The very first thing i did was crank my VHT through a 2x12 open cabinet
(EVs) so i could hear that super cool low-end tone. I started out
on channel two of the amp and with the volume on the guitar turned down
it's sortof crunchy/punchy but without any distortion-based balance.
This amp doesn't really compress to begin with so i got what i expected:
the D A & E strings were pretty much overpowering the E B & G strings in
open and barr chords.
If i played with these strings on a regular basis i'd have to do
something with EQ because (in my opinion) it's just too imbalanced of a
sound.Going with channel three brought the high and low-end tones
closer together but still left me feeling like there should be heavier
gauges on the 1st three strings. I know they're made to be this
way, but it seems like anybody with the finger strength to be using a
.42 and .52 A & E would have no problem bending the hell out of an .11
and .14 E and B.
I didn't even try another amp after this because the other two
sitting there were a Fender Twin Reverb and a Vox Buckingham. It
would've sounded just as cool in the low end but even worse with regard
to balance.
What i needed was a nice digital processed signal...
V-Amp > DI > (mixer) > DCM1000 power amp > Yamaha 15" PA speakers.
Talk about LOUD! Ok so i didn't have it cranked for very long but
i did get what i was after: access to 'unlimited' digital compression.
This would actually be a very useable rig live (if you didn't mic your
amp) because all of the low end punch of the .30 .42 and .52 D A & E
would be there, but you wouldn't be saying "hey; where's my high end?".
:)
Of course anything less than a heavy rock band and the material would
suffer (imo).
The Markleys for a few more weeks, including one practice.
Tuned standard i personally do not like this gauge set with any of the
material that i play. The heavier-gauged strings are fun to play
while sitting on the couch unplugged at night; not that i would consider
a Strat's unplugged sound to be of any importance, but chords really
sounded nice with these strings (staring at South Park re-runs hoping to
get tired and fall asleep)!
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