2 Different Teles On Stage, 2 Different Worlds.

[fenderguy72]

So we just finished our first night doing a casino show here in Swift Current. This day couldn't come any faster as I was anxious to try my new 2011 AMS tele on stage tonight. My usual pedals into a DRRI that my bass player has been lending me for a few weeks. The sound was sweet, balanced or was it just because it was a new guitar and the sheer excitement of playin it live for the first time just playin tricks on me?

Anyway I brought my stock roadworn tele with the texmex pickups and that sat on the stand for the first couple sets until the third and final set when I switched to the roadworn. Soon as I bypassed my tuner, the sound was loud, crisp, full of bottom, mids, highs, all the good stuff. My bass player actually looked at me with a surprised look as he noticed the total change of sounds.

Earlier in the night I couldn't dial in a loud enough sound with the AMS but finally it came and was loud enough. It was a great guitar to play. Like really, who doesn't like playin live with a new guitar for the first time.

So with the AMS having its standard tele pickups and 9-42 strings and then the roadworn with its Texmex pickups and 10-46 strings battling it out on stage, I've concluded that something's may have to be changed or adjusted on one of the guitars. Most likely the AMS.

I think I will switch to 10s eventually and have it setup. But as far as pickups go, I wouldnt mind finding a balance between the two guitars. I would like the AMS to be as bold as the roadworn in some sense. I honestly had to back down the levels on a couple of my pedals after I switched to the roadworn. I would like to find a sweet spot where I could have the new sound of the AMS but the old sound of the roadworn without having to tweak pedal or amp settings between switches.

Any suggestions? I feel like this is a 24 hour tele help-line and I think I need some help:). Thanks for any info, ideas or replies.

[Brandon mac]

maybe try adjusting the pups in the new amarican standard jmho

[fuzzbox]

If you like the sound of each guitar individually, I wouldn't change anything including pickup height (which affects volume & tone). I have a compressor at the front of my chain that helps mitigate the output imbalance between my Strat and Tele while maintaining the fundamental character of each.

[fenderguy72]

Yeah guess that would be the first step. I'll try that for tomorrow night. I haven't made any adjustments to it yet as I've was curious as to what the guitar would have sounded like set up from the store or factory. But yeah, pickup height adjustment is first on my list.

[Tonemonkey]

You could put a volume pedal in your chain or even an EQ pedal to add vol and shape the AmS tele's sound.

[mbennettbrown]

It would be a shame to 'turn down' the great sounding guitar or to color the sound of the lower volume one.

My best recommendation is to use a volume pedal that has a 'preset.' I think Mod Tone makes one but I couldn't find it. This one has detents so you can be precise with the volume reduction.

http://www.pedalgeek.com/cgi-bin/new...mand=link--hed

[wrxmania]

Just use a cleanboost pedal - does the job perfectly and will be true bypass. Loads to choose from.

I use one when I go from say a Tele to a PRS or Les paul etc.

Brian.

[fenderguy72]

Originally Posted by Tonemonkey

You could put a volume pedal in your chain or even an EQ pedal to add vol and shape the AmS tele's sound.

An EQ is an option. Gonna have to make more room on my pedalboard.

[fenderguy72]

Originally Posted by mbennettbrown

It would be a shame to 'turn down' the great sounding guitar or to color the sound of the lower volume one.

My thoughts exactly. I gotta find a balance. I may have to start using my sparkle drive as a clean boost just for the AMS and not the roadworn. But first I will adjust the pickup height I believe.

[xtrajerry]

My pedal board has a built in preamp just for this situation. My RW 50 had great loud tone, it's the nature of the beast.

[Bartholomew3]

Going to .10 or even ten point five strings makes a really big difference in the sound on my guitars.

Never heard a good sound from .09 strings - are skinny and tinny except for the pros who tour with a sound man and $350,000 of sound equipment.

Somebody will no doubt post a video of ZZ or whatever - which proves my point actually.