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535 vs Millie


bolero

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Posted

figured I'd record a couple clips of these two....they sound similar, but different pups

 

535: Lollar Imperials

Millie: DiMarzio something-or-others...but they sound good!

 

 

gotta run some errands this AM but here's a pic meanwhile

 

 

 

535millie.jpg

Posted

If the guitars are the same color won't they sound the same recorded? ................. :laughing7:

 

That's exactly right.

Posted

ha...well, to avoid coloring the sound, I plugged straight into the amp with no FX ;)

 

to record I used a close sm57 and an 8 foot distant, off axis CAD E100. Hard panned left & right

 

sm57 =L

E100 =R

 

amp is 1x12 supro 1624T...maybe I should have done some clean stuff...it's all snotty-cranked-supro wanking. apologies for the same generic licks

 

 

https://soundcloud.com/roofleaks/supro-panned

 

 

 

https://soundcloud.com/roofleaks/millie-supro-panned

 

 

 

my consensus: they are both great sounding gtrs. and they sound fairly similar, which is no surprise as they are nearly the same construction, 535 is a bigger body

 

 

the millie sounds a little more raucous/edgy, maybe due to the more modern pickups. maybe due to the smaller body. I'm sure the newer strings factor in, too.

 

the 535 has OLD strings, maybe a year old? it does have a lot more low end, more girth, a bigger sound....which in a mix may not punch thru as well as the millie?

 

I also prefer the more vintage voiced pups, so I got carried away & played it longer.

I would like to hear the Millie with Lollar Imperials

Posted

wow I just listened to these, there's a lot of digital artifacts ( clicks & pops ) in there, I must have screwed up the levels somewhere?

Posted

Just comparing what's the sound is at 1:20 for the 535 and 2:20 for the Millie, I think I prefer the Millie. Even cranked, the notes are more distinct.

 

I maybe the only or at least one of a very few who have both a 535 and Millie with the same pickups. That lets me do a direct A/B between the guitars. What I've generally found is that the millie produces somewhat more refined cleans. The sound is a bit creamier. The 535 has a slightly more open sound. Sort of like the effect of turning the presence setting up on the amp.

Posted

that's interesting, Blunote!!

 

I also suspect the larger hollowbody of the 535 gives it more low end, which may sound muddy in comparison to the smaller millie.

 

not that either of them sound BAD....just a different tonal palette

 

I think I had my levels too high on the close mic, it is still crackling a bit...those darn USB computer recording tools, what I need is an SSL console!! or at least a solid mic preamp, i guess

Posted

I seem to like the 535 a bit more

Posted

that's interesting, Blunote!!

 

I also suspect the larger hollowbody of the 535 gives it more low end, which may sound muddy in comparison to the smaller millie.

 

not that either of them sound BAD....just a different tonal palette

 

I think I had my levels too high on the close mic, it is still crackling a bit...those darn USB computer recording tools, what I need is an SSL console!! or at least a solid mic preamp, i guess

 

Next time I do another direct compare I'll check to see if there seems to be a bit more thump in the bass. There just might be.

 

Both guitars have HWR loaded in them. It would be interesting to get DB out here some time to do a direct compare of his new 150 GT with HRWs, to the 535 and Millie though the same amp & settings.

 

BTW nice playing & I like your choice of music.

Posted

It's the Millie for me: Note clarity, a bit more "ballsy". Overall a tighter sound. The 535, to my ears and my speakers, seemed a bit mushy, less distinct.

Posted

Thanks for the clips! Being able to click b/w the two is appreciated and certainly didn't curb my GAS.

Now I can believe the 535 is more versatile even tho' I think I listened with an existing bias (I really want a Millie). While I liked the crisp bridge of the Millie in most passages, the rounder, softer (to me) 535 had better neck tones.

It made me wonder if the difference in note definition (that I heard) could be lessened with picking technique, pickup height and judicious use of the guitar's volume knob.

I doubt those clips would convince my wife that I need both models.

Posted

How do you record? Mine always sounds like crap...

 

 

well I have an sm57 close to the amp, and another mic further back in the room. to keep them distinct I panned them hard L/R

 

I should have increased the vol of the right channel though, you can barely hear it. the room mic adds a bit of airiness & rounds it out a bit IMO

 

will have to find out about the dimarzios

Posted

Buzzy -yes, the 535 is a bit more versatile. If you were going to have just one electric guitar, I'd say that's probably the one (maybe with coil split pups). That said, the Millie is one beautiful sounding guitar.

Posted

a friend dropped by last night with a Royer 101 mic, and a Neve 1073 based preamp....I was blown away at how great the recorded sound was, we experimented with driving the preamp at different levels and WOW did it ever juice up the sound

 

 

I think i need to pick up some of that gear....the preamp sounded great with the sm57 as well, so it wasn't all mic

Posted

Your clips sound great Chris!!! You got me thinking to do a side by side test between my Milli and 535, and also see how they compare to yours...here are the results...

 

535..... http://www.reverbnation.com/brenthenderson/song/19433298-heritage-535

 

Milli..... http://www.reverbnation.com/brenthenderson/song/19433279-heritage-milli

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