How do you beef up your tone

Nathan Powell · Post by **Nathan Powell** » 17 Apr 2013 7:00 am

Just wondering what other members use to beef up their tone (pre-amps, pedals, etc).

I play through a Nashville 120 and don't use anything other than a goodrich volume pedal. Looking for some basic ideas.

Y'all are the best!

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 17 Apr 2013 7:29 am

I don't use anything to "beef up" the tone in my Franklin, just the EQ on my amp. I have a Hilton volume pedal so there is no tone "suck" (what Hilton calls it) from the volume pedal. I have a POD X3 that I use for delay and reverb but no amp sim so except for delay and reverb it doesn't change the guitar's tone.

Tonu Timm · Post by **Tonu Timm** » 17 Apr 2013 7:32 am

Steel Guitar Black Box

Dave Grafe · Post by **Dave Grafe** » 17 Apr 2013 8:12 am

Steel guitar black Box and pick the strings like you mean it.

John McClung · Post by **John McClung** » 17 Apr 2013 8:17 am

More bass and mids. I've also gotten way beefier tone with my Stereo Steel rig, especially helps on the low end of my 12-string E9 neck.

Tim Marcus · Post by **Tim Marcus** » 17 Apr 2013 8:44 am

This is a non issue for tube amp owners

Bud Angelotti · Post by **Bud Angelotti** » 17 Apr 2013 8:55 am

I try to get plenty of rest.
If that does not work, turn up the bass.

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 17 Apr 2013 10:14 am

nathan...if you don't use a delay, get one. just a simple digital delay (or analog) will give you a huge beautiful expansion of your steel tone.
you can keep the effect light or dial in a fair amount.
it's kind of like the difference of music coming through a tiny radio speaker to that of a quality stereo system with expensive speakers.
i couldn't enjoy playing regularly without one.

Greg Cutshaw · Post by **Greg Cutshaw** » 17 Apr 2013 12:31 pm

I use a digital reverb set on Hall or Plate to fatten up the sound a ibt. For even more sustain and depth and sound distribution I'll run a stereo delay into two amps. In my experience, tube amps in general and certain models of transistor amps will have a much fatter sound!

Greg

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 17 Apr 2013 2:13 pm

Try instead of cutting the upper mids, boosting the lower mids, like 6 dB with the shift around 9 or 10 o'clock

Leland Ogle · Post by **Leland Ogle** » 17 Apr 2013 2:38 pm

Good left and right hand tech. and lots of practice.
Lee

Edward Byrne · Post by **Edward Byrne** » 17 Apr 2013 3:28 pm

y'know what Nathan? lots of different answers there, and each and every one of them were right !

Quentin Hickey · Post by **Quentin Hickey** » 17 Apr 2013 4:19 pm

Nathan Powell wrote:Just wondering what other members use to beef up their tone (pre-amps, pedals, etc).

I play through a Nashville 120 and don't use anything other than a goodrich volume pedal. Looking for some basic ideas.

Y'all are the best!

I play through 2 Nashville 112's (both modded with the OPA 2134PA texas insturnment IC audio chips), with a BOSS RV5 stereo peverb pedal, I use Goodrich and hilton pedals, JF finger picks, zerco thumb picks and BJS bars. t
That makes up about 50 percent, the other 50 is from technique.

Tommy Shown · Post by **Tommy Shown** » 18 Apr 2013 3:51 am

I use the Black Box and Peavey Pro-Fex. On my EMCI. The guitar on the E-9 neck has got a 20k pickup on it. It is a tone beast. The Pro-Fex has EQ settings on it, so I don't have to adjust the settings on my Stereo Steel combo amp head. The only controls I have to adjust on the amp head, is the master, effects, and speaker volume. The Pro-Fex does the rest. And I have true stereo, something I did not have on my Quadraverb.
Tommy Shown
SMFTBL

Nathan Powell · Post by **Nathan Powell** » 18 Apr 2013 5:09 am

Thanks everyone! Lots of great recommendations.

I think I try messing with the EQ on the amp, like some folks suggested first, so I don't spend any money

Thanks again!

john widgren · Post by **john widgren** » 18 Apr 2013 5:13 am

Pete Burak · Post by **Pete Burak** » 18 Apr 2013 6:17 am

You didn't mention what brand/model Steel you are using or what brand/model pickup you are using.
It's probably not your steel as much as the pickup...
Is it internally shorted and only giving half of normal output?
Is really treble-ee for some reason?
It might be microphonic.
What is your pickup height?... (raising it up will likely beef up your tone, but getting it too high can reduce string vibration).
Does it have multiple positions? (single-coil, Humbucker).
Are the pole pieces adjustable?
Maybe you can buy or borrow a known "Beefy" pickup and try it in your steel?
fwiw, I have a Sho-Bud Pro-1 S10 and the pickup is so treble-ee it could never be mistaken for Beefy.
I believe it is internally shorted and I need to replace it, but haven't yet. One of these days!
One other thing you can do to beef up your tone is use heavier gauge strings... try a .012 for your high G#, .015 for String-4-E, and .018 for string-5-B. Are you using a wound 6th?

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 18 Apr 2013 9:32 am

too much info. too many questions. it seems nathan may be coming from a more rudimentary position. he's smart enough now to experiment with his amp settings for free! bravo on that , nathan.
i still suggest...borrow a delay pedal from a friend for a day and hear the difference. good luck.

Pete Burak · Post by **Pete Burak** » 18 Apr 2013 10:04 am

chris ivey wrote:too much info.

Too much coffee.

Quentin Hickey · Post by **Quentin Hickey** » 18 Apr 2013 1:22 pm

I am not a big fan of delay pedals. IMO they rob natural overtones but go ahead and try out as much as you can and with time will come experience and you will be making youre own decisions of what youre ears like. You'll get as many opinions here as wood chips in a saw mill. All good info though! Everyone is different. I think you have all you need to get a fat tone. If youre amp is off the floor try putting it on the floor you will find that it makes a big difference.

Bud Angelotti · Post by **Bud Angelotti** » 18 Apr 2013 3:49 pm

Nathan - What Quentin just said.
And I am being serious about getting lots of rest.
When well rested, your head, hands, and heart just work better. Your hands "hear" whats going on and you will attack the strings like you mean it. You can always buy more gadgets. I love delay. It will fatten up the sound. But you gotta play it right first, like you mean it!

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 18 Apr 2013 4:18 pm

Unless he has acquired another guitar, it's sn MSA Classic with an E-66.
Nathan, try this procedure in the 2nd post.
You want the bass just below boomy,
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=223731

Nathan Powell · Post by **Nathan Powell** » 19 Apr 2013 7:01 am

Lane Gray wrote:Unless he has acquired another guitar, it's sn MSA Classic with an E-66.
Nathan, try this procedure in the 2nd post.
You want the bass just below boomy,
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=223731

You're right, Lane

I'll give that a shot. I feel like I'm giving the strings good, strong attack, but y'all have given me PLETNY to investigate. Thanks!

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How do you beef up your tone

How do you beef up your tone

Re: How do you beef up your tone

Beef it up