• Registered: 2009-06-24
  • Posts: 10

Topic: clear channel

I have been lurking on this site a bit and have learned quite a bit. Could someone tell me what a clear channel is? I am assuming it has something to do with the amplification but may be wrong. Also why all the differences in the pickups? Are these not just electrical components made pretty much the same way? Most electronic components are made by only one or two manufacturers and just marketed differently. One part may be labeled "premium" and sell for several times more than the part just genericaly labeled. Does this hold true for guitar components as well? While I am asking, what in the heck is a "dirty pickup", or a "dirty fingers" pickup, and why are they any better than a regular pickup? One last question, and please bear with me here. How could one purchase an instrument online? I don't think I would feel comfortable doing this without first having picked up the instrument and playing it. I have read that many instruments are very different from one to the other, even the same brand and series. If one were to pick up a Fender Strat in a music store, play it, and like it, how could you be sure if you purchased one on line, that it would be just as good? Could any of you shed some light on this for me please?

  • From: Central Flatland
  • Registered: 2007-05-30
  • Posts: 223

Re: clear channel

Clean (clear) channel as opposed to distorted channel; think Chet Atkins sound, where you can pick out the tone from each string, vs. Jimi Hendrix.  Many amps offer a both a clean and a distorted (or dirty) channel, so that you can play different styles through the same amp just by pushing a button.

Likewise, some pickups distort better than others (single coils generally have a 'dirtier' sound than humbuckers).  Pickups are wound 'hotter' (more windings) by some makers, or with larger gauge wire.  Some are hand wound vs. machine wound.  Some are active vs. passive (you're going to have to google that one, I don't know from active pickups).  In this case, there are NOT just a couple of makers and different marketting.

Buying online: today, most guitars parts are built by computer controlled CNC machines, only the final assembly is done by people, and therefore the consistency from instrument to instrument is much better than when everything was done by hand.  For this reason, if you are buying a reputable brand from a reputable dealer, there really isn't much danger to buying online (ebay is a different story).  However, I always recommend building a relationship with your local shops--service is better, you get to try first, and you can frequently negotiate a better deal than you can get from online retailers.

That's all assuming that you're buying a pretty standard instrument.  Vintage or custom shop instruments are a whole 'nother ball of wax.

"There's such a fine line between genius and stupidity."
                              --David St. Hubbins
  • Registered: 2009-06-24
  • Posts: 10

Re: clear channel

Thank you so much for the info. I guess you really do learn something every day:0)