How do you EQ?

[rsm]

Long post warning!

IMHO, EQ is one of the best tone tools out there. I'm wondering how you dial-in your EQ, what is your approach or process? Do you use EQ primarily to achieve a certain tone, or do you use it to even out your tone across the entire frequency range or both? Do you use a graphic, parametric or both?

I'm a rack guy not an amp (combined preamp + poweramp) guy. I don't use effect loops too often, and I don't use stomp boxes anymore. I get my tone from my preamp and an EQ, and use minimal effects if any. Here's what I do for EQ:

I try to get my tone from the preamp stage; I use EQ to even out my frequency response. (For bass, I do this too, but I also use EQ curves to dial in different tones - my main bass preamp is really just a programmable EQ with two gain stages). It took me awhile to be able to map frequency ranges on the guitar to the specific bands on the graphic eq as second nature. Typically, I try to isolate and intensify the frequency band that is out of whack - whether too weak, too strong or just not sounding right. Once I have this isolated, I adjust the boost/cut around that range to even it out. (I'd do this with a parametric too, but have greater precision and control) I have another bass preamp that has a semi-parametric EQ ( you can set the frequency center, but not the bandwidth (called Q) the low and high controls are a fixed frequency center - this works surprisingly well. With my Axe-Fx Ultra I have so many EQ options its easy to get carried away.

I also use EQ for more dramatic guitar tone shaping, I have a number of standard curves that I can readily apply (LowCut, HighCut, MidCut, LowBoost, various s-curves etc.). I have a few cheat sheets for these so I can quickly set these up in different EQs (like those in the Ultra). In fact, prior to getting the Ultra, I used either an ADA MP-1 (preamp) and MQ-1 (programmable stereo 14-band per channel guitar graphic EQ) combination or an MP-2 (preamp) that has a 9-band EQ stage built-in. The MQ-1 made my MP-1 come alive (its also the where I programmed my original standard EQ curves and source of my EQ cheat sheets). Using the MP-1 + MQ-1 combination, I'd program a single preset in the MP-1 and would combine it with one or more MQ-1 presets where I already programmed standard EQ curves. I'd test my new MP-1 preset with each of the preprogrammed EQ curves, and note which ones I liked. Say I liked three EQ curves with the new MP-1 preset, I'd copy that new preset to three locations then assign the MIDI map for an MQ-1 preset for each. Done. So in this case I'd have 4 tone variations for one preamp setting - I always have a flat EQ for each MP-1 preset.

I found this simple diagram to be very helpful in understanding / mapping frequency to guitar: http://www.vibrationdata.com/piano.htm I've used this to dial in various types of EQs and have a printed version in my gig bag. It helps if you have or know piano as I haven't found a diagram like this for guitar or bass though - if you know of one, please share.

So, how do you EQ?

 

[guitarslinger]

I listen to it with everything at noon, then:

turn presence to ZERO

turn bass until it sounds good 1pm, 2pm?
turn mids to where it sounds loooouuud and raw. 1pm?
turn treble to where it grinds the way I like it on the low E. 3pm?

that's about it, usually.

If I use my TC 1128 eq, I cut slightly @ 800hz post preamp.

 

[rsm]

I listen to it with everything at noon, then:

turn presence to ZERO

turn bass until it sounds good 1pm, 2pm?
turn mids to where it sounds loooouuud and raw. 1pm?
turn treble to where it grinds the way I like it on the low E. 3pm?

that's about it, usually.

If I use my TC 1128 eq, I cut slightly @ 800hz post preamp.

Sounds good. I usually start with my EQ flat (zero). I do similar for my basic tone controls (Bass, Mid, Treble, Presence) - which is what I meant by getting "my basic tone from the preamp stage". I dial this in as close as I can get to my target, then start my EQ process to do the final tweak or more.

How often to you use the TC unit? It sounds like you have a standard curve that you use, do you have more? Do you use it to shape the tone more aggressively or just use the basic tone controls? I just looked this unit up, man I'd love it if my eq had a spectrum analyzer - I have to do it manually like I described in my original post. Can you split the 28 bands on this to 14 per side? I bookmarked this TC unit page now, thanks!

 

[guitarslinger]

Sounds good. I usually start with my EQ flat (zero). I do similar for my basic tone controls (Bass, Mid, Treble, Presence) - which is what I meant by getting "my basic tone from the preamp stage". I dial this in as close as I can get to my target, then start my EQ process to do the final tweak or more.

How often to you use the TC unit? It sounds like you have a standard curve that you use, do you have more? Do you use it to shape the tone more aggressively or just use the basic tone controls? I just looked this unit up, man I'd love it if my eq had a spectrum analyzer - I have to do it manually like I described in my original post. Can you split the 28 bands on this to 14 per side? I bookmarked this TC unit page now, thanks!

