How Can I Clean This Sound Up?

[dogwomble]

Hey guys,

OK, so here's the situation. I'm currently have a Belcat 1525 pickup fitted to my Washburn, running through an SM TB101 Preamp, through a Behringer UB802 into my PC. Now before I start a flame war along the lines of "you should be doing this with Microphones, you moron", this is starting to sound very close to the sound I want.

However, it is just a little bit harsh and muddy, and not quite as "warm" as I'd like. Just for reference, the EQ on the channel I'm using is set to completely flat. On the preamp, I'm adding a small amount of compression, reducing the bass very slightly because otherwise it tends to get a bit carried away, the treble is set to a smidge above flat, and the midrange is set to flat.

Examples of the sounds can be found at here (for an example using a flatpick) and here (for an example of strumming without a pick).

Any ideas on tightening this sound up would be appreciated.

 

[astoebe]

Hey, I listened to the flat pick several times and am having trouble picking out what I don't like......I think it sounds tinny? The strings sound like really old guitar strings almost, I would like more life out of them when hit. I think I would less treble, more bass, but i dunno, it's hard because you didn't play any low bass notes. Anyhow....I say keep messing around w/ the EQ....do things you wouldn't normally do and see how they sound....

ps- are you sure you don't want to mic it? 'cause I'm betting that's gonna solve alot of your problems....I don't hear the guitar resonating in those clips....a mic would definitely warm it up i think

 

[dogwomble]

Well, the strings aren'tthat old ... they've only been on about a week and a half. But yeah, I think th EQing is part of the problem which is why I was asking

The only reason I don't want to mic it up at the moment is that the only mic I have at the moment is an SM58 whuch I'm finding isn't really suitable. I also want to set the guitar up for a bit of live work because I ultimately want to get into doing that, so was wanting to get at least a reasonably good sound out of the pickup.

 

[Mcgill]

"the EQ on the channel I'm using is set to completely flat." is relative to the input device it is designed to drive.


Hello! As you probably already know, You need to analize the "signal chain". If I may give a suggestion? Since you have a clean output from your Axe, what is left is to start at the beggining, Most Channel EQ´s are set up to match a certain device, and in your case, I could only Guess, a cabinet speaker, and not to the input of a PC, Try this setting, Bass eq at 0, Mid at full, and High at 0, then on the PC EQ, which ouputs to, ( PC speakers? a home stereo?) set to match those devices! Then Slowly drive the EQ from the Your Channel input, without clipping, of course.

Hope this helps!