Muddy Guitar Sound

C4th

New member
Hi.
Im trying to record guitar direct (Fender Stratocaster), using my Blackstar HT40 into my Palmer PDI 03 then into my Tascam DP24.
It seems no matter what i do the guitar sounds muddy and muffled, i try to compensate with a bit of high end but then it just sounds fizzy and harsh.
The sound just never sounds clear, individual strings just sound muffled and messy.
Im very modest with the gain, never going over 12 0'clock.
I know most will say, always use a mic, but iv heard some very good results from people using the Palmer.
My question is... Should i be adding something else in the chain or is there just something im doing wrong?
Any questions, info or answers would be much appreciated.
Thanks
 
When it comes to direct recording and EQ, you'll want to think more of cutting rather than boosting. Instead of boosting the high end, try cutting the low end, especially the muddy 100 - 300 Hz range.
HTH!
 
the main cause of mud is very often old strings, they loose their brightness, also make sure the impedance is a high z input or it will sound muffled and unclear. As has been mentioned try using an amp, then what you hear is what you get generally, and if it's still muddy then you can move the mic around until it's just right.
 
I don't think that's entirely true. Old strings do sound duller than new strings for sure, but being "the main cause of mud"? I don't know about that.

Yeah...I agree.
I've got some guitars with strings that have been played to death....and if anything, half the time I'm still dialing OUT the high-end.

For the OP:

It's something in that signal chain....I don't know all the devices you listed, other than the amp, and I don't feel like researching the model numbers to find out...but I bet a more straightforward and simpler path will take care of the mud.

Also....it may sound silly, but did you check the knobs on the guitar?
I've done it a few times...picked up the guitar, plugged in...and was puzzled why the sound was dull/muted....then I realized I accidentally must have rolled the tone knob down, :facepalm: or sometimes even a slightly lower volume at the guitar and you lose that edge.
 
Yeah...I agree.
I've got some guitars with strings that have been played to death....and if anything, half the time I'm still dialing OUT the high-end.

Right. I regularly let my strings get kind of old because I prefer them that way, and brightness is still never a problem for me.
 
I think you misunderstood me greg, I didn't mean that it's the main cause of mud, but it's just one of the causes, the real mud frequencies are from my experience at 150-400Hz so I would normally cut somewhere in that range, and add a bit of air. The problem I have had with using old strings is that they loose thier harmonic overtones and don't stay in tune properly, so for me it's never good enough.
 
Thanks for your reply. My Tascam DP24 manual says that when plugging a guitar directly into the DP24, i should set the switch on the back of the unit
to "guitar", which im guessing is High Z? But when anything else gets put in the chain, e.g pedals or sims? it says set it to "line".
But i tried what you said and set it to "guitar", and it does sound better. Would you say there's any risk of damaging the DP24?
Thanks for your help.
 
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