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1One1 View Drop Down
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Points: 20 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Guitar question about sound:
    Posted: August 20 2005 at 07:29
Hey all: I'm wanting to get a real dark and ominous sounding guitar tone. The bottom 3 strings sound damn nice and ominous, however, the top 3 sound a tad twangy. Does anybody have any suggestions how to reduce the twang?

For those interested (and for me to brag ;)) I'm playing a Yamaha AE620. It uses Seymour Duncan JB's in the bridge and "modified" alnico's in the neck.

Thanks all.
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MikeEnRegalia View Drop Down
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Points: 21206 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 20 2005 at 07:43

I think you mean the Yamaha AES-620. That one seems to be a Les Paul type guitar, and I would be surprised if it "twanged". Its neck construction, choice of woods and pickups suggest that it's as far from a Fender sound as you can get.

What do you mean by "twang" ?
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1One1 View Drop Down
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Points: 20 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 20 2005 at 08:01
Well it doesn't exactly TWANG, like a Fender. However, it is still a tad twangy for my likings. What's the best way to reduce twang?
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MikeEnRegalia View Drop Down
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Points: 21206 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 20 2005 at 08:04

Perhaps the action of the guitar needs to be increased (the distance between the strings and the frets).

If your only problem is that the guitar sound is too bright - why not use the tone control, or modify the amp settings?
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Points: 20 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 20 2005 at 08:10
Okay, thanks mate. I'll have a fiddle.
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1One1 View Drop Down
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Points: 20 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 20 2005 at 08:18
Yup. Got a real ominious dark sounding tone goin now. For those who are curious here's the amp settings:

Bass: 6
Mid: 5
Treble: 4

And the tone is set real low. Thanks all.
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cobb View Drop Down
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Points: 1149 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 20 2005 at 08:42
Leave your strings on longer- new strings always twang.

I leave mine on till they break, then I usually rewire them back together and put em back on at least once
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MikeEnRegalia View Drop Down
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Points: 21206 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 20 2005 at 08:46

^ unfortunately old strings don't intone properly.

If you're using stainless steel strings, you might want to consider switching to nickel plated strings, they have a less bright tone.
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cobb View Drop Down
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Points: 1149 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 20 2005 at 09:38
Yeah, sorry mike, just an idiosyncracy of mine. Now go and answer that question I have on microphone feedback in tech talk
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MikeEnRegalia View Drop Down
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Points: 21206 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 20 2005 at 11:28
^ sorry for sounding like a smart-ass ... but IMO old strings sound awful in the higher frets. Having said that - if you play rhythm guitar, you might not experience these problems at all. It also depends on "how" your strings break. If they break at the bridge, it may need adjustment. On my ESP the strings usually don't break - at least not before they really sound awful.
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porter View Drop Down
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Points: 362 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 20 2005 at 13:10

have you tried a heavier gauge? like 0.10 or (if your fingers are strong enough) 0.11? that makes bendings a bit harder but should decrease the "twang".

Anyway, nice guitar!
"my kingdom for a horse!" (W. Shakespeare, "Richard III")
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MikeEnRegalia View Drop Down
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Points: 21206 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 20 2005 at 13:32
Originally posted by porter porter wrote:

have you tried a heavier gauge? like 0.10 or (if your fingers are strong enough) 0.11? that makes bendings a bit harder but should decrease the "twang".

Anyway, nice guitar!

You might even try a set of Jazz strings, where the G string is also wound. If you're after a tone similar to Opeth, you have to use HEAVY strings, in the 0.13 area.
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CalamityDaemon View Drop Down
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Points: 48 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 20 2005 at 14:21
Or you could try different tuning methods. A good, almost lulling sound is derived from G-C-G-G-G-C. It's the same tuning method that Kinski uses. You have to fiddle with it a bit, but once you catch on you can make it very ominous.

Edited by CalamityDaemon
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1One1 View Drop Down
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Points: 20 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 21 2005 at 06:52
Firstly: I'm a guitar n00b. I want to learn how to play half-decently in standard tuning before I muck around with other tunings.

Secondly: I'm using .11's on my guitar. However, typically the high E string broke on me last night (trying out my mates 2mm bass pick for a bit of fun. Note to self: Do NOT use picks that are 2mm thick). Looks like I'm gonna have to go with a bright tone for now.

Thirdly: Porter: Indeed it IS a damn nice guitar!

Finally: Opeth have a tone that's a tad heavier than I want. I'm looking for more of a Pink Floydy level of heaviness, but nice and ominous.
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Danny View Drop Down
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Points: 25 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 02 2005 at 11:26

As mentioned earlier, perhaps the the thinner strings would be a better idea ?

I use a hybrid set that mixes between a set of nines for the thin strings and tens for the lower ones.My guitar is really bass heavy so to compensate I have the pick ups tilted so that the they are closer to the thinner strings.This gives me a nice balanced sound that I can control very easily via my tone control.

i'm sure you know Gilmour mostly used a strat so if you are looking for the 'classic' Gilmour sound it may take a bit of messing about with your Yamaha. Unless you want to play a certain solo that is.....

Good luck

Danny
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