This is the best advice on the subject I’ve yet found. I’ve been an “everything on 10” and “all neck or all bridge” guy for years. The little bit of mid scoop and subtle tone taming of the middle position and knob tweaking you demonstrate is spot on and has revealed a guitar I never knew I had! I think that the benefits come from subtracting unwanted harmonics and bloated mids, revealing the more musical tones of the guitar. These cleaner tones play much nicer with my DAW’s effects and amp models, everything is much more pleasant to my ears, including overdrive and gain effects. I ran through the video a few times while simultaneously playing through my DAW on a simple clean setting, and was able to achieve tones comparable to the vid. I learned a lot and feel like I’ve got a new guitar! Thanks so much!
Wow, thanks for the great feedback. I'm so glad to hear you found it useful. It was definitely a lightbulb moment for me when I discovered all the tones I could get by blending the pickups and using the tone controls to thin the mids. I agree it can make the guitar more effects friendly.
@@groundwirepodcast2142 and @gordonmacintyre2863 , allow me to chime in. This is really a great video showing us what actually made the ES-335 this versatile an instrument in the first place. But one has to know about these interventions with the controls, so that's where the lightbulb moment indeed comes in! Thank you! Also, I find that the 50ies wiring is crucial to obtain this level of sound-shaping by using the controls and balance the interdependence of controls and signal in that powerful a way. Also, I think that humbuckers in parallel wiring help clean up the mid-range a lot. Of course, you might lose some of that mid-range natural compression, but not necessarily the bottom-end, which is where the sweet spot is at - for me at least. Anyways, really helpful, thanks! (I think I hit subscribe for this, it's great, looking forward to more)
I have had a Dot Reissue 1959 Historic since 2010, and barely ever used it. This video has brought it back from the dead. Thank you so much, from a former 10 volume, 10 Tone guy.
You sir.. get it. When the guitar is set up/wired correctly with a decent amp, so much greatness comes from the value and tone knobs on the guitar. Great vid
Thank you! Yes, it's funny that many of us guitar players have gotten away from using the knobs on our guitars. They are there for a reason, after all...
I really appreciated this video man. Thank you! People mention volume and tone control along with 50's wiring "tricks" all the time but the explanation is always a convoluted mess. You managed to communicate what your doing and why very clearly here. I've only recently started to find these elusive sweet spots and it's very exciting. I think I'm going to give the 50's wiring a shot in my 335. Thanks again!
You bet! This stuff was definitely a game changer for me. The range of tones available just experimenting with the blend of both pickups is really amazing. The real moral of the story is: Use the knobs on the guitar; they are there for a reason!
Many good ideas here. My suggestion as a long term 335 user is I never turn vol. pots all the way to 10. You get more clarity over all by keeping the vol. controls around 8 or 9 max. Make sure you have 500k pots as those 80's early-late 90's guitars generally came with 300k pots which make the guitar darker sounding.
Thanks. I have replaced all the Pots, because Gibson never used proper lefty taper pots. They are all 500k for sure. I agree, the sweet spot tends to be both pickups on with neck vol at 8 and bridge vol at 9, at least for me.
I use the neck at 8 with tone wide open, and the bridge at 10 with tone at 8. This gives the "both pickups" setting a really great tone, at least to me.
Awesome 👍. I just started the 335 vibe !! 40+ years as a player of various music styles and solid body guitars !! I bought an Eart 335 style guitar since the guitar was going on a remake journey !! Kept stock pickups, upgraded pots and caps !! I wired guitar 50s configuration with a twist !! Volume pots were wired in reverse for independent vs dependent !! Wife wood burned forest scenery on guitar's body !! It's a killer Country / Blues machine !!
That is awesome. I am generally more of a Strat/Tele guy myself, but I do love a 335. They are extremely versatile guitars, and are pure class to boot. Enjoy the journey.
