tube sweetener quadraverb Nashville 1000 sho bud questions

Caleb Berger · Post by **Caleb Berger** » 10 Apr 2014 6:56 pm

ok so I have a 07 peavey Nashville 1000
with a peavey tube sweetener and a Quadraverb
run though all that is a 76 sho bud d12
it seems like no matter what I do it still sound tinish
not warm and smooth. I love the sound of David heartlys sho bud so
I added the tube sweetener to warm things up but not much difference though.

any thoughts or recommendations also what is the best way to hook all this up
I am running a pot pedal as well.
thanks caleb

Tom Gorr · Post by **Tom Gorr** » 10 Apr 2014 7:06 pm

What cables are you using?

With George L's I get a tinny sound, and I now use Monster Rock cables without a buffer/impedance matcher, and use Monster Jazz with an active buffer. An active buffer helps to minimize the impact of cables on tone....but it will more than likely brighten the tone even further.

The other likely area of attention is the distance between the pickup and the strings...too close causes some harsh tinny tones as well.

Third thing...is your pot pedal 'second hand'? its possible that somebody put a "bright cap" across the pot to bypass high frequencies because their guitar sounded dark...and it makes yours too brite.

The tone problem you describe could be one, two or all three of the issues above, or something else entirely...there's also a bunch of things that could be happening on the amplifier side.

Also, what pickups are in your shobud? Originals or replacements?

Lots of things to think about when you're trying to solve tone issues...and I've only scratched the surface here.

Caleb Berger · Post by **Caleb Berger** » 10 Apr 2014 7:18 pm

original pickups pedal is second hand
and just oddball cables

Caleb Berger · Post by **Caleb Berger** » 10 Apr 2014 7:19 pm

also I have 2 pedals I have switched between them
no real difference

Tom Gorr · Post by **Tom Gorr** » 10 Apr 2014 7:33 pm

Duplicate...I'm having server probs over here...

Tom Gorr · Post by **Tom Gorr** » 10 Apr 2014 7:33 pm

Ditto

Tom Gorr · Post by **Tom Gorr** » 10 Apr 2014 7:36 pm

If I had to guess the height of the strings above the pickup on my shobud, I'd say 3/16". My setup definately has the round, warm, with chewy and punchy mids and a smooth 'pure' top. It actually sounds a little dull playing alone, but put it in a mix and it just punches out...

If you just have random cables...find your absolute shortest one....like 5 feet long....and plug directly into the amp with nothing else hooked in anywhere.

Further...I have no idea of your experience level, so I apologize if I say some basics that you already know. The one thing that I can think of is that the mid sweep and mid-eq level adjustment is something that isn't always well understood. For my shobud I set the mid sweep (outer ring) at about 11:30, and the mid level eq (inner knob) at about 10:30.

Start with the all the other eq knobs straight up, and tweak from there...I typically drop my treble (high) a bit, say 11:00, and raise the presence the same amount, say 1:00

The gain knob should have the brite knob pulled out for brite...and the master vol at least at half with the gain knob set to taste. Some guys run the master on full, but in a house that's a little scary because you don't get a lot of usable range on the gain knob, and one scratch and the roof is gone.

My amp is a Vegas 400 which is the two channel version of the Nashville 400, but I'd still expect my settings to get you in the ballpark.

You may also want to check to see if you have the stock speaker in your N1000.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 10 Apr 2014 9:02 pm

Caleb, a few questions about your gear, your playing and your settings:
1) how are your knobs set? I'm unfamiliar with the tube sweetener, but how are your amps set? Which jacks, and the settings on each knob?
2) Probably more important, are you picking with a stout stern attack? Weak hands=weak tone. If you don't send a good signal down the pipe, no processing can help.
Most novices pick like they fear bad notes, but a well-struck clam will sound better than a weak perfect note.

Dennis Detweiler · Post by **Dennis Detweiler** » 11 Apr 2014 4:56 am

I used a Tube Sweetener for a long time until I got a Revelation Preamp. I used to connect: Guitar - Tube Sweetener - Volume pedal - Processor - Amp. I turned all Tube Sweetener knobs full on. However, inside the Sweetener there are 3 tubes (all 12AX7). I switched the two in front to 12AT7 and left the output tube in the back at 12AX7. In it's normal 12AX7 setup, you get a slight overdrive when the knobs are full on. With the 12AT7's in the two front positions, you can patch through either side of the Sweetener and run knobs full on and it's clean and get the tube compression and warmth.
Currently, I use the Sweetener in my recording gear rack to fatten the sound.

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 11 Apr 2014 5:53 am

The Quadraverb is very early digital technology and is a real tone suck. Don't get me wrong, I bought one when they first came out and loved it, especially with the chip upgrade, but sonically it will destroy your sound. Are you running it through an effects loop?

Unplug the Alesis and see if notice a difference.

Caleb Berger · Post by **Caleb Berger** » 11 Apr 2014 6:10 am

ok lane I do pick with strength nothing weak
gain is on about 1:00
bass is say 2:00
treble is at 12:00
mid at 2:00
shift 12:00
presence 1:00
(all are relitive to a clock dial)

new to steel I have had about 6 months
of lessons a few years back and my teacher
moved out of town geting back in to it now

but I have played music( fiddle banjo)
for years
also the third string seams to have low volume
befor I pluged in the quad I had the same set
of problems
thanks to all
Caleb

Caleb Berger · Post by **Caleb Berger** » 11 Apr 2014 6:15 am

speaker is stock bw

Dennis Detweiler · Post by **Dennis Detweiler** » 11 Apr 2014 6:57 am

I never played through a 1000, so I'm not familiar with it's tone settings. I tried a 500 for a weekend and never could get what I liked. I've played years through the 400 series. "The 400 Limited had a harsh treble and I had to set treble and presence settings way left of 12:00. If I recall, I turned the presence off most of the time. Mid off with shift around 1:00. And, used a Furman PQ-3 to dial in what I liked.
The older 400's were more mellow with the passive controls.

Jim Palenscar · Post by **Jim Palenscar** » 11 Apr 2014 7:24 am

It's not uncommon for a bad pickup to sound this way however if both pickups sound the same that would be unlikely. Start by going directly from the guitar to the amp and see if still tinny. If better- add components one at a time until you find the culprit.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 11 Apr 2014 7:45 am

Try (clock face numbers)
Pregain 10 (Master wide open)
Bass: 3 or 4
Mid and shift either 10&2 or 2&10
High and presence: around straight up.

Does the guitar have tone or volume knobs?
If not, have you put an ohmmeter across the pickup leads?
(Or if it does, run the knobs wide open and take readings).

Caleb Berger · Post by **Caleb Berger** » 11 Apr 2014 9:06 am

no knobs but it has a two way switch
on each neck
I have not ohmed them

Caleb Berger · Post by **Caleb Berger** » 14 Apr 2014 5:23 pm

adjusted amp lowered pickup and all is well
thanks guys

Tom Gorr · Post by **Tom Gorr** » 14 Apr 2014 7:05 pm

Glad to hear it Caleb...enjoy, and post pics for us!

Caleb Berger · Post by **Caleb Berger** » 17 Apr 2014 1:57 pm

Tom Gorr · Post by **Tom Gorr** » 17 Apr 2014 2:18 pm

Its beautiful...I so love Shobuds!