Lost my Tone while on Vacation, Have you ever had it happen to you?

[Lokair]

Ok, Built my tone into my GT-1000 based on my Mesa JP2C with no effects, started around thanksgiving and finally happy around the new years. Go away on vacation April 16th no guitar no music, other than listening to some thru earbuds. Come Back April 21st and plug back into my set up and found my tone is like fuzzy, lost definition, sort of peaky in the higher Mids. Makes me rethink the GT-1000, never took down my JP2C set up just covered it with a moving blanket, uncover it plug in and my tone from it is a little fuzzy and mids are peaky top end is slightly cut, both easy fixes. I still think both sound slightly fuzzy , , check my ears (with samsung hearing test((which an ear doctor said is very good)))with a set of high end headphones and my noise cancelling ear buds my hearing is very good for being 50 years old. Going to work this week and seeing the hearing test guys and gonna have them do a complete hearing test and compare to the last few years. But everything else sounds good, my buddies tone is spot on Les Paul thru a small marshall type amp, even checked my down tuned guitars they sound fuzzy, my acoustics sound fine, my acoustic simulator sounds fine my clean tone on both set ups sound good, but my crunch and lead tones are just slightly off, too the point that I dont enjoy playing, so today I am redoing my set  ups starting with the real amp then gonna redo the modeler as per what the amp sound like(gonna back up all files first so i can compare at the end of it all). 

 

My question anyone else ever have this happen to them , go away for a while then return to find your unsatisfied with your own tone? It making me question the whole Matrix? 

 

 

Lok

[Caevan O’Shite]

I have experienced similar things, that turned out to be caused by something like allergies, or viral or bacterial infections causing inflammation and/or congestion, that in turn cause an imbalance in air-pressure within my ears and sinuses that pulled the ear-drum a little askew. Even a lot of changes through elevation and atmospheric conditions while on a long drive, coupled with the inevitable road and wind background noise, can have a temporary effect like that for me.

[KuruPrionz]

If you are trusting tubes to deliver consistent tone, you will have these problems. 

I used to have a Mesa Boogie Mk III head with Simul-Class, EQ and Reverb. Sounded great every time, until...

I took it to a gig, sound check went fine, we were set to go on state. First note I play - silence. The other band had a horrible GK guitar amp that sounded thin, yet harsh - 100% solid state before amp makers figured out how to get good tones from SS. I got through the gig using the GK.

 

It took almost an hour at home to find that V1 had gone south. I replaced it and the amp was back up and running. Mesa amps are not designed for quick, easy tube changes. This was one of their touted SPax7 tubes. 

 

There have been other "tube infractions" until a few years ago I took a Red Plate Blues Machine to a New Years Eve gig. We did sound check, all was well. We started the gig and I had a weak, lower volume with bonus extra buzzing sound and had to really crank the amp up to get through the gig. At home, the amp needed the output tubes re-biased. I did that. Never used another tube amp for a gig again. The amps are sturdy and well made. Tubes are reliable in the sense that you can rely on them to fail. 

 

That's the first place I'd be looking in your system. 

[Lokair]

Kuru, 

I am also having the problem with a solid-state modeler GT-1000, and the JP2C has a spax7 in number one and two spots already (that's whole other discussion as to why), but I agree tubes are always a non-constant constant. 

 

 

I have already fixed my crunch tone on the Real amp, I started with some generic settings that I have written down, then adjusted to taste, then did compare with written notes from what I had to what did to get back to happy. differences were brought the treble down from 3 o'clock to 1:30ish, dropped the mids from 11ish to 10ish bass is still at 9:15ish, the 5 band dropped the 2200 and 6600 slightly as well and upped the 60 and 240 slightly left the 700 roughly where it started at. The presence and gain were dialed back into almost the exact same place they were as well, gain at 1 and pres pulled at 1:30ish. Volume is adjusted to taste based on need, which will then dictate more slight adjustments over all but it sounds good for where its at now. 

 Caevan I think your onto something traveling from Pittsburgh area to ocean city MD the mountains on the way down my ears were not popping normally and everything is in bloom now to. 

Watch some time this summer everything will sound too bright and I will have to revert back to my older settings. oh the joys of tone. 

 

Lok

 

[Caevan O’Shite]

57 minutes ago, KuruPrionz said:

If you are trusting tubes to deliver consistent tone, you will have these problems.

There is THAT. Although I have been fortunate enough over the years that I've had little trouble with tubes. In spite of that, I know that the valves are an opportunity for gremlins to come a knockin'...

[surfergirl]

I had a problem with everything sounding fuzzy after I had my concussion. I couldn't play or surf for about 10 days and then it took several days for things to get to normal. 

