My guitar sounds bad in my recordings.

[pokinatchapunk]

When I first built my ISO cab, it was just a big MDF box I had enough room for a 1x12 inside of it....I had a V30 & Greenback 1x12 (I've still got 'em) that I'd swap out for different tones...I finally ended up building an inner box (basically a box-in-a-box, with 2-3" Roxul panels in between the boxes, & I had Roxul panels inside the inner box too), with a baffle & wingnuts, where I could swap out a speaker in a matter of minutes....I think it worked pretty damn good, but I will say using big amps you're always gonna have noise, it's usually the low-end rumble, but the box I made killed enough noise where I could record with a 100w amp on "1" late at night, & not make too much noise...

On the commercial ISO cabs, only one I've ever used is the Randall, & I honestly wouldn't buy it again knowing what I know now...The high end is ok, but the low/low-mids are always woofy/weird sounding, & I could never get it to sound natural, even with post-eq in the daw....I still use it late at night, but only for scratch tracks, never for a final take/track...YMMV...

I'm not a very nifty person when it comes to building stuff like this. Not that I'm not willing to try, but I can already imagine this going horribly for me. Any recommendations on getting started with building an ISO cab if I didn't go Silent Sister? This is of course if my 1x12 in a closet and trying to muffle that doesn't work.

 

[minerman]

Good post/link Jimmy....FWIW, my shitty-looking ISO cab did a good job, but it was butt-ugly, big & extremely heavy...But for recorded tones with a real amp, some of the best tones I've posted in the tone thread were done with that thing...

I checked my Photobucket page, but the only pics I have of it are when it was in the build process (and only the inner box)...But, it did work pretty good...

Hopefully the OP will chime back in & maybe we can help him figure out a solution...I know I pulled my hair out over my guitar tones for a long time, going from ampsims to low watt (1, 5, & 15w) amps, then finally just going all out with 50/100w amps....FWIW, I did buy another house not too long ago, so unless it's after 9 pm, noise isn't an issue for me anymore...Fuck the neighbors......

 

[JimmyS1969]

There needs to be a point that is addressed here. If you wish to have great tone from a great amp played through a awesome cabinet, then you need to just do that.

If you wish to keep the volume down for others then you will suffer the consequences. Whether that works for you or not is a tough thing to answer. It like asking 'if I record vocals in my grandpas closet, will it sound awesome'?.

I don't know and would bet $20 on 'likely not'.

I must admit that I am a bit spoiled in my environment now as an adult. But I sure as hell found places to make loud noises when I was a kid.

What happened to kids renting a storage unit or cranking it up in someones garage?


Sorry, I am a bit grouchy tonight.

 

[minerman]

Well, on the build, I'd recommend making it as big as you can, but small enough to fit through your door if you ever need to do so, with wheels/casters on it so you can roll it (my ISO cab took both me & my big brother to lift it into a truck, & wasn't easy at all, & FWIW, neither of us are small guys or weak at all)...IIRC, the outer dimensions for my box was: 29" W x 36" L x 36" D

For the inner box, I made it about 5" smaller so I could fit it into the outer box, & sandwich Roxul in between the boxes...

For now, you could just measure your 1x12 & have at least 2-3" (if possible) on the sides (L/R) to stuff some kind of sound absorption between the 1x12 & the box...Remember to build it as long as you can so you can have as much air moving inside it as possible...Something else to do is to seal the gaps/holes for the cables (& weatherstripping to seal the lid, latched down as tight as possible) with silicone to help with the noise....Remember that sound is like water, if there's a gap/crack, it's gonna leak....

On the sound absorption, I'd recommend buying a bundle of Roxul Safe-N-Sound or similar, & making panels covered with cloth....The Roxul will absorb the sound, & you can fix a couple panels where it make the inside of the box less symmetrical...

Just so you know, I did a lot of online research about this before I tried my own build, but it's not that hard to slap a big box together dude....

 

[minerman]

There needs to be a point that is addressed here. If you wish to have great tone from a great amp played through a awesome cabinet, then you need to just do that.

If you wish to keep the volume down for others then you will suffer the consequences. Whether that works for you or not is a tough thing to answer..

Exactly Jimmy, I'm just giving him my experiences with this shit I've had myself....I'm so glad I don't have to do that shit anymore though, a divorce, new house, & brand new life sure helped things for me....


Oh yeah, you're not being grouchy, just being honest dude....


The one thing I've learned in the past couple years trying to be quiet while getting a cranked up tone is first, it's really not gonna happen, everything's a trade-off, but you've gotta do what you gotta do in order to get results you're happy with....

