More GRAIL tones here.
- Thread starter schlagdog
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Thanks, I've been stuck on the Grail and my Line6 m13 screamer lately. I've been trying a new thing using two mics to record lately and have been pretty happy with it. Still can't find a module I am completely please with yet. You know this, you got 2 of my salvation mods. The stocks with the screamer are better to me than the customs still.
I can't play for crap...and my recording is worse...but I think you really captured the tone of the module...so whatever you are doing on the mic'ing and volume..it works. I dare say it would sound bigger with less gain but that's what everyone says rather than my experience or ability to acheive anything meaningful recorded! 
One thing I like about the Salvation stuff is how 'live' it feels...I mean it could be the things are so gained out they're seconds away from oscillation....but playing the Deadplate next to the Grail it just feels more responsive....that said I'm happy with the tone from either.
One thing I like about the Salvation stuff is how 'live' it feels...I mean it could be the things are so gained out they're seconds away from oscillation....but playing the Deadplate next to the Grail it just feels more responsive....that said I'm happy with the tone from either.
I think I could have backed off some on the gain also. I only have it at about 1:00 and the screamer is just tightening it up with a volume boost and zero drive. I'm doing nothing fancy when I record. Actually its a dumb setup in my little studio room. I just put 2 sm57's on the cone and went into a cheap mix pre then straight into digital performer. I've been putting one mic on the center cone and one about 2 inches from the edge to mix the low and high. The amp is set to a low volume so I'm not even getting any real tube push. I really don't do much tweaking on it because I have an attention problem. I think if I spent more than 2 minutes dialing in my tone and more than 30 min recording the while thing I may be on to something.
Hey bro,
I like the tone you got on the clip. It sounds like you are a tone-chaser though. You mentioned in an earlier post that you are using a Line 6 M13 for the Tube Screamer. You might want to check out some pedals by Robert Keeley. You may have already heard of his work. He has modded pedals for the stars for decades. He has a variety of modded Tube Screamers that have a lot of really useful features. He uses metal film caps and other mil spec parts to create the most reliable and clean signal paths available.
"* METAL FILM FOR HIGHER FIDELITY AND A MORE CONSISTENT SOUND FROM PEDAL TO PEDAL. As your guitar sound goes from one stage of your pedal to the next part (for example; Drive stage, to the Tone Control Stage, to the Buffer Stage), Ibanez used electrolytics to couple it. Well, there is a much less harsh sounding way of doing that. Use metal film caps! We also use metal film in the tone circuit for added fidelity. Is it a small difference, yes! Is it worth it? YES, every little section of your pedal is made up and these improvements don't just add up, they multiply!"
Here is a link to the site: http://www.robertkeeley.com/product.php?id=36
I am actually currently using a Toadworks Texas Flood TS808 style pedal that stomps all over a stock Ibanez Tube Screamer. I got a good deal on it and it sounds great. Really a super underrated company.
Here is a link: http://www.toadworksusa.com/
My secret weapon for tight and rich tone is the Keeley Compressor. This little unit makes anything sound good. It is amazing what a little compression can do for your tone. Check out the reviews.
Here is the link: http://www.robertkeeley.com/product.php?id=36
and: http://www.robertkeeley.com/manuals/keeley_compressor.pdf
Check it out I'm sure these option will blow away any Line 6, made in China, gear you are using. The production grade components that they use are really more for bringing the cost down and not for producing the finest quality product. Profit, Profit, Profit. Don't get me wrong I think Line 6 is great for the money, but eventually you will want/require the good stuff.
If you go:Guitar>OD/boost>Compressor you will get your tone pre-shaped by the OD/boost pedal and the compressor will further smooth out the tone and add sustain before you hit the rest of your signal chain. You will also convert the signal from a high-impedance signal to a low-impedance signal. The benefit of this is that a low-impedance signal will not degrade in clarity or strength, even with long cables and passing through multiple circuits before the input. This is what is referred to as signal buffering. It works very well, especially for heavy tones. Peace
:twisted: :shock: :twisted:
I like the tone you got on the clip. It sounds like you are a tone-chaser though. You mentioned in an earlier post that you are using a Line 6 M13 for the Tube Screamer. You might want to check out some pedals by Robert Keeley. You may have already heard of his work. He has modded pedals for the stars for decades. He has a variety of modded Tube Screamers that have a lot of really useful features. He uses metal film caps and other mil spec parts to create the most reliable and clean signal paths available.
