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Crate DX212 ... who out there "gets" a GREAT tone?


IbaneZRuleZ

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I am looking for anyone who has a Crate DX212 combo amp that "KNOWS" they have a GREAT tone!

 

I play an Ibanex SC420BC -- I've had this combination for 5 years and it might be me, but I don't think I am getting the BEST out of the amp!!

 

Anyone want to discuss settings WITHOUT the use of effects and/or stomp boxes?

 

Thanks for your input!!

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Personally, I think Crate makes very good sounding SS amps. I'm sure I'm in the minority here.

 

I also used to own the same guitar you are playing. One of the better Ibanez guitars out there.

 

It sounds like you've got a decent setup.

 

:thu:

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Personally, I think Crate makes very good sounding SS amps. I'm sure I'm in the minority here.


I also used to own the same guitar you are playing. One of the better Ibanez guitars out there.


It sounds like you've got a decent setup.


:thu:

 

Thanks jds22!!

 

The reason for ALL the posts on here and at electric guitars, I've been playing for 39 years! I love Ibanez and Crate together! I had this type of setup for YEARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRS!

 

I "retired" last September from performing but some musicians in my area are trying to get me back out!! I feel like Glenn Miller (can't find that "sound") when it comes to settings!! The best way, and only way to descibe the "sound" is Jonathon Sykes on "Blue Murder".

 

Can this be found on the Crate DX212 or am I wasting my time?

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Sorry man, I guess Im kind of a snob about this stuff. Im not big on Crate stuff in general(with the exception of some of the vintage club stuff), its kind of entry level kid stuff in my book. Sounds great to your ears when you are young and inexperienced cuz it has a ton of gain and verb and chorus, but then down the road your ears change and you end up going, man, this thing just sounds like {censored}. Now, that being said, I really have no idea what you are playing, what you sound like right now, and what you want to sound like, so its tough to decipher. Like I said, Im a snob, and my first thought is to tell you to dump it for something else. but that is snobbish, and thats why I should have kept my mouth shut like I originally posted.

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Sorry man, I guess Im kind of a snob about this stuff. Im not big on Crate stuff in general(with the exception of some of the vintage club stuff), its kind of entry level kid stuff in my book. Sounds great to your ears when you are young and inexperienced cuz it has a ton of gain and verb and chorus, but then down the road your ears change and you end up going, man, this thing just sounds like {censored}. Now, that being said, I really have no idea what you are playing, what you sound like right now, and what you want to sound like, so its tough to decipher. Like I said, Im a snob, and my first thought is to tell you to dump it for something else. but that is snobbish, and thats why I should have kept my mouth shut like I originally posted.

 

 

You are absolutely right!! I got the setup 5 years ago when I was "pulled" out of retirement (for the second time)!! I got the gear at a local store -- had to buy fast!! The SC420 I got 2 years ago for $500.00 -- what a bargain!!!

 

It's guys like you and the rest of this community that I envy -- you know your stuff!! I've played for 39 years and my motto was "...just plug it in and wail"!!!! Now, at the tender age of 44 years old "looking" for that last hurrah, I NEED to sound the part!!

 

Thanks for your thoughts!!

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You are absolutely right!! I got the setup 5 years ago when I was "pulled" out of retirement (for the second time)!! I got the gear at a local store -- had to buy fast!! The SC420 I got 2 years ago for $500.00 -- what a bargain!!!


It's guys like you and the rest of this community that I envy -- you know your stuff!! I've played for 39 years and my motto was "...just plug it in and wail"!!!! Now, at the tender age of 44 years old "looking" for that last hurrah, I NEED to sound the part!!


Thanks for your thoughts!!

It's guys like you that i envy ;) Just playing the guitar without worrying about what paint color gives the best tone.. :DAnyway, i think the Crate VTX series sound very good actually, but I'm not familiar with your amp, so sorry.

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It's guys like you that i envy
;)
Just playing the guitar without worrying about what paint color gives the best tone..
:D

Anyway, i think the Crate VTX series sound very good actually, but I'm not familiar with your amp, so sorry.

 

Thanks Jopop!

 

The DX212 was one of the "first" to come out with "emulating" sounds! If I am saying that correctly! It has a dial that can "change" the sound of the amp! 60's/70's Marshall, Vintage Ampeg, "TubeAmp", old "Tweed Amps", etc. It also has a dial-up for modulation from chorus, vibrato, echo, flange, etc.! It was good for where I was going, but I want to go forward with my last band and my tone!!

