Category Archives: Gear Tips & Tricks

How to Maximize Your Tube Amp’s Harmonic Saturation

Posted on February 17, 2014 by tonesmiths

Have you ever recorded a clean guitar track only to notice it sounds remarkably fuller and slightly more overdriven after it runs through the preamp and plug-ins designed to accentuate natural frequencies? Harmonic distortion is playing a big part in … Continue reading →

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A Few Inexpensive Ways to Improve Your Tone

Posted on June 6, 2013 by tonesmiths

I recently witnessed an interaction between two guys on a gear forum that opened my eyes to an all too common mindset that prevents many musicians from easily improving their tone. The mindset is this: “Why should I spend a … Continue reading →

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How to Make Your New Guitar Sound Old

Posted on April 21, 2013 by tonesmiths

Late Night Science I’ve been walking down a path of guitar research lately that I’ve always felt borders on quackery. It has to do with how the resins in old instruments set up in response to the conditions and frequencies they … Continue reading →

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5 Steps to Make Your Vox AC15C1 or AC15CC Sound Amazing

Posted on March 28, 2013 by tonesmiths

The current production Vox AC15C1 by Korg is one of the most popular tube amplifiers being used among P&W guitarists today. At $599 USD for a new 1×12 combo it is undoubtedly one of the best bang-for-the-buck amplifiers readily available … Continue reading →

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How to Quickly Dial In a Tube Amplifier

Posted on March 28, 2013 by tonesmiths

In my many years of working with and demoing amplifiers I’ve picked up a few tricks for optimizing the performance of tube guitar amps. One common sense trick that never ceases to amaze those I’ve shown it to is how … Continue reading →

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10 Important Questions to Ask Yourself When Purchasing a Tube Amplifier

Posted on March 27, 2013 by tonesmiths

Though this list doesn’t cover everything, it does attempt to answer the most common questions I am asked by Tonesmiths customers researching amps. What tone am I going for? This is always the first thing I address when helping a … Continue reading →

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