"* METAL FILM FOR HIGHER FIDELITY AND A MORE CONSISTENT SOUND FROM PEDAL TO PEDAL. As your guitar sound goes from one stage of your pedal to the next part (for example; Drive stage, to the Tone Control Stage, to the Buffer Stage), Ibanez used electrolytics to couple it. Well, there is a much less harsh sounding way of doing that. Use metal film caps! We also use metal film in the tone circuit for added fidelity. Is it a small difference, yes! Is it worth it? YES, every little section of your pedal is made up and these improvements don't just add up, they multiply!"
Here is a link to the site: http://www.robertkeeley.com/product.php?id=36
I am actually currently using a Toadworks Texas Flood TS808 style pedal that stomps all over a stock Ibanez Tube Screamer. I got a good deal on it and it sounds great. Really a super underrated company.
Here is a link: http://www.toadworksusa.com/
My secret weapon for tight and rich tone is the Keeley Compressor. This little unit makes anything sound good. It is amazing what a little compression can do for your tone. Check out the reviews.
Here is the link: http://www.robertkeeley.com/product.php?id=36
and: http://www.robertkeeley.com/manuals/keeley_compressor.pdf
Check it out I'm sure these option will blow away any Line 6, made in China, gear you are using. The production grade components that they use are really more for bringing the cost down and not for producing the finest quality product. Profit, Profit, Profit. Don't get me wrong I think Line 6 is great for the money, but eventually you will want/require the good stuff.
If you go:Guitar>OD/boost>Compressor you will get your tone pre-shaped by the OD/boost pedal and the compressor will further smooth out the tone and add sustain before you hit the rest of your signal chain. You will also convert the signal from a high-impedance signal to a low-impedance signal. The benefit of this is that a low-impedance signal will not degrade in clarity or strength, even with long cables and passing through multiple circuits before the input. This is what is referred to as signal buffering. It works very well, especially for heavy tones. Peace
:twisted: :shock: :twisted:
I already own a Centaur Klon which I think is the best overdrive ever. I actually own about 15 different overdrives. I use the M13 just so I have a nice tight pedalboard and don't have a pedalboard filled with vintage stuff that I can't replace easily. The KLON alone sells for $900-$1000 on eBay everyday. I have to treat it like gold!!
I think it's great that you have a bunch of OD's and a Klon. You don't need to use your Klon to get a great tone with MTS. That's why I use my Toadworks pedal. My underlying point is to say that it is more effective to use an all analog front end. The A/D and D/A converters in your M13 will always degrade your original signal as it is converting your guitar signal into digital information, processing it via a software algorithm, converting the digital information back into an analog signal and sending it to the output on the M13. I think that you would be pleased with placing your M13 in the effects loop and using it for modulation and time/delay based effects while keeping a solid analog signal going from your guitar to the preamp tubes. The responsiveness and tightness would be worth it. You also retain harmonic content, overtones, and your volume knob will clean up your tone more effectively(one of the dynamic advantages of a tube amp). You could even run a decent OD in front of the M13 and get the advantages of the low impedance signal out of the OD. Give it a shot, bro. You might like it. You already got the pedals. :wink:
Mattfig
Well-known member
schlagdog said:
For whatever it's worth...With an awesome setup of such great pedals you should look into a Voodoo Labs GCX and GCP...That way you can have all your pedals connected and simply set up presets that either activate them or not...When they're not active, they're taken out of the loop by the GCX so they don't make a peep or color your tone unless you want them to...That way it'll work as easily as your Line 6 but actually use that awesome pedal connection...You could operate it all from one floor unit....Yes, setting it up and programming it is a pain...But for cases such as yours, I think such pain is worth it in the name of good tone...
Julia
Well-known member
And yet people who have been playing for decades rave about the M13.
Ask 100 guitarists an opinion and you'll get 100 different answers. And all those opinions do is fuel GAS and cause you to spend money. Use your ears instead.
I thought the tone of the clip was fine.
Ask 100 guitarists an opinion and you'll get 100 different answers. And all those opinions do is fuel GAS and cause you to spend money. Use your ears instead.
I thought the tone of the clip was fine.
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