In Praise of Dirty Shirley

TheloniusJ

Experienced
I saw there was some discussion of this model on the Axe-III forum, but I just wanted to provide a shout out over here. The Dirty Shirley is REALLY an incredible amp model.

I tried it when I first got my FM3 and thought it was cool, but I was recently revamping my fusion dirty tone and wanted something like a Greg Howe lead tone and stumbled back across this model. My GOODNESS did it hit the mark. I am running a Tube Driver 3-knob drive model into it and it just sounds so sticky with just the right amount of bite and sustain. Incredibly articulate when playing fast lead lines. I can't stop playing it.

Interestingly, I've always been more of a squishy, soft lead tone guy, but there is just something about this model that is pulling me in the other direction.

Anyone looking for a nice cutting lead tone with a lot of dimension should definitely revisit the Dirty Shirley.
 
Dirty Shirley is my go to amp. It's the only one I use to be honest.
Cleans up with volume knob...good enough for jazz, but add some drive or pedals and there's nothing it can't do.
 
Which factory cab do you guys recommend?
The ones that seem to be working for me right now are the 4x12 Rumble-12S160F and 4x12 BASKETWEAVE G12M2

I'm sure there are a million combos that might work better, but I was using this combo with my ODS and snapped the Dirty Shirley with it. Seems to have the tone I want. I seem to really like the combo of two combos. With this combo, I have both full up.
 
It's been one of my top favorite models since I first got the AX8 five years ago.

Do you all tend to prefer the #1 or #2 version?

I do wish there were an update with some of the bright/gain voicing switches! Or at least knowing how to tweak the parameters to get in the same ballpark.
 
It's a great amp! It's inspired by the jtm45 I believe, which means its heritage is a Bassman, so it should should sound good through almost anything. I like it most with Greenbacks, V30s, or Creamback speakers (or a mix of two of them). If considering 3rd part IRs, Dr. Bonkers has a Creamback loaded Dirty Shirley 1x12 cab IR set