I'm just not satisfied with my sound

Hey guys, I've been playing for about 2 years now. I can play some decently advanced things, but I'm just not satisfied with the quality of the sound. I do have a super cheap piece of junk fake strat, but I'm not sure if the bad sound is due to me or the guitar. Can anybody hook me up with some pointers on how to clean up my sound?

Hey jvieth30,
It's probably not the guitar, sounds like it would be the amp, and your effects. Try to describe the sound you're getting, versus the sound you want.

Even with a cheap guitar, and a cheap amp, you should still be able to get a decent tone.

JD

The sound is a combination of all factors like the quality of the guitar and pickups, the amp and the effects you're using. Even the cables contribute to a bad sound if they're cheaply made.

I guess it depends on what you're trying to get out of your sound.
One thing I found was that as soon as I added things like chorus, reverb and compression into my signal, it improved the sound a ton.
Like right now, for recording I don't even use an amp and the guitar is over 35 years old. All I do is put it through a Boss GT-8 Multi-Effects Unit and then maybe add some speaker simulation later on using a plug-in like Amplitube.

If overdrive is what you're looking for then a combination of that plus some compression will really improve things. Chorus kind of doubles up the sound a little and really helps a guitar that can't be tuned properly. The chorus in a Multi-Effects Unit will be in stereo so that will add to the sound as well.

Most importantly though... start with the best guitar, amp, and cables. Use new strings and an electronic tuner. If you want more 'sweetening' go in for a couple of pedals or just spring a few hundred bucks for a Multi-Effects Unit.

Here's an example for instance of taking a basic, under-average sound and using a few effects to sweeten it up:

http://guitartricks.com/lesson.php?input=10684

FYI: I'll be updating this lesson into Hi-Def this week so check back a little later and you'll have a much better quality video to look at.

sound is every thing ,everything can effect you sound including you guitar cable,the wood your guitar is made of,strings,even the picks you use.your amp is a big variable,but the biggest is the guitar its self.
you pickups are probable the most to blame for bad sound...well....i suggest you just get a new rig.thers alot of cheap used gear out there.just keep yo eye out

What guitar do you use? what amps? do you use a distortion? What effects? do you use mutings? anyway, i think you must be specific so that we can see what the problem is.



FC
Rocker/Designer
Custom Tailored Suits

Originally Posted by: jvieth30Hey guys, I've been playing for about 2 years now. I can play some decently advanced things, but I'm just not satisfied with the quality of the sound. I do have a super cheap piece of junk fake strat, but I'm not sure if the bad sound is due to me or the guitar. Can anybody hook me up with some pointers on how to clean up my sound?

When you're not plugged in, does the quality of your playing sound decent? The point is, if you feel that you are not struggling with the playing aspect unplugged, then you focus on equipment. All amps do is amplify what you're already doing. If your playing is sub-par to your ears without be plugged in, no amount of equipment will take care of it.

However, you said that you said that you can play some decently advanced things. This makes the assumption that you are solid and are then just in that transition where the dynamics of tone are becoming important to your ear. You are probably just not satisfied with the ability to make noise like when you started but now that you can execute some licks, you need equipment that keeps up a little.

Sound right?

If I were to suggest, I would heavily focus on a quality guitar first. It's the first piece in the chain and if it's junk, you're shot. Go play lots of instruments. Be a pest at the local store (sorry folks at stores...). Play stuff until you find that guitar that sings for you. As others said, tone comes first from you through the guitar. Very true and most any good guitar will do a little singing for you if you have some skill.

Pick ups. to me, are important. I struggled with the pick up thing for a long time (5 years). I tried Duncan Distortions, JB's and so on. I stuck with EMG's (in the 80's). The point is that the system is really a chain and you fill in each link as you go until you find home. I assume you read guitar magazines. You read about guys that have chased tone for decades and they have a tone you dream of already...It's part of the disease.

