New profiles, new pickups. I never touch the cab parameters. It only make it sound bad. Well at least for me.
When I get bored, I try new tunings and/or effects!
For me it’s learning something new. Watching a Danny Gatton video and figuring out (as best one can) something that grabs me.
Or something Alex Lifeson did in some obscure Rush track. His stuff is never boring.
As for sounds….I find Profiles I like and tend to stick with them.
I rarely use many FX or tweak parameters. I just pick a random profile in the general gain range I want then practice something new. Arpeggios, scales, transcriptions etc. I get inspiration from learning something musical rather than disappearing down a rabit hole of playing with tones.
I like to play with modulation, exotic delays , trying other kind of profiles almost always end in going back to my favorite profiles. I had a lots of fun with octaved basses last month , and made an EP out of it.
Best way to get out of getting bored is to play on my rhodes , arturia soft synths ( especially arpegiators , pads & leads ) , and go back to singing and backing vocals for a change.
I also listen to the classics , Hendrix , Chet Baker , Joni Mitchell , these people are on such a spiritual level that it always get my confidence back into music, again.
I'll attend to live shows as well to see real musicians on stage.
I also get into theory once a month , to expand harmony possibilities and progress.
I normally have no time to get bored, if and when it happens, then I pick a sound that I would normally not use and try to build a track where it fits. Just to push myself outside the comfort zone.
Don’t get bored very often, but when I do I try some different effects for some inspiration
I never get bored. But sometimes I get the stuck in a rut. Something that can happen to all of us. Doesn't happen very often. But be pragmatic and use whatever helps.
dress up as a traffic warden and hide in the wardrobe... oops wrong forum..
on a serious note, still wading my way through the brilliant effects -
dress up as a traffic warden and hide in the wardrobe... oops wrong forum..
Glad to see another comedian on here even though your jokes are as flat as an unplugged EQ. 
BTW, besides my first comment, looking at videos can be very inspiring. Anything like theory, practice techniques, tone chasing videos, etc are always helpful.
A great drum performance inspires me to create something to play with it.
Since I enjoy making profiles a little more than playing, I do that In fact I keep buying stuff so I can profile it. Just got a Katana in this week.
But my thing to do is go nuts on the echo. Throw a ton of echo on it and envision myself on the edge of a cliff wailing away.
Throw a lower octaver on there and now you have a whole rhythm section going to town.
Since you mentioned profile tweaking I will play with:
Clean-Breakup: Sag, Clarity, Comp Stomp before amp, treble Booster after amp.
High Gain: GEQ before gate, Tube Shape, Clarity, Mix, OCD Pedal + Comp before amp,SEQ after amp, fast Verb for in the room sound.
Watch a Guthrie Govan or Tim Henson video. Those guys will show you that you have spent too much time in the pentatonic world. I usually watch Herman Li on Twitch.
Since you mentioned profile tweaking I will play with:
Clean-Breakup: Sag, Clarity, Comp Stomp before amp, treble Booster after amp.
High Gain: GEQ before gate, Tube Shape, Clarity, Mix, OCD Pedal + Comp before amp,SEQ after amp, fast Verb for in the room sound.
Yeahhh!!! Now thats what I'm talking about
Not sure how a guitarist can be bored while holding a guitar?
Not sure how a guitarist can be bored while holding a guitar?
Playing the same notes the same way will get you bored fast.
Sure, but why would anyone play the same notes the same way? The guitar is a nearly unlimited puzzle. Being bored kinda implies that one has it all figured out.
Sorry to get off topic as the OP was about tone.
Sure, but why would anyone play the same notes the same way? The guitar is a nearly unlimited puzzle. Being bored kinda implies that one has it all figured out.
Sorry to get off topic as the OP was about tone.
Lemme ask you how long have you been playing guitar?
Sure, but why would anyone play the same notes the same way? The guitar is a nearly unlimited puzzle. Being bored kinda implies that one has it all figured out.
When you are learning a new song you play the same notes the same way over and over again until muscle memory kicks in. This can be boring. The same is true for playing a cover song over and over again. Very boring. Learning to do things differently, swapping up songs, techniques, etc. makes things exciting. I equate boredom as one being in their comfort zone. I am guilty of it too. Best to get uncomfortable and try something new. This could mean, for the OP, to try a setting he has never used and tweak it the opposite way everyone else does to see what happens.
