Best way to EQ via preamp controls (a question)

[Daniel Grenier]

Here's a question for the EQ pros amongst you (which I am not).

I have a guitar with Presys+ active pick up with bass, treble, mid, brilliance, notch and phase controls. It is plugged into an acoustic preamp with full EQ controls such as bass w/low cut, treble, mid, presence and EQ level.

So where would you put the guitar's levels when EQ-ing the Preamp? In other words, what is the best way to get the very best sound out of this kind of set up?

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Daniel Grenier

…So where would you put the guitar's levels when EQ-ing the Preamp? In other words, what is the best way to get the very best sound out of this kind of set up?

Hi Daniel

Gain is the input volume to a preamp/pedal/mixer/amp from the guitar, and master is the volume out of the preamp to the next thing in the chain. Both may be labeled just 'volume', but the first one to set is the input gain/volume. It needs to be set at a level where it's 'solid' but not overdriving.

Some preamps have a clipping light so you can set the input gain by watching the indicator, and then back off a bit when you hit the overdrive point. And it's usually obvious which is input gain and which is overall volume (out).

All the EQ controls should be set flat (on the guitar and preamp) while setting the initial levels.

In addition to your question…
When you have several devices tied together in a chain which all have input gain and master volume then you need to work from the first device to the second, second to third, etc. It's referred to as gain staging. For instance, I see players who go from the guitar, to a looper (which has gain and master) to a preamp then the board.

If you don't set the input gain hot enough, you can introduce equipment noise into the chain (called self-noise). If you overdrive the input then you introduce distortion to the entire chain.

Hope this adds to the technical side of setting volume/gain.