Equalizer or distortion pedal for a bariton guitar

[TOM4S]

Hi everyone! I need your help!

I have a LTD SCT-607 (what a beautiful guitar) tuned 1.5 step down (it's my first bariton guitar), when I play I feel the sound lacks of a bit of distortion and rage, it's a bit dark and unbalanced.

My amps are a Blackstar HT-1 and a Dual Rectifier (3 channels), the problem of the sound doesnt really concern the 1 watt amp, you know there's no EQ and not a huge amount of distortion.
I'm more worried about the sound of the rectifier, I dont use distortion pedal on it with my other guitars which sound great without any help.

Does this lack come from the tuning or is it inherent to the bariton guitars?
So my main question is: Do I need to buy a EQ pedal or a distortion pedal? If so which one (TScreamer, Boss adaptive disto, etc.) works well with a Mesa?

Thanks a lot!

 

[Carl Kolchak]

Maybe a Boss GE-7 or an MXR M-108 EQ pedal?

I use the Boss GE-7 along with an Ibanez SD9m when plying my baritone and find these pedals very good for tone sculpting. Don't have any problem with the amount of gain I'm getting either.

 

[TOM4S]

So it's really a matter of neck size?

 

[Locrain]

I would not say it is an inherent feature of a baritone. In fact, I think that normally a baritone will really be brighter and twangier than a shorter scale, given both are set up for the same tuning.

I also think it is unwise to throw more gain at the problem. But a TS could tighten things up I guess, I don't use them.

I am having a similar problem. I have a baritone that I am finding to be very dark. Unbalanced when compared to my others. I am going to try some bright pickups.

 

[KailM]

Do you not tune that low with your other guitars? I'm thinking the difference could simply be you're not used to the lower tuning. Lower tunings often require changes to your EQ to sound right. In my case, the lower I tune, the more I have to reduce bass on the EQ to retain clarity.

That said, I've never met a Rectifier that didn't sorely need an overdrive pedal. What you need is an overdrive pedal like a Tubescreamer to boost the front end of your amp (overdrive pedals are different than distortion pedals; I would NOT recommend using a distortion pedal with your Rec). Place the OD pedal between your guitar and amp's input; not in the effects loop. Run the gain on the pedal all the way at zero and the volume/level at maximum. Set the tone to taste. This will cut some of the bass going into the preamp stages of your amp which will help "tighten" up your sound and pick attack, as well as add some midrange punch to your tone. It will add some gain, but not an overly fuzzy, messy gain like a distortion pedal would. This is what perhaps most metal players do with their tube amps.

 

[TheWarAgainstTime]

Definitely try an overdrive, as said above. I never realized how much of a difference it made until I bought my OD808 and threw it in front of my old Rectifier; now I can't see how I ever got by without one

 

[TOM4S]

Do you not tune that low with your other guitars? I'm thinking the difference could simply be you're not used to the lower tuning. Lower tunings often require changes to your EQ to sound right. In my case, the lower I tune, the more I have to reduce bass on the EQ to retain clarity.

That said, I've never met a Rectifier that didn't sorely need an overdrive pedal. What you need is an overdrive pedal like a Tubescreamer to boost the front end of your amp (overdrive pedals are different than distortion pedals; I would NOT recommend using a distortion pedal with your Rec). Place the OD pedal between your guitar and amp's input; not in the effects loop. Run the gain on the pedal all the way at zero and the volume/level at maximum. Set the tone to taste. This will cut some of the bass going into the preamp stages of your amp which will help "tighten" up your sound and pick attack, as well as add some midrange punch to your tone. It will add some gain, but not an overly fuzzy, messy gain like a distortion pedal would. This is what perhaps most metal players do with their tube amps.

I tried a EC-256 in C and it sounds aggressive like my Ibanez Apex with passive Paf pickups 1 step down. The SCT has actives EMG, the battery is ok. I'll do a checkup to my luthier because there is a little buzz and maybe the passages of the strings through the nut needs to be enlarged.

By the way thank you all for the attention.

 

[wheelsdeal]

I feel the sound lacks of a bit of distortion and rage, it's a bit dark and unbalanced.

Rectifiers are in desperate need of an OD in front,especially when tuning that low.It will basically solve all the above issues.Extra punch,clarity,tightness & presence(more mids).

My amps are tighter than a Rectifier and i still run a Maxon OD808 in front.

 

[Spinedriver]

I have an Ibanez baritone and although it only had stock pickups not EMGs, it was pretty middy and muffled sounding as well. The solution was swapping out the bridge pickup for something else.

I ended up with a custom wound Alnico V from a local shop and it sounds a LOT better.

Sanford Magnetics

I ended up turning both the bass & gain up a tiny bit from where I had it but the notes don't mush together any more and there's a lot more definition.