Tone Problems

[Psychotic Break]

I was wondering if you guys could help me out with my guitar tone. It sounds really scooped, squished, and tinny. I can't figure out how to fix it. I'm using a Line 6 PodStudio UX2, which is basically a TonePort with Pod-style modeling capabilities. I'm not expecting anything godly out of this <$200 box, but I know it can do better than this. It sounds almost exactly like the direct out on my Spider II head right now...

My most recent recording, here, uses the settings shown below. These are presented in the same order as they are on the signal chain.

Noise Gate

Screamer OD pedal

Spinal Puppet head

*The presence has nothing to do with it. It just gets more scooped and the attack goes down the shitter when I turn it down.

Compressor

Cab Settings

I'm thinking it might just be the cab models, none of them really sound too great. I might just use kefir for that. Any tips are much appreciated!



PS: I thought about posting this in the rate my mix/tone section, but I'm not looking for a critique. I know my tone sucks. I'm looking for advice on making it better.

 

[Zack Uidl]

Here is what I would do first.

1-Ditch the compressor before the cabinet

2-If you are going to use that Cabinet simulation , remove the 30% room and make it 0% and try the on axis

3-I would recommend trying out impulses instead of the cab you are using

I do not know anything about what you are using, but that is what I would try at first......

 

[Psychotic Break]

Here is what I would do first.

1-Ditch the compressor before the cabinet

2-If you are going to use that Cabinet simulation , remove the 30% room and make it 0% and try the on axis

3-I would recommend trying out impulses instead of the cab you are using

I do not know anything about what you are using, but that is what I would try at first......

That sounds about right.

I've never been too happy with the cab sim. It isn't very flexible and none of the models sound too great. I wish the software could load impulses. I have all of the guitarhacks impulses.

I'll probably just run the raw Gate+Screamer+Spinal Puppet signal into my DAW so I can do kefir > comp > eq.

 

[Sean in Silence]

I'm not sure if you've heard my pod recordings yet
But you can definitely get your equipment to sound good
I use a Pod X3 for my recordings and this is how they turn out
http://www.soundclick.com/horizonrecordings
(Or check out my band's myspace in my sig)
Also I know that Joeymusicguy has professionally recorded tons of signed bands using a pod for guitars

For starters
like zack said
Impulses are the way to go with modelers like this
I've been using the Ghandi 4x12 impulse in the free demo of Recabinet but recently stumbled upon some amazing impulses by Alu over at guitarampmodeling.com, Wild Hades on this forum
If I can find the link to them I'll post it
but I do remember him specifically asking anyone who used them not to post them, just to post a link to the thread
and I would definitely drop the comp
Dry boosting the mids
A lot
From what I remember it takes a lot of mids to get that head sounding good
But I've gotten the best results with the Treadplate head and using impulses

 

[Psychotic Break]

I'm not sure if you've heard my pod recordings yet
But you can definitely get your equipment to sound good
I use a Pod X3 for my recordings and this is how they turn out
http://www.soundclick.com/horizonrecordings
(Or check out my band's myspace in my sig)
Also I know that Joeymusicguy has professionally recorded tons of signed bands using a pod for guitars

For starters
like zack said
Impulses are the way to go with modelers like this
I've been using the Ghandi 4x12 impulse in the free demo of Recabinet but recently stumbled upon some amazing impulses by Alu over at ampmodeling.com, Wild Hades on this forum
If I can find the link to them I'll post it
but I do remember him specifically asking anyone who used them not to post them, just to post a link to the thread
and I would definitely drop the comp
Dry boosting the mids
A lot
From what I remember it takes a lot of mids to get that head sounding good
But I've gotten the best results with the Treadplate head and using impulses

I would appreciate that link.

I've messed around with the Treadplate model a bit. It's just like a dual rec, lots of tweaking to get it just right. Maybe I'll mess with it some more because you seem to get great tones out of it.

 

[Sean in Silence]

found the link to those impulses
simply amazing
I used two of them in my most recent mix(ignore the pauses)
Here's what it sounds like
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_songInfo.cfm?bandID=915244&songID=7419977

anyways
here is the link to those impulses
http://www.guitarampmodeling.com/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=2850

 

[Unavailable]

I'll probably just run the raw Gate+Screamer+Spinal Puppet signal into my DAW so I can do kefir > comp > eq.

If you do this, take the comp out of the chain. No need to compress heavy guitars.

 

[Psychotic Break]

found the link to those impulses
simply amazing
I used two of them in my most recent mix(ignore the pauses)
Here's what it sounds like
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_songInfo.cfm?bandID=915244&songID=7419977

anyways
here is the link to those impulses
http://www.guitarampmodeling.com/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=2850

OMG THE IMPULSES ARE AMAZING! THANKYOU THANKYOU THANKYOU! These impulses give Guitarhacks a run for his money. It's a shame Alu isn't going to work on them anymore although I totally understand why. Maybe in the future he should make his terms of use more clear so he could at least have a case should his work get ripped off again. I know he isn't that kind of guy, but it would make a good deterrent just to have official-looking terms of use.

I really like the mesa trad impulses. They go hand-in-hand with the Treadplate head, which I should mention sounds worlds better than the Spinal Puppet head. It has everything I was looking for: power, beef, chunk, and a healthy dose of sizzle to even it out. That head is ballsy as fuck! I tuned down a step and the sound made my organs bleed!

Seriously man, thanks! You've been extremely helpful. I love your sound btw. Those guitars are MASSIVE.

Also, since everybody has been recommending it, I won't use a compressor anymore. I never looked at the raw waveforms, but now that I have, I see that they already look completely level. I just liked how it seemed to clean things up a little... but I don't need that now that I've switched tones.