Hey thanks brother! Great video and sound. These hollowbody ES-335's really talk! Watching this, (I'm left handed too) It's wild how much our lead guitar styles are similar. When I'm hanging out at home I play almost identical to this. I have a Vantage 635, an exact copy of this guitar, and it's nice to hear you through my dream rig (65 Deluxe and Gibson ES-335) because I can clearly hear that my rig (Vantage and Blues Junior with new circuit board) is just fine, and I can carry on with my rig, stop the dreaming, and save some serious money!
Thanks very much. Vantage made some great guitars. I have an old VP795, that is quite beat up, but is a super solid guitar. Blues Jr's are also great amps. Nothing wrong with that rig at all. Who are some of your playing influences?
That's so interesting, because I would not consider any of those players to be huge influences on me, although I like all of them. Amazing how we can have different influences and still end up with similar styles. I am more influenced by Hendrix, early Clapton, Jimmy Page, and Peter Green. Of course, those guys were all influenced by Albert King, so....
Just got an epi dot, probably a far cry from your 335...but these tips were really insightful! Especially about blending pickups at all times. Thank you!
Love this & have always explored this since cutting my teeth on a '75 Tele Custom (huge disparity in output between pickups there!). It's worth noting that you can do the same thing you describe at the beginning--but instead of leaving the neck pup's vol static & varying the bridge pup vol--there's another whole palette to explore by leaving the bridge pup around 8-ish, and varying the neck pup's volume. Also, these basic ideas take on a whole other increased range of sounds when you go up to a louder amp + 4x12 cab or two...(a la Page's TSRTS-era live rig).
Hey, thanks for this comment and insights. Yes, it totally works to keep the bridge pickup on 8 and adjust the neck pickup. In fact, I have been doing more of this lately. Agreed that this, and electric guitar in general, takes on a whole new dimension though a large rig. There is something about the way the guitar interacts with a loud amp that makes the notes just jump out of the guitar. On the rare occasions that I get to play though my '73 Superbass and 4x12 cab, it is an experience unlike any other.
Thanks for the feedback. The position of the knobs on my guitar isn't really the point, though. Different brands of pot have different tapers. Your Volume on 7 may be like mine on 6, etc. The main point is to use both pickups, adjust the blend between them using the volume and tone knobs, and unlock a range of different sounds. Hope that is useful.
A small point, but a very good one. I was aware of this, but forgot to mention it. I don't think he used it all the time, and when he did, I feel the quack stands out a bit, but for sure this was an important element of his sound. Thanks for adding this.
@groundwirepodcast2142 He used them all the time in the studio. His LP had all 4 pots as switchable. 2 for phase and 2 for coil split. It also helps that he used the ultra rare (expensive) Vox UL730's gain stage for early Zep albums. The Aclam Dr. Robert pedal duplicates this pretty well for Zep and Beatles stuff. Then there's the JHS Colorbox, a must for that DI Neve sound.
I definitely need to upgrade my tone and volume pot's. I bought a sweet guitar but the electronics suck bad. Its either all the way up or all the way down. They just don't work well at any range. I sorta bought it on a budget and have every intention of making it my own with all new gear. Thanks for the info.
YES YES YES THIS IS THE DATA! I SOLD HUNDREDS OF TELECASTERS OUT OF MY MUSIC STORE BY SHOWING THAT EVERY 1/8 INCH OF THE TONE CONTROL IS A DIFFERENT GUITAR AND THEN USE YOUR AMP TO FLOWER THAT OUT. I RUN MY 335 TONE CONTROLS BETWEEN 5-8 AND VOLUME BETWEEN 4-8. LEARN YOUR GUITAR,YOU HAVE 3 PICKUP SELECTIONS AND INFINITE TONE SUBTLTIES AND COMBINATIONS.SIGNED "TOO OLD TO ROCK TOO YOUNG TO DIE"
Hey there. Not familiar with the Supreme, and I don't have any guitars that use coil taps, so I can't say for sure. The 50's wiring is a very easy thing to do, as it just involves changing the leg of the pot where the tone cap connects. The real trick is using both pickups and blending the volume and tones to achieve many different sounds. I think the principle works regardless of single coil vs humbucker.
Killer tips in there! Even works with my cheap 335 copy. Just a small feedback you should edit your video to make it shorter and audio quality could be better:) Keep up the good work man.