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You are absolutely right!! I got the setup 5 years ago when I was "pulled" out of retirement (for the second time)!! I got the gear at a local store -- had to buy fast!! The SC420 I got 2 years ago for $500.00 -- what a bargain!!!


It's guys like you and the rest of this community that I envy -- you know your stuff!! I've played for 39 years and my motto was "...just plug it in and wail"!!!! Now, at the tender age of 44 years old "looking" for that last hurrah, I NEED to sound the part!!


Thanks for your thoughts!!

Dont envy me, it sucks buying all this crap on an endless search for great tone. There is soo much good stuff out there right now, so it all depends on what kind of music you are playing and what kind of tone you're after. If it's John Sykes Blue Murder tone, thats a pretty big leap. Thats pretty much gonna require a Les Paul type guitar and saturated high gain tube amp and a TON of verb and delay.

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Dont envy me, it sucks buying all this crap on an endless search for great tone. There is soo much good stuff out there right now, so it all depends on what kind of music you are playing and what kind of tone you're after. If it's John Sykes Blue Murder tone, thats a pretty big leap. Thats pretty much gonna require a Les Paul type guitar and saturated high gain tube amp and a TON of verb and delay.

 

See! Now you're talking!

 

If I'm gonna come out of "retirement" for the last time -- here's the question!!

 

An Ibanez SC420 is not the "Les Paul" type of guitar I need? What is YOUR suggestion for a "saturated high gain tube amp"? I really appreciate your opinion(s)!!! Every band I played in, a tech would do his best -- now I want to do mine!!:thu:

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At the top of the forum thier are "stickies" and you can check out the sounds of many maps. Mind you they are costly! For cheap high gain you can actually use a V amp 2 from Berhinger, it will most likely have better tone and it has 32 maps...lots of options plus the verb and delay if you need it. I imagine the pocket pod may help a lot too. That is the cheapest fastest solution.

 

The other alternative is to go with "real" amps rather than imitations.

 

hhhhmmm...his website says he likes 50 watt JCM 800 best. He also uses others. His site is the best source of info.

 

Here is a quote form his site. " For much of the Whitesnake '87 album and first Blue Murder album John used 2 Mesa Boogie Coliseum heads. These amps have a Mark III pre-amp section but use six 6L6 power tubes--giving the amps180 watts each! John also owns several Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+'s, Mark III's and some rack mounted Mesa Dual Recto heads. Other Mesa Boogie equipment includes a Tri-Axis preamp and a Strategy 500 Power Amp.

 

For speaker cabinets, John uses Marshall 4x12 cabinets, Mesa Boogie metal grill "Half Back" 4x12 cabinets, Mesa Boogie 4x12 Recto cabinets and some custom made 4x12 cabinets.

Effects: The rack setup used during the later Blue Murder days included a Mesa Boogie Dual Recto Head, a Mesa Boogie Tri-Axis Preamp, a rackmounted Dunlop Crybaby, a Lexcicon PCM 41, a Lexicon PCM 70, and an H&H V800 Power Amp."

 

http://www.johnsykes.com/gear.html

 

As far as guitar, the guy uses LP. You want the sound then buying one used at a store after extensive playing is good. As for fresh strings in the gauge you like to be put on, you are laying done serious cash cherry pick. try a few, they are not all just the same. Buy on sound and if you can't tell the difference you are blessed and go with the one you want for whatever reason you choose, it is your guitar and it is going to cost. If you want new I think the cheapest is mail order and the striped down studio version.

 

Cheaper alternative: put a PAF humbucker on your ibanez. You will want one on the bridge and one on the neck, you can get single coil versions if you got a single on the neck. A guitar tech can put them in for you. The DIY forum and websites can help you learn to solder and do it yourself though. Just about every manufacturer of pickups makes them! Very popular humbucker to copy. http://store.guitarfetish.com/pickups.html most likely the cheapest and you can find these on eBay, good reviews on this site.

 

New guitar on a budget: Rondomusic's Agile guitars ( http://www.rondomusic.net/ ) and the jay turser guitars (you can find on ebay and at stores) have cheap knockoffs, so do many companies really. Of course Epiphone is the one easy to find at local stores. You are looking for all mahogany with a set neck and important factor is the "scale", the length of the strings vibrating from the nut to the bridge. The 24 3/4" acale is an over looked factor, it effects the harmonic structure a lot.