I USUALLY only use the 1128 for single band tweaking. ALmost "notching" if you will.

I leave the spectrum analyzer screen on, but I don't base my tweaking on it. I just use the ears. I already have a pretty good idea of what the different bands do to the tone.

You can get some VERY interesting lead tones boosting single bands in the 1.2K-1.6k area.

It's strictly mono, but you can buy a slave unit called the 1128X that only has the number readout, and it effectively makes your 1128 into a stereo 1128. (28 bands per side)


Like, I said, I don't use it very often anymore, since my preamps all sound pretty killer on their own. That said, the 1128 is the most transparent rack unit I have ever owned. I can't hear a difference between bypassed, and totally out of the chain. It adds ZERO noise. It's really like the perfect EQ for me. midi controlled goodness.

 

[SFW]

I turn knobs until is sounds the way I want it to. Usually, this involves turning the bass up and the treble down. I adjust the mids until they balance right.

 

[itsme]

I start with everything at noon. I begin with gain, turn it up till it starts to get mushy, then back it off 'till it's fat but clear. Next is bass, turn it up 'till I find where it starts to mush up, then back off a little. This depends on speakers. My V30's like more bass, my GB's less. Then I go to mids. I turn it up 'till the strings start to feel too tight to play, then back that off 'till it loosens up. Again depends on the speaker. On to treble. I play B, C, D, (7th, 8th, 10th frets) then bend to E on the high E string. Very stacato with a lot of attack. I listen to the highs, and dial the treble up/down to just before you get that ear piercing sting. Now I feel I've got the tone controls set to their max usable settings. Finally presence. I consider presence like a distance setting. Set low it sounds like your amp is far away, set real high, it sounds like your amp is out in front of you. I hate that. Anyway, I turn it up/down 'till the amp sounds like it's just behind me. Nice and smooth, but present. Too far away, and you don't cut. This works on every amp I've ever played, and it's amazing how different the settings turn out to be between different amps. I've never felt the need for an external EQ pedal. If the amp doesn't give what I want, with the above procedure, I look elsewhere. All good amps should have the proper tone shaping built in, and some do have built in EQ's (VHT's, Mesa's).

 

[Meathead]

I back the bass, treble and presence down and start with dialing in the mid just right (find the sweet spot, not honky or scooped)...that's the most important thing to get balanced properly imo.
Then I adjust the presence to get the right attack/aggression...then add highs for the right amount of hair...then add lows until it's too boomy.

Use your ears not your eyes.

 

[stephen sawall]

Thump thump thump.... honk honk honk.... thump thump.
Lots of bass and mids.

 

[wc8485]

Great Topic, and thread.
Good stuff in here, just wanted to say thanks.

 

[MikeT]

I have a small rack based on a stock MP-1 which for now, is "just OK".

I am not crazy with the MP-1 mid and treble voicing so...lately I've been running an old blue mxr 6-band in front of the pre with a mid boost/frown setting. I also suck the mid control on the MP-1 to compensate. So...boost mids before gain stages, suck mids post gain stages = increase gain and shapes the mid voicing a little more to my liking.

It's been working for me lately.

Mike

 

[rsm]

Use your ears not your eyes.

I use 'em both. Sometimes one will be lying, on occasion they both do!

 

[rsm]

All good amps should have the proper tone shaping built in, and some do have built in EQ's (VHT's, Mesa's).

Agreed! I always start with the basic amp controls in my preamp (or Amp effect block in Axe-Fx speak) to get it as close as I can to what I'm after. Then, I use the EQ mostly to even it out - fine grain control; or to have a more dramatic tone. Typically, I can get 90%-99% of the tone I'm after with the basic tone controls. I can see some could view EQ as a "crutch" - it can make a bad rig sound somewhat better; while others use it as an edge or "icing on the cake", which is how I view and use it.

I also liked your process of going through the frequency ranges, - seems a few people follow a similar pattern to dialing in tone.

 

[rsm]

I have a small rack based on a stock MP-1 which for now, is "just OK".

I am not crazy with the MP-1 mid and treble voicing so...lately I've been running an old blue mxr 6-band in front of the pre with a mid boost/frown setting. I also suck the mid control on the MP-1 to compensate. So...boost mids before gain stages, suck mids post gain stages = increase gain and shapes the mid voicing a little more to my liking.

It's been working for me lately.

Mike

What kind of amp and cabs are you using with the MP-1? I'd recommend a solid state amp, and closed back, tight, front-loaded 2x12 cabs, which is what it was designed for...

