Author Topic: The Big Question (Read 7517 times)

willo · « **on:** May 17, 2006, 11:26:37 AM »

The balancing act!

I was just wondering if any of you guys have some advice for me, cos a few of you have been around

! Well, basically, it's about gear choice. I've got a JCM800 but I'm basically set on replacing it because I haven't found it adaptable enough for me.

My problem is that, musically, I don't know what I am! I'm sure quite a few of you have faced this problem - I play noisy jam music in my band for which I want a really good clean tone with headroom. However, I would kill to join a cool-rock band, in which case I'll be needing crunch. And in my room I like to play along with records by Tool and Vai from time to time - so that's high gain.

So I'm looking from advice from people who've faced a similar split personality...not on particular bits of gear, but more on how it is that you work out what it is that you do, and therefore what it is that you need! I like what I'm doing in my band these days, but I'm not naive enough to think that it's going to be the band that I'm in forever :?

_tom_ · « **Reply #1 on:** May 17, 2006, 12:16:47 PM »

Well I always liked the idea of having an amp with a good crunch tone, like your JCM800, then rolling back guitar volume for cleans and using boosters for higher gain stuff.. I guess its just personal preference..

rahnooo · « **Reply #2 on:** May 17, 2006, 12:20:38 PM »

I'm sure you will find a lot of sympathy for that dilema on this forum, I know that I have the same problem. I can veer wildly from playing squeaky clean country (Johnny Cash and Gram Parsons) to big overdriven Neil Young, to more modern sounding stuff (Muse, Smashing Pumpkins, Radiohead) at the drop of a hat, and I still haven't found the right piece of kit to let me do all of it...

I guess sooner or later someone is going to chirp up and say the Matamp 1224, which does look like it can do most things with relative ease. I intend to play one myself when I visit the Matamp factory in June so I'll report back :)

*Rahnooo*

willo · « **Reply #3 on:** May 17, 2006, 12:36:34 PM »

Yeah, I've been talking to Hayden (HJM) about the 1224, but he expressed that it doesn't have so much clean headroom which might be a problem.

It's just so confusing...how you see yourself and your music directly affects what you purchase...and you don't want to put all your eggs in one basket (sorry for the cliche) in case all of a sudden, your band breaks up, the musical landscape changes and so on.

_tom_ · « **Reply #4 on:** May 17, 2006, 12:52:15 PM »

This is probably why modellers are so common actually.. people want everything I guess. If I wanted lots of different sounds I'd probably get a modelling floor unit such as a Pod XT or the Vox Tonelab then an Atomic cab to make it more authentic sounding.

dave_mc · « **Reply #5 on:** May 17, 2006, 01:03:50 PM »

how much cash have you got?

willo · « **Reply #6 on:** May 17, 2006, 02:19:13 PM »

Quote from: dave_mc

how much cash have you got?

at the moment, I reckon I've got about £900 saved up, plus I'm hoping to earn about £1500-2000 over the summer through work, without having much outgoing costs (rent is paid up already for the summer). But it's not so much money or the specific equipment that I'm looking for here you know? It's more like, how do you actually come to the answer of defining yourself as a musician? What are the solutions? It makes my head hurt... :?

FELINEGUITARS · « **Reply #7 on:** May 17, 2006, 02:48:45 PM »

Pod XT live floor unit into a valve power amp and 2 speaker cabs
then you can be clean , overdriven or super high gain

Searcher · « **Reply #8 on:** May 17, 2006, 04:54:49 PM »

Quote from: willo

how do you actually come to the answer of defining yourself as a musician?

You get old and grumpy. Then someone asks you to join their band and you think, "Ah, hell, I'm not playing that kinda music any more!" Then you can cross that style off your list. ;)

Finding yourself as a musician just comes with time, I guess. I have had a fairly distinctive style for years now, but it still evolves when I hear new music and I get new ideas. I really don't wanna become one of those old blues/rock/metal/whatever players whose sound never changes and who sits around saying "Ain't no one who can play like me", when the truth is that they're so deeply embedded in their own musical rut that they're oblivious to anything else.

I recommend that you keep playing and play a lot on your own, without any input from others. Just explore the sounds you can make with a guitar without being influenced for a while. I think that is a good way to develop your own style and sound. A good exercise is to take a really boring song and make it interesting. Then do it again ten times with the same song--all in one night. Every version has to be a bit different and catchy. And do it more by feel and less by thinking about it.

