dkap2000
Thanks guys for helping with this. I'm not sure you are hearing the subtle problem that I'm talking about. I didn't notice it for a long time, but eventually I started hearing a strong overtone at 2k. It is most noticeable with good headphones. If you listen closely to the first two notes of the 3rd measure, the 2k ringing is the loudest and most apparent.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/6rfdtpklbvbhzzz/Swami%20Song-%20guitar%20solo%20test.mp3?dl=0
It's not an end of the world problem, just something I came across while recording, and it seemed from his description, Sharke had a similar issue. Once I started hearing it, I couldn't not hear it.
I mainly did go straight into the box and used a modified version of the logic blackface surf preset. I also mixed in an S-Gear sim. When I play through my Ampeg Gemini, I still hear it, but maybe not as much. Reverb seems to make the overtone even more pronounced.
Good points about digital being harsher and less forgiving Danny. Maybe you can recommend a better surf tone sim for a tele. I didn't really see much out there.
Ok, I hear what you mean now. That to me, sounds like maybe your action is too low, or maybe your truss rod may be a little tight.....or possible a low fret somewhere that only hits on certain notes on a string. It's gotta be one of them. But to me, the little chimey thing has to be one or a few of the following....just as a recap.
Low action: Sometimes you just get a little buzz that isn't good buzz. I allow my guitars to buzz slightly because for the style I play, a little string buzz literally adds to the percussive sound for hard rock/metal. As long as it doesn't give me that "fretting out" sound through my amp, a little buzz while not plugged in isn't necessarily a bad thing.
Truss Rod: I usually adjust my truss rods on my guitars once or twice per year depending on how they perform. I like a little more tension on my necks than is recommended because I use a very low tuning. If the truss is too hot (too tight) or in need of adjustment, this can make certain areas on the neck behave a little differently. You may buzz a little down closer to the nut than you will up the neck. I like my necks to look nearly straight. The slight smile you're supposed to have when looking at a neck sometimes makes my guitars play like cheap guitars. Meaning, cheaper guitars sometimes have a loose feel...easy to bend the strings etc. I like a little tension from the neck. Just be careful as you can really affect how your guitar plays.
Strings: I've had strings that drove me crazy creating artifacts that really weren't there. Example....I had this buzz on one fret that was driving me nuts on my low E. It was making two tones, wouldn't stay in tune, had weird artifacts etc. Low and behold, I looked at it with a magnifying glass, and the string was literally bent in that area! I put a new one on and everything was fine.
Frets: Check your frets with a magnifying glass and flashlight to see if you have any low spots or grooves. This is HUGE for strange noises and artifacts.
Another guitar: Try another guitar and see if you get the same noise. If you don't, it's definitely something in the Tele/neck or the pup. I just had a pup die on me that made my guitar sound so bad, I never thought they just die out a little at a time. I have always thought they just work or don't work. Tested it with a meter and it wasn't putting out any of the power it should have been. This gave me weird artifacts.
The sound: Certain sounds just need work with certain guitars. You may need to use a little compression to round out the sound a bit and have it curb the transient a bit more. The surf sound is going to be a bit more unforgiving with a tele or strat because the pups are going to accentuate the upper end of the spectrum, thus picking up every little high end artifact that *may* be present.
Recommendation: I'm just giving you every possible scenario to check out. I could be wrong on all counts. But if I were you, these are the areas I'd at least look into if the noise is bothering you to the point where you can't forget about it. I'm anal about stuff like this too, so I feel your pain. As far as another sound to try, I'd try another guitar first to see if it does the same thing. Maybe ask a friend who may have a tele, or if you have a friend that works at a music store, see if they would allow you to just try a tele at home to see if it does it. Or, since you say it does it through your amp a little too...bring the amp to the store and try the tele through it. This way you can do all the process of elimination and know what the deal is.
Sim tone: I am partial to Fractal Audio. Not because I am endorsed by them, but I sincerely feel they make the best modeler ever. I can afford whatever I need these days and bought my first two units from Fractal without a deal. They are expensive, but I've just warmed up to them more so than Helix, Kemper and some other modelers out there. For me, the Fractal just gives me what I want. The AX8 would be great for you. That said, if that's a bit out of your price range, I've always been a fan of Guitar Rig. I think it is definitely one of the best plugins I've ever used and it is one of the few that literally has that 12AX7 tube thing down. Lots of amp sim companies claim they have tubes down. Maybe power amp tubes....but very few that I've heard can simulate the sound of a 12AX7 front end.
Guitar Rig does this wonderfully as does Fractal. That was one of the key selling points for me on both. I hate transistor artifacts when something is supposed to sound like tube. There's just something about transistor tones that don't quite sit well with me. I've never been a fan of output power tubes because you have to be so loud to hear them right, it's not worth losing my hearing or killing those in the audience. I'll take a good 12AX7 tube front end any day...and if the simulation is convincing enough, even better. I'll put it to you this way....I had an amp room with about 30 amps. I've sold all but 3. Nothing against real amps....I just feel the Fractal does the job so close, I either can't tell or the difference isn't enough to justify the prices of real amps or the extra lugging of a heavy amp rack. That's just me though. :) My sound is a strong pre-amp type sound where a classic rock loud tube amp isn't going to give me what I need. I need the drive and sizzle for what I do. Now you for cleaner tones or the surf thing...tubes all across the board will help. Even there though, the right modeler will get you so close, it will only matter to tube snobs.
But getting back.....if I had to place a weighted decision on what your issue is, I'd say it's something in the guitar or the sound chosen. If the sound is accentuating something that may be a very small issue in the guitar, this is normal as certain sounds will definitely bring out the worst (or the best) in our instruments.
I have a few sounds I've created on my Fractal gear that are totally off the hook with humbucker pups. Play a strat through the same sound and man....it gives the word horrible a new meaning. But like I had mentioned before, that's more a modeling issue in my case because when you create a sound using a modeler, it often times just works for the guitar you created it on. Add a different guitar with different pups, and the sound changes. That's the only thing modelers need to get right. Real amps don't alter your sound THIS much.
If you are using a modeler, it's definitely going to contribute as well. But the fact that it does it through your amp too tells me it's most likely guitar related. Please do keep us informed as to how you make out with this. I hope it's something simple like a neck adjustment or maybe even a fret dress or file. Good luck!
-Danny