[KuruPrionz]

24 minutes ago, Lokair said:

Kuru, 

I am also having the problem with a solid-state modeler GT-1000, and the JP2C has a spax7 in number one and two spots already (that's whole other discussion as to why), but I agree tubes are always a non-constant constant. 

 

 

I have already fixed my crunch tone on the Real amp, I started with some generic settings that I have written down, then adjusted to taste, then did compare with written notes from what I had to what did to get back to happy. differences were brought the treble down from 3 o'clock to 1:30ish, dropped the mids from 11ish to 10ish bass is still at 9:15ish, the 5 band dropped the 2200 and 6600 slightly as well and upped the 60 and 240 slightly left the 700 roughly where it started at. The presence and gain were dialed back into almost the exact same place they were as well, gain at 1 and pres pulled at 1:30ish. Volume is adjusted to taste based on need, which will then dictate more slight adjustments over all but it sounds good for where its at now. 

 Caevan I think your onto something traveling from Pittsburgh area to ocean city MD the mountains on the way down my ears were not popping normally and everything is in bloom now to. 

Watch some time this summer everything will sound too bright and I will have to revert back to my older settings. oh the joys of tone. 

 

Lok

 

V1 and V2 are always suspect but one must also check the the last 12ax7 before the output tubes, that's another place the "rubber meets the road". And output tubes need to be checked as well. Mesa does not have a bias control in their amps, they continue to live in the dream world of their beginnings, where tubes made in the USA were more consistent and reliable. You should always have fresh spares and try them in V1, V2, phase inverter and output tubes whenever there is a tone change. 

 

I'm not familiar with the GT-1000 so I can't comment. I've been getting great tones out of Peavey Vypyr VIP 1 amps but I replace the baffle and mount a Peavey Scorpion 10" in there. If you dial them correctly they can sing like a bird and there are 16 programs plus switchable volume/wah available on a Sanpera 1 with all effects built into the amplifier. That keeps the "pedalboard" down to one compact unit with a single connection cable. My other go-to is a Boss Katana 50 Mk II, a great little amp with 4 presets available and more effects than I will ever need. It also sounds great if you dial it in.

 

FWIW, I've owned 8 Mesas, a bunch of Fenders 1953-1990-ish, an Allen Accomplice, a RedPlate Blues Machine and many other tube amps. I still have a box full of tubes that need testing and two hardwired amps - one clone of a 56 Fender Deluxe head and one of a 58 Vox AC15 Top Cut head. After I get all the tubes sold I'll sell both amps. They sound great but I don't trust tubes anymore with gigs and recording plugins are so good I don't mic amps any more either.

 

[Caevan O’Shite]

1 hour ago, surfergirl said:

I had a problem with everything sounding fuzzy after I had my concussion. I couldn't play or surf for about 10 days and then it took several days for things to get to normal. 

I'm glad you recovered!

[Lokair]

 

SurferGirl

"I had a problem with everything sounding fuzzy after I had my concussion. I couldn't play or surf for about 10 days and then it took several days for things to get to normal. "

 

 

 

I feel Bad giving this thumbs up, but glad it all worked out. 

[Winston Psmith]

@Lokair- Have to agree on the travel and potential allergy issue, after you mentioned Ocean City, Maryland. The Maryland/D.C. area has been experiencing a vicious pollen/allergy season (see @Caevan O’Shite's remarks above), on top of a period of drought, and it's very possible that you had an allergic response to the pollen and the dry air, as you came from Pittsburgh through Maryland, and back again. I work outdoors, for the most part, and I've definitely felt the pollen in the air, as well as the greenish-yellow dust on everyone's cars.

[Larryz]

@Lokair & @surfergirl  Glad you both got over your concussions! 😎👍👍

 

@KuruPrionz I've always had good luck with my Fender tube amps.  I had a good tech to check the tubes and whenever I replaced the matched set of power tubes, I had the bias checked/set.  But, Fender came out with the SS modeling amp of the 65 Deluxe Reverb which is my favorite, and it weighs 15 to 20lbs less than my tubers. +1 on SS amps being a little more dependable.  So, I gave up on the Hot Rod Deluxe and the Hot Rod DeVille (even though I still own them).  Weight being the most important feature for me having a bad back, which caused me to give up my Twin a long time ago LoL! 😎👍

 

@Lokair  I have had problems with my tone changing on me overnight LoL!  I think it's similar to what Caevan was saying about atmospheric and elevation changes and I have tinnitus.  I noticed that my sound was great at night and changed the next day on me?  I would make adjustments and then it would change again with the seasons, temps and humidity changes.  What sounds good at night or on a rainy day will change within a day or two even though I never touched the controls.  So now I leave everything as is and check the day tone against the night tone before making any adjustments...playing outside and at other locations changes everything too LoL! Just a thought... 😎👍

[Old Music Guy]

I don't have "a tone". I really don't even know what that means. 

