Muddy sound?

**charleyrich99** · 08-29-2022, 09:58 PM

I tried out several carved top archtops today in my quest for "the one".

To my surprise all sounded muddy and un balanced with a boomy bass. I tried :
- Victor Baker oval hile
- Heritage Golden Eagle (skinny neck})
- Dale Unger Legend (thick D neck)
- Guild/ Benedetto AA (great neck)

All had floaters except for the Dale Unger. I am used to round wounds on an archtop and these all had flats.

I was surprised that none of them had a nice, clear, warm sound. Not sure why.

The Guild had a really nice acoustic voice, the best of the bunch. But the electric sound with the Benedetto pu sounded muddy even after I adjusted the eq on the amp.

Any thoughts? Bad strings? Sunspots?

**rpjazzguitar** · 08-29-2022, 10:51 PM

Same amp?

What was it?

**charleyrich99** · 08-29-2022, 10:53 PM

Originally Posted by rpjazzguitar

Same amp?

What was it?

The first three I tried on a Quilter and then a Hendrickson.

The Guild / Benedetto was on an AER and then a Peavey tube amp.

**Christian Miller** · 08-30-2022, 07:46 AM

Floating pick up archtops can often sound a bit woolly to me

I think you need a lot of bass roll off with them above bedroom levels.

**nevershouldhavesoldit** · 08-30-2022, 09:29 AM

Originally Posted by charleyrich99

I tried out several carved top archtops today in my quest for "the one". To my surprise all sounded muddy and un balanced with a boomy bass.

What’s your reference sound? Do you own or have you tried a good laminated archtop? What instruments are you playing now? What instruments and amps give you the sound you like best?

I (like most, it seems) play my 16” and 17” archtops with bass rolled off. I keep the bass on the PR, the Vibrolux, and all my DV Marks at about 9 o’clock. The Blu 6 is great flat. I played with everything flat for years because I thought the boom sounded good. It doesn’t

**charleyrich99** · 08-30-2022, 02:51 PM

Originally Posted by nevershouldhavesoldit

What’s your reference sound? Do you own or have you tried a good laminated archtop? What instruments are you playing now? What instruments and amps give you the sound you like best?

I (like most, it seems) play my 16” and 17” archtops with bass rolled off. I keep the bass on the PR, the Vibrolux, and all my DV Marks at about 9 o’clock. The Blu 6 is great flat. I played with everything flat for years because I thought the boom sounded good. It doesn’t

My reference is a Guild x-170 laminate archtop(16.5 x2 5/8) with 2 Lindy Frailin Pure PAF pickups. My amp is a Laney VC30-210 tube amp