i play through a Digitech 2120 with a Mesa Boogie stereo power amp through 2 Marshall 4x12's in stereo.
I got this from the comments by this guy, the digitech is one of the heaviest modeling preamps there are, so i do agree with the original tone being of rather small influence on the final sound. I disagree with a more emerald kind of tone because to cut trough all the modeling effects you need a very clear and middy tone.
Mules are just great for any recording or modeling purpose IMO.
Good point Henk.
What I meant to say, was if the player wanted that tone without so many ( if indeed any ) effects - the Emerald might better produce those tones straight into an overdriven amp. I agree that if a player wanted to keep all the effects, they might best go down the Dave Gilmour route of a very strong clean / open tone from the guitar. This quality of in your face clean / open , I associate with Apaches in the single coils, or Mules and Stormy Mondays in the Humbuckers. As you say, Mules will have more 'kick' as well - whereas the SMs need to work with, not in competition with the amp and effects chain.
I am reminded that the tones / song this is based on are of course John Sykes, so strictly speaking we are talking AV neck, Ceramic bridge / Cold Sweats ?
On balance I am a fan of P.A.F or 70s sounding style pickups though, and would rather use Mules or Emeralds to get close - and then have a more tonally flexible set of pickups to express other styles that may 'take my fancy' later on.
I
do have G.A.S for Emeralds though. As a player that prefers few (if any ) effects, I feel they would hit the tonal spot for me in my Les Paul Standard.
It must be said in conclusion however, that if you can only ever afford 1 set of pickups for your Les Paul or Les Paul -a - like, you can't go wrong with Mules.
:) :D
