Hi!

I think, this is standard level for single coil, and relatively low output pickups.
Have you tried a guitar with humbucker? And of higher output?

I record my DI signals at -18, others at -12. I don't think you need more than that for a DI guitar signal, and if you 're using an ampsim of some sort, most of them have an input gain you can increase, if you like!

I don't have a Babyface Pro, though, and when I used to hook my guitar directly to a Hi-Z instrument input, it was through a Presonus Digimax FS, peaking around -10 or -12 at unity level, if I remember correctly(can't check at this time, as I've changed my setup and need to buy some cables). But my pickup is a DiMarzio Evolution, which is a high output humbucker pickup!

Hope this helps! I 'm sure others will chime in, as well!

So a friend of mine has a Strat which is also a Single Coil Pickup guitar using a cheap focusrite audio interface and is able to get plenty of input volume from it.

Anybody else have thoughts on Babyface Pro Input being too low for Guitar?

Hi Matthias!

Thanks for replying. I've been a long time RME user originally with the Fireface 400, then the UFX, and now the Babyface Pro.

Unfortunately he is a co-worker and isn't leaving the guitar at the office so I won't be able to access it with the Babyface Pro. We both ordered the guitars directly from Fender which is why it was in the office at the first place. Now, we have the guitars in our own places. The guitars are both American Professional tier so not cheap guitars.

You 're welcome!

I will report back when I try it, as I need to buy a cable to connect my Digimax FS to my Digiface, sometime next week!
Sorry to hear about your house..! And your Ibanez..! Can't even begin to imagine how that felt..
Hope you 've recovered allright!!

Untill I try with my setup, here is a video from youtube where they're using a similar setup to yours(a FireFace UFX and a Fender type guitar) :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCBIl_ijHiM

If you notice the level at which he sets the input(input 4 in the video), it's about -13 to -12.

So, you could try what Matthias suggested to check that there is no problem with the BF Pro's input(which I don't think there is any), and if you 're not satisfied with the level, still, you could add a boost pedal or an overdrive pedal used as boost(gain 0, level max).

I use a Blackstar HT-Metal pedal(tube preamp/distortion pedal) with Impulse Responses, to record my guitar!
You could purchase a Fender MTG Distortion(more of an overdrive) to add some tube flavour to your tone! Or a Behringer VT-999 Vintage Monster(tube and also, a noise gate) as a more inexpensive solution(I use that one along with the Blackstar)!
Or any other pedal of that type, that you like!

EDIT: I forgot to suggest, that you should try your input, also with palm muting in the low strings, as the bass frequencies will increase the level as well !

Thanks so much Metal Head Keys for writing your thoughts and ideas. Rarely, if I hit really really hard with the palm mutes I can get -7.8 or something like that.

I think I'm going to have to get a booster as I can't get the input loud enough as it is on the BF Pro with my Telecaster.

I just tried my Strat American Elite direct into my BF Pro instrument input.  Normal chord strumming on a single coil gets me to around -12 db with the fader set at 0 and the gain knob set at 4.5.  I use TH-U, and that's plenty of input for me.

But I normally have my guitars running through a wireless (Relay G10) or DI box (ART Tube MP) into the XLR inputs.  Those both drive the XLRs plenty hard that I keep the gain settings much lower to avoid clipping.

I quickly tested the Strat on my Focusrite instrument inputs, and the signal does read a lot hotter on that with the fader at 0 and gain set halfway.  If I turn the gain knob there much past half I start clipping.

Seems to me your Babyface + Fender single coil is behaving about like mine, for what it's worth.

I am experiencing the same.. unfortunately.

Fender Ultra Telecaster in RME babyface pro; +4dBu and full volume on guitar gives me levels of max -30 db.
Engaging the -10dBu and pumping the gain in totalmix raises volume but at the expense of noise/hum/static.

rather disappointing, seems that I am going to need a hardware preamp?

Edit: after some checking it seems that the level is okay. The sound is just a bit wimpy. Maybe an external DI can give better results?

Hi, I use the side inputs of my Babyface pro to record guitar from a Universal audio Dream pedal. Recording level is really low on both channels.

I've set the inputs to -10 dB sensitivity in Totalfx. Turning the gain to 9 helps a little, but input is still low.

Tried different guitars and cables, of course.

Do I need an active DI between the Dream pedal and the BF pro? If so, can I connect a balanced XLR output to input 3 and 4 of the Babyface?

Thanks, Daan

What "boost" are you speaking of ?
What exactly do you connect to the Babyface ?
Have you done Totalmix configuration of the input channel ? Click "-10 dBV".
For your boosted signal you also can try click "+4 dBu" and give some amount of gain start at zero.