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Some users on this forum, like Chuck Nutz, are assholes who only post to provoke others because they get off on it. If you click his user name, then "View Public Profile" and then "Add To Ignore List", you won't see his posts anymore.

 

Sadly, when you quote a post you can see what they've typed even though you've ignored the original poster.. :mad:

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I would say a podxt would really make you happy man. You seem to be the type that plays with your ears and not with your eyes if you catch my drift and those things can be found CHEAP but they will sound pretty good with quite a bit of tweaking. But you do have to tweak and it takes alittle bit of time to quite hit the sweet spot with some of the modelling gear

 

 

good luck man!

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DougH offered some good advice.

 

I'll just quickly add my $.02 on the guitar. Having owned the same Ibanez you have, I'd be tempted to stick with it if you really like it. I'd fire off an email to Dimarzio tech support. Tell them what kind of guitar you have and what kind of tone you are after. They'll be able to suggest a pickup that would help get you there. Your guitar has a 25" scale and a mahogany body. While not constructed like a Les Paul, once you add some gain, reverb, and maybe some delay, you'll be fine.

 

From my experience being in bands for about 10 years, going thru lots of guitars and amps, the amp will have the biggest impact on your tone, especially if you are using a lot of gain.

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To DougH, Jopop, shredbadtone and jds22:thu:

 

I want to thank you for all your "$0.02" worth of information!! I know that it's tough to have these types of forums when individuals use it for other than it's use!!

 

From one "true" musician to you "true" musicians -- thanks!!

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To DougH, Jopop, shredbadtone and jds22:thu:


I want to thank you for all your "$0.02" worth of information!! I know that it's tough to have these types of forums when individuals use it for other than it's use!!


From one "true" musician to you "true" musicians -- thanks!!

 

 

 

 

Hey man no problem. Its especially hard here because people (including myself sometimes) are pretty dead set on what they like. To me a lot of the time tho if you are willing to put some time into tweaking your gear you can get tones that you will really start to like.

 

I really suggest a pickup swap if you are using stock IBBY pickups, those things are awful man for the most part and you can have a big sound improvement with 100 dollars worth of stuff.

 

Also don't rely on which you think would be normal amp settings ya know. Really do some wierd {censored} like turning knobs to settings you never think. I play a Line 6 vetta which is sort of like your amp (digital preamp solid state power amp) and with some of the models i will crank the mids and have the bass at three oclock with the treble at 8 oclock and it sounds beautiful. Sometimes it helps to know what your frequency range is for your pickups. My pickups have tons of treble response so why would I want to add more to my amp?

 

Try finding a model of an amp you like that is pretty stock (you know as far as if you like it tight or loose and how much gain) put all the eq knobs at noon and just spend a few hours {censored}ing around with it finding the sound you like. It seems from the discription of the tone you looking for (John Sykes) someone pointed out that his used a lot of mesa stuff so obviously you are looking for a tone that is really thick and rich so a good amount of gain more mids and quite a bit of bass, as much as you can with out it sounding muddy or having your speaker fart out.

 

Alittle delay really helps fatten things (solid state power amp always sound alittle thin to my ears especially when you turn the volume up) up a bit and some reverb to smooth it all out.

 

 

 

Sorry I am alittle scatter brained cuz I havent slept but hopefully this helps. I have never played your amp before but a lot of times you can give someone some basic ideas of what eq to put up and it will put you in the right direction.

 

take it easy man

Rob

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To shredbadtone and jds22:

 

shredbadtone -- while I was away, I did just that, again, for the 1000th+ time! It "sounds" like I'm close, but I'm still not satisfied!! I have the bass at 2 o'clock, mids at 12 o'clock and treble at 3 o'clock! I'll try and add more bass and mids and back off the treble! There's nothing wrong about being dead set on stuff; you use what your comfortable with!! I'm open-minded; I listen and I decide!!:thu:

 

jds22 -- I emailed Dimarzio and they need more info! I have to tell them I'm looking for "...that saturated high gain 'tube' sound" (that came from almightycrunch). Also, thanks for heads-up on those pickups!! Not breaking the bank is good -- but if that time comes when I'm back out playing, it's gotta sounded GREAT!!!:thu:

 

Thanks to both of you!!:thu::thu:

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