My MP-1 sounded good, but a bit lifeless, unless it was really being driven. It sounded better when I added the matching components. I also know it was designed as part of a full ADA rig. Based on my ADA bass experience (see below), I learned the trick to ADA: I knew I needed the matching ADA components (not to mention new tubes) to get the best out of it. My MP-1 sounded great combined with the ADA EQ, amp and cabs. Much easier to program than the MP-2, which is much more advanced and all tube (with 10 voicings) stage, no solid state. Here's a pic of my main ADA guitar rig when it was all-in-one rack:

Here are the ADA amp and cabs (using my Axe-Fx now

For bass, I bought an MP-1 back in the early '90s. It sounded good with my rig (I had a crown power amp, Mesa 4x10, Cerwin Vega 18" folded horn). The MB-1 has a tunable crossover and is designed for bi-amping which worked well for this speaker combo. While it sounded good, it wasn't excellent. I went to a local music store where they carried ADA, they had the full bass rig set-up. I brought one of my basses (and armed with a few factory presets that I happened to like), and tried it out - as soon as the sales guy left me alone, I did a factory reset to be sure I had the factory settings. What a difference! I bought the rest of the rig (B500B, Bassline HX and Bassline 15) that day, and sold my other stuff. It was like night and day.
Here's the ADA Bass Rig that I've had since about '92 or '93:

SPAM: I'm selling some of this ADA gear, I know I'll regret it, so I may pull it off the market too! I'll sell the bass rig and a spare MP-2 for sure though.

Bottom, line: Getting the best out of ADA really requires the matching components or something very similar.

 

[MikeT]

rsm, my MP-1 goes into a Marshall 20/20 el84 into two mesa theile 1x12 cabs in a w/d setup (just a dicken around home rig).

In addition to what I said before, I run the bass on the MP-1 a little low and make up for it with the deep switch engaged on the 20/20. I also tend to run the output of the MP-1 lower and volume higher on the power amp.

Mike

 

[rsm]

rsm, my MP-1 goes into a Marshall 20/20 el84 into two mesa theile 1x12 cabs in a w/d setup (just a dicken around home rig).

In addition to what I said before, I run the bass on the MP-1 a little low and make up for it with the deep switch engaged on the 20/20. I also tend to run the output of the MP-1 lower and volume higher on the power amp.

Mike

Are those open back cabs? Also, sounds like you prefer the overdrive from the power amp stage too. Interesting, I'm the opposite (clean power amp stage, and tone from the preamp). I admit I haven't tried it the other way in a long time. Its been a long time since I had a tube power amp - good ones are pricey from what I've seen. Thanks for sharing how you use your MP-1. All my gear is homebound these days - haven't played live in years, one of the reasons I'm downsizing. I rarely get the power amp past 5 with near full out of the preamps.

 

[rsm]

Deleted.

 

[Greazygeo]

On my Wizards....I start with all the tones and presence at noon....it's usually where they stay, but sometimes in a funky room they need adjusted alittle.....usually the mids might bump up alittle and bass go down alittle....

On the Marshall's they really don't do anything other than the bass knob controlling the muddiness....so its mid treb and pres on 10, bass up as much as can go before total mud...usually about two.

If I have to drastically eq something, it's not the right amp for me.

 

[thegame]

On my Wizards....I start with all the tones and presence at noon....it's usually where they stay, but sometimes in a funky room they need adjusted alittle.....usually the mids might bump up alittle and bass go down alittle....

Thats pretty much how I've always ran the Wizards too, except presence quite a bit higher when downtuning or using dark mahogany guitars.

 

[Greazygeo]

On my Wizards....I start with all the tones and presence at noon....it's usually where they stay, but sometimes in a funky room they need adjusted alittle.....usually the mids might bump up alittle and bass go down alittle....

Thats pretty much how I've always ran the Wizards too, except presence quite a bit higher when downtuning or using dark mahogany guitars.

Yeah with the 7 string the Presence and treble go up a bit too....

 

[Marshall Law]

I responded to a few PMs, and my PM replies are stuck in the outbox? One has been there for about 20 minutes? Is there a trick to send these?

Sorry for the SPAM here, but my PM messages aren't being sent, and someone sent a PM using this topic as the title, so... :
To those who have asked, I'm asking $400 + buyer to pay shipping for my ADA MP-2 preamp. Pics are here: http://web.mac.com/a_chaoidh/iWeb/Site/ADA%20MP-2.html Thanks.

they have been sent, so when you see it in your out box, it's because they haven't read it yet, as soon as they open it, it's gone, then you know they read it, pretty cool huh