DI vs real guitar

[Sidious]

Hey all

So i got my new rig today (yay).
Unfortunately my guitar is out of service atm, so not much fun in the new rig. I had the idea though, that i could try out some of the DIs here and run them through the amp.

I did that, with the line out of my guitarport. I used the "Rose of sharyn" DI that can be found somewhere else on this board.

I must say it sounded absolutely KILLER. Really smooth, huge chunk etc.

Then my Cousin came by today with his guitar (LTD F500 aniversery edition, with EMG81 + 85). When plugging that in, it did not sound nearly as good. Much for fizzy and compressed. I used the same settings.

So... Did these DIs go through some kind of processing (I didnt think so) or was it my cousins guitar? I asked him, and he never changed the battery in it, so he doesnt even know how old it is. I thought a flat battery in that EMG equipped guitar might be an explanation.

Thanks in advance.

 

[JeffTD]

Well, I used an 89 in the bridge for those DI's which is going to give it more output, punch, low end, and 'balls' than an 81 would have in the same axe, so that explains part of it.

The other HUGE factor, and probably more important one, is the playing. I pick super hard. I also track really tightly. Both contribute to the bigness, openness, and clarity of what you hear out of those DI's.

The DI's were completely unprocessed and unedited aside from removing silence, for what it's worth.

 

[Sidious]

Well, I used an 89 in the bridge for those DI's which is going to give it more output, punch, low end, and 'balls' than an 81 would have in the same axe, so that explains part of it.

The other HUGE factor, and probably more important one, is the playing. I pick super hard. I also track really tightly. Both contribute to the bigness, openness, and clarity of what you hear out of those DI's.

The DI's were completely unprocessed and unedited aside from removing silence, for what it's worth.

Woohoo the original composer/player. I just want to say thanks alot for them kickass DIs.

Ok, just want to say i pick really hard. I usually dig in really deep, at times too much then it sounds out of tune.

Nothing i tried removed the fuzzy/fizzyness and compression/thinness.

Theres was NO fizz at all with your DIs. But you just answered my question though, which is no processing on the original DI. Then its probably his guitar.

Thanks a ton. Btw, did you record any other DIs?

 

[JeffTD]

Weird - maybe try swapping guitars, and make sure your DI chain is up to snuff. What are you running for that?

I've got another set of DI's with the same axe coming up in the tone competition thread, look out for that.

 

[Damian B]

Could be the interface? When I upgraded to my Profire 2626 from a Tascam US-122 I saw a dramatic increase in my DI quality, even with the same guitar.

 

[Sidious]

Hey

Im not sure if i left the right impression here. The short version:
DI = Kickass sound
Real guitar = Fizzy sound of shitness.

So.. yeah. My DI interface? Im not even sure its legal, its just the line out from my guitarport.

 

[deLuther]

Most time (from my experience) reamped DI tracks sounds better than same guitar straight to amp
In some cases reamping can give more gain compared to guitar straight to amp, some times, if interface output is too weak and reamper significantly drops signal level, gain is mush less than straight to amp
Absence of reamper means that no additional level reduction exists.

 

[Rex Rocker]

Flip the pickups around in the F-500 so that you have the 85 in the bridge. I think it's worth giving a try.

 

[Sidious]

I just thought i'd throw in a small update.

My cousin checked the battery in his guitar (for the first time ever), and it was completely drained. There was no power left, what so ever. So that might be the problem right there. Thanks all.

 

[John_C]

I just thought i'd throw in a small update.

My cousin checked the battery in his guitar (for the first time ever), and it was completely drained. There was no power left, what so ever. So that might be the problem right there. Thanks all.

almost certainly that.

 

[Chris_P_Critter]

Jeff - you use an 89 in the bridge. Have had my eyes set on this for a while - what pup are you using in the neck position?

 

[Sidious]

I find it kind of funny that Jeff used the 89 for these clips. I've heard/read that the 89 in humbucker mode is just an 85. On the other hand I've read on a few occasations that our good Jeff here finds the 85 in bridge to be NOT cool. How come?

 

[Sidious]

Most time (from my experience) reamped DI tracks sounds better than same guitar straight to amp
In some cases reamping can give more gain compared to guitar straight to amp, some times, if interface output is too weak and reamper significantly drops signal level, gain is mush less than straight to amp
Absence of reamper means that no additional level reduction exists.

I didnt find the reamp to have more gain actually. For me it was more or less the same amount of gain. The tone though, was much much better with the DI.

Like... the difference between a completely raw track and a post produced track.