Thank you! I think it works with any dual humbucker guitar with individual volume/tones. Thanks for the feedback. Yes, self editing is challenging, and the audio quality is also noted. I have been using a plug in condenser mic and recording on the iPhone, to minimize editing, but I may have to suck it up and individually mic voice and amp and properly edit. The extra workload is dissuading me from this. Know any video editing interns who want to hone their chops? 😂
This is great. I own a 2016 es 335 w burstbuckers and totally agree. Beautiful playing tho, you certainly have a great tone in your fingers more than the guitar
That 335 sounds great, even though the folks on the internet say it just can't (maple neck, short tenon, decent but not boutique-standard PUPs sez they). I have an almost identical looking/sounding 81. Anyway, one thing folks may want to do it invest in one or more new pots, especially if they have a guitar (er...PRS SE) with pots that go from full to 1/2 to off between 10 and 6.
Thank you! I think the early 80's stuff is killer, and the Shaw pickups are the best Gibson has made since the original PAFs, in my opinion. I did swap out the pots in mine. I use the RS Superpots, and they are great. Cheers!
@@groundwirepodcast2142 well your amp has rich reverb.You play very good.How long have you had the 335?I have a 335 Memphis.I've always been attracted to them.And I do the same thing you do with the bridge pickup.Glad to see you're using a tube amp.I don't like solid state.But I do like the treble that tubes give.I have a vox AC 15.But I would love to have a Deluxe Reverb tube amp.But I can't afford one.Keep it up.Keep doing the videos.It will open doors for you.
Thanks for the kind words. I have only owned the 335 about 18 months, after lusting for one for years. It's totally killer. Mine needed a lot of work when I got it, but I got a good deal on it and it was worth it. Agreed on tube amps. For me, it's the only way. AC15's are awesome. I have never owned a Vox, but I love that sound. Thanks, and I will surely keep doing videos. Cheers!
Impressive that someone who has barely learnt the instrument yet is so generous with his time in order to help beginners. Beats a lot of those egomaniacs who shred pointlessly, intimidating beginners and paying scant attention to learners' tone needs.
@@groundwirepodcast2142 Apologies, I was wrong, I saw an early passage when you were playing very stiffly but now see much greater fluency towards the end of the video. I still think you will reach greater expressiveness if you ditch the plectrum for six weeks and let your right hand talk actively to the strings while your left hand remains pegged behind the frets, insulated from the vibrations and thus playing a vital but subsidiary part in sound production compared to the mighty right hand.
Thanks. For me, that left and right hand stuff is reversed, seeing as I'm a lefty. I appreciate your comments, though I will say that the playing isn't really the point of the video. When recording a video, live, in a single take, it's easy to play stiffly and fall back on simple cliché riffs and such. The tones and concepts are the point of the video, not anything I'm playing, but I can see how subpar playing could detract from the greater point. Cheers, and thanks for watching.
@@groundwirepodcast2142 No I get you completely, I think your tips and video are excellent and have helped me overcome the constraints of the tone selector switch on my Gibson Lucille. I should have intuited that the gradation of a rotary tone pot is greater than the toneband pre-sets of a 6 position switch. I wanted that Alvin Lee woman tone on it without having to cook my vintage Marshall to neighbour-bothering levels. A wooden passage in your playing spooked me into thinking there was a disparity between your technical knowledge and your playing experience which made me switch off tetchily. Your reasoned and polite response then meant I saw later that you CAN play well and thus I was able to consume your tone-dialling advice with appreciation... and will watch you again. Your picking/plucking hand is the future though, trust me, not for acrobatics but for expression. It renewed my love of all stringed instruments and led me to session work, theatre performances, (even playing the Tower of London) during the second half of my 47 years playing.
Great video! Thanks for the tips. I have 2 questions. 1. Does that distorted sound comes from the pickups or you have some type of overdrive setting? I’ve seen people say “this a clean sound on a 335” and it sound a bit distorted. 2. Isn’t top wrapping the same as lifting your stop tail bridge!
