Dull Sounding Telecaster?

[TommyQ94]

Hey everyone,

Im using Amplitube 5 through my UMC404HD interface, with the normal Fender Amp.

I am looking to get a basic clean tone as in this video, at 18:14

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSAHe9PjPts

I recently got my Telecaster (crafted in China) fixed but I feel it sounds a bit dull and lifeless? I've also noticed some crackling in the recording I can't get rid of.

Here is what it currently sounds like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cj0etz8EuO8

Could anyone please help me out in getting a clean tone such as the one I have linked above?

I would appreciate any help with this, as I am about to buy a new guitar to see if that's the problem!

Thanks

[carlaz]

Based on the YouTube video, all I can say is that the DI signal level into AmpliTube seems fine, and the crackling is perhaps most likely a buffer-size issue?

You seem to be using Logic Pro (which I also use), so try going to Settings [previously "Preferences" > Audio > Devices and increasing the value of the "I/O Buffer Size". Increasing this value increases latency, so there is always a battle between trying to keep the I/O Buffer Size as low as possible (when recording) without introducing the kind of crackling that you hear. The more other apps beside your DAW, and the more plugins beside AmpliTube (especially on the Stereo Out track), that your computer is running while you try to record, the larger the buffer size will need to be to avoid crackling and other audio artifacts (and, thus, the greater the latency). Logic Pro does have a control for "low latency mode" that, when enabled, essentially tries to temporarily disable all plugins not needed for recording on the selected track(s). You can readily Google how to use that in Logic Pro, and I basically always have it enabled when recording audio.

(Conversely, once you have recorded all your audio or are otherwise just mixing, you may as well crank your buffer setting up as high as it will go, which will then give you better performance with plugins, as you no longer care about latency when mixing.)

Otherwise, with any buffering issues taken care of, it may be worth checking whether your interface has a "Hi-Z" impedance input (imitating that which would be found on a guitar-amp input), since a non-"Hi-Z" input can adversely (if subtly) affect the tone. Likewise, consider the usual kinds of things, like how new/old the strings on the guitar are, etc.

[TommyQ94]

Hey,

Many thanks for the reply. I don't think its all to do with the buffer size, as I can hear it through the Amp also.

I have attached a recording of the guitar recorded through a Mic and through Amplitube here if you want to have a listen, to see what Im talking about.

It just doesn't sound clean to me at all!

https://www.reddit.com/r/audioengineeri ... and_buzzy/

[carlaz]

Well, I dunno. I hear some pops and clicks on both WAV files in the link, so that may be my Internet connection streaming them as much as anything else!

But, still: it can't be much of a surprise that a real Fender Champion 300 combo (with whatever speaker) mic'd with a real 57 (however you placed it) is going to sound different than a DI processed through whatever AmpliTube amp/cab/mic model combination you used. (AmpliTube has a Fender Champion 600 model of some sort, though I'm hazy on how similar that might be to your Fender Champion 300.) There are so many factors that are going to affect the tone in both the "real gear" chain and the "modeled gear" chain. For a more (or less) trebly tone in either situation, adjust the mic placement, mic choice, or the EQ settings on the amp. But even professional recording engineers will sometimes struggle to get the same tone from the same gear if they've had to break it down and then set it up again in a different place.

How does your DI signal sound without AmpliTube? (Could it be an input impedance issue? That can definitely affect how "bright" and "snappy" one perceives the tone of even a DI signal.)

[TommyQ94]

Sorry, there are a few pops in those recordings due to buffer issues, but the buzzing of the guitar remains even when there are no issue with buffering.

Can you hear anything in those recordings that would make you think the guitar is faulty? I recently got it fixed and I don't think it sounds as bright as it did, although I hadn't played it in a long time before deciding on fixing it so I can't remember that well.

Im really just beyond frustrated with this at the minute, so I'm considering buying a new guitar and a new amp. Would you have any recommendations as to what Squire/Fender ones to get on a budget, purely for recording clean tones such as this?

20:07

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSAHe9PjPts

[carlaz]

I don't think I can usefully comment on the quality of the guitar or its hardware simply on the basis of the recordings. There are too many possible factors that could affect the recorded tone.

In general, my opinion is that the Fender Squier guitars are excellent value for the money. I love the Telecaster vibe, though I myself own a Squier Stratocaster that I bought secondhand a couple of years ago. It's about 20 years ago, but after a set-up, it played great. I thought the stock pickups (which were ceramic) were a bit aggressive and bright for my taste, so I replaced them with Alnico pickups (though still single-coils) made by a local luthier.

I would suggest taking your Telecaster to a luthier (perhaps a different luthier than the one who fixed it for you recently) and get their opinion.

Guitars with single-coil pickups can be noisy -=- and they can be extra noisy when recording on a computer in comparison with playing through a traditional amp (because of all the additional electromagnetic interference that a computer and its electronics can generate). Thus, to some extent, I would not go into shock if the guitar sounded noisier when you are using it with your computer. But, also, you might be able to get a luthier to shield the electronics, etc. which can help with (if not always eliminate) such problems.