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SurfGuitar101 Forums » Gear »
fender amps -bright on vs. bright off
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Joined: Apr 22, 2006 Posts: 58 
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Posted on Dec 05 2008 09:21 AM
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Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 12159 Seattle
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Posted on Dec 05 2008 09:25 AM
Depends on the amp, and even then there is no correct answer. The answer will depend on what guitar you are playing, what effects you have in chain, the volume of what you are playing, and so on. Oh yeah, and what you want your tone to sound like. |
Joined: Mar 16, 2007 Posts: 1342 Ft. Lauderdale, Florida 
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Posted on Dec 05 2008 09:44 AM
Ditto Jake. But oddly enough, with my Twin I often decide whether on/off depending on the room I'm playing in. Big open space, on. Small club with tile floors, hard walls and low ceiligs - off. Other factors too, but the room ambiance seems to be a big factor for me. — |
Joined: Jun 21, 2007 Posts: 3909 San Diego, CA
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Posted on Dec 05 2008 10:01 AM
I go back and forth on this one. I was playing with the bright switch on for quite a while and found that I really liked the tone in the lower registers of the guitar's range. The reverb drip is more pronounced as well. However, in the upper registers the ice would be picking! Recently I've been playing with it off and I think it balances out the tone a little more across the board. I don't like the low end tone as much, but overall I think its an improvement and definitely makes things more listenable. I tend to focus more on the EQ of the amp and reverb tank now. I do play a Jazzmaster through a black face dual showman w/ JBL D120Fs, so that's a really bright combo right there without a bright switch. —Ryan |
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Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 12159 Seattle
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Posted on Dec 05 2008 10:57 AM
You guys are going to turn into a Shoegaze band! All you have to do is start dressing in black... and become depressed. Moving to England would help as well. |
Joined: May 09, 2008 Posts: 1408 Isle of Kent, MD
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Posted on Dec 05 2008 11:40 AM
I consider the room, and even occasionally switch it up for a particular song. Especially, when I need to out volume my rhythm guitarist at practice!- Surf.The most dangerous of genres... Surfcat MARCH OF THE DEAD SURFERS! (2024) - Agent Octopus |
Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 3546 mojave desert, california
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Posted on Dec 05 2008 12:00 PM
on the Bassman, I prefer the "DEEP" switch... |
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Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 3832 netherlands
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Posted on Dec 05 2008 03:42 PM
I always thought the bright switch's purpose is to keep high end at lower volume, you know, like a vol-pot bypass cap mod on a guitar volume?????? Im mistaken about many things though Rules to live by #314: |
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Joined: Jun 21, 2007 Posts: 3909 San Diego, CA
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Posted on Dec 05 2008 03:45 PM
That's how I'm starting to use it these days. For shows where I need to keep the volume down, I'll turn on the bright switch. —Ryan |
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Joined: Jan 23, 2007 Posts: 111 |
Posted on Dec 05 2008 03:47 PM
I'm with Ruhar here - it's off on my Showman played through a single 15 Weber Alnico CA speaker - plenty bright as is. |
Joined: Mar 16, 2006 Posts: 923
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Posted on Dec 05 2008 05:32 PM
On... be cause it's like going to 11! —THe NEpTuNeS |
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Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 3546 mojave desert, california
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Posted on Dec 05 2008 05:36 PM
i usually keep the bright switch off...but sometimes I switch it on...to make it, ummmm, bright-er... |
Joined: Nov 09, 2008 Posts: 1140 Davenport Iowa
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Posted on Dec 05 2008 10:58 PM
I never turn it on on any of my amps. I think it adds an un nessary bright, Im running a mosrite through a 65 tank into any # of vintage fenders. I leave it off on all of them. I guess if I were trying to play quietly I might turn it on....but i dont think ill ever turn down Give me reverb or give me death! |
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Joined: Apr 22, 2006 Posts: 58
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Posted on Dec 05 2008 11:29 PM
I just put some Jensen c 12k in my twin reverb,and at now it's impossible to put the bright on-too much-,may be it's 'couse the speakers are brand new,but it sounds bad to me everywhere. |
Joined: Mar 08, 2008 Posts: 197 NJ shore
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Posted on Dec 06 2008 12:37 AM
You can turn the bright switch off? I have a Fender twin reverb and a 65 JM - I don't think I've ever turned bright off. —"We're lousy, we can't play. If you wait until you can play, you'll be too old to get up there. We stink, really. But it's great," Johnny Ramone . |
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Joined: Apr 22, 2006 Posts: 58
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Posted on Dec 06 2008 03:12 PM
I have a 65 jm and a 76 twin reverb,I never turned off the bright switch in 30 years....,but with those Jensen c 12k speakers,with the bright off, big strings sound like a jaguar bass 6....,may be this time..... |
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Joined: Nov 15, 2008 Posts: 124 Massachusetts
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Posted on Dec 21 2008 06:34 AM
Do I understand correctly that the "normal" sound of your amp is with the Bright switch "on," and with it "off" which is seemingly the normal setting, a capacitor is introduced...? Been a while since I looked at a schematic, but remember it being refered to as a "Bright-disable" switch. Perhaps somewhat similar to the "strangle switch" on a Jag? FWIW, when I gigged years and years ago with my old Guild 66-J, I always used the bright input...nowadays when making noise in the basment, I always have it off... —Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most... |
Joined: Feb 02, 2008 Posts: 4567 Not One-Sawn, but Two-Sawn . . . AZ.
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Posted on Dec 21 2008 08:29 AM
With all due respect Mr. Ashton I think you have it backwards. The bright switch puts a cap in the signal path that allows the highs to bypass the volume control. —The artist formerly known as: Synchro When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar. |
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Joined: Feb 02, 2008 Posts: 4567 Not One-Sawn, but Two-Sawn . . . AZ.
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Posted on Dec 21 2008 08:50 AM
That's because the bright switch has more efect the lower the volume is. All the way up it has very little, if any, effect because the volume pot is passing almost all of the signal on to the next stage but at low volume a lot of signal is being shunted and the bypass cap gives you proportionally more highs. —The artist formerly known as: Synchro When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar. |
Joined: Mar 14, 2006 Posts: 2779 Atlanta, GA
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Posted on Dec 21 2008 09:33 AM
I use the bright switch on those rare occasions when I pull out the Les Paul with it's humbucking pickups and much greater output. Even with the switch on, the Paul sounds muddy to me...................Too much time hanging out with the Jazzmaster, I guess. ed —Traditional........speak softly and play through a big blonde amp. Did I mention that I still like big blonde amps? |
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