Help: E7#9 (Hendrix chord) sounds like mud

Encinitastubes · 01-05-2008, 02:20 PM

On my 335, if I play the Hendrix chord it sounds thick and chunky, both clean with my volume rolled down and full up with overdrive. On my Les Paul, it sounds kinda crappy, no note definition or blending. Worse, when I roll down the volume, I lose all the highs and it sounds worse. I tried lowering the pickups and it helped for a lot of things, but I'm still not satisfied. Is it the pickups, the pots, anything else? Thanks!

dwagar · 01-05-2008, 02:23 PM

try 50s wiring if you're rolling off the volume.
500K pots will help (if you don't already have them), I like RS Superpots for volume too

also, are you changing the amp settings when you switch guitars? quite a difference between a 335 and an LP

Eggy · 01-05-2008, 02:38 PM

The RS kit etc and things like changing to oil/paper caps and so on will increase the sweetness of your LP tons.
I wouldn't advise using the same amp settings for a semi like the 335 and an LP. They are 2 seperate beasts and should be treated as such.

ReverendJWblues · 01-06-2008, 12:08 AM

Dont play that chord then brother.

lp59aholicDon · 01-06-2008, 01:01 AM

Vote 2 for paper in oil caps, and vintage wiring

Liam · 01-06-2008, 09:30 AM

I think Page used that chord on the lemon song? Might give you a tone reference, he'd not had his Les Paul long back then.

More importantly - what Les Paul, what pickups, what pots, what caps have you already got?

Even more importantly, have you checked the intonation lately. Having G# and G in the same chord is a real test for perfect intonation.

Liam

Encinitastubes · 01-06-2008, 11:07 AM

I've got two Les Pauls now, an R7 and an R8. They both came with the pickups extremely close to the string, so much so that there was magnetic pull on some strings. I was having intonation problems and moving them down solved that. I can't figure out why Gibson set them so close, other than maybe they are set up for two-note power chords and single lines.

Still, anything more than a major or minor chord is gunky. Is the RS prewired kit easy to install? Does that come with '50s wiring? I can solder, but not much more.

If that doesn't solve it, I may start with some more even sounding pickups.

Liam · 01-06-2008, 12:50 PM

Sounds like you might need to try different pickups. I run quite big pickup clearances compared to most.

What caps are inside the "faux" bumble bees? Are they not PIO.

Tone caps don't make a huge difference unless you've got the tone control rolled off. Nor do the pots for that matter.

Liam

buckwild · 01-06-2008, 12:53 PM

Maybe the low E string is causing the muddiness? There could be some string buzzing from that string since it's not being fretted. Try the chord without that string to isolate the problem. Just a thought.

sgberry · 01-06-2008, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Encinitastubes

On my 335, if I play the Hendrix chord it sounds thick and chunky, both clean with my volume rolled down and full up with overdrive. On my Les Paul, it sounds kinda crappy, no note definition or blending. Worse, when I roll down the volume, I lose all the highs and it sounds worse. I tried lowering the pickups and it helped for a lot of things, but I'm still not satisfied. Is it the pickups, the pots, anything else? Thanks!

I don`t have that problem when I`m playing that chord on my LP STUDIO, but it does sound on SG SPECIAL more clearer.
Try to play it on SG, Hendrix was also SG player.

george johnson · 01-08-2008, 10:44 AM

What amp are you using?

Encinitastubes · 01-09-2008, 11:09 AM

Sewell Wampus Cat Classic with 2x10s, Rajin' Cajuns. Basically, it is a tweed style amplifier. I'm think that because of the scooped mids aspect of a semi-hollow, the notes are blending better. It's not the low E string.

A big issue for me is that I'm not getting a good sound when I turn the Les Paul's volume down. I think I'm going to install one of the RS kits to see if that works.

01-05-2008, 02:20 PM	#1 (permalink)
Encinitastubes Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Encinitas, CA Posts: 185 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 1 Post	Help: E7#9 (Hendrix chord) sounds like mud On my 335, if I play the Hendrix chord it sounds thick and chunky, both clean with my volume rolled down and full up with overdrive. On my Les Paul, it sounds kinda crappy, no note definition or blending. Worse, when I roll down the volume, I lose all the highs and it sounds worse. I tried lowering the pickups and it helped for a lot of things, but I'm still not satisfied. Is it the pickups, the pots, anything else? Thanks!

