Ultra-bright guitar

[gutter0909]

Did you set the action very low with no relief? Then you could be hearing a noise caused by fret buzz.

I find that some necks can be bright and dry sounding, but it’s normally fixed with the right pickups, or choosing a body wood that is complimentary.

The action is a bit low and the relief is minimal. I noticed there isn't a whole lot of space at the first fret, less than I remember when I initially installed the nut. I may try a different, slightly taller nut. My other basswood guitar has an SD JB and is brighter than my Jackson DXMGT with EMGs but not as bad as this guitar.

After those, pickup swap.

Also, is this guitar the only hardtail of the group? Hardtails often sound brighter than their trem-equipped counterparts IME.

Love the DSL40-CR. Great amp! If all your other guitars sound good through it, I wouldn't look to a speaker swap as a remedy. Fix the guitar first.

I do have 250k pots, so I can swap both of em out. All of my guitars except for my 2 strats are hardtail. I like a lot about the DSL40cr but I have difficulty getting the best sounds out of it at lower volumes since I only ever play at home.

 

[ghostrider]

Hardtails often sound brighter than their trem-equipped counterparts IME.

That's interesting. I hadn't noticed that but, now that you mention it, my brightest guitar does happen to be a hardtail. Any theories on why a hardtail would be brighter?

 

[Hodgo]

The guitar has a microphone (pickups)

Not to be a pedant but pickups are not actual microphones and I think that’s an important distinction to make when we talk about the acoustic influence on guitar tone.

 

[Rick]

First I'd try using different tone settings on the amp and guitar
Then try a different amplifier and see what happens
Then I'd change to mellower strings ...
then saddle swap ...
I've found that the string saver classics tamed down the highs a noticable though not huge amount. (I really like the sound of them) Then use brass saddles, Then use regular tusq saddles which reduce it even more. That guy in kharangbin uses them for example, and he sounds great. Full Tusq didn't work for me though.
Then vol pot swap.
Then tone pot swap
Then pickup swap

After that not sure what else you can do ...

 

[Spud]

First I'd try using different tone settings on the amp and guitar
Then try a different amplifier and see what happens
Then I'd change to mellower strings ...
then saddle swap ...
I've found that the string saver classics tamed down the highs a noticable though not huge amount. (I really like the sound of them) Then use brass saddles, Then use regular tusq saddles which reduce it even more. That guy in kharangbin uses them for example, and he sounds great. Full Tusq didn't work for me though.
Then vol pot swap.
Then tone pot swap
Then pickup swap

After that not sure what else you can do ...

I prefer the gal in Kharungbin..............

 

[aarontunes]

That's interesting. I hadn't noticed that but, now that you mention it, my brightest guitar does happen to be a hardtail. Any theories on why a hardtail would be brighter?

It's a question I've also pondered. My guess is there is typically less mass in the bridge, and perhaps more significantly, hardtails don't vibrate with the strings like a bridge attached to springs will. IOW, there is no dampening effect when the strings are plucked, and usually any dampening will rob high frequencies first.

No, I am not a scientist.

But I am a really good guesser.

 

[Strat Avenger]

My OFR equipped guitars sound brighter than my hardtails, but I also have Graph Tech String Saver Classic saddles on the hardtails.

 

[JohnnyHardtail]

I have a theory that hardtail guitars have reduced damping of the resonances for the neck / body combination. Another difference is due to absence if the trem cavity which makes the body more rigid.

 

[JohnnyHardtail]

Graph-tech saddles kill a lot of brightness. However I don’t see them as a good solution. I tried the vintage hybrid version with steel body with graphtec insert, and it was the same issue for me. They are tone suckers IMO. There seems to be an issue with the way the grip the string and damp the harmonics of string vibration.

 

[gutter0909]

Put the graphtech saddles in and swapped out the Super Distortion and ProTrack for Seymour Duncan Invader and Cool Rails and it sounds much better. That Invader is super hot though, damn. Lots of feedback with my tube screamer and the green ultra gain channel. I might try the Super Distortion again with the graphtech saddles as I really like that pickup in other guitars.