How do you get your dream guitar sound?

[bennyboysvuk]

I've always loved the sound of driven valve amps like AC/DC, GnR etc, but I also love the clean Dire Straits guitar sound too.

Currently, I have a Les Paul with some Seymour Duncan pickups running through a JCM800 50w head into a 2x12 cab. I can't quite get the clarity of the Dire Straitsy style clean sound, but the other stuff is well catered for.

So, what sound do you go for and how do you go about getting it?

[bennyboysvuk]

I reckon you could emulate it a bit, you know, plucked strings with fingers and thumb in a similar style, but it's more the general sound that I was getting at though. I'm thinking of the guitar sound used on the Communique album for example. I've read that he's used all sorts of gear to get that sound over the years and I do love the sound, but when I've played around with multi effects in the past I've not got anywhere close, in fact I can get closer just by playing straight into my amp.

[bennyboysvuk]

I don't think I'll ever sell the JCM now since I absolutely adore it. I'm not too fussed that it can't go super-clean and I really love the sounds I can get as it starts to distort. I have an old Peavey Renown 400 that can do good clean sounds, but I don't find it or the Metallica cleans terribly warm. I might add to the JCM though and a Mesa could well be on the cards one day.

So, what's your guitar sound of choice and how do you go about getting it?

[bennyboysvuk]

paulmurr said:

ETA - My guitar sound of choice is basically the same as yours... humbucked guitar (Les Paul, Explorer and Iceman) through my hot-rodded JCM800 100w head into a JCM800 bass cabinet (to really shake your balls ). In the middle is a Dunlop 95Q wah pedal. That's it, simples

Edited by paulmurr on Wednesday 10th June 13:37

I like the sound of that. How much difference did you find the hot-rodding made to your JCM and did it affect the way it breaks up at all? Are we talking JCM2000 levels of gain?

[bennyboysvuk]

That's some serious gain! Sometimes I think I'd like a bit more gain, but with the bands I'm in I never really play anything that requires it.

You must be a guitar fiend of the highest quality for a drummer to have asked you to turn down. Usually, the rest of the band ask me to turn down way before the drummer does. Then again, at the last rehearsal we were at a place where we could put transparent panels around the drummer, boxing him in...which I can recommend.

[bennyboysvuk]

suthol said:

My weapon of choice is a Shergold Masquarader of similar vintage and can get pretty much anything between an early Tele and LP dirt. ( also got a Strat with Seymour Duncans sitting on the shelf )

I didn't have a clue what a Shergold looked like until I looked it up. Slightly funny looking thing to my eye, but I get the impression that they play well and sound amazing.

suthol said:

As previously noted though, it all starts with the right technique.

I've been playing for 22 years now (gulp!) so I'm pretty much set in my ways. I had a go at getting deeply into some jazz guitar techniques recently, but my blues/rock scales just take over every time my memory of the new stuff faulters.

[bennyboysvuk]

SaliMali said:

A lot about an incredible range of amps and kit

What sort of venues did you play with all that kit? I've never had to really turn my amp right up and that was especially true when I had my 4x12...I think I need to play some larger venues.

[bennyboysvuk]

SaliMali said:

Never did anything really impressive. Just liked having good gear and it took peoples attention away from my crap playing ).

You must have had a lot of patience or some good roadies to lug all that gear about. I got so tired of lugging my old 4x12 around that I replaced it with a 2x12 in the end. It doesn't quite have the same full bass response, but it's not too bad and way easier to get in and out of my car.

I recently bought a Marshall DSL401 for use at difficult to get to gigs. It's just about loud enough for most gigs I do if I turn it up to around 6-7, at which point it produces similar volumes to my JCM when the volume on that is set to a shade under 1.

[bennyboysvuk]

gbbird said:

I have a DSL401. Great when it works, but it is forever needing attention from teh good guys at Marshall UK

I don't think my DSL401 sounds as good as my old JCM800, but it's certainly a whole lot better than my old Peavey Renown 400 for the things that I use it for. I mainly use it on channel 1 with the gain set somewhere around three quarters. Then I use the guitar volume to control how much it's breaking up depending on the song I'm playing. After the last gig I played in London someone actually commented on what a nice guitar sound I had when I was talking to them outside after the show.

Mine's a 2005 model that I got on Ebay. It used to get pretty hot when I used it so I installed a couple of fans in the back of it and that keeps things cool, but it's not let me down yet. What sort of things has yours suffered from?

[bennyboysvuk]

Driller, how's the TSL122 been for you? I've heard some stuff about them being unreliable, has yours been ok? I was so close to opting for a TSL122 when I bought the DSL401.

As for the 100w comment, I've never gigged my JCM800 50w head at anything over 2 with my current bands. ...I really must join a heavier rock band to help resolve that.

Edited by bennyboysvuk on Monday 15th June 13:07