One guitar, constant high end issue

[Eazy-ESP]

Do you use the tone control? I can't stand playing a bridge pickup with the tone control on full, I always back it off a little.

The pot metal that the trem is made from is probably contributing to this too. They sound brittle. Will a regular steel Floyd fit in the rout?

Try switching to regular nickel strings too. Not plated but regular nickel like Rock And Roll Slinkys.

Unfortunately I don’t think so. I don’t even really use the trem which is most annoying. It is the edge zero which Ibanez had for a while but they have moved away from, but it is unusual size. Always suspected it was made of crap metal and sounded average.

 

[Eazy-ESP]

You have discovered why I quit playing superstrat style guitars, especially for recordings lol

I would suggest changing the pickups though, as almost all dimarzios sound bad to my ears

Yeah. I have not been through heaps of pickups, but SDs to me sounded so much more natural. I think a new pickup is the next step.

Man, whenever I HEAR a Les Paul, I think that is literally the tone I want. Just haven’t had luck in finding one for me. Plus I always feel like I need ergonomics, but I think I need to realise glory is not necessarily easy or comfortable. Kind of like high heels, and with the 80s live around here, they may also be next on my list to try.

 

[DanTravis62]

Yeah. I have not been through heaps of pickups, but SDs to me sounded so much more natural. I think a new pickup is the next step.

Man, whenever I HEAR a Les Paul, I think that is literally the tone I want. Just haven’t had luck in finding one for me. Plus I always feel like I need ergonomics, but I think I need to realise glory is not necessarily easy or comfortable. Kind of like high heels, and with the 80s live around here, they may also be next on my list to try.

Yeah you aren't going to make a superstrat sound like a les Paul ever.

The closest you're going to get is with a nightswan or soloist that's got the 24.75 scale - even then it's not going to be *exactly* the same.

Les Pauls are by far more comfortable to me than most "ergonomic" guitars but if you want that sound I would either get a nightswan/similar or a les Paul lite or lp axcess or something and try and meet it halfway.

Because realistically you are never, ever going to make your ergonomic super strat with a strat scale length sound like that. It just is what it is.

 

[Music&Chaos]

It does have the treble bleed thing to compensate when you wind back the volume. Very difficult to get decent photos.

You totally have a bleed in there.

 

[Music&Chaos]

It does have the treble bleed thing to compensate when you wind back the volume. Very difficult to get decent photos.

I have to run to the store to grab my order but when I get back, I will get you a few recommendations for wiring. Firs tone is super easy and it is to go with vintage styled instead of modern, so just jumping one lug over - so much better!

One other would be to use 10s. Check out Roto Yellows - as they add midrange and have a sweeter top end. I used Daddario for years and they have a great top end but man is it always there and kind of a clack if you used 9s (I did for almost 20 years).


Add further with diagrams when I return. Will go for the easiest effort mods to achieve your goal.

 

[DanTravis62]

Yeah. I have not been through heaps of pickups, but SDs to me sounded so much more natural. I think a new pickup is the next step.

Man, whenever I HEAR a Les Paul, I think that is literally the tone I want. Just haven’t had luck in finding one for me. Plus I always feel like I need ergonomics, but I think I need to realise glory is not necessarily easy or comfortable. Kind of like high heels, and with the 80s live around here, they may also be next on my list to try.

Also, if you want to roll pickups try a Duncan custom 5

That's the pickup I've had the best results with trying to get a more LP tone out of strats

 

[Music&Chaos]

It does have the treble bleed thing to compensate when you wind back the volume. Very difficult to get decent photos.

You can just clip out that little guy I circled. Hate em in every guitar I have owned and that has come across the bench.

 

[romanianreaper]

I am not a high end, trebly type player and after almost 40 years of playing, I try to dial high end out. I don't like new strings because of that and tend to lean towards guitars with hefty low end like a Les Paul.

I'm also a big Seymour Duncan fan. I feel like their pickups are less spikey than DiMarzios but I think a lot of it depends on the music you are playing as mentioned.

Experience and trying different things is key to a person finding their tone and navigating thru what you like and don't like. We've all been there and to be honest, you are being more patient than I am, lol. If i don't gel with a guitar over a small thing like a pinging sound or some other thing, I dump it. It will drive me nuts. Nut some things can be fixed.

