Hi all,
I have a Stimer pickup I bought from Michael here on Djangobooks years ago, but I've never really found an ideal setting for it through the amp. In lieu of this I'm wondering what other Stimer owners set their amps to for an ideal classic Django sound? How much overdrive should I have, if any? What do you guys set your treble, bass, mids to? Do you use chorus effects, etc.?
I only ask as I have a gig coming up with about 200 people listening to me, and this is the first time I've needed to amplify the guitar in such a setting.
PS- I'm running the guitar through a Fender Princeton Chorus 2x10 Solid State Amp.
Thanks,
Shawn
Comments
In my opinion the correct use of EQ is to fix problems not improve the tone. If I were you I would setup everything flat with no verb and adjust the volume to roughly performance level. Then I would play around the fingerboard, low to high, and only make an adjustment if one of the ranges (low,mid, or high) is louder than the rest. Every room is different and some stages will couple with your amp and cause some extra bass to happen. Conversely, some rooms will have hard surfaces that cause the treble to come out a bit. After you've fixed the problems for the environment then add some verb.
Theres an audio engineer adage "Eq is gain". Basically when you are eq-ing you're just taking volume or adding volume in certain registers. Often when I work as an audio engineer I'll be amazed at how musical an instrument will sound if I only fix the problems and don't try to improve the tone. And the best times I have playing are when the amp or sound system is adjusted so the notes across the fingerboard are balanced.
So that's my two cents. Break a leg!
-Jason
Swang on,
Thanks for saying that!
Yes, that or the peche a la mouche pickup through an Acoustic Image/Raezer's Edge or for the more vintage vibe through a Peche a la mouche or Stimer tube amp. Been using the tubes more lately...they're very addictive!
I do use mics or just play acoustic for the more intimate or concert type gigs. But when playing in bars and such the Stimer is the way to go.
Swang on,