Rhythm

[tot_Ou_tard]

Which pup/pups and of what type (sc, hum, P90) do you prefer for playing rhythm?

 

[Plank_Spanker]

It all depends on what I need at the time and what guitar I'm playing. I like positions 2 and 4 for my Strats (SSS, HSS, HH). For my Gibsons, both or the bridge.

It heavily depends on what I'm doing at the moment.

 

[tot_Ou_tard]

Can you explain more Plank?

What do you use for what?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Plank_Spanker]

I really like the "split coil" sound on the Strats (2 and 4 on the 5 way) for clean rhythms, especially if I'm playing with another player using a 2 HB guitar. It makes the guitar parts distinct and adds shimmer to the sound of the two guitars in the mix.

If I'm playing a 2 HB guitar, I usually go with both pickups selected for a fatter sounding rhythm, or the bridge, dialed back on the tone a tad, for a little more "bite" in the tone.

When I'm playing with another guitar player, I always try to select a sound that's different than his, but complements the overall mix. If we're both playing rhythm, I'll use open chords against barred chords, or vice versa. To me, two guitars playing the exact same rhythm part are monotonous, and can turn to mush in the mix.

I guess I'll do what it takes to "ice the cake".

 

[tot_Ou_tard]

Thanky Planky.

I have to do a lot of fiddling which I use my Boss Rc-2 looper to lay a lead over some chords to make sure they both sound good & don't compete for the same sonic space. I find it easier to get a good clean rhthym sound outta single coils (yes the quacky positions are a fav). I still haven't figured out humbuckers & rhthym. Are they only good for crunch?

 

[Plank_Spanker]

HB's are good for much more than just crunch, but it depends a lot on the particular pickup and guitar. I've never been a fan of super high output HB's. Most that I've heard get hairy and muddy when you crank them up, and lack character at lower volumes - but that's just my ears. I like a HB that stays clear and musical from stop to stop on the volume. The Burstbucker Pros in my LP are like that - if the amp is set for clean, the pickups will sound clean all the way to the stops - no mud, no hair, no shrill "icepick through the ears" nastiness.

Volume and tone settings can go a long way with HB's. Experiment with them. You might be surprised.

 

[Lev]

Thanky Planky.

I have to do a lot of fiddling which I use my Boss Rc-2 looper to lay a lead over some chords to make sure they both sound good & don't compete for the same sonic space. I find it easier to get a good clean rhthym sound outta single coils (yes the quacky positions are a fav). I still haven't figured out humbuckers & rhthym. Are they only good for crunch?

I find on my PRS that using both humbuckers together on a clean channel can give a really nice chime sound (as long as you keep the volume backed off) - it's that kinda paradise city intro sound. Not quite as percussive as a strat through.

You are right, the key to looping effectively is to make sure your rhythm and lead sounds are as distinct as possible. I've never been able to find a way of using a heavy crunch rhythm loop and playing lead over it - as you said the sounds are in the same sonic space coming from the same amp & speaker so it just sounds like mush.

PS - I just ran a spell check and it prompted me to change humbucker to hamburger

 

[tot_Ou_tard]

Thanks all. The guitar I was struggling with to get a nonmuddy clean rhythm sound was my son's HSH with an DiMarzio Norton in the bridge and a stock bucker in the neck. He's too busy at college right now for him to use it.

I have noticed that many looper demos start with laying down a rhythm track via an acoustic simulator pedal.

 

[ShortBuSX]

For rhythm I would think that the neck humbucker would be ideal for most everything, but if the bucker splits to mix with the middle you might be able to get that hollow strat tone thats good too.