Dialing in an amp with "your eyes"

[thegame]

That phrase has always bothered me. Everyone says NOT to do it and to use your ears instead. No shit; how on earth does one dial in an amp with their eyes ? Just by playing it safe and setting everything at noon ? Well thats stupid because some amps have very unconventional tone controls where that simply won't work well and even if it did, the best settings will vary tremendously on many factors such as using different cabinets, where the amp is sitting in the room, the room itself, the guitar's tuning, etc.

 

[maddnotez]

That phrase has always bothered me. Everyone says NOT to do it and to use your ears instead. No shit; how on earth does one dial in an amp with their eyes ? Just by playing it safe and setting everything at noon ? Well thats stupid because some amps have very unconventional tone controls where that simply won't work well and even if it did, the best settings will vary tremendously on many factors such as using different cabinets, where the amp is sitting in the room, the room itself, the guitar's tuning, etc.

I think the saying assumes the user is unaware of literally everything you just said.

 

[japetus]

How about "dialing in" an amp standing over it, twisting the knobs? People do realize that is not what the amp sounds like projected out or on a mic?

 

[crankyrayhanky]

My guitar sensei tells me to dial it in with my ears while knowing it is irrelevant as the tones are actually oozing out of my fingers

 

[thrashinbatman]

My interpretation has always been dialing it to a setting you think will work, and insisting on using that setting regardless of sound because that's how it "should" be set. It sounds kind of dumb when you type it out, but a lot of people do it. Even I'm guilty of that from time to time.

 

[Mailman1971]

I’m always dial in things with my eyes.
Tv..... radio.... amps....
Got arrested a few times going in the ladies room...,
Need to get a fine tuning!!

 

[MetalHeadMike]

That phrase has always bothered me. Everyone says NOT to do it and to use your ears instead. No shit; how on earth does one dial in an amp with their eyes ? Just by playing it safe and setting everything at noon ? Well thats stupid because some amps have very unconventional tone controls where that simply won't work well and even if it did, the best settings will vary tremendously on many factors such as using different cabinets, where the amp is sitting in the room, the room itself, the guitar's tuning, etc.

I think the saying assumes the user is unaware of literally everything you just said.

This^

 

[Jeff Hilligan]

Many times when working with high profile players, I made the knobs be where they wanted them to be with their eyes. The pots we're where the amp sounded great. Faked them out...ya your mod made it sound great! Hah

 

[Mailman1971]

Many times when working with high profile players, I made the knobs be where they wanted them to be with their eyes. The pots we're where the amp sounded great. Faked them out...ya your mod made it sound great! Hah

Love that story Jeff!!
‘Damn man smallest tweaks it’s there!!’

 

[CrazyNutz]

People do it, I've watched them do it. They have a preconceived idea where the knobs should be. I've even tweaked peoples amps for them while they are playing with their band, get it sounding great, the guitarist is happy, having a good time playing enjoying the newfound great sound. Then he sees the amp settings, happiness gone

 

[fearhk213]

People do it, I've watched them do it. They have a preconceived idea where the knobs should be. I've even tweaked peoples amps for them while they are playing with their band, get it sounding great, the guitarist is happy, having a good time playing enjoying the newfound great sound. Then he sees the amp settings, happiness gone

I've had that same thing happen with a band I was in lol. I was helping the other guitarist dial in his rig. He was digging it, I was digging it, the whole band was digging it, but it was back to the old settings in no time

 

[D-Rock]

Lots of players do use their eyes because they think;

"I can't possibly require that much treble or presence or bass, I got to turn that shit down.
Or
"I always crank the mids on my amps, so I can't have them set that low!"

All this is done purely on the visual aspect of amp's EQ, not by trusting what their ears are hearing.

 

[RaceU4her]

never heard that term in my life.

 

[frthib]

I've read/been told all my life that mids needs to be boosted.
It bother me if my mid knob is below 12'oclock even if I think there is too much mids

I should try that knob trick, or even better remove the knobs

New guy here btw. 1st post!

 

[Purpleibby]

I've read/been told all my life that mids needs to be boosted.
It bother me if my mid knob is below 12'oclock even if I think there is too much mids

!

That's part of the disease IMO.....most of the time it results in a tone that sounds like a fuckin' kazoo, and boxy as shit(when done in the extremes).

 

[frthib]

That's part of the disease IMO.....most of the time it results in a tone that sounds like a fuckin' kazoo, and boxy as shit(when done in the extremes).

I've read somewhere a few years ago that "too much mids will make you sound like Ray Romano".
That one stuck

to be honest, some amps require the mids to be on or near 10. It depends of the circuit and cab/speaker I guess.

 

[SQUAREHEAD]

Welcome to the funny farm, frthib!
Good to have you aboard

 

[rottingcorpse]

I use my fingers.

(Insert jokes here).

 

[Mailman1971]

I use my fingers.

(Insert Fingers here).

Fixed