Paul Gilbert's Sound...

[Shredder87]

Have just watched Paul Gilbert's "Intense Rock Sequences & Techniques"... absolutely mind-blowing! Would thoroughly recommend it to anyone who hasn't already seen it.

I was impressed with Paul's tone on the DVD... hard to describe, but seems sharp and "metallic"... brilliant. However I've been at my wits' end trying in vain to somehow recreate this.

Have tried everything, amp settings, different distortion pedals, EQ, everything, but zip nada! Anyone have any ideas how to get that sound? I absolutely love it.

I'll never be able to play like PG in a million years but heck, what a sound!

'87

[Matheau]

Not really sure about that in particular. Basically just a 50 Watt Marshall 2x12 combo and a couple of pedals. I think that is really it.

[CosmicDebris]

Most of anyones sound is in the fingers more so than the gear itself.

[waylay00]

You need to have a pretty hard pick attack and a pretty wide vibrato. Also, try increasing the treble and mids on your amp.

[Jaden]

shredder87,
I recommend you get over to the forum at racerxband.com
they have a breakdown of Paul gear over the years... in fact - I jus dug it up for ya !

http://www.racerxband.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=11600

these settings will get you close.

[toneboy]

Paul's sound on the DVD is all MP-1. He even goes over his rack set up which at the time, as I recall, was:
- ADA MP-1 (possibly modified but I don't recall)
- ADA MQ EQ
- BBE 422
- Alesis Quadraverb

When you get right down to it, the heart of his tone is in fingers and pick attack. However, if you want to get that kind of tone, get an MP-1. I've got 3 of them (1 stock and 2 of them with the 3 tube mod) and they definitely nail that 80s metal tone with ease.

Nowadays, you can hear the difference in his tone with the Marshall he's running. Much more transparent and twangy.

[Josh_P]

Some of the mystery is from Paul using the side angle of his pick more than most players. The rest an be reproduced by simply going down to the crossroads and signing your name.......

[Mister CCJ]

Doesn't he also use pickups wired in parallel or split positions?

[waylay00]

He used to back in the old days. He might still have it like that on some guitars, but he doesn't use it as music these days.

The main ingredients of his sound are:

Marshall-style overdriven amp (whether it be a Marshall, Laney, Splawn, etc...)
- High treble and mids
- Not as much gain as you'd think
- Some sort of overdrive pedal set to clean boost (modded TS9DX, Fulltone OCD, Xotic AC, etc...)
- Fairly hard pick attack when alternate picking
- PAF Pro, Tone Zone, Super Distortion, PAF, etc.. all should get close for bridge sound
- PAF Pro, HFH, etc... for neck sound


I find his tone is pretty easy to get. But others have said, a lot of it comes from his fingers quite literally (including the way he picks, how hard he presses strings, and all those factors).

[axemanrio]

I use an SD-1 (drive at max) through a cranked FM212R for PG tones, RacerX-style. Works great for me.

[Shredder87]

Thanks folks will give all your suggestions a try.

'87

[buckovic]

I've got a SD-1 through a ENGL and the RacerX tone is quite achievable.

[courtney2018]

Originally Posted by toneboy

Paul's sound on the DVD is all MP-1. He even goes over his rack set up which at the time, as I recall, was:
- ADA MP-1 (possibly modified but I don't recall)

It was modified. He had quite a few MP-1s that were modified by Voodoo Amps. To get the same mod as him it's roughly $400. He wasn't the only one with this mod. Other big 80's metal artist had the same thing. Steve Vai comes to mind as being one of them.

I called Voodoo not long ago to ask about this. I might have gotten lucky in who I talked with, but the guy knew all about who had what modded. The mods that they offer right now are the exact same mod that they did for Gilbert and Vai and a host of other artists. There's two versions of the mod. The one you'd want is the $400 mod.

He said that they modded a few and word started getting around to all the hot artists of the day. Before long he had big name guitarist coming in wanting "that mod that you did for so-n-so."

Also, as mentioned above, he was a Laney amp guy for a long time. He's just recently switched over to Marshall.

[rockguitar4ever]

have you got a Ibanez PGM 301?, i highly recommend love that guitar, it plays itself, such a quick axe to play, and it really does have that tone of his, PAF pro pickups are key to his sound methinks , theyre very rocky and full of hamonics, but clean up wonderfully to get that lighter bluesier response
best wishes Rob
:-)