 

[JimmyS1969]

Exactly Jimmy, I'm just giving him my experiences with this shit I've had myself....I'm so glad I don't have to do that shit anymore though, a divorce, new house, & brand new life sure helped things for me....


Oh yeah, you're not being grouchy, just being honest dude....


The one thing I've learned in the past couple years trying to be quiet while getting a cranked up tone is first, it's really not gonna happen, everything's a trade-off, but you've gotta do what you gotta do in order to get results you're happy with....

I will always be honest. I may not have the best advice, but I will always give my opinion based on my experience.

 

[minerman]

I will always be honest. I may not have the best advice, but I will always give my opinion based on my experience.

Right dude, & that's exactly what I'm doing, trying to help the OP with my experiences similar to his...

Like I mentioned, everything I tried was a trade-off, sure the ISO box I had was capable of getting decent enough tones for my recordings, but was it better than what I'm doing now (which is using a 4x12)??? Absolutely not, but you can get usable tones if you think things through & try things you normally wouldn't...

I do understand where the OP is coming from, that's why I'm trying to help, but there isn't a magic solution to the noise thing, really, it's either deal with it, or use something else....Again, everything's a trade-off....

 

[pokinatchapunk]

Well, on the build, I'd recommend making it as big as you can, but small enough to fit through your door if you ever need to do so, with wheels/casters on it so you can roll it (my ISO cab took both me & my big brother to lift it into a truck, & wasn't easy at all, & FWIW, neither of us are small guys or weak at all)...IIRC, the outer dimensions for my box was: 29" W x 36" L x 36" D

For the inner box, I made it about 5" smaller so I could fit it into the outer box, & sandwich Roxul in between the boxes...

For now, you could just measure your 1x12 & have at least 2-3" (if possible) on the sides (L/R) to stuff some kind of sound absorption between the 1x12 & the box...Remember to build it as long as you can so you can have as much air moving inside it as possible...Something else to do is to seal the gaps/holes for the cables (& weatherstripping to seal the lid, latched down as tight as possible) with silicone to help with the noise....Remember that sound is like water, if there's a gap/crack, it's gonna leak....

On the sound absorption, I'd recommend buying a bundle of Roxul Safe-N-Sound or similar, & making panels covered with cloth....The Roxul will absorb the sound, & you can fix a couple panels where it make the inside of the box less symmetrical...

Just so you know, I did a lot of online research about this before I tried my own build, but it's not that hard to slap a big box together dude....

Yeah I guess I'm going to have to start looking into wood and increasing my handy man skill somehow if I go this route.

I was thinking maybe I could try and sound proof my extra closet somehow. I think if I could somehow get enough isolation in it, I may be able to get away with recording at least a 1x12. And it may be a little easier.

I know there is always trade offs in these situations. I guess I've just kinda been hoping there was some way I can make this work. But I think I'm at a point where I need to mic a cab. I'm fine with using the cab clone for live, demos, and late night recording when I can only use monitors or headphones. But I think I'm one of those people that has to have that cab/mic/air push in order to be happy.

So I guess I'll look into the ISO Cab route. And any recommendation on potentially soundproofing a walk in closet is also appreciated. I think that's going to be the best solution.

I'll try and mess with the guitars some more over the weekend while looking at all of these options too. Maybe something will click with all of this before I accidentally chop off my hand building an ISO cab.

 

[JimmyS1969]

Right dude, & that's exactly what I'm doing, trying to help the OP with my experiences similar to his...

Like I mentioned, everything I tried was a trade-off, sure the ISO box I had was capable of getting decent enough tones for my recordings, but was it better than what I'm doing now (which is using a 4x12)??? Absolutely not, but you can get usable tones if you think things through & try things you normally wouldn't...

I do understand where the OP is coming from, that's why I'm trying to help, but there isn't a magic solution to the noise thing, really, it's either deal with it, or use something else....Again, everything's a trade-off....

And that is what I have always found important. The trade off for what you expect or need for your particular situation.

I would never tell anyone 'DONT DO THAT!'. There are situations where changes from the norm are necessary. I will however say 'I don't find that a good idea' if I have personally found it to be a 'bad idea' in my experience.


I would say try anything! Make the decision as to whether it works based on the results. The next (insert new icon here) new thing may come from something we never expected.

 

[Greg_L]

I must admit that I am a bit spoiled in my environment now as an adult. But I sure as hell found places to make loud noises when I was a kid.

What happened to kids renting a storage unit or cranking it up in someones garage?

A-men. When I was in college I had a band that practiced in a fucking shipping container. Yup. A big, long, rectangle, metal box. It sounded about how you'd imagine, but we got to practice and play loud. You find a way to make things happen.

 

[miroslav]

And that is what I have always found important. The trade off for what you expect or need for your particular situation.

