Mellowing out a bright guitar

[Duffy]

I discovered an easy way to mellow out a "too bright" type of a guitar - try some "pure nickel wound strings". Most of the big string companies make them and they are just like regular strings, except they are all nickel instead of just nickel plated.

They produce a very nice mellow tone that some dudes really like. I have not been using a lot of them lately because I have developed an appreciation for a bright, clear, clean sound. In fact I even like to get some extra bright, clearness out of my humbucker guitars sometimes. Other times I like a more mellowed out, less bright tone and I just roll back on the tone knobs.

I find that I use my tone knobs a lot these days, where in the old days I always left the volume and tone knobs nailed wide open. I like to be able to turn up the tone all the way and have a nice bright sound with some bite, even with most humbuckers.

Anyway, try some pure nickel strings if you want to mellow out your guitar. They work really well for that, to my ear.

I hope this idea helps someone that is trying to tame a wildly bright guitar.

 

[László]

Very true. And the strings PRS sells that come with the guitars are pure nickel wrapped.

I love a pure nickel string, personally. The other advantage they have is that nickel is softer than steel, and causes less fret wear than plated steel.

 

[CatStrangler]

in the word of Mr. Robinson "Alnico II" all kidding aside the different types of magnets in the pickups can make quite a difference regarding ASDE. it is not subtle but If I wanted mellow, I would also consider that avenue.

 

[Tag]

On Gibson guitars, there is an easy fix that works REALLY well, and sounds great. Replace the little metal bridge saddles with the little white plastic ones that some older Gibsons came with. Might cost you $7-8 and takes all the nasty zing and pierce out of the top end. Works great on archtops too, and amazingly, you do not seem to lose any sustain or punch.