krock Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 Was reading Fuzzy F's thread and it got me wondering how to make the most creamy sound. Do you guys have any tricks and what gear do you use? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimbabig Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 Neck Pickup, turn the gain down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MojoRedFoot Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 Define "creamy" Post example of what you mean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SG FAN Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 Neck Pickup, turn the gain down. +1 Neck pickup, roll the tone to 0. Instant "woman" tone:) My SG standard stays set this way, some people call it "muddy", but I love that buttery woody tone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimbabig Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 Mojo has a good point, it could mean the Band, and it could mean a smooth but saturated tone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SG FAN Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 I think he means early Clapton, Slash-type tones. Smooth, midrangey(if that's a word, LOL) woody type tones. Think "Outside Woman Blues" by Cream or " Blue Sky" by The Allman Bros. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAS44 Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 My definition of a creamy tone? Neck pickup, turn the tone down to 3 (not all the way off for me), humbuckers work better than single coils for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krock Posted February 1, 2011 Author Share Posted February 1, 2011 I think he means early Clapton, Slash-type tones. Smooth, midrangey(if that's a word, LOL) woody type tones. Think "Outside Woman Blues" by Cream or " Blue Sky" by The Allman Bros. yer you get what i mean. clean creamy would be things like santana and clapton and overdriven creamy would be things like slash's solo's. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXp413NynFk I think this song has one of the nices tones ever, but thats just my opinion. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCguMx8OO7U&NR=1 Check this song aswell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MojoRedFoot Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 Carlos has good tone. I get what you mean. I'm gonna say his picking style has a lot to do with it. It really makes a difference. I always cut my tone back to about a 7 or 8 on my guitars. I'm a big fan if reverb and use a hint of chorus. But ultimately for cleans, I'm gonna go with the others and say the neck pickup is the best way to achieve that "creaminess." That on top of lighter strumming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 . Creamy . . . . . extra phat. B) Neck pup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krock Posted February 1, 2011 Author Share Posted February 1, 2011 I already use the neck pup but Im not quite getting the sustain that he gets. Would the use of chorus help? What would help to increase the sustain? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 . Check the distance between the neck pup and the strings. Some folks let the strings get to close to the neck pup for optimal sound/sustain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MojoRedFoot Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 I already use the neck pup but Im not quite getting the sustain that he gets. Would the use of chorus help? What would help to increase the sustain? I add reverb to increase sustain and yes, make the neck pup higher. The pups might be a factor too. I noticed a big difference in sustain and overall clarity when I took the stock pups out of my explorer and put the EMGs in. Lace sensors in my '89 strat have a hell of a lot more sustain than the stock ones in my 2001 strat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krock Posted February 1, 2011 Author Share Posted February 1, 2011 . Check the distance between the neck pup and the strings. Some folks let the strings get to close to the neck pup for optimal sound/sustain. Just measured the distance on my main guitar. There is a 5mm gap. I add reverb to increase sustain and yes, make the neck pup higher. The pups might be a factor too. I noticed a big difference in sustain and overall clarity when I took the stock pups out of my explorer and put the EMGs in. Lace sensors in my '89 strat have a hell of a lot more sustain than the stock ones in my 2001 strat. The stock pups are very good fairly high gain rockfield Select Wound Custom so I dont really want to swap them because I get a really nice sound from them and they're very versatile. I will try increasing the amount of reverb I use as I only currently use it very subtly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 I'm pretty much there with DAS44. To get 'Cream Live'... LP R0; Neck p-up ('57 Classic); Vol 8; Tone 2.5 - 3; Amp (Music Man 2x12 combo) set to (from left to right); Channel 2; Input 1; Bright - On; Ch Vol - 7; Treble - 10; Mid - 0; Bass - 0; Rev - 4.5; Trem Sp & Int - Off; Deep - Off; Master Vol 3. Works a treat. P. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krock Posted February 1, 2011 Author Share Posted February 1, 2011 So would the volume of the amp affect creamyness and sustain aswell? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djroge1 Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 That's not what I think of when I think of creamy tone but I get what your after. There is a lot that can go into it. Part of Carlos' sound comes from the amp(s) he uses and the settings including the volume. I believe he is probably using a volume pedal to hold long sustaining notes. We know he uses Mesa a lot or used to as well as a Dumble. I believe he has recenty bought a Bludo Tone amp too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SG FAN Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 This is what I think "creamy, smooth" tone is. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEC5s3nzVzo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 So would the volume of the amp affect creamyness and sustain aswell? Running at 3/4 Vol instead of 1/4 Vol can make an enormous difference in tone (and neighbourly relations...) depending on your rig. Carlos Santana also used a few pedals to help him find 'His' tone. Most people agree he used a Sustainer; a fair few claim he used an Electro-Harmonix 'Big Muff Pi'; he also uses harmonically-induced feedback to a very great extent (don't try this at home!). I was listening to a recently-released Santana 'Best Of' compilation disc over the Xmas break. The tracks spanned the five decades from the late '60s to 2010. On every track he sounded exactly like Carlos Santana. It didn't matter which guitar; which amp; what pedals he was using. He sounded like Himself. That's quite an achievement... It also puts into perspective, IMHO, the relative Values and Merits of 'Inherent Ability' and 'Equipment Used'. P. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Californiaman Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 Try tweaking the tone knob on your guitar. Turn it down for a more creamy tone. Use your neck pickup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hall Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 among all suggestions, also see #10 on your "tips" post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djroge1 Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 When I think of creamy tones I don't naturally associate it with the warmer tone. I think of it as the type of distortion - not grainy or harsh. This could be with the neck pup or bridge - lower tone or higher. Generally I think of someone like Robbin Ford starting around 1:45 in the following video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7E_iWuvofQ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SG FAN Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 That was pretty awesome, but not what I'd call "creamy" I'd call that pretty "crunchy":) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djroge1 Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Yeah it's interesting the words we use to describe something and some of us (ok it seems only me) think of something else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djroge1 Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Here is another that I call creamy tones. This video shows both bridge pup and neck. The warmer neck begins around 2:40 or so. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2_12Ler9B8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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