Question about Hollow Drop Tops

[jisham]

I used mine at practice last night for the first time. When I first plugged in (using the same amp settings I use for Les Pauls), the bottom end was completely woofy and uncontrollable; sounded really awful in fact. Is that because of the chambers in the guitar or what? I made some changes and it ended up sounding fantastic, but I was really surprised about the huge difference in bass tone between it and my Les Pauls.

Thanks.

[dannopelli]

I used mine at practice last night for the first time. When I first plugged in (using the same amp settings I use for Les Pauls), the bottom end was completely woofy and uncontrollable; sounded really awful in fact. Is that because of the chambers in the guitar or what? I made some changes and it ended up sounding fantastic, but I was really surprised about the huge difference in bass tone between it and my Les Pauls.

Thanks.
Definitely need to change settings going from an LP to a HDT

[jisham]

Well, just spent all weekend in the studio recording a few cover tunes and originals for my band's demo CD. I ended up using my new Cobra for everything as the Drop Top had serious bass issues that we just didn't have the time to figure out. It's VERY boomy and muddy...not sure if a pickup swap would cure it or if it's because it's hollow. We do mostly modern, hi gain stuff and the Drop Top just didn't have the definition to get recorded.

Anybody have any suggestions or am I just hoping for something that I wont' get out of a Hollow Drop Top? Thanks.

[morty]

Well I have used my Drop Top(not hollow) in live gigs for about 3 years, and dont fint it boomy at all. It cuts trough the band real well and is much more articulated and you can hear more details, than my Fender. I play it trough a Koch Multitone, and mic it with a sm57. Idont think you can use the same setting on a strat as on a Full HB guitar like the Les Paul anyway!! at live gigs you always have to be careful with your bass settings, because this will ruin your sound..the middle is far more important, and what you think is good settings isn`t always good in a PA. But that`s a different story

[jisham]

I always use plenty of mids so that's not the issue. I wish it was because I really like the Drop Top's playability.

[sylvanshine]

If it is muddy compared to your Cobra, it's got to be something electronic (IMHO).

[jisham]

If it is muddy compared to your Cobra, it's got to be something electronic (IMHO).

Thanks. What should I check?

[sylvanshine]

Well, I'm no expert and I'm sure the TAG folks will chime in soon. But some troubleshooting that I would do in your position:

(I'll skip the obvious that you've checked to make sure the tone is all the way up)

1) Make sure the knob is firmly attached to the tone pot and that the tone pot shaft is turning. Could be that the knob is just spinning around the post.

2) Is the tone pot working? Do you hear a change in tone when you move it?

3) Play your Cobra bridge pickup on a clean setting on your amp, then play your HDT bridge. Is it a huge difference (bright vs. muddy)? It shouldn't be. I know you have an H2+ in the Cobra, what is in the HDT?

4) Depending on how comfortable you are with wiring, I'd pop the back plate off on the HDT and see if there is anything noticeably wrong with the wiring (loose wire, wire that has come off, non-factory mod).

5) (This is just me talking) I would replace the tone pot and see if it is still muddy. But I'm used to working on my guitars, so that troubleshooting is not for everyone. If that didn't fix it, I'd take it to my guitar tech.

Tom, Bruce or the curiously absent lately Roy (maybe) will probably say take it to a TAG dealer to have a tech look at it.

[tom]

good advise jay. the only thing i can think of is the tone pot being down. look for a change in the tone when you go from top to bottom. i can't think of anything else that would make extra bottom, and really, it's not making more bottom, just removing highs. is it the same in all pickup positions? does the volume control work normally?

[jisham]

good advise jay. the only thing i can think of is the tone pot being down. look for a change in the tone when you go from top to bottom. i can't think of anything else that would make extra bottom, and really, it's not making more bottom, just removing highs. is it the same in all pickup positions? does the volume control work normally?

The volume works fine although I lose at least half my volume when I switch from the bridge to a single coil. The single coils sound nice IMO though but the studio engineer started freaking out the minute I plugged the Drop Top in. It's VERY muddy with the bridge pickup only. Same when I tried it at band practice for the first time.

Pickups are VA1R, VA1, HO2.

[jisham]

Ok, I've been home playing both the Cobra and HDT through the clean channel of an amp. The HDT's volume and tone controls work fine; it sounds really nice actually. When I a/b'd the two guitars (clean channel still), the HDT seems darker and woody, which is probably exactly how it's supposed to sound. Switched to hi gain mode and it does get a little muddy but not nearly as much as in the studio so I suspect it may have been my amp settings then. But...here at home it wasn't nearly as noticeable when I switched between guitars as it did yesterday so I'm not sure what's happening. I'll keep at it and may try lowering the bass side of the H02 pickup too. Thanks for everyone's help.

Regardless, I placed my first-ever custom order today for another Cobra that will have a trem, deep ocean blue flametop. :eek: Now the wait begins....ARRRGGGHHHH.

[GaryMcT]

Ok, I've been home playing both the Cobra and HDT through the clean channel of an amp. The HDT's volume and tone controls work fine; it sounds really nice actually. When I a/b'd the two guitars (clean channel still), the HDT seems darker and woody, which is probably exactly how it's supposed to sound. Switched to hi gain mode and it does get a little muddy but not nearly as much as in the studio so I suspect it may have been my amp settings then. But...here at home it wasn't nearly as noticeable when I switched between guitars as it did yesterday so I'm not sure what's happening. I'll keep at it and may try lowering the bass side of the H02 pickup too. Thanks for everyone's help.

Regardless, I placed my first-ever custom order today for another Cobra that will have a trem, deep ocean blue flametop. :eek: Now the wait begins....ARRRGGGHHHH.

Make sure and get a piezo bridge too! :) Oh wait, don't get one. . . I want there to be some left when I order my Cobra! :)

[jisham]

Make sure and get a piezo bridge too! :) Oh wait, don't get one. . . I want there to be some left when I order my Cobra! :)

I passed on the piezo option so have at it. :D BTW, my RM100 kicked ass in the studio.

[sylvanshine]

Mmmmmm, deep ocean blue.......
http://www.sylvanshine.net/IMG_0778.JPG

[jisham]

Mmmmmm, deep ocean blue.......
http://www.sylvanshine.net/IMG_0778.JPG

Nice!!! Glad I went with that color for sure after seeing that one. I went with the vintage trem. Which pickups are in it?

[sylvanshine]

Nice!!! Glad I went with that color for sure after seeing that one. I went with the vintage trem. Which pickups are in that one?
It's officially a Drop Top T, since you can't get a Floyd on a Cobra. And it's a rocker, HN3 and H2+. Sixx on the forum has it's twin in Bora Bora.

[jisham]

It's officially a Drop Top T, since you can't get a Floyd on a Cobra. And it's a rocker, HN3 and H2+. Sixx on the forum has it's twin in Bora Bora.

Very cool. Just listened to some clips on your site too...very very nice. I see you're in Dallas too...I grew up in Brownwood, college in San Marcos, then worked in Houston awhile before moving out to the DC area in 1989.