Yeah...that's what you get with iso boxes or using a closet...a trade-off, and those are only solutions to a specific problem, but certainly not the first choice. They will both be about the same..."meh"....but certainly help with the pissy neighbors.
However, if the tones are still not blowing up your skirt with either...then it's time to step-up based on what it important...as you said.

Like you, I'm a very spoiled in my studio environment...I can make all kinds of noise at 3:00AM and no one is going to complain.
Even with someone in the house sleeping, the studio is fairly isolated internally, and located on a far corner.
That said, it was never an issue with my family even when we were kids. I was always the guy who had a place for band practice...mainly 'cuz my parents encouraged the music and the bands. We could jam until midnight, and it was OK.

 

[ocnor]

But I think I'm one of those people that has to have that cab/mic/air push in order to be happy.

Then you won't be happy with the tone that you'll get from an iso cab. The results that you are getting from the Cabclone are far superior to the strange, boxy tone that you'll get from an iso cab.

 

[bouldersoundguy]

Cabinet simulators and iso boxes lack the ability to interact acoustically with the guitar. Without that interaction it will never sound like a guitar plugged into a loud amp.

 

[pokinatchapunk]

Thanks everyone for your responses. I guess my battle at this point is going to be how to mask the noise from micing my 1x12.

I understand that there is going to be trade offs with using a closet, but can anyone shed any light on a best case scenario for this? If I can find a way to put the cab somewhere and at least mic it up close with a SM57, how much would a closet really impact the boxy noise?

I guess what I'm getting at is what would you guys do in my situation in terms of micing this cab at home. And moving out is not currently an option available to me. But making the best of the situation with what I do have which is the gear I stated, a 1x12, and a SM57. At this point we can all agree I need to mic this cab. But now it's how I should go about it. I swear this is becoming like a 2nd job to find a place to mic this damn cab in my apartment!

 

[RAMI]

put the cab somewhere and at least mic it up close with a SM57, how much would a closet really impact the boxy noise?

This is what I'm wondering. With a mic right up against the grill and the amp cranked, does the room really affect the sound that much? Or at all?

 

[Greg_L]

This is what I'm wondering. With a mic right up against the grill and the amp cranked, does the room really affect the sound that much? Or at all?

An actual room doesn't affect the sound much with the mic right up on the grill. A closet might though. I've heard enough boxy iso cab tracks to be leery of a roaring cab in a small space.

 

[RAMI]

An actual room doesn't affect the sound much with the mic right up on the grill. A closet might though. I've heard enough boxy iso cab tracks to be leery of a roaring cab in a small space.

Makes sense. In an iso cab, the mic's probably almost as close to the "walls" as it is to the grill.

 

[ocnor]

This is what I'm wondering. With a mic right up against the grill and the amp cranked, does the room really affect the sound that much? Or at all?

In a confined space the sound waves can't diffuse like they would in a large room. The sound is instead reflected off of every surface and bounced back into the mic resulting in a really shitty tone. Even if you use sound absorbing material to dampen the reflections it will still sound unnatural.

 

[miroslav]

In a confined space the sound waves can't diffuse like they would in a large room. The sound is instead reflected off of every surface and bounced back into the mic resulting in a really shitty tone. Even if you use sound absorbing material to dampen the reflections it will still sound unnatural.

Right....it's basically a type of "acoustic compression", since the sound has NO place to go but in that small space, so it does come back at the mic in a bad way, even though the mic is close to the speaker.

Like it's been said...the iso cab or clothes closet is simply an option if you need to crank without pissing anyone off...AND, you want to involve a mic.
I think the cab emulation like the Cab Clone or Red Box, are a better option than iso box or closet...but then, you have no speaker in the mix.
So again, it's a trade off and another option, but not the best way to go.

All I can say is...you take what you have and dial the shit out of it....and that's it, that's going to be as good as you can get it under the circumstances....until you have better options.

 

[minerman]

pokinatchapunk: I feel your pain/frustration because you can't get loud where you live man, I really do...I'm pretty fortunate that I can get loud most of the time here...

Are there any times at all that you can make some noise in your place??? Maybe pick/choose when the best time for you & your neighbors so you can open the amp up a little??? I dunno man, I've suggested about everything I know that I've tried, but they're still a trade-off...

If there's a certain time of day you can get loud, maybe get a re-amp box, record your di's, them re-amp during the time you can get a little loud...

I really don't have anything else left to suggest, except just start trying different things, & post some clips to get some feedback on 'em....I've done this exact thing for a long time here, & have to say, there's a lot of good guys here that will help you achieve the results that you're after, as long as you're willing to put in the effort....