How to get a decent sounding clean guitar?

[Kinh]

This has mystified me for a while. For some reason I cant sound like the funk-pop style music I listen to, full and rich. Every Guitar Rig preset boosts the mids, same with the Eleven Rack and when I cut them I get an empty, lifeless sound. All the emulators seem to be great at distortion but not clean sounds like for funk.

I dont know what Im doing wrong.

Ill give you an idea of what Im taking about...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yV0h5A9VcHw

How do I sound like this?? Is it a layering thing. This to me sounds they're triggering samples as slices, I can do that well but I cant get the quality and full sonic spectrum except when I venture into distortion territory.

Im playing a Gibson SG atm. But have had the same issue with single coil (especially with a telecaster). Everything sounds boxy, the mids always steal the show.

[albee1952]

2 things that may be alluding you come to mind(for me). #1, i think a Strat gets you closer, right from the get go, as compared with an SG or Tele(unless the Tele has the middle pickup like the Nashville Tele). Try the 5 way in either #2 or #4 position. #2, how are you loading the guitar at the input? You don't mention how the guitar is "getting into" Pro Tools. Many DI boxes have too low an impedance, which will kill both the highs and lows, and might be killing your tone on the way in. Using a DI that is designed for guitars(Radial) could make a big difference. I think I hear some heavy compression too. As for amp models, maybe skip altogether and use EQ III and a good "character" compressor like a Fairchild, Tubetech or SMACK! Add a dash of reverb(maybe even MONO reverb that is panned opposite of the dry guitar(s).

[Kinh]

I didn't know what a di box was until now. I just plug the lead into and mbox pro, usually but I use a really short lead. So a di box will make a difference?

And experimenting with different types of compression is something I haven't done either. "Character compression" is a new term for me. I usually just run it through whatever. Most times Native instrument's compressors.
By background is EDM, I dont do a lot of recording audio or guitars etc.

Fairchild 670 compressor $150!! Holy crap! Why so expensive?

[Darryl Ramm]

$150, uh "marketing" and because it's replicating what would cost you several tens of thousands of dollars if you could find an original 670 to purchase...

Your Mbox 3 Pro does have DI inputs, (described in the user guide) if you use a 1/4" TS connector in the inputs 1 and 2 combo jacks on the front panel you get the DI, nothing very special here, but a high impedance input buffer that then runs though the rest of the mic preamp circuit. That type of active DI input should help you.. it has a 1Mohm input impedance. All you need to do is connect your guitar to the DI input (1 or 2 with a 1/4" TS plug aka standard instrument cable). Obviously you need to set the input gain somewhat reasonable, play a bit with gain staging with you guitar volume control.

And the Eleven Rack, it's front panel guitar input is also an active DI (not a Mic or line input), but with "True-Z" adjustable impedance. Worth understanding exactly what it is doing/sometimes worth playing with the True-Z settings.

BTW the pickups in my 2013 Gibson SG did not impress me, pickups a bit too muddy. I replaced them with Seymour Duncan Jazz and a '59 neck, both bare bobbin/no cover to help increase the treble....

[Bill Denton]

FWIW...My old MBox Mini had a really nice DI input.

I was listening to something the other night I had tracked on that box with my Tele and the sound was excellent.

It also gave an excellent distortion if I turned off the 20 dB pad...

[DAR Fritz]

Try turning off (bypass) the cab in your rig and dial in a "clean" sound in your amp. Use a vox ac30 or fender or bogner green ect. If you mess with the eq. comp, ect., you can get some great clean sounds. Works for me. I do this all the time when I need a tight funky guit tone or clean Steely Dan type guit sound.

[SpinningDisk]

How are you monitoring your audio? Headphones? Monitors?

[Kinh]

Originally Posted by SpinningDisk

How are you monitoring your audio? Headphones? Monitors?

Headphones

Originally Posted by Darryl Ramm

BTW the pickups in my 2013 Gibson SG did not impress me, pickups a bit too muddy. I replaced them with Seymour Duncan Jazz and a '59 neck, both bare bobbin/no cover to help increase the treble....

Yeah Im starting to get that. I think the pickups are a huge part of the issue. Not the best for clean. I was thinking of buying a mexican strat for $250 and getting custom pickups. I used to own a usa but sold it.
Having said that, I never could get a clear signal when recording a strat or tele (though that was with an mbox2..the converters improved a little with the interface I got now). Just wondering if I should get my Tampa preamp fixed and if running it through that would sound any better.

[YYR123]

Jdi radial DI's

[YYR123]

Originally Posted by Kinh

Fairchild 670 compressor $150!! Holy crap! Why so expensive?

Hahahaha those are $30k for the real hardware if you can find them

Here is a clone for $20k

http://www.soundpure.com/p/adl-670-s...ompressor/2180