I adjust to what I'm playing at the time. and what the situation calls for. 

I guess I'm lucky. Can't lose what I never had. 

IMHO. 

[Winston Psmith]

Side note regarding MFX in general. Very often, if you're monitoring the Output through a dedicated Headphone Out, that will engage some version of a Speaker Emulator, which you may not be engaging when using the Main Outs into an Amp or FRFR system.

[Caevan O’Shite]

1 hour ago, Winston Psmith said:

Side note regarding MFX in general. Very often, if you're monitoring the Output through a dedicated Headphone Out, that will engage some version of a Speaker Emulator, which you may not be engaging when using the Main Outs into an Amp or FRFR system.

I've certainly done that in the past, wondered why my DigiTech GNX4 suddenly sounded awful through headphones and/or a PA and monitors- frantically twiddling knobs and such, only to discover that the "Speaker Compensation" was unintentionally switched-off...      That, or not realizing that my wah pedal was engaged... !  

  

12 hours ago, Old Music Guy said:

I don't have "a tone". I really don't even know what that means. 

I adjust to what I'm playing at the time. and what the situation calls for. 

I guess I'm lucky. Can't lose what I never had. 

IMHO. 

In short, 's just liking the sound you're getting from your guitar, and the sound of it pleasing you and putting a smile on your face- and  maybe that of listeners, too. "Tone" has become a bit of a buzz-word. I'm sure you've got your preferences when you're adjusting to what you're playing at the time, and what the situation calls for.

[Old Music Guy]

4 hours ago, Caevan O’Shite said:

In short, 's just liking the sound you're getting from your guitar, and the sound of it pleasing you and putting a smile on your face- and  maybe that of listeners, too. "Tone" has become a bit of a buzz-word. I'm sure you've got your preferences when you're adjusting to what you're playing at the time, and what the situation calls for.

Yeah, I kinda get that. I plugged in a fave Strat of mine last night (after that brutal CHOKE by the Bruins). I had this really gorgeous "tone" out of it that I had never heard before. Chimey as all get out and effortless harmonics all over the neck. Really nice sound. Every pickup and combination just sang. 

 

Was it satisfying? You bet. Can I get it again? Don't know. But I haven't put the guitar away just yet  

[Lokair]

On 4/30/2023 at 3:53 PM, Winston Psmith said:

@Lokair- Have to agree on the travel and potential allergy issue, after you mentioned Ocean City, Maryland. The Maryland/D.C. area has been experiencing a vicious pollen/allergy season (see @Caevan O’Shite's remarks above), on top of a period of drought, and it's very possible that you had an allergic response to the pollen and the dry air, as you came from Pittsburgh through Maryland, and back again. I work outdoors, for the most part, and I've definitely felt the pollen in the air, as well as the greenish-yellow dust on everyone's cars.

Winston, that is definitely part of it, the Wife noticed everyday we were there that pollen covered our car, yellow dust on everything. 

 

On 4/30/2023 at 10:14 PM, Old Music Guy said:

I don't have "a tone". I really don't even know what that means. 

I adjust to what I'm playing at the time. and what the situation calls for. 

I guess I'm lucky. Can't lose what I never had. 

IMHO. 

Yeah my general tone for Metal and my general tone for Rock are not the same, and always require some tweaking of settings but this was over the top annoying to hear. I guess you could say I like to have base line of acceptable before I mess it up with playing. 

 

I plug my Modeler into my small PA same channel same settings and while we were gone i just left everything plugged in and turned off. 

 

My hearing test at work came back with a definite shift in my mid range frequency's I will retest next month with the Practitioner again, He said allergies and travel more than likely are to blame, the good thing is that I tested somewhat better in the highs than i did last year. Its good to be friends with the bass player/Practitioner at my job, he just Ok'ed the test with no BS.

 

Thanks all for the support, these things sometimes bother me as I turned 50 last year and had tinnitus that was getting worse till the Dr found my ears had compacted wax build up, once cleaned out it cleared up within a month.  

 

Lok

[Old Music Guy]

On 5/2/2023 at 8:45 PM, Lokair said:

He said allergies and travel more than likely are to blame

I can't remember if you're the million-miler, but it took weeks to clear my ears after flying. All I could hear was bass. I tried every traveler's trick to open up may ears, but always to no avail. It's really a very shitt*y feeling to say "Huh?", "What?" all the time. And it always seemed like I traveled most in the spring. So when I got home, there was pollen season.

 

I recall a week in Korea during the "yellow dust" season. I finished my work in two days, and spent the next 5 days in my hotel room ordering room service and water. I couldn't leave the room at all. Try explaining THAT expense report where cases of water were labeled "minibar".