input trim or level is cool to tie a (foot) controller to - I've done it and it's definitely valuable/fun. It's a neat way to go clean to mean ... I've used scene controllers as well, but I like the flexibility of a continuous controller. I guess you could even assign an I/A switch to go from 0.5 to 1.0 on trim, but I like having "more". :)

I also agree that different presets for different guitars works best for me. PRS 57/08s HB PUps are very different than Ron Ellis SC Customs in a boutique Strat. Some amps sound OK with multiple guitars (without changes), but usually not - something needs tweaking.
 
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