# Palm mute = Too loud?



## Ghost40 (Jun 30, 2012)

Didn't know where to post this one...

Lately I have noticed that when palm muting, its much louder than playing unmuted. I did a few searches here and there and saw things from lowering the bass side of the pickup to using a BBE maximizer. Was just curious to see what you guys thought here. 

Details: High gain metal stuff, Mesa Dual Rec (bass 11 oclock, mids 2 oclock, highs 1 oclock, modern, chan 3), Marshall 1960A 4x12, EMG 81s. No effects in the chain, straight to the amp.


----------



## Stealthdjentstic (Jun 30, 2012)

Why is your bass so high? Anything above 9 o clock is overkill at band vol


----------



## groovemasta (Jun 30, 2012)

That sounds like the boomiest tone ever, no offense.

do you play with a bassist?


----------



## AlexEdwards (Jul 1, 2012)

Sounds very unusual, don't think i've ever heard anything like that before. 

You should probably start by attempting to isolate the issue- plug your guitar into a different amp and see if the problem still persists. If it does, then you know the issue is coming from the guitar itself and probably has something to do with the electronics.


----------



## theo (Jul 1, 2012)

Turn your bass down dude.


----------



## Ghost40 (Jul 2, 2012)

Thanks for the suggestions. As for the guitar electronics, I use multiple guitars at practice so I am doubtful thats it. I am thinking its the bass level. Because I use multiple tunings, its usually the low tunings that do it. I won't have a chance to get to test it out until mid week some time.


----------



## axxessdenied (Jul 2, 2012)

Ghost40 said:


> Thanks for the suggestions. As for the guitar electronics, I use multiple guitars at practice so I am doubtful thats it. I am thinking its the bass level. Because I use multiple tunings, its usually the low tunings that do it. I won't have a chance to get to test it out until mid week some time.



The guitar sits in the middle. Crank those mids up a bit so you cut through. And, lower that bass  Start all the way down and turn the bass up in small intervals. Let the bass player fill in the low end.


----------



## Destructionuponusguitar (Jul 6, 2012)

people are probably call me an idiot and deffinatley be like "WHAT?!?" when i tell you this. Leave everything where its at except for the mid. Scoop the mid to about 4 and it'll probably take care of the loud palm mute while still keeping a heavey tone. if it doesnt then lay back on the low just a hair but not too much.


----------



## schecter4life (Jul 6, 2012)

Destructionuponusguitar said:


> people are probably call me an idiot and deffinatley be like "WHAT?!?" when i tell you this. Leave everything where its at except for the mid. Scoop the mid to about 4 and it'll probably take care of the loud palm mute while still keeping a heavey tone. if it doesnt then lay back on the low just a hair but not too much.


WHAT?!? idiot


----------



## Stealthdjentstic (Jul 6, 2012)

Yea fuck that. Boost mids cut bass!


----------



## Luke Acacia (Jul 7, 2012)

Destructionuponusguitar said:


> people are probably call me an idiot and deffinatley be like "WHAT?!?" when i tell you this. Leave everything where its at except for the mid. Scoop the mid to about 4 and it'll probably take care of the loud palm mute while still keeping a heavey tone. if it doesnt then lay back on the low just a hair but not too much.



Do not do this.


----------



## CTID (Jul 8, 2012)

Yeah, if you want it to sound worse and not cut in the mix, do exactly what he said.


----------



## hairychris (Jul 10, 2012)

Um, I would avoid going the BBE route unless you want to throw more bass out there...


----------



## noUser01 (Jul 11, 2012)

I'm leaning towards the fact that when you're muting you're pushing the strings a lot closer to the strings. This shouldn't happen. Either lower that pickup or don't put so much weight down. Make sure you're muting in a good location too, closer to the bridge.

But yeah, lower your bass too.


----------



## Mega-Mads (Jul 11, 2012)

it sounds like you have too much compression in your chain. your palm mutes may seem to be louder because of that. play a bit with your EQ first. Next step would maybe be to look at another set og pickups.


----------



## noob_pwn (Jul 11, 2012)

turn the bass down to about 9 o'clock and turn up your mids a bit. 81's are scooped as all hell and you're using a recto. Would also recommend throwing an overdrive before the amp which will roll off the lows that are causing the booming and make your tone more focused not to mention adding preamp compression and the rest


----------



## Leuchty (Jul 12, 2012)

Bass at 9 o'clock and lose the BBE, imo.


----------



## Ghost40 (Jul 12, 2012)

I have turned the bass down, to about the 9 o'clock, (I don't have a BBE) seems to have helped a bit. I am looking into different pickups, maybe some Seymour Duncans (SH-4?). I'm not opposed to passives, just most of my guitars have had actives. I do keep my pickups pretty high, but everything I have seen about them recommend higher since the magnet is weaker in actives than passives...


----------



## vancouvermetalguitarguy (Jul 13, 2012)

Destructionuponusguitar said:


> people are probably call me an idiot and deffinatley be like "WHAT?!?" when i tell you this. Leave everything where its at except for the mid. Scoop the mid to about 4 and it'll probably take care of the loud palm mute while still keeping a heavey tone. if it doesnt then lay back on the low just a hair but not too much.



Holy crap that was random


----------



## Dores (Jul 17, 2012)

Destructionuponusguitar said:


> people are probably call me an idiot and deffinatley be like "WHAT?!?" when i tell you this. Leave everything where its at except for the mid. Scoop the mid to about 4 and it'll probably take care of the loud palm mute while still keeping a heavey tone. if it doesnt then lay back on the low just a hair but not too much.



Burn the blasphemer!


----------



## groovemasta (Jul 17, 2012)

ConnorGilks said:


> I'm leaning towards the fact that when you're muting you're pushing the strings a lot closer to the strings. This shouldn't happen. Either lower that pickup or don't put so much weight down. Make sure you're muting in a good location too, closer to the bridge.
> 
> But yeah, lower your bass too.



ah yes, the classic pushing the strings closer to the strings problem  haha


----------



## Illure (Jul 25, 2012)

Agreed on cutting bass. I play a Triple Rec. and I have the bass almost all the way down. Those mothers have PLENTY of bass to keep you held over. What is your gain set to?


----------



## wookie606 (Jul 25, 2012)

Wouldn't a compressor or work am I retarded?


----------



## breadtruck (Jul 26, 2012)

Maybe JUST EQing won't solve your issue completely but I have to agree with most others here and say that lowering the bass and increasing the mids will help you. Even if it's just a slight change, so you still retain a similar tone, but hopefully with less BOOMiness.

Also lowering the gain/drive will help if you are using a huge amount.


----------



## Ghost40 (Aug 3, 2012)

Just wanted to thank everyone for the input given. A few changes I made were lowering the bass to about 9, mids are up slightly, mucked around with the pickup height, it didn't make too much difference. It was the EQing that made the most. I am pretty happy with it now. I only use a compressor on the cleans, the gain side has enough compression as is. I keep the gain at about 12 and use a boost in the GCX when I switch to that channel. 

Again, thanks for the input!


----------



## welsh_7stinger (Aug 4, 2012)

Weird i don't have this issue and i have the bass on my EQ maxed out (i like it boomy)


----------

