Clean tone help

[Matthias King]

I'm using a Jackson King V with EMG 81/85's currently. When I do something clean tone, I usually keep it switched to the bridge pickup, and I'm using heavy guage strings.

I'm using Amplitube 3 with the Rectifier model, on the clean channel for all my cleans. The clean sound I get is pretty good, but I can't help but think it could be better. I find myself messing with the clean tracks in the mix a lot, trying this, trying that, and I've learned over the years that if I feel compelled to keep messing with something in a mix, then it's not right, so I wonder what else I should try.

When you're doing cleans, do you prefer the bridge or neck pickup, or in the middle? And do people usually favor heavy guage strings like I have, or lighter? I know for heavy rhythms, heavy guage is the only way to go for me, but I could use a bit more guidance on clean tones.

The tone I tend to try to aim for is kinda like the intro for 'Enter Sandman' or 'Welcome Home (Sanitarium)' Not a carbon copy, but that bright, crisp, bell-like tone that they get, or as close to something like that as I can get.

Any help on pickup position or string guage, or any other little tips are appreciated.

 

[egan.]

I prefer medium gauge strings so you don't get that tubby (low) E string sound on the cleans. Generally I'd go neck but it depends on the part. TBH I'm not wild about EMG's for clean tone and I think a single coil might get you closer to what you're after but I'm sure a Metallica nerd will chime in and tell you exactly what they used.

 

[Matthias King]

I have several different Jacksons. I have a Rhoads V that I'm planning on putting some lighter guage strings on for doing leads and solos, perhaps I'll try that one for cleans as well and see how it sounds. And I'll experiment back and forth between neck and bridge and in between. All my Jacksons have EMG's though, so I don't really have any other option as far as that goes.

Thanks for the info.