Balancing guitars live

  • Hi,


    I have an unpowered Toaster with a remote.


    I have a Suhr that sounds lovely but is lower output and thinner sounding compared to my PRS. I have considered changing pickups in the Suhr, but don't want to rush into that.


    What would you say is the best approach to swapping between these guitars live for equitable volume/eq.


    Options that occur to me are:


    1. Duplicate performances with tweaked bass/mid/treble settings - but a bit of a pain as my rigs have eq changes built into their morph parameters.
    2. Clean / Distortion sense - but despite reading lots about this, I'm not entirely clear on it and not comfortable that a. I need to do it and b. if I'll end up with differences in volumes between rigs in my performances.....and changing the settings on the fly isn't the easiest thing as far as I can see.
    3. Try to insert an EQ stomp to boost the bass/mids a little that I select when using the Suhr.


    Do any of these or any other approaches make sense to you?


    Thanks,
    Andy

  • You can also save output presets with different EQ settings and volumes for each output. To think about different input presets is a good idea too (maybe in addition to output presets).

    I could have farted and it would have sounded good! (Brian Johnson)

  • Hmm, I went to Output, browse and could see 9 presets, first one being Home Studio the second Default....I assume that because Home Studio was highlighted and I've never been in there before, those are standard output presets for the Kemper?


    It cause me concern as I'm not clear how I would study the changes that each preset makes.


    Also, I assume that I would need to go to the Kemper to select a different preset when I change guitar? That really wouldn't work for me live....


    Cheers,
    Andy

  • There are also input presets. They were made to solve your predicament. Check this with reference to Clean/Distortion senses :


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  • It would be good idea to be able to select/toggle (set in Kemper to toggle between guitars 1/2/3) the input preset via midi or with remote for people who use multiple guitars during a gig or have to switch to a backup guitar with different output without needing to go near the Kemper. Switching guitars onstage can be tedious (checking tuning etc) and then having to fiddle with input screen on Kemper to select correct guitar can really lose the flow and momentum during a live gig.

  • I have saved different performances for my different guitars.


    Each of my guitars have different output, so I've equalized them to be optimal for what sounds good to me. Plenty of space on the Kemper to save.

  • Having done extensive testing via an A/B switcher for easy comparison, the issue is pickup type/output more than eq.


    My band has a lot of high gain riffs with pinched harmonics/squeals.


    My PRS with HFS / VB pups and my self build superstrat with Dimarzio ToneZone / Evolution do the squeal thing fine.


    The Suhr sounds great but doesn't do it. Eq and even adding gain doesn't really get there. Distortion sense does....but as discussed, it's a faff to change live.


    I snagged some USA PRS HFS / VB pups on eBay this week...so the current plan is to pop those in the Suhr and see how the effect.


    In the ideal world I'll get the increased output but still keep the Strat-ty sweetness of the Suhr...


    Cheers
    Andy

  • I have saved different performances for my different guitars.

    Ultimately, I have also opted for this solution.
    With a guitar cable with a silent jack and the change via remote it is the the quickest procedure for me to change guitar.
    (e.g. from acoustic to electric )

  • Ultimately, I have also opted for this solution.With a guitar cable with a silent jack and the change via remote it is the the quickest procedure for me to change guitar.
    (e.g. from acoustic to electric )

    Same here. I run a Les Paul and Gretsch. I don;t find it a hassle because ultimately I use they on different songs so each tweak is unique and does not have to be replicated onto the other performance..


    I also generally swap pickups anyway, so on the Gretsch I've upgraded to slightly hotter TV Jones which makes the "gap" between the guitars a little less without changing the fundamental nature..

  • my main electrics is a Tom Anderson Drop Top, and a Tom Anderson Hollow short T(shortscale)
    they sound completely different, and they are used for different sounds. i make presets for each guitar i play, so volume and frequensies is in a way leveled! Pickups feel and sound is very different, but thats why i use different guitars..