My point is that you want to spend time building what becones your tone. Don't expect that you will walk in and by a bunch of stuff and have found your ultimate tone. It's constant tweaking but very fun. It's like an addiction in many ways. Chasing the tone dragon, so to speak.

To me, last is the amp. I would say that despite what I said, upgrade to a new, small combo right away at the same time you get a new axe. After that, work towards you tone via the guitar and then work on the ultimate amp. Having a great guitar and friendly pick ups makes getting the end all amp much easier. The amp doesn't have to own the output solely since the guitar is providing a great source of output.

Just some thoughts.

It might be simply that your guitar is not set up properly - does it ' sound 'out ' or harsh !
You might need to adjust your string lengths at the bridge ( Intonation )
This is best done with an electronic tuner with a needle display

One thing a lot of guys overlook is the fact that about 95% of tone is in the fingers. This is something I never really believed in until after about 15 years of playing and 'tone' searching.
Vai will always sound like Vai whether he plays through a busted up Epiphone or a signature Jem. The sound quality will be different but the technique will sound the same and technique is what makes a player sound tight and is the secret ingredient in achieving good tone.
Equipment is important or course, Kevin gave some very good tips above. Pickups are the most important part of the hardware equation, my very first guitar was a wrecked 10th hand Charvel. The pickups were stock and it was muddy as hell, as soon as I swapped them out for a set of Dimarzio's things sounded infinitely better. I still sounded bad but the improvement in sound (as opposed to my playing ) kept me motivated to keep on practicing and improving.

I hate to go with a 'what he said' but Superhuman is right on the money. Your hands are your tone. Equipment is window dressing to that.

Back in the late 80's when guitarist competitions were in vogue, I made finalist in a couple of them. One of them, everyone had to use the same amp. My 'hang out' store was supplying the amp (an Ampeg solid state) and one that I'd palyed through a million times at the store. In the practice area, I took my time for warm up and dialed in the tone I normally did. I had several guys come in and ask How I got that sound out of a very generic mp. So most of the player just used my settings. When it came for me to play, I plug in without changing a setting and played (didn't win...rightfully a monster Albert Lee styled finger picker did). Anyway, watching a playback tape at the store a few days later, a couple of the salesmen said how much my tone was better than everyone elses. One of the competitors was there and said that everyone used my setting.

The difference, my fingers are my tone. I don't think I'm the most amazing player in the world but good enough to do feel I have my own thing and always strive really play it like I mean it. I think that's key. Every time I play I aim for that magic moment when you feel like your channeling it and not just going through the motions.

Originally Posted by: jvieth30Hey guys, I've been playing for about 2 years now. I can play some decently advanced things, but I'm just not satisfied with the quality of the sound. I do have a super cheap piece of junk fake strat, but I'm not sure if the bad sound is due to me or the guitar. Can anybody hook me up with some pointers on how to clean up my sound?

The easiest short term solution to better sound is change to heavier strings. Then move your pickups closer to the strings and don't try to make your guitar louder by playing harder.

i am on the quest for my perfect tone. EVERYTHING has an effect on tone. the type of wood your guitar is made from, the pickups, the wiring, the pots, the resistors, your effects, whether or not your effects are true bypass, what type of amp you have, what type of wood your amp cabinet is constructed from, what type of speakers you have, whether your'e using speaker or instrument cable to feed the speaker cab, or whether the cab is open or sealed.

the best place i like to start is with the guitar because that is literally where all the magic starts.

my rig is simple for metal:

preferred guitar
preferred effects
some sort of EQ (i use a boss 7 band pedal)
then an amp that has the tone you want OR since i'm unwilling to spend a ton of money on the head i actually want (mesa triple rec) a raven rg100h will do because it has a super clear clean channel


the quest for tone is endless.

i'm having a 2x12 birch dovetail cab made up soon with some eminence swamp thang speakers loaded in it. you have to get what you want, copy som of your favorite artists and experiment. dont be afraid to use the hell out of guitar center's 30day satisfaction guarantee :)