Thank you, and you're most welcome. 1) At times I am using an overdrive pedal; so not sure if that is what you are referring to. I announce when I turn it on. I also always set my amps at the edge of breakup, so even "clean" there is a bit of hair on the notes. Much more character to the tone this way, 2) I'd recommend looking up top wrapping, as there's quite a few articles about it. You are inserting the string the opposite way through the tailpiece and then wrapping it over the top. It allows you to lower the tailpiece to the body without having too sharp of a break angle over the bridge. Cheers!
It's not crazy. It's all up to the player and what feels comfortable. That said, if you haven't tried lighter strings in a while, I highly recommend it.
Pickups do make a huge difference for sure, but I would wager that sometimes, finding the tone you are after is just a twist of the volume or tone knob away. For example, I always found Les Pauls to be a bit nasal and biting, until I starting running the volume of the bridge pickup at 9 instead of 10...
ME TOO! Always though Les Pauls have too distinct of an in phase middle position quack and "strong" tone which perhaps aligns with your "nasal and biting". Thanks for tips! @@groundwirepodcast2142
This is the best advice on the subject I’ve yet found. I’ve been an “everything on 10” and “all neck or all bridge” guy for years. The little bit of mid scoop and subtle tone taming of the middle position and knob tweaking you demonstrate is spot on and has revealed a guitar I never knew I had! I think that the benefits come from subtracting unwanted harmonics and bloated mids, revealing the more musical tones of the guitar. These cleaner tones play much nicer with my DAW’s effects and amp models, everything is much more pleasant to my ears, including overdrive and gain effects. I ran through the video a few times while simultaneously playing through my DAW on a simple clean setting, and was able to achieve tones comparable to the vid. I learned a lot and feel like I’ve got a new guitar! Thanks so much!
Wow, thanks for the great feedback. I'm so glad to hear you found it useful. It was definitely a lightbulb moment for me when I discovered all the tones I could get by blending the pickups and using the tone controls to thin the mids. I agree it can make the guitar more effects friendly.
@@groundwirepodcast2142 and
@gordonmacintyre2863
, allow me to chime in. This is really a great video showing us what actually made the ES-335 this versatile an instrument in the first place. But one has to know about these interventions with the controls, so that's where the lightbulb moment indeed comes in! Thank you!
Also, I find that the 50ies wiring is crucial to obtain this level of sound-shaping by using the controls and balance the interdependence of controls and signal in that powerful a way.
Also, I think that humbuckers in parallel wiring help clean up the mid-range a lot. Of course, you might lose some of that mid-range natural compression, but not necessarily the bottom-end, which is where the sweet spot is at - for me at least.
Anyways, really helpful, thanks! (I think I hit subscribe for this, it's great, looking forward to more)
I have had a Dot Reissue 1959 Historic since 2010, and barely ever used it. This video has brought it back from the dead. Thank you so much, from a former 10 volume, 10 Tone guy.
You are most welcome. That is a great guitar, and I'm glad your interest in it has returned. Happy jamming.
You sir.. get it. When the guitar is set up/wired correctly with a decent amp, so much greatness comes from the value and tone knobs on the guitar. Great vid
Thank you! Yes, it's funny that many of us guitar players have gotten away from using the knobs on our guitars. They are there for a reason, after all...
I really appreciated this video man. Thank you! People mention volume and tone control along with 50's wiring "tricks" all the time but the explanation is always a convoluted mess. You managed to communicate what your doing and why very clearly here. I've only recently started to find these elusive sweet spots and it's very exciting. I think I'm going to give the 50's wiring a shot in my 335. Thanks again!
You bet! This stuff was definitely a game changer for me. The range of tones available just experimenting with the blend of both pickups is really amazing. The real moral of the story is: Use the knobs on the guitar; they are there for a reason!
Thanks man, I’ve been finding how to use the controls for these whole new sound on the guitar❤.
Thanks for the feedback Tons of sounds to be had just using what's on the guitar.
Many good ideas here. My suggestion as a long term 335 user is I never turn vol. pots all the way to 10. You get more clarity over all by keeping the vol. controls around 8 or 9 max. Make sure you have 500k pots as those 80's early-late 90's guitars generally came with 300k pots which make the guitar darker sounding.
