I've fitted a P.A.F style pick to my CBG and it's given it a real loud rock and roll sound. Over drive by the bucket load (this is typical of the design).
Now, I was wondering how different designs i.e Lip stick, Blade, single row, humbucker, piezo etc change the sound?
Replies
A little additional food for thought, although this isnt CBG, this is recorded directly, using outboard gear. (Line 6 digital Pod in this case)
http://paulhindmarsh.bandcamp.com/track/s-i
Thanks Mark, your point and wisdom has been gratefully taken. "Stop chasing, start playing", good learning story by the way. Once again thank you.
Mark
No apology needed Mark. I just want to see you get the best possible answers.
Be careful chasing tone, it can drive you nuts. I'll give you some opinion and a story based on my own experience.
First off, to me, the true "Delta blues" sound is pre-electric guitar. Resonator, steel slide and technique. Usually recorded in a studio with a bunch of added reverb too. So I am not sure what to recommend. Secondly, I have to recommend NOT trying to chase tone with pickups alone. It will drive you nuts. And broke.
Oh right to my story, as it makes the point.
Decades ago (when I was more into rock and roll, not blues or country) I went through the tone chase myself. Trying pickup swap after swap, amp after amp, then convinced the guitar body HAD to be ash. Then the neck HAD to be maple, Then effects pedals, then...... Hmmm......
Well then I got the chance to play a real Les Paul on a real Marshall. Hmm, (Epiphiny->) maybe if I wanted to sound like someone playing a Les Paul on a Marshall amp thats where I should have started! But then terrible Ted played a hollow body. (And who didnt covet Lucille?) Angus had a SG, Theres someone with a Telecaster. Every mothers son a Stratocaster....... Fender tweeds, dual reverbs, it will never end! Then there was the tube amp thing. Needed to drive it hard to get that tone and control, but then it was TOO LOUD! so we tried various "chokes" and devices. All on the scrap heap of time now.
Ok, so my point is that every guitar, amp, rig and technique lends to its own personality. Be careful trying to mimic any of it and just experiment with what you have (and can afford!) A cheap guitar, transistor amp and the obiquituous Boss distortion+ might just have to be close enough. (Well that was in my day anyway!) Oh and as Frank Zappa recommended on Joes Garage-a quart of beer so the intonation doesnt offend the ear!
Oh, and always-
Have fun!
Mark
Thanks Mark for the reply.
I'm new to this lovely site,so a lot more exploring is needed by me. Apologies for the mis-post.
I was after a general ball park sound, if that makes any sense? The set up I've got at the moment is, as you say warm and punchy. Not quite as raw and bluesy(delta) as I was aiming for. I've a feeling it's all down to the pick up selection and so was after a general pointer for the next project (oh hell I've a feeling somethings bitten). I've fitted a piezo under the bridge with a switch to swap between. It picks up a lot of knocks and misfretting very well, however you got to crank it up to hear the strings (position I guess).
Once again thank you for the reply.
Mark
Hey Mark!
This is a little outside the intended scope of this group, and there are several other groups here on the topic of electronics, pickups and such, so I would suggest that maybe your question would get more useful responses posted there.
I can tell you its a complicated subject. You might read an entire book on the subject and only have more questions! (Speaking of which, there is a book on the subject that many people recommend, available at Stewmac, and other such sources.) Part of the problem (to me) is the descriptive terminology doesnt help, and the companys that sell pickups are often presenting them as a "latest/greatest thing since sliced bread" approuch that doest really help.
In general though, different types, (as well as the location on the guitar, proximity to the strings, etc.) accent or augment different frequencys. Some are more "sensitive" or "punchy" than others. Some have a lot more output than others as well. Then there is the effect of how they are wired, the addition of tone capacitors and such to the circuits. Theres a bit of a science to it and a great deal of hype in my opinion.
There may be some disagreement on this, but in my experience (and again, very much in general) dual coil/humbucker style pickups tend to emphasize the midrange and "warmer" tones. Single coils tend to be a bit more "plucky" and "trebley". Piezos are basically a somewhat crude surface microphone as opposed to a pickup that by comparison is likely to sound a bit muddy.
Hope that helps answer your question!
Mark Bliss