Could overly bassy tone be due to the way I play?

[Elliot]

My great gripe with my tone is that it is massively bassy - even with Fender amps and American speakers I sound like Tony Iommi.  Now I always thought that I was just unlucky with gear, but the other day someone had a go on my rig and sounded so subtle and liquid that I concluded that it must be me.

What could it be?  Too heavy handed, wrong grip/pick angle? My excessively small hands not have the right break angle? 

[Madsakre]

use fresh picks.. always.

[Twinfan]

Look at where you hit the strings - too near the neck?  Moving towards the bridge really helps clarify your tone.

You also want a nice clean, sharp "snap" with the pick against the string.  Holding the pick loosely with an indefined pluck will give a woofy tone I think...

[Ratrod]

Do you happen to play distorted/heavy overdriven with both pickups selected or only the neck pickup?

If so, try the bridge pickup alone.

[Elliot]

cheers for the replies - Being into surf and classic blues I don't really play heavy distortion at all.  Clapton - Beano era - is about as hot as distorted I get.

I think Twinfan is probably right - Having played fingerstyle acoustic for a long time before I took up the electric again, I tend to play where the middle of the soundhole would be, so maybe I need to reposition my hand around the bridge area.  Will see.....

[Twinfan]

Same as me mate - I started playing on a nylon string acoustic as a kid and have had to adapt my style a bit, the tone difference with a picking position is quite marked!

[AndyR]

When I read the original query earlier I was a bit baffled as to what it could be.

But I've always tended to use picking position as a "tone control" - it just seemed the obvious thing to do when I started. Eg. on a strat you get "bubbly hendrix tones" by playing softly nearer the neck, you get sharper, twangier stuff hitting it harder near the bridge... and all points in-between.

And, ummm, because I've been doing this for years... I've always assumed that everyone else does this too... :roll:

If you don't vary your picking position naturally as part of your playing, and you're aiming at the "sound-hole", then I have a feeling TF might be right on the money.

[Roobubba]

I am assuming here you've tried turning down the bass knob? :D

[AndyR]

I am assuming here you've tried turning down the bass knob? :D

:lol:

We were all thinking it...

[MDV]

Are we talking everywhere, as in different locations, rooms, stages, etc, or are you talking about one place/room/cab location in a room. If the latter, and if its a fairly small room (3-4m per side) you'll be exciting room modes in the 'bass' end of the spectrum (100ish to 200ish hz, depends on the geometry of the room and the palcement of the cab).

[Elliot]

As I intimated in my original post - it is not about gear: bass knobs, plectrums or amp position, but thanks for the suggestions anyway.

[HTH AMPS]

did your friend play with the same pick as you?

maybe it's your percieved tone from where you're standing in relation to the amp ???? - get it off the floor and point it up towards your lug-holes.