 

[Eazy-ESP]

I have to run to the store to grab my order but when I get back, I will get you a few recommendations for wiring. Firs tone is super easy and it is to go with vintage styled instead of modern, so just jumping one lug over - so much better!

One other would be to use 10s. Check out Roto Yellows - as they add midrange and have a sweeter top end. I used Daddario for years and they have a great top end but man is it always there and kind of a clack if you used 9s (I did for almost 20 years).


Add further with diagrams when I return. Will go for the easiest effort mods to achieve your goal.

Already on 10s but might try rotos this week out of curiosity.

 

[Eazy-ESP]

Also, if you want to roll pickups try a Duncan custom 5

That's the pickup I've had the best results with trying to get a more LP tone out of strats

Totally not expecting it to sound actually like an LP, but just trying to get a bit more of that out of it and a bit less of Ibanez idea of tone.

 

[Eazy-ESP]

You can just clip out that little guy I circled. Hate em in every guitar I have owned and that has come across the bench.
View attachment 456765

Ok this will be an easy thing to try this week.

 

[Eazy-ESP]

I am not a high end, trebly type player and after almost 40 years of playing, I try to dial high end out. I don't like new strings because of that and tend to lean towards guitars with hefty low end like a Les Paul.

I'm also a big Seymour Duncan fan. I feel like their pickups are less spikey than DiMarzios but I think a lot of it depends on the music you are playing as mentioned.

Experience and trying different things is key to a person finding their tone and navigating thru what you like and don't like. We've all been there and to be honest, you are being more patient than I am, lol. If i don't gel with a guitar over a small thing like a pinging sound or some other thing, I dump it. It will drive me nuts. Nut some things can be fixed.

My problem is I love how Paul Gilbert got tone a lot of the time, Silence followed by a defeating roar for example. But he didn’t use these shitty trems for example. I always loved how the guitar felt and bought it 15 years ago. Tested it unplugged stupidly, it was when plugging into amps that I’ve had a long love/hate relationship.

 

[Nigel]

My problem is I love how Paul Gilbert got tone a lot of the time, Silence followed by a defeating roar for example. But he didn’t use these shitty trems for example. I always loved how the guitar felt and bought it 15 years ago. Tested it unplugged stupidly, it was when plugging into amps that I’ve had a long love/hate relationship.

Unplugged tone and sustain is the baseline!

Clip that treble bleed cap.

Get a multimeter and measure your pots. They may be over spec, like 525K+, may not. Helps to know what the total load is.

Are you speakers broken in?

 

[romanianreaper]

My problem is I love how Paul Gilbert got tone a lot of the time, Silence followed by a defeating roar for example. But he didn’t use these shitty trems for example. I always loved how the guitar felt and bought it 15 years ago. Tested it unplugged stupidly, it was when plugging into amps that I’ve had a long love/hate relationship.

Don't give up on the plugged guitar yet! I mean some guitars and amps work great together and some don't. There are so many details. Strings, saddles, pickups, amp, wood, etc. Maybe yhere is a similar guitar you can try out and find out what the issue might be.

 

[Kelly]

Clipping the treble bleed will most likely fix your problem. Went down that road with my PRS.

 

[SgtThump]

Are you potentially picking up some fret ping on that string? I've had that issue. Try raising the saddle a bit. If it goes away, you may have a high fret or just need the action on that string raised a hair

I was going to say this too.

 

[SgtThump]

Clipping the treble bleed will most likely fix your problem. Went down that road with my PRS.

Does that only add treble when you start rolling the guitar volume down or does it also add treble when it’s full up?

 

[Eazy-ESP]

Unplugged tone and sustain is the baseline!

Clip that treble bleed cap.

Get a multimeter and measure your pots. They may be over spec, like 525K+, may not. Helps to know what the total load is.

Are you speakers broken in?

Yep and I’ve tried a few different types. I think that trend bleed will be the first mission and I’ll measure those pots. I actually want to move the volume to the tone position so I stop hitting it too.

 

[Eazy-ESP]

Does that only add treble when you start rolling the guitar volume down or does it also add treble when it’s full up?

I always believed only when rolling back. But now I’m curious to remove a leg and find out with my ears.

 

[SgtThump]

I always believed only when rolling back. But now I’m curious to remove a leg and find out with my ears.

Curious to see what you find out!