What does a “Dark” guitar sound like?

[norminal]

So some meathead over at TOP claims than all three of the PRS guitars they’ve purchased over the past few months are “dark.”

Given the fact that an electric guitar predominantly occupies the midrange frequency band, what constitutes as “dark?”

Sure, I’ve heard entire rigs that sound “dark” or lack brilliance or upper frequencies, but just the guitar?

Anyone have audible examples of “dark” guitar? Or is this just yet another neuroticism infecting modern gear culture?

 

[FuzzyAce]

Hmmm, are they mainly mahogany body and neck? Set neck guitars with that combo can feel a bit more midrange heavy which some could interpret as dark I guess. Maybe the pickups are voiced that way too?
On the flip size, I've experienced more inherent bright guitars than dark ones though, which could be attributed to a thin maple neck and alder body combo.

 

[norminal]

Hmmm, are they mainly mahogany body and neck? Set neck guitars with that combo can feel a bit more midrange heavy which some could interpret as dark I guess. Maybe the pickups are voiced that way too?
On the flip size, I've experienced more inherent bright guitars than dark ones though, which could be attributed to a thin maple neck and alder body combo.

I’m just trying to understand the who phenomena because a quick bump of the mid or treble on their rig should negate any imbalance when compared to a “bright” guitar. The difference can’t be that drastic.

Maybe I’ll record a few of my guitars direct with no rig and compare them with an RTA.

 

[Achilles]

Dark's probably not the best descriptor. I've had guitars that (unplugged) were very dark/muffled/un-detailed/mushy/dead-ish/non-resonant/sucky.
And it translated plugged in. I think the biggest culprit is a neck and body really out of sync in regard to acoustic resonance.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

Dark's probably not the best descriptor. I've had guitars that (unplugged) were very dark/muffled/un-detailed/mushy/dead-ish/non-resonant/sucky.
And it translated plugged in. I think the biggest culprit is a neck and body really out of sync in regard to acoustic resonance.

A friend of mine had a prs se santana that was acoustically the dullest sounding guitar I've ever heard. That translated to the plugged in tone too.

 

[la szum]

I think everything is relative in the context of what we are used to.

I definitely have brighter guitars, and guitars that are warmer relative
to one another.

 

[FuzzyAce]

I’m just trying to understand the who phenomena because a quick bump of the mid or treble on their rig should negate any imbalance when compared to a “bright” guitar. The difference can’t be that drastic.

Maybe I’ll record a few of my guitars direct with no rig and compare them with an RTA.

It can happen though -- like my old MIJ Squier is naturally bright and I've changed pickups in it around 4 times to get a nice balance I'm finally happy with. If it didn't play so well I wouldn't have gone through all the trouble. I think a lot has to do with how it feels and resonates in your hand though, and if that's off no pickup or eq is going to fix that (in the player's mind).

 

[PLX]

 

[SillyOctpuss]

Does anyone else only buy or keep guitars which sound good plugged in and acoustically? I just won't keep a guitar which I think sounds poor acoustically.

 

[norminal]

Does anyone else only buy or keep guitars which sound good plugged in and acoustically?

I do now. If it’s not a ringer, I just can’t connect with it. Been down that road way too many times.

 

[Achilles]

Does anyone else only buy or keep guitars which sound good plugged in and acoustically? I just won't keep a guitar which I think sounds poor acoustically.

Abso-fing-lutely!

 

[Stone]

Tone is in the Wood ??

 

[Eagle]

High output pickups often lack treble and articulation with the exception of BK.

 

[Piing]

Maybe by "dark" they mean without mojo. That can happen to any brand and model. I once had a Suhr Modern that was a dead log. Luckily, the seller accepted a return.

Mojo is in the wood

 

[Achilles]

I once had a Suhr Modern that was a dead log. Luckily, the seller accepted a return.

Picked up a Thorn P90 once and the thing was comatose. Even installed a tone pot bypass and it didn't help.

 

[HomespunEffects]

… a quick bump of the mid or treble on their rig should negate any imbalance when compared to a “bright” guitar. …

Well, that’s just it. If the guitar doesn’t work with my rig as it’s set then I’m going to have to either change pickups or get rid of that guitar. I’m not going to switch settings every time I pick up a different guitar. Guitars can sound different but they have to all work with the same rig. Early PRS guitars were very muffled sounding. Lots of low-mids and not enough high-mids and high end. I gave up on them in the 1990s and things may have changed since then.

 

[Alex Kenivel]

My PRS S2 Standard was always much duller sounding than my other guitars. Softer attack, less snappy, not as much high end content as other guitars before a pickup swap. Dials on amps and presets had to be very different compared to most of my other guitars.

On the other hand my Hofner Shorty that received that PRS bridge pickup seems more balanced as it was a little too bright with its stock pickup.

 

[Jarick]

Dark = lots of bass and reduced upper mids which makes the guitar sound dull and muffled, especially when you switch to the neck position. Pretty much only applies to mahogany guitars in my experience, especially ones without maple caps.

I have fought a lot of dark Les Pauls but the worst dark guitar I had was a PRS S2 Mira. Beautiful guitar, played great, sustain for days, but it sounded muffled all the time. I tried swapping pickups multiple times to beautiful low output PAF's, replaced the electronics including 550k pots, and swapped out the bridge. Just could never get a lively tone out of it. Went to the local guitar shop and played a Les Paul that had so much more presence especially in the upper mids (not necessarily the snap of a Fender). Sold the Mira and got the Paul.

Pickups I tried included:

Lollar Low Wind Imperials
Bareknuckle Mules
Suhr Thornbuckers
Dimarzio Bluesbreakers (kind of a cross between humbucker and single coil)
Tonerider Rebel 90 (humbucker sized P90)

 

[JiveTurkey]

Well, that’s just it. If the guitar doesn’t work with my rig as it’s set then I’m going to have to either change pickups or get rid of that guitar. I’m not going to switch settings every time I pick up a different guitar. Guitars can sound different but they have to all work with the same rig. Early PRS guitars were very muffled sounding. Lots of low-mids and not enough high-mids and high end. I gave up on them in the 1990s and things may have changed since then.

So you swap pickups instead of changing BMT settings? Makes sense.

 

[HomespunEffects]

So you swap pickups instead of changing BMT settings? Makes sense.

Not sure if that's a jab or not but yes. If one guitar out of 14 doesn't work with the setup and all the others do, the more apt approach is to change pickups one time. I'm not going to change amp and pedal settings in the middle of a show every time I want to swap guitars.

I swap out OEM pickups on everything anyway. It's just one of those things where I'm never happy with the stock pickups. Especially if the guitar comes with Dimarzios.