660/6 AFG Sell or Keep

[whojamfan]

You might try using a compressor. This will even out the sound, add sustain, and allow you to crank it up in a more consistant way. Now you'd be able to add some eq or dirt to it and maybe lose the "wimp" factor you are experiencing.

Whatever you do, hold on to that guitar. I don't want to see you start a thread titled "AAAAAAAAAAAGH, what did I do?!"

[btomlinson]

I like single coils as well. I have a LP Jr with a P-90.

I am going to try the high gains. The problem is this. I play next to a guy who play a melody maker with a hot rail pick up through a marshall 4 x 10. I was trying to keep up with that. Seemed like the toaster and my amp did not cut through. I know there are many variables.

About the compressor. I have a old Boss compressor. I messed around with it but I do not really know what it does. Seemed like it gave it a tinty sound.

[beatlefreak]

About the compressor. I have a old Boss compressor. I messed around with it but I do not really know what it does. Seemed like it gave it a tinty sound.

I looked up a post that I put on the RIC Corporate forum a couple of years ago where I explained what a compressor does. It's reprinted below:

Compressors squeeze the sound, narrowing the dynamic range. They take a certain volume level, known as the threshold in which to apply a compression ratio to different volumes in the sound.

Let's use a popular 2 to 1 compression ratio as an example. Anything above the threshold level is compressed - a volume level 10dB above the threshold comes out as only 5dB above the threshold, 20dB above comes out as 10dB above, etc. Anything below the threshold is expanded - a volume level 10dB below the threshold comes out as only 5dB below, etc.

If your original signal has a dynamic range (the difference between the loudest and quietest volumes) of 80dB, a compressor working with a 2 to 1 ratio will squeeze the sound down to a dynamic range of 40dB. This makes your quieter and louder volumes much closer to your normal volume. This is great for incresing sustain, because your volume will drop off much more slowly.

The only problem with compressors is that you can have too much of a good thing. Overdriving compression (usually caused by a compression ratio that's too high) can cause a "pumping" or "breathing" in the sound, giving a sort of tremelo effect.

Good compressors give you control over threshold and ratio. Better compressors will also give you control over attack (how fast the compression kicks in) and decay or release (how fast the compressor lets go of the sound). A fast attack is known as "hard knee" and a slow attack is known as "soft knee" compression.

A limiter, on the other hand, only squeezes sound above the threshold - Anything below the threshold is left alone.

[8mileshigher]

I would keep the 660 with the Toasters and get yourself a 650 with Humbuckers if you want the wide neck, Cresting Wave design and a beefier sound. There are many reasonably priced 650's in the marketplace.

Regards
Rich F.