Ratrod · « **Reply #9 on:** May 17, 2006, 05:00:12 PM »

A new fender Supersonic. Fender's website has some clips. It sounds very promising.

Muttley · « **Reply #10 on:** May 17, 2006, 05:25:35 PM »

Quote from: willo

So I'm looking from advice from people who've faced a similar split personality...not on particular bits of gear, but more on how it is that you work out what it is that you do, and therefore what it is that you need! I like what I'm doing in my band these days, but I'm not naive enough to think that it's going to be the band that I'm in forever :?

Sounds very familiar. In fact it's not a case of "faced", more "still facing". You'd have thought I'd have sussed it by my age, eg. ;)

I never know one week or the next whether I want to be in Metallica, Poison, Marillion, The Beatles or possibly New Model Army, or Anti-Nowhere League... or... etc. ;)

That said, I think I'm finally getting somewhere with my gear where I can flit between all these styles reasonably well. It's taken a while though.

I've found that the Marshall JMP1 in conjunction with a 9100 power amp is great sounding, and pretty flexible. And now I've thrown in a decent FX unit (TC Electronics G-Major) I've added even more flexibility (early days with this bit of kit though).

Muttley

Twinfan · « **Reply #11 on:** May 17, 2006, 05:54:38 PM »

Sometimes you don't know until it finds you...

I was looking for a band, saw an advert needing an Angus Young, now I'm Angus. Since then I've found out that my style is very Angus (bluesy, lots of vibrato) and I don't have to concentrate on his style, just the notes.

I bought an SG (had to be done!) and have discovered the rock tone and playability (60's style, wide thin neck) I've always been looking for.

I needed a backup amp and I found a Laney Klipp cheap in a local music shop. I bought that and was so impressed I recently bought a Laney GH50L and my Marshall JTM60 is being sold tomorrow to a guy from work.

In the space of 6 weeks I've learnt that I can do a mean Angus impersonation, SGs are my guitar and I love Laney's more than Marshalls. Up until then, I played a whole bunch of different guitars though a Marshall.

My advice? Don't worry too much about it - just enjoy what you're doing and try loads of different gear!

maliciousteve · « **Reply #12 on:** May 17, 2006, 06:16:00 PM »

I had the same dilema too. I used to use amps that had a really good distortion but not alot of headroom because i used to constantly play metal. then my tastes changed and i wanted all different kinds of tones and heads never really got me what i wanted (except for the Mesa Mark IV but i can't afford one). Preamps and power amps have been a god send. I have no real desire to go out looking for new amps any more because i've got it all with my rack set up now.

£900 is a pretty good lump of money for a new set up and looking around on ebay might help you find what you're looking for and be left with a bit of change.

dave_mc · « **Reply #13 on:** May 17, 2006, 08:02:36 PM »

Quote from: willo

at the moment, I reckon I've got about £900 saved up, plus I'm hoping to earn about £1500-2000 over the summer through work, without having much outgoing costs (rent is paid up already for the summer). But it's not so much money or the specific equipment that I'm looking for here you know? It's more like, how do you actually come to the answer of defining yourself as a musician? What are the solutions? It makes my head hurt... :?

how much of that would you be willing to spend on an amp? I mean, i can recommend amps that'll pretty much cover any tone under the sun (more or less), but you have to pay for them. Alternatively, you could buy several mid-priced amps that each do one tone very well. Or, as feline says, you could go with a modeller 'til you make up your mind...

Unfortunately, it sometimes (actually, probably make this often, lol) takes until you actually fork over the cash for an amp to discover that you actually don't use the tones that you paid a lot of extra cash for...

:lol:

willo · « **Reply #14 on:** May 17, 2006, 11:58:01 PM »

Well, I'll spend whatever for an amp (well, not a dumble, but you know, within reason - i.e. amp and cab under 1500, tops) if it's going to do what I want. I see it as an investment, if its perfect its better to get it now than buy stopgaps only to buy the damn thing in the end.

Not going back to modelling, been there and it was OK but I was glad to move away.

It's not really about gear (this thread), it's more about how you come to - if you come to - ever find one singular image of what you are as a musician?

Author Topic: The Big Question (Read 7517 times)

maliciousteve