Thanks. I have replaced all the Pots, because Gibson never used proper lefty taper pots. They are all 500k for sure. I agree, the sweet spot tends to be both pickups on with neck vol at 8 and bridge vol at 9, at least for me.
I use the neck at 8 with tone wide open, and the bridge at 10 with tone at 8. This gives the "both pickups" setting a really great tone, at least to me.
Awesome 👍. I just started the 335 vibe !! 40+ years as a player of various music styles and solid body guitars !! I bought an Eart 335 style guitar since the guitar was going on a remake journey !! Kept stock pickups, upgraded pots and caps !! I wired guitar 50s configuration with a twist !! Volume pots were wired in reverse for independent vs dependent !! Wife wood burned forest scenery on guitar's body !! It's a killer Country / Blues machine !!
That is awesome. I am generally more of a Strat/Tele guy myself, but I do love a 335. They are extremely versatile guitars, and are pure class to boot. Enjoy the journey.
Thanks Mate ! Very helpful. I struggled lots trying to get tone that was satisfying much appreciated!
You're welcome. Glad you found it useful. Cheers!
Way to go man! Thanks for sharing!
You are welcome and Thank YOU for watching. Cheers!
Very good video. Thanks!
I'm left handed too but for some reason have always played guitar right handed.
Hey thanks brother! Great video and sound. These hollowbody ES-335's really talk! Watching this, (I'm left handed too) It's wild how much our lead guitar styles are similar. When I'm hanging out at home I play almost identical to this. I have a Vantage 635, an exact copy of this guitar, and it's nice to hear you through my dream rig (65 Deluxe and Gibson ES-335) because I can clearly hear that my rig (Vantage and Blues Junior with new circuit board) is just fine, and I can carry on with my rig, stop the dreaming, and save some serious money!
Thanks very much. Vantage made some great guitars. I have an old VP795, that is quite beat up, but is a super solid guitar. Blues Jr's are also great amps. Nothing wrong with that rig at all.
Who are some of your playing influences?
@@groundwirepodcast2142 mostly john lee hooker, john Fogerty and Albert king for electric
That's so interesting, because I would not consider any of those players to be huge influences on me, although I like all of them. Amazing how we can have different influences and still end up with similar styles. I am more influenced by Hendrix, early Clapton, Jimmy Page, and Peter Green. Of course, those guys were all influenced by Albert King, so....
Just got an epi dot, probably a far cry from your 335...but these tips were really insightful! Especially about blending pickups at all times. Thank you!
Thanks, and Epi Dots are great guitars, probably not that different than my 335, honestly.
Yeah, they're not really that far apart!!!
Very helpful!!
Love this & have always explored this since cutting my teeth on a '75 Tele Custom (huge disparity in output between pickups there!). It's worth noting that you can do the same thing you describe at the beginning--but instead of leaving the neck pup's vol static & varying the bridge pup vol--there's another whole palette to explore by leaving the bridge pup around 8-ish, and varying the neck pup's volume. Also, these basic ideas take on a whole other increased range of sounds when you go up to a louder amp + 4x12 cab or two...(a la Page's TSRTS-era live rig).
Hey, thanks for this comment and insights. Yes, it totally works to keep the bridge pickup on 8 and adjust the neck pickup. In fact, I have been doing more of this lately. Agreed that this, and electric guitar in general, takes on a whole new dimension though a large rig. There is something about the way the guitar interacts with a loud amp that makes the notes just jump out of the guitar. On the rare occasions that I get to play though my '73 Superbass and 4x12 cab, it is an experience unlike any other.
It would be wonderful to be able to see the guitar dials that he is changing. Point of video is those four dials yet they’re off the screen. Great.
Thanks for the feedback. The position of the knobs on my guitar isn't really the point, though. Different brands of pot have different tapers. Your Volume on 7 may be like mine on 6, etc. The main point is to use both pickups, adjust the blend between them using the volume and tone knobs, and unlock a range of different sounds. Hope that is useful.
