not happy with studio preamp tone (high gain)

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ytse_jam

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Hi, I own a studio preamp (made in 1989 or 1990, bought in 2005) and use it with a 50/50 poweramp. I've been tweaking it for a long time but it seems to me the tone I get is always quite harsh. I would like to have some singing mid-esque high gain tone (I mainly play as rhythm guitar), but whenever I try adding mids with the graphic EQ I get a sort of honky tone instead.
My doubt is, would my studio preamp improve tone-wise with a recap job? Btw, it's been a friend of mine who sold me the 50/50 and he was able to get some really nice tones with it (pre being a triaxis).
 
Since that pre amp is based off the IIC+, you might want to look up some old Metallica tone settings. Think black album, or master of puppets. I've seen some posts on this forum on the rigs and tones page. I have the same amp and I've found some good tones there. Kurt Cobain used the same amp as well. You might be able to find that tone somewhere as well if that's what you're looking for. Hope I helped.

-NF
 
The problem is that such harsh tone doesn't seem to be due to some settings, but it's like a general character of the preamp tone.
 
Don't add mids with the GEQ, put the normal mid control between 7 and 10, and then scoop mids with the GEQ. This should add "cream"
 
Use a different guitar or change the tubes. This sounds like a luxury problem to me. I like the versatility of the studio pre and have no problem with getting great tones, but a P90 single coil pick up sounds like schrilly do-do to my ears so I use EMG active P81/85 pick ups instead. I also like to experiment with different tubes in the SP, they're so easy to change and depending on your style, each tube change will make a difference.
 
I had exact the same problem.
While looking for a Hetfield-ish rhythm tone, I felt the studio preamp was a bit.... empty, flat.
It lacked some body.

But than I indeed crancked up the mids knob, at 7.
And take out the mids with the GEQ.

And dear God, hello tone!
It sounds now as cool and filthy as my favorite Triaxis setting did.
 

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