I'm done with tone chasing

Chris Harwood · Post by **Chris Harwood** » 13 Sep 2023 9:15 am

After endless experimentation with pickup configurations, types of pickups, wiring choices... I've come to the conclusion that KISS applies to me and my ears.

Let me explain.. I've had this National double 8, coming up on a year now, but I purchased it on the cheap, because it had no pickups or electronics.
I instantly just put in a Stringmaster, 8 pole pickup in each neck.... up as close to the neck as was physically possible and mounted it on a big 1/4 inch thick aluminum plate. My instincts were on the money -- sounded great!
Since then, I've tried various cheapie humbuckers, bass guitar pickups that would correctly span the strings, higher end 8 pole guitar pickups (that matched the string spacing perfectly) and all the coil splitting, blending...all that just to come back to liking my single coil Stringmaster pickup, where I originally placed it by FAR the best. Now don't think there weren't sonic differences...but in most cases it was just too slight. The coil splitting on a humbucker and even blending with another pickup...was just an exercise and didn't warrant having a slew of pots and switches to make my console steel look like a small airplane cockpit.
I LOVE experimenting with doing all this, but I just now finished putting all my extra pickups, pots and switches, back in the "musical junk drawer" and will now just move on to making music.
I don't play solo, so any steel guitar is going to be in a mix and all this fussing about is just too subtle.
I'm either blessed, or I've reached a sensible decision, or I don't have ears to hear the fine details. I'm going to go with the first two choices...blessed and sensible decision. I don't have the "ears" to hear others say I'm deaf!! lol!
Thanks for reading.

Oh...now I will have more $$ to add to the instrument collection I think I need! Naw...at 70, I have "one of each". ...and a drawer full of pickups and parts!

Bill Groner · Post by **Bill Groner** » 13 Sep 2023 10:48 am

K Maul · Post by **K Maul** » 13 Sep 2023 2:03 pm

So, in other words….
You FOUND it!!!
Very good.

Tim Toberer · Post by **Tim Toberer** » 16 Sep 2023 5:16 am

I think the secret is finding your sound in anything you plug into. That said I still love tinkering with different effects and such. I am considering getting some kind of modeling amp or maybe a Zoom Multistomp just to play around with different tones. It is all a distraction however, and none of it really makes you a better player.

Jim Sliff · Post by **Jim Sliff** » 25 Sep 2023 11:16 am

Some folks don't understand why Klon Centaurs (and the following KTR) are so valuable - but I have had one in my signal chain for 23 years. I sold the Centaur to pay a $5500 property tax bill and used the balance to buy a KTR!

. (there is a relevant point to this, so please indulge me

). And the guy who bought mine bought it to use on stage in a local cover band - not to store in a safe deposit box.

Most players set them at unity gain or slightly higher, and the tone controls flat - sounds idiotic (especially at those prices), but it creates a sensation of "more" of what you already have without changing a thing.

I'm one of those that can hear the difference - but some players can't hear any difference at all, or can use one of the many so-called copies...which I've tried and could NOT get the right sound - even doing blind tests with a friend.

I "optimize"effect and tube amp tone for some clients who have a very light, controlled pick attack (but dig in at times); others just have me replace filter caps and rebias the amp.

No matter what gear, some players just don't hear differences between pickups, or strings, or even amps (I'll never understand the guys who spend $8,000 on a tricked out pedal steel - yet plug it into a $500 Peavey solid state amp! But that's just me...and about 100 of my friends...

)

The point is - use whatever works for you - and if you're string chasing, or pickup chasing, or speaker chasing etc find a professional guitar/amp tech (doesn't have to be a steel tech) who will work with you, listen to you play and help you optimize your tone.

Most techs can tell pretty quickly if you recognize subtle changes or not, and save you a ton of money you'd waste on "chases".

G Strout · Post by **G Strout** » 26 Sep 2023 6:21 pm

When it comes to solid body guitars and lap steels...I came to this conclusion years ago. (Hollow and Chambered bodies are quite a different story)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n02tImce3AE

Jus' Sayin"

Chris Harwood · Post by **Chris Harwood** » 26 Sep 2023 8:43 pm

G Strout wrote:When it comes to solid body guitars and lap steels...I came to this conclusion years ago. (Hollow and Chambered bodies are quite a different story)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n02tImce3AE

Jus' Sayin"

I pretty much agree 100%

That guy makes some great vids and is a good player too. I stumbled across him awhile back in my YouTube surfing.

I DO believe in some golden ears....but also believe that ability helps the musician ONLY play better...thru just the sonic feedback of it all. But no listener will appreciate the difference in tone...JUST the better playing and feel coming from the player because there's a better "connection" with their instrument.

G Strout · Post by **G Strout** » 27 Sep 2023 3:10 am

Chris, yes there are those that do have the "Golden Ears." I will never forget watching the great Joe Pass playing a solo gig many years ago. His Polytone Amp crapped out on him in the middle of the gig. He made a joke about it, pulled out a direct box and plugged into it. He noodled out a few chords and single note lines while adjusting his tone knob and picked up right where he left off. Sounding just like he did before the amp incident. In a sense he was a lot like Jerry Byrd in the touch and tone department. Both Masters of their instrument.