A small point, Page had an out of phase push/pull on both his main sunburst les pauls, which helped get that iconic sound you’re talking about
A small point, but a very good one. I was aware of this, but forgot to mention it. I don't think he used it all the time, and when he did, I feel the quack stands out a bit, but for sure this was an important element of his sound. Thanks for adding this.
@groundwirepodcast2142 He used them all the time in the studio. His LP had all 4 pots as switchable. 2 for phase and 2 for coil split. It also helps that he used the ultra rare (expensive) Vox UL730's gain stage for early Zep albums. The Aclam Dr. Robert pedal duplicates this pretty well for Zep and Beatles stuff. Then there's the JHS Colorbox, a must for that DI Neve sound.
I definitely need to upgrade my tone and volume pot's. I bought a sweet guitar but the electronics suck bad. Its either all the way up or all the way down. They just don't work well at any range. I sorta bought it on a budget and have every intention of making it my own with all new gear. Thanks for the info.
YES YES YES THIS IS THE DATA! I SOLD HUNDREDS OF TELECASTERS OUT OF MY MUSIC STORE BY SHOWING THAT EVERY 1/8 INCH OF THE TONE CONTROL IS A DIFFERENT GUITAR AND THEN USE YOUR AMP TO FLOWER THAT OUT.
I RUN MY 335 TONE CONTROLS BETWEEN 5-8 AND VOLUME BETWEEN 4-8. LEARN YOUR GUITAR,YOU HAVE 3 PICKUP SELECTIONS AND INFINITE TONE SUBTLTIES AND COMBINATIONS.SIGNED "TOO OLD TO ROCK TOO YOUNG TO DIE"
How would that work on the new ES 335 Supreme? You can split the pickups into single coil. Not sure it comes with 50s wiring. That does clean up nice.
Hey there. Not familiar with the Supreme, and I don't have any guitars that use coil taps, so I can't say for sure. The 50's wiring is a very easy thing to do, as it just involves changing the leg of the pot where the tone cap connects. The real trick is using both pickups and blending the volume and tones to achieve many different sounds. I think the principle works regardless of single coil vs humbucker.
Killer tips in there! Even works with my cheap 335 copy. Just a small feedback you should edit your video to make it shorter and audio quality could be better:)
Keep up the good work man.
Thank you! I think it works with any dual humbucker guitar with individual volume/tones.
Thanks for the feedback. Yes, self editing is challenging, and the audio quality is also noted. I have been using a plug in condenser mic and recording on the iPhone, to minimize editing, but I may have to suck it up and individually mic voice and amp and properly edit. The extra workload is dissuading me from this. Know any video editing interns who want to hone their chops? 😂
@@groundwirepodcast2142 sounds too much like work!
I really appreciate this.
This is great. I own a 2016 es 335 w burstbuckers and totally agree. Beautiful playing tho, you certainly have a great tone in your fingers more than the guitar
Thank you! That's very kind.
That 335 sounds great, even though the folks on the internet say it just can't (maple neck, short tenon, decent but not boutique-standard PUPs sez they). I have an almost identical looking/sounding 81. Anyway, one thing folks may want to do it invest in one or more new pots, especially if they have a guitar (er...PRS SE) with pots that go from full to 1/2 to off between 10 and 6.
Thank you! I think the early 80's stuff is killer, and the Shaw pickups are the best Gibson has made since the original PAFs, in my opinion. I did swap out the pots in mine. I use the RS Superpots, and they are great. Cheers!
Great lesson.Reverb may be a little rich but good stuff.
Thanks, and agreed, but reverb is so addictive it's easy to overdo it.
@@groundwirepodcast2142 well your amp has rich reverb.You play very good.How long have you had the 335?I have a 335 Memphis.I've always been attracted to them.And I do the same thing you do with the bridge pickup.Glad to see you're using a tube amp.I don't like solid state.But I do like the treble that tubes give.I have a vox AC 15.But I would love to have a Deluxe Reverb tube amp.But I can't afford one.Keep it up.Keep doing the videos.It will open doors for you.
