best amps for clean to dirty

Brian Dixon

Inspired
Looking for opinions of what amps in the fractal unit are the best for doing super clean to dirty with just a gain knob. I know most of the vox type amps do this well and that's not what I'm looking for. I am looking for suggestions on amps that would be good for higher gain hard rock and metal. Marshall and mesa boogie type sounds probably. I am looking for amps that clean up very well so I do not have to do x/y switching for clean settings to eliminate audio gaps. So far I found the marshall 1987x and one of the usa amps seem to work well. Any other amps I should try?
 
Looking for opinions of what amps in the fractal unit are the best for doing super clean to dirty with just a gain knob. I know most of the vox type amps do this well and that's not what I'm looking for. I am looking for suggestions on amps that would be good for higher gain hard rock and metal. Marshall and mesa boogie type sounds probably. I am looking for amps that clean up very well so I do not have to do x/y switching for clean settings to eliminate audio gaps. So far I found the marshall 1987x and one of the usa amps seem to work well. Any other amps I should try?

Haha the 1987x popped into my head before I even read it in your post. Friedman Dirty Shirley, JTM45, 65 Bassman, Matchless Chieftan and DC30 are some models that excel at this.
 
A lot of the amps in Quantum do that really nicely I think. Always been partial to the way the Small Box cleans up the with just the guitar volume knob. I think the Euro Blue Traditional does a really nice full bodied clean to mean with the models drive knob. Similarly the Corncob does a nice slightly hairy “clean” to gain-y crunch thing with the amp drive as well. And too the Komet 60 with the input trim.
 
really depends on the vibe you are going for but the DC30, Smallbox, Dirty Shirley are all tops for that imho
 
Generally, I find non-master volume type amps do better at this sort of thing. Plexis, vintage Fenders, Voxes, etc. The compression of the pushed power section helps even out the level difference between clean and driven tones.
 
I've had really good luck with the Plexi models.

Will have to give some of the other suggestions a try.
 
By coincidence I just concluded a test of my own. I used a tele.

Winner is Brit 800 #34. I also liked the Plexi 1970. These models sound thick at high gain, but clean up and stay crispy when turning down volume on the guitar.

The Friedmans get too dark when turning down the guitar's output.
Wrecker Express is really touch-sensitive but too loose for my taste.
1987 and 1959 are great but not as fat as the #34 and 1970.
 
By coincidence I just concluded a test of my own. I used a tele.

Winner is Brit 800 #34. I also liked the Plexi 1970. These models sound thick at high gain, but clean up and stay crispy when turning down volume on the guitar.

The Friedmans get too dark when turning down the guitar's output.
Wrecker Express is really touch-sensitive but too loose for my taste.
1987 and 1959 are great but not as fat as the 34 and 1970.
man i disagree....i think the Smallbox and DS don't get too dark at all.
 
By coincidence I just concluded a test of my own. I used a tele.

Winner is Brit 800 #34. I also liked the Plexi 1970. These models sound thick at high gain, but clean up and stay crispy when turning down volume on the guitar.

The Friedmans get too dark when turning down the guitar's output.
Wrecker Express is really touch-sensitive but too loose for my taste.
1987 and 1959 are great but not as fat as the #34 and 1970.

Yek, what cab would you pair this with? I find that depending on a cab i use, it gets a little dirty. Maybe just my in-ear monitor. I have yet to buy an alto ts210 for my "in the room" sound.
 
man i disagree....i think the Smallbox and DS don't get too dark at all.

Funny how differently people hear things. I also think the Small Box is way too dark and boomy for my taste. Even with the cut switch on and bright on and treble boosted, this model is so damn dark to me.
 
Funny how differently people hear things. I also think the Small Box is way too dark and boomy for my taste. Even with the cut switch on and bright on and treble boosted, this model is so damn dark to me.
what cab are you trying with it? i don't hear it that way at all. of course if you're using a stock cab with a ribbon mic on it that could be the issue far more than the model itself
 
I like the Small Box model. It has that typical Friedman sound. It's just that at low gain settings it becomes too dark for my taste, even with a bright guitar, in comparison to others.
 
Good thread, especially for a plexi and modded Marshall fiend like myself. Since I like to use my guitar’s volume knob to get varying shades of drive, the amps mentioned in this post will be a good starting point.

And based on my limited experience (only plugged into my new AX8 twice), I agree with @jlynnb1 about the cab block making big difference.
 
what cab are you trying with it? i don't hear it that way at all. of course if you're using a stock cab with a ribbon mic on it that could be the issue far more than the model itself

Typically a straight down the middle mix of #36 + #43. Greenbacks & V30's and both are fairly bright IR's.
 
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