Cheap/free things that make a big difference to tone

[_tom_]

Maybe not so cheap, but a good tuner.
No matter how good your gear is, an out of tune guitar will always sound like shitee.

+1. Being in tune is the most important thing!

I never found that pickup height affected my tone as much as people here seem to say it does :? Maybe a bit but its a VERY subtle change unless you move it a lot.

[Fourth Feline]

Well, I echo much of what has been said before - and of course cited in MDV's original post .

So it's picks, strings and guitar action / set up first for me.  I also like to remove plastic nuts and cut myself a new bone one ( cosmetically 'aged'  in cold tea of course ! ) Then , when my desired tone can first be attained with the guitar unplugged ;  the cable is king.   'Cleartone' cable for clear tone with transparency and maximum articulation - or Monster 'Jazz' cable to silken and smooth things out .   In the case of the later, I realise that what I am doing is adding a degree of sonic attenuation, but the 'jazz' cable is still the cheapest and most portable eq / mild compression 'effects' unit I own.  :)

The best tone I get is with B.K.P's own heavy picks, especially when they have absorbed a bit of oil and the tip worn in. Strings being Thomastik 12, or 13 top Jazz Swing series Flatwounds.

When the action is set low and string tension nice and even across the neck, it makes me play more thoughfully and  with more dexterity. This relaxed yet sure footed 'feel' , ensures I play to the requirements of the chosen genre - which is smoooooooooth ...  8)

[FELINEGUITARS]

My Sidewinders at £35 made a helluva difference. The two 10 inch ones cost £16 each!

That was a bargain !!

Sidewinders are great!

I will add - Earvana nut - improvement in tone and "in-tuneness"

+ 1 on aluminium tailpiece

Raising polepieces of just one coil in each humbucker - make them follow the arc of the strings
Unbalances  the response of a humbucker in a good way.

+1 on good pots, jack, switches and DECENT CAPACITORS - orange drops or Vitamin Q or whatever

[Matt77]

turning the amp volume and gain up a bit and the guitar volume down does wonders for some of my gear.
Using heavier strings and wraping them the wrong way like Jimmy Page / Billy Gibbons etc. works well on the right bridge.

[Lew]

Treble bleed.

[38thBeatle]

Take your effects settings and reduce the settings by a third. Not everyone but many players will enjoy a sweeter tone.

[Plexi Ken]

Play with less gain  :P

[MDV]

Play with less gain  :P

Couldnt agree more.

Given the company here, I thought I'd leave off things like basic setup, be in tune, tweak your gear, learn how it all interacts, know what distorts and when and how, set accordingly, dont use the same settings loud as quiet (much less gain then! Let the power stage and speakers do the work!), but yes, all these things are true!

[ericsabbath]

common sense :idea:

[dheim]

i think that the most important thing is a good vibrato. and a good touch. you can shred fast as a rocket, but if you can't keep long (and even short) notes properly you'll ALWAYS sound like sheet. i think that a nice vibrato is one of the first things i learned to do. and people always thought that i played much better than i actually could...

[JDC]

good choice of pick tom, I used to use them, guitar plays itself with those, only reason I changed was for something that lasted longer

You wear 3mm picks out, that's what shredding does for you!  Be a slowhand like myseld JDC and you'll still be fishing the same stubby out of the tumble dryer years later

it's the tip that gets knackered, when it ain't pointy no more all the lovely attack and effortlessness of the pick goes cos I gotta dig in more :(

just put new strings on and got playing around with a 2mm tortex big stubby, forgot how much I love these things, slightly more attack on the 2mm since it's flatter but still solid as a rock and comes off the string easy :)

[Elliot]

I find my tone improves no end if I don't plug my guitar in and pretend to play along to CDs - that way I actually get the sound in my head  8)

[Fourth Feline]

common sense :idea:

Great ! where do I buy it ?  :mrgreen:

[AndyR]

common sense :idea:

Great ! where do I buy it ?  :mrgreen:

:lol: nah, you're just getting silly now boys...

[JDC]

some tubescreamers are less than £50 so I guess they can go on the list, vital piece of kit for metalheads who want a tight chuggy tone but don't have an uber tight amp