Need help getting the dust in the wind tone, and a general tone.

Medic1911 · #1 July 8th, 2009

I'm sure we've all heard the song Dust In the Wind. I run a set of 11s(Phosphour bronze) on my guitar, and was wondering if anyone has any idea how I could get my guitar to sound close to that of dust in the wind.
Does dust in the wind use nashville tunning by any chance?

But anyways, I hope you guys dont mind going through the trouble. I took a little recording of my guitar so you guys can get an idea of what it sounds like.
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I dont have any real recording equipment, infact I used my headphones to record so please excuse the quality.

Also, what do you guys think of how my guitar sounds?

I personally feel like it sounds too sharp. I ran a set of 13s a while back. I liked how that sounded better, but jesus.. would my fingers get abused. I played a lot hoping my fingers would adjust but after a month I just replaced them. I'm sort of after a mellower sound. Any suggestions? I've ran D'Addario phosphur bronze on the guitar for the 4 years I've had it.

As you guys may be able to tell I'm not very knowledgeable and technical with guitars so I really appreciate the help, and thanks in advance.

almaink · #2 July 8th, 2009

Your recording sounds pretty good to me, can't see what your complaining about. Unless your playing an expensive professional guitar, (like the guys in Kansas use), your about as close as your going to get.

knight46 · #3 July 8th, 2009

Sounded pretty good to me Medic.

Medic1911 · #4 July 9th, 2009

Thanks guys, my guitar is a Epiphone AJ-200SCEVS, you wont find any info on that, but basically the AJ-200SCE with a sunburst finish. It's a solid bruce top. It's about 300 bucks, so thats the range it's in. Do you guys feel like this is a guitar that can age and sounds really good? I can't really afford a better guitar anytime soon since I have to pay for school and what not. but eventually I will get a better guitar but for now this fella will do.

Also to anyone who has a steel/metal string accoustic guitar, please give this thread a view, I also need help with something else.

Improper string setup?

carol m · #5 July 9th, 2009

Hi Medic, one thing to always check is whether you are in tune or not - I'm not saying you are out of tune, it sounds ok to me but it's always worth checking.

Just yesterday I was thinking that my high e string always sounds thin and tinny - is that what you are worried about with your guitar? After listening to your recording I was wondering if that was it - all the other strings sound good but the high e maybe sounds not as mellow.

A way around this is to keep the set of 11s but use a top e string from a slightly heavier set, or maybe get an extra B string and string it as the high E. I'm going to try that on mine to see if it helps.

Medic1911 · #6 July 9th, 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by carol m

Hi Medic, one thing to always check is whether you are in tune or not - I'm not saying you are out of tune, it sounds ok to me but it's always worth checking.

Just yesterday I was thinking that my high e string always sounds thin and tinny - is that what you are worried about with your guitar? After listening to your recording I was wondering if that was it - all the other strings sound good but the high e maybe sounds not as mellow.

A way around this is to keep the set of 11s but use a top e string from a slightly heavier set, or maybe get an extra B string and string it as the high E. I'm going to try that on mine to see if it helps.

Well what you were hearing was the A string, the high E is used very few times in this song, and non at all in the intro. And yeah, I made sure they were tunned. I thought about it and I figured if my guitar was untunned my thread would turn into a "hey tune your guitar first" thread as I've seen that happen on another site. I think most people on here are much more mature and wouldnt do that.

But, I guess a lot of it has to do with the fact a 300 dollar guitar wont compete with a guitar a proffessional musician uses. Plus styles probably differ quite a bit. Although this is the first song I learned to play on my guitar and I've been playing it for 4 years.

As far as my tone issue goes I just feel like the strings are too "sharp". They're too high pitched and they ring too much, this mostly applies to the lower strings. Someone from another forum suggested me a brand of strings that are 98% copper vs the 93% of phospur bronze, and I'm going to give those a shot and see how they turn out. Just have to wait another hour for Guitarcenter to open.

carol m · #7 July 9th, 2009

While you are there why not try a couple of really expensive guitars and see if they really sound so much different? Most stores will let you play their guiars if you ask.

Another thing that affects the sound is whether you have a spruce top or a cedar top. I have one of each and the cedar top sounds more mellow and less bright.

Medic1911 · #8 July 9th, 2009

I have a sold spruce top. But it turned out guitarcenter doesnt carry them in stores.. blah.. However, it doesnt mean that I didnt enjoy my self. Everytime I go I do play all the guitars I cant afford, hehe.. there was on for 2k, and it was on clearance sale. It was a classical guitar though, but it sounded amazing. When you plucked a string you wouldnt hear the string vibrate as much as you just heard the sound from the chamber. With mine you hear the string more than you hear the sound from the chamber. I dont know if thats a thing with classicals or not. I did play a few steel guitars, there was one or two that caught my ear.

carol m · #9 July 9th, 2009

Did you decide if a more expensive guitar is what would give you the sound you are looking for?