"VSA FAT STRAT" sounds better on YouTube than on my own rig

Hi all.

I really love the sound VSA has on this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfRJSaueLMw

When loading the "VSA FAT STRAT" on my own Eleven Rack, and using my Fender Strat with hot noiseless pickups, it sounds nowhere near as good as VSA on that video. I don't have that punch, that sound when you hit the strings hard, which sounds like a real amp. All in all, the sound on the video sounds like a real amp, while the sound I get at home (using both quality headphones and my Atomic CLR) sounds quite different, not as nice as VSA's tone.

Have anyone else here tried the VSA FAT STRAT preset, and gotten it to sound as good as on the YouTube video? Any tips on what I might be doing wrong? I know we're different players and have different guitars, but I'm thinking the sound should'nt differ that much, taken into account that we both have Fender Strat, and I do have a picking technique quite similar to VSA on that video.

Regards,
kenneho

Off the bat I can think of a number of things that would affect the tone of the preset:

1. The pickup set he is using is noticeably different from what you have in your guitar (he is using the factory standard set, you have noiseless)

2. The pot values and tone cap may be different, this greatly affects the tone

3. Pickup height changes the tone more than you would think

These are just the things that I would explore first, maybe you can borrow or rent an un-modded standard strat to see if that does it for you. You can also put a volume pedal in front of the 11r and roll it back to 1/2 way to see if that gives you the tone you are looking for. I will see if I have the energy to try this stuff out later and report back but don't hold your breath..

I would definitely try adjusting your pickup height, and possibly messing with the volume knob if you are too hot..

the question that i have is is he recording this video using the camera mic? if so, then you can take his preset and add an eq after it to bump up the lows and roll off the highs.

Thanks for the replies.



Interesting advice. I've just assumed that the guitar I have and the guitar VSA uses in the video isn't _that_ different, so I would get in the same ballbark as he is. But maybe you're onto something here. I've played guitar for many years, but only had four (very different) electric guitars, so I don't have too much experience in how different similar-ish guitar actually sound.

I don't think I'll go as far as changing the guitar electronics, but adjusting the pickup height is easy enough. I'll give it a try as soon as I get the chance (I have two small kids, so it might be a while ).



I did a quick test using only the graphics EQ. Bumped some of the lower frequencies, but that made things sound worse.
What would be interesting is hearing how other strat users experience the VSA FAT STRAT preset (with or without the added post-amp EQ) - does it sound similar to VSA's video using headphones connected to the Eleven Rack, or a FRFR speaker?

https://www.facebook.com/groups/11rack/search/?query=cri%20bk%20duo


try this preset i did with similar intent

Thanks, I'll check it out.

you gotta tweak it to your taste and for sure u need to touch the rig volume/amp out cause it may clip with your equipment
lemme know how it does