Ernie Ball vs. D'Addario

[sloop_john_b]

A Rick through a Deluxe Reverb and you're not getting any chime out of it? Heck, I even my Les Paul chimes through a sparkling Fender amp! Could this be a playing technique thing, Jake?

[tennis_nick]

Could this be a playing technique thing, Jake?

Or, better yet...

This Could be a playing technique thing, Jake.

[jimk]

Curt Mangan strings, made for Pick of the Ricks. Great strings - at the right price.

+1 I have a set of red label Curt Mangans on my Rick. They've been on for over six weeks. I play every day, sometimes several times a day, and so far, so good. I also have a set of green label Curt Mangans in the guitar case awaiting a try.
JimK

[JakeK]

I don't know what you mean by "playing technique"? I just strum the guitar with a pick (Herco nylon or Fender tortiseshell, both heavy)

[tennis_nick]

I don't know what you mean by "playing technique"? I just strum the guitar with a pick (Herco nylon or Fender tortiseshell, both heavy)

Here's a quick exercise to demonstrate a point.

Take a guitar (any guitar) and play it unplugged.

First, strum it over the neck pickup, (or by the edge of the fretboard) and strum it nice and softly, letting the pick loosely bounce on the strings, it should sound bassy, mellow, soft, that kind of thing.

Now, strum over the bridge pickup. Tighten up your hold on your pick, and strum much more aggressively (even just tightening up the grip and strumming with more conviction does the trick) and you'll notice and increase in chimey jangly goodness.

Knowing and being comfortable with both techniques is essential.

[jingle_jangle]

Jake, you might want to try using a Fender Medium (lights are difficult to handle for many players). The heavy picks could be a part of your problem. I use a medium Fender (or Dunlop .46 #442 on sweaty days) and my 12s all chime nicely. A bit of compression always helps, too.

[Clint]

Thick picks thud. Thin picks chime.

[JakeK]

Yeah, Paul, I use a DynaComp, but, as I've said before, it just seems to compress the sound, not add a treble boost side to it. I do have TI flats on my V64 12-string, and it seems to jangle with no problem (with or without compression). It's the 6-string I'm worried about.

[deaconblues]

Heck, I even my Les Paul chimes through a sparkling Fender amp!

Les Paul, eh??

[JakeK]

Here's a quick exercise to demonstrate a point.

Take a guitar (any guitar) and play it unplugged.

First, strum it over the neck pickup, (or by the edge of the fretboard) and strum it nice and softly, letting the pick loosely bounce on the strings, it should sound bassy, mellow, soft, that kind of thing.

Now, strum over the bridge pickup. Tighten up your hold on your pick, and strum much more aggressively (even just tightening up the grip and strumming with more conviction does the trick) and you'll notice and increase in chimey jangly goodness.

Knowing and being comfortable with both techniques is essential.

Thanks for that, Nick. Does the way I hold my pick help, too? A lot of musicians (including many you members) I know and know of hold their picks between their thumb and index finger. I don't. I have a very weird way of holding my pick between my thumb, index and fiddle fingers. It's how I've done it since I first starting playing guitar.

[Clint]

I hold my pick like that, too. It has more to do with how firmly you hold the pick than which fiddle fingers you use.

[johnt]

Jake, what guitar cables are you using. A fair amount of jangle and chime could be lost if you're not using the correct leads.

[Ric-O-Buc]

I used to use a medium-heavy pick. Went to a lighter guage pick, held lightly - let it bounce. Instant jangle. 330/6 through a silverface Deluxe Reverb.

[jps]

I used to use a medium-heavy pick. Went to a lighter guage pick, held lightly - let it bounce. Instant jangle. 330/6 through a silverface Deluxe Reverb.

Yep, lighter, thinner picks do produce a brighter tone. Perhaps, this is part of the "problem", Jake.

[sloop_john_b]

I dunno guys, I use fairly thick Dunlop picks (the purpleish ones) and have no issue with brightness on any of my guitars.

Les Paul, eh??

I probably owe it a thread of it's own.