Thanks for the kind words. I have only owned the 335 about 18 months, after lusting for one for years. It's totally killer. Mine needed a lot of work when I got it, but I got a good deal on it and it was worth it.
Agreed on tube amps. For me, it's the only way. AC15's are awesome. I have never owned a Vox, but I love that sound.
Thanks, and I will surely keep doing videos. Cheers!
what a beautiful sound guitar. very useful tips. i will try it with my 335 copy :)
Thanks! It works with any dual pickup guitar with dual volume and tone controls but extra useful with 335 style guitars.
A left-handed player great, I'm not alone
Impressive that someone who has barely learnt the instrument yet is so generous with his time in order to help beginners. Beats a lot of those egomaniacs who shred pointlessly, intimidating beginners and paying scant attention to learners' tone needs.
I've been playing for 25 years, but music is a never ending pursuit and we are all beginners forever...
@@groundwirepodcast2142 Apologies, I was wrong, I saw an early passage when you were playing very stiffly but now see much greater fluency towards the end of the video. I still think you will reach greater expressiveness if you ditch the plectrum for six weeks and let your right hand talk actively to the strings while your left hand remains pegged behind the frets, insulated from the vibrations and thus playing a vital but subsidiary part in sound production compared to the mighty right hand.
Thanks. For me, that left and right hand stuff is reversed, seeing as I'm a lefty. I appreciate your comments, though I will say that the playing isn't really the point of the video. When recording a video, live, in a single take, it's easy to play stiffly and fall back on simple cliché riffs and such. The tones and concepts are the point of the video, not anything I'm playing, but I can see how subpar playing could detract from the greater point. Cheers, and thanks for watching.
@@groundwirepodcast2142 No I get you completely, I think your tips and video are excellent and have helped me overcome the constraints of the tone selector switch on my Gibson Lucille. I should have intuited that the gradation of a rotary tone pot is greater than the toneband pre-sets of a 6 position switch. I wanted that Alvin Lee woman tone on it without having to cook my vintage Marshall to neighbour-bothering levels. A wooden passage in your playing spooked me into thinking there was a disparity between your technical knowledge and your playing experience which made me switch off tetchily. Your reasoned and polite response then meant I saw later that you CAN play well and thus I was able to consume your tone-dialling advice with appreciation... and will watch you again. Your picking/plucking hand is the future though, trust me, not for acrobatics but for expression. It renewed my love of all stringed instruments and led me to session work, theatre performances, (even playing the Tower of London) during the second half of my 47 years playing.
10:00 "I can't play jazz guitar at all...."
Proceeds to play some very cool jazzy stuff!
That's being quite generous, but Thank You!
Great video! Thanks for the tips. I have 2 questions. 1. Does that distorted sound comes from the pickups or you have some type of overdrive setting? I’ve seen people say “this a clean sound on a 335” and it sound a bit distorted. 2. Isn’t top wrapping the same as lifting your stop tail bridge!
Thank you, and you're most welcome.
1) At times I am using an overdrive pedal; so not sure if that is what you are referring to. I announce when I turn it on. I also always set my amps at the edge of breakup, so even "clean" there is a bit of hair on the notes. Much more character to the tone this way,
2) I'd recommend looking up top wrapping, as there's quite a few articles about it. You are inserting the string the opposite way through the tailpiece and then wrapping it over the top. It allows you to lower the tailpiece to the body without having too sharp of a break angle over the bridge.
Cheers!
I have 12 gauge strings on mine. Is that crazy?
It's not crazy. It's all up to the player and what feels comfortable. That said, if you haven't tried lighter strings in a while, I highly recommend it.
Ha! And everyone is running out buying expensive pickups and probably playing V/T on 10.
Pickups do make a huge difference for sure, but I would wager that sometimes, finding the tone you are after is just a twist of the volume or tone knob away. For example, I always found Les Pauls to be a bit nasal and biting, until I starting running the volume of the bridge pickup at 9 instead of 10...
ME TOO! Always though Les Pauls have too distinct of an in phase middle position quack and "strong" tone which perhaps aligns with your "nasal and biting". Thanks for tips!
@@groundwirepodcast2142