How many do you use?

[justmund]

So slightly inspired by the Dave Knudson thread and my own penchant for flexible guitars, got me wondering about how many of the available sounds people use on their guitars?

I've always been fan of the 513 (and now the 408) and how much flexibility they offer, but there's something about the beautiful simplicity of a single pickup guitar, or dare I say it, a twin hb with no coil taps, that interests me.

As most of my guitar playing is cover band work (yes I'll admit it), I "need" a flexible guitar to go from funky inbetween strat tones to full on higher gain metal. Now obviously you can get a lot more out of your guitar making full use of the volume and tone controls (thanks Les), and case and point of this is the narrowfields, which are amazingly responsive to the volume controls.

So, what say you? Are you a "tweaker", one who changes tone during and between songs, making full use of those switches and knobs, or a "leaver" and just leaves them alone, lets your fingers do the talking and rocks out!

Again, these are very broad brushes that are off the cuff as I lie here in bed, sick for the first time in over a year. Not one is "better" than another, I see the appeal of both, however I am interested and maybe I or we can learn some stuff in the posts to come...

 

[Twinfan]

I'm a tweaker. I use the bridge humbucker of my 408 guitars for the most part, but I constantly adjust my volume and tone controls to alter gain and treble response. When I do switch pickups I want super versatility though, and in the course of a gig I use 7/8 of the tones. The only one I don't use is the bridge full / neck split combination.

 

[László]

I'm a tweaker, too. Especially so with a good amp.

 

[CE-man]

I have a CE-24 and Custom 24 that are both equipped with 5-way rotary selector switches. I use 4 of the 5 settings regularly in this sort of manner:

POSITION -10- wide open vol = (Les Paul humbucker hot lead) at volume 7= (hot L.P. rhythm) vol 5 = (cheesy rhythm)
POSITION -9- Strat
POSITION -8- don't use much at all
POSITION -7- Tele
POSITION -6- (vol= 7 smooth rhythm) volume 10 = fat Les Paul rhythm/ thick lead

These are basic selections but you get the idea.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

I live in position 9.

 

[jtbadge]

I am really enjoying all six positions of the Grissom. Not used to havin such usable single coil tones.

 

[prsguitarman101]

I have a CE24 with a 5 way switch, and I use most of my positions during the show, depends on what the song is, and what sound I am looking for!

:408:

 

[cobrafast1]

I typically us the neck pickup to get the smooth blues sound and then use the volume and tone controls to vary the sound. I typically use a clean channel on my amp and then use a DOD FX-54 for the distortion. And I use an Echoplex to give me rythm when practicing. And I use a Roctron Intellifex for more reverb and other effects and delays.

 

[solacematt]

I guess I'd say I fall between the two. I use both my hollowbody and custom 24. The hollowbody for the songs that have more cleans and the custom 24 for everything else. To me, the 5-way rotary switch is one of the greatest guitar innovations and something that really set PRS apart from everyone else. I'd say I use mine in the same manner that CE-Man uses it. It's just such a versatile feature and fairly simple to use...even while singing.

 

[slev]

I have a CE24 with a 5 way switch, and I use most of my positions during the show, depends on what the song is, and what sound I am looking for!

+1 and I use my DGT Standard the same way, for covering a large range of sonic ground with out an unwieldy amount of gear at a gig or rehearsal.

 

[hippietim]

I play in a Stones tribute band. I use up to 4 guitars:

• Tele tuned to open G
• PRS with piezo tuned to open G - I've used P22 and my PS SA P24
• Guitar in standard tuning (preferably with piezo but not a must) - I'ved used my PS SA P24, HB II, Sig LTD
• Electric 12-string Tele

I can get by with just the Tele in open G and a piezo equipped guitar that I retune as needed. I can get by without the 12-string but it adds a lot to several tunes.

For other gigs I usually take 2-3 guitars - I like something with a wiggle stick (preferably a Floyd), a hardtail, and then maybe a third guitar that I'll choose based on mood.

 

[vchizzle]

I don't use knobs much. The guitars I use live, I usually pull them out in favor of 2 volume knobs which is much more useful to me. Use all switch positions on a 3 way. Don't coil tap much, but when I do it's almost always the neck pickup.

 

[Mikegarveyblues]

Definately a Tweaker!

With my Strat i'll use any position that fits the song. Love the neck position on Strats. 2 + 4 is great with a bit of compression and relatively clean - you can get nice Knopfleresque or funk tones there. If your mid pup is reverse wound you'll get hum cancelling in that position too! The middle is great for rhythm playing. The bridge rocks if you have the right pup installed and connect it to one of the tone controls. I've got a fairly hot single coil in mine and I just roll the tone off a touch and it sounds great.

With my humbucker eqipped guitars I tend to favour the middle position(s) a little less than the Strat but I do mess with the tone and vol knobs a lot.

Between how you pick, where you pick, the tone and vol knobs and pup positions there's a huge pallette of sounds you can get without having to reach for the amp or pedals.

 

[swede71]

Ok,not a PRS but in my new Stratproject i use a Serenity pararell/series swith from Acmeguitarworks.Master vol,master tone and the bottom tonecontrol as a pararell/series "switch".On 10 a regular strat,on 1 it turns the bridge/middle and neck/middle in series and position 2,3,4 middle pickup.I love the bridge/middle in series sound.Pickups are Van Zandts True vintage.