How do YOU clean up a high-gain amp?

I just got the FM3, and I love it. I am trying to recreate some of Tom Delonge's earlier Blink tones where he used a JCM900 and Triple Rectifier...

I believe he used the JCM900 for cleans. I own a real Triple Rectifier, and I really like it's clean. The issue I'm facing is it was kind of challenging at first to get a clean tone on the Recto's and Brit800's. I've gotten them there through turning down the drive, and then popping a compressor in front of the amp. It sounds clean, and okay, but is there a more ideal way? I don't really know what I'm doing here.

I can get a genuine clean from my real Triple Recto. On modeler's it seems like something I wasn't intended to do.. if you know what I mean!

Thanks!
 
I just got the FM3, and I love it. I am trying to recreate some of Tom Delonge's earlier Blink tones where he used a JCM900 and Triple Rectifier...

I believe he used the JCM900 for cleans. I own a real Triple Rectifier, and I really like it's clean. The issue I'm facing is it was kind of challenging at first to get a clean tone on the Recto's and Brit800's. I've gotten them there through turning down the drive, and then popping a compressor in front of the amp. It sounds clean, and okay, but is there a more ideal way? I don't really know what I'm doing here.

I can get a genuine clean from my real Triple Recto. On modeler's it seems like something I wasn't intended to do.. if you know what I mean!

Thanks!
I would do what you do. Drive down add compression. Another option to try is lowing input gain in amp
 
I like to start with input on the amp block with (.2) the get the Drive (.6ish) play with that depending on how you like to push it to slight breakup. Also a new feature forum members are talking about is the output compressor in the drive block (last page) change the compressor type to (Gain Enhancer) with a out compressor of about 1.0 to 2 give or take pending on how it sounds. I also like to turn off the bright switch and compensate using authentic settings (Bass, mid trebb.)
 
Don’t the jcm900 and the triple Rec have actual clean channels in real life? Are you talking about getting a good clean out of your mesa by switching to the clean channel, or by rolling volume and gain off the orange or red or something? And the next question would be, are you using a clean channel model, or trying to clean up a high gain channel?

I can’t remember off-hand what channels of those two amps are modeled, but if you’re comparing a cleaned up high gain channel to a good clean channel, then you might never be happy.
 
Other than rolling down the volume for less gain...I don't. That's why there's a huge pile of lower gain amps so you can have a best of all worlds at the flick of a button. Fractal doesn't even model the clean channel of a lot of high gainers because they probably end up being very similar to the Fender Twin models.
 
Uh, yeah.. Maybe that was confusing on my part. I am trying to go for "clean rectifier" by using the Recto amps, but I'm seeing mixed opinions telling me I should just go for a clean amp to begin with. The only reference I am making to my Mesa is the fact that it has a clean channel that I like. Are you guys telling me there may or may not be a clean channel on FM3's Recto?
 
Uh, yeah.. Maybe that was confusing on my part. I am trying to go for "clean rectifier" by using the Recto amps, but I'm seeing mixed opinions telling me I should just go for a clean amp to begin with. The only reference I am making to my Mesa is the fact that it has a clean channel that I like. Are you guys telling me there may or may not be a clean channel on FM3's Recto?
If it doesn't specifically model the clean channel then everything else will be about how well an overdrive channel can clean up. You might instead try for example the Mesa Lonestar model for that.
 
But why clean up a rectifier when you have already a cleaned up amp with the original preamp which is the slo 100? The rectifier is dirty/fizzy because they copy the slo with a crappy power section
 
Yeah, I'd just go for a completely different amp model, especially since the Recto's green channel isn't even modeled, I'm guessing there's a good reason why it's not (so many other clean amps to choose from, of which some are probably what the Recto's clean circuit was designed around anyway.)

Now if you're trying to stay on a distorted channel on a Recto amp model, and simply roll the volume back on your guitar during a song (which imo is certainly the better choice than switching to a different channel, in certain situations), I've found the Recto models don't do that too well, at least with my guitar, while using factory presets @ default settings. Maybe they'd do it better with some tweaking, but I just move on to a different patch.

And as mentioned re using the Lonestar, at one point that's exactly what John Petrucci used to use for his live clean tones, even though he had the capability of switching to the clean channel on (I believe) his Road Kings. But then again, he's always wanted his cleans to be completely pristine, with absolutely no breakup, which Rectifier amps (Road King was one) don't do as well as other types (Marks, Lonestar, e.g.)
 
Uh, yeah.. Maybe that was confusing on my part. I am trying to go for "clean rectifier" by using the Recto amps, but I'm seeing mixed opinions telling me I should just go for a clean amp to begin with. The only reference I am making to my Mesa is the fact that it has a clean channel that I like. Are you guys telling me there may or may not be a clean channel on FM3's Recto?

This is the answer. The Recto’s clean channel isn’t modeled. What you’re doing is like if you set your real recto to the orange/red channel and tried to make that as clean as possible. It could work okay, but it’s not likely to sound exactly like the green channel.

Your best course of action is to pick a different clean model that is in the ballpark. Lonestar clean might work, Shiver clean, I think there’s a USA Clean, etc.
 
I’d be willing to bet you can get 90% of the way there just using Triaxis models. There’s enough variation in those models to get what you’re looking for and it’ll still have the Mesa feel to it.

Tom always set his Mesa’s to sound more like Marshall’s than Mesa’s, dude, go try one of the Splawn’s. You might actually find the tone you’re looking for a lot quicker with those. I get the idea Tom was using the Mesa’s because he dug the low end from them, which is quite different than what you get from a Marshall, the Splawn is like the perfect mix of a JCM800 and a Dual Rec. I’d use the Nitrous in place of the Mesa and one of the Quick Rods in place of the Marshall.
 
I’d be willing to bet you can get 90% of the way there just using Triaxis models. There’s enough variation in those models to get what you’re looking for and it’ll still have the Mesa feel to it.

Tom always set his Mesa’s to sound more like Marshall’s than Mesa’s, dude, go try one of the Splawn’s. You might actually find the tone you’re looking for a lot quicker with those. I get the idea Tom was using the Mesa’s because he dug the low end from them, which is quite different than what you get from a Marshall, the Splawn is like the perfect mix of a JCM800 and a Dual Rec. I’d use the Nitrous in place of the Mesa and one of the Quick Rods in place of the Marshall.
Sounds very intriguing! I’m excited to give that a go! :)
 
I can get a genuine clean from my real Triple Recto. On modeler's it seems like something I wasn't intended to do.. if you know what I mean!
It seems like one of the USA Clean or Green models would work. I'm using the USA Clean (Mesa/Boogie Mark IV) on a preset and it sounds good.

At the end of the day who's going to complain if you use a completely different amp model? The right choice is whatever you want as long as it sounds good to you.
 
I have a Dual Rectifier and a Mark V and one of the things that makes those such
excellent clean machines is the Tube Rectifier options and Fat switches, in my experience----
especially if used with a Strat-style guitar. I'd check out the JP IIC+ Green channel along
with the recommendations above. Don't believe there is a Tube/Diode option in the
amp block for that model, but you can use the Variac and Preamp Sag controls to bring in a
little more sponginess and bounce to the cleans.
 
Back
Top Bottom