01-05-2008, 02:23 PM	#2 (permalink)
dwagar V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: C eh? N eh? D eh? Posts: 4,960 Thanks: 28 Thanked 51 Times in 9 Posts	Re: Help: E7#9 (Hendrix chord) sounds like mud try 50s wiring if you're rolling off the volume. 500K pots will help (if you don't already have them), I like RS Superpots for volume too also, are you changing the amp settings when you switch guitars? quite a difference between a 335 and an LP

01-05-2008, 02:38 PM	#3 (permalink)
Eggy Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Cumbria UK Posts: 582 Thanks: 9 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Help: E7#9 (Hendrix chord) sounds like mud The RS kit etc and things like changing to oil/paper caps and so on will increase the sweetness of your LP tons. I wouldn't advise using the same amp settings for a semi like the 335 and an LP. They are 2 seperate beasts and should be treated as such. __________________

01-06-2008, 12:08 AM	#4 (permalink)
ReverendJWblues MLP Chaplain Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Somewhere in the middle Posts: 3,108 Thanks: 27 Thanked 46 Times in 7 Posts	Re: Help: E7#9 (Hendrix chord) sounds like mud Dont play that chord then brother. __________________ JW http://www.myspace.com/jwblues54 *Robert Johnson went to the crossroads to sell his soul to the Devil, what have you done with yours?*

01-06-2008, 01:01 AM	#5 (permalink)
lp59aholicDon V.I.P. Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: North Carolina in the Mountains Posts: 5,224 Thanks: 0 Thanked 7 Times in 4 Posts	Re: Help: E7#9 (Hendrix chord) sounds like mud Vote 2 for paper in oil caps, and vintage wiring __________________ I am a sheepdog, Its not just a vocation, its my nature Live with it, Lead, Follow, or get the hell outta my way . Tis better to have the sword and live by it, than to reach in need and find the scabboard empty .Democracy is two wolves and a sheep voting on whats for dinner- Ben Franklin Don't be talkin' the talk if you can't walk the walk

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01-06-2008, 09:30 AM	#6 (permalink)
Liam V.I.P. Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Preston, Lancashire, United Kingdom Posts: 2,855 Thanks: 34 Thanked 24 Times in 9 Posts	Re: Help: E7#9 (Hendrix chord) sounds like mud I think Page used that chord on the lemon song? Might give you a tone reference, he'd not had his Les Paul long back then. More importantly - what Les Paul, what pickups, what pots, what caps have you already got? Even more importantly, have you checked the intonation lately. Having G# and G in the same chord is a real test for perfect intonation. Liam

01-06-2008, 11:07 AM	#7 (permalink)
Encinitastubes Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Encinitas, CA Posts: 185 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 1 Post	Re: Help: E7#9 (Hendrix chord) sounds like mud I've got two Les Pauls now, an R7 and an R8. They both came with the pickups extremely close to the string, so much so that there was magnetic pull on some strings. I was having intonation problems and moving them down solved that. I can't figure out why Gibson set them so close, other than maybe they are set up for two-note power chords and single lines. Still, anything more than a major or minor chord is gunky. Is the RS prewired kit easy to install? Does that come with '50s wiring? I can solder, but not much more. If that doesn't solve it, I may start with some more even sounding pickups.

01-06-2008, 12:50 PM	#8 (permalink)
Liam V.I.P. Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Preston, Lancashire, United Kingdom Posts: 2,855 Thanks: 34 Thanked 24 Times in 9 Posts	Re: Help: E7#9 (Hendrix chord) sounds like mud Sounds like you might need to try different pickups. I run quite big pickup clearances compared to most. What caps are inside the "faux" bumble bees? Are they not PIO. Tone caps don't make a huge difference unless you've got the tone control rolled off. Nor do the pots for that matter. Liam

01-06-2008, 12:53 PM	#9 (permalink)
buckwild Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 412 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Help: E7#9 (Hendrix chord) sounds like mud Maybe the low E string is causing the muddiness? There could be some string buzzing from that string since it's not being fretted. Try the chord without that string to isolate the problem. Just a thought.

01-08-2008, 10:44 AM	#11 (permalink)
george johnson Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: ...that shack outside LaGrange Posts: 139 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	What amp are you using?

01-09-2008, 11:09 AM	#12 (permalink)
Encinitastubes Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Encinitas, CA Posts: 185 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 1 Post	Re: Help: E7#9 (Hendrix chord) sounds like mud Sewell Wampus Cat Classic with 2x10s, Rajin' Cajuns. Basically, it is a tweed style amplifier. I'm think that because of the scooped mids aspect of a semi-hollow, the notes are blending better. It's not the low E string. A big issue for me is that I'm not getting a good sound when I turn the Les Paul's volume down. I think I'm going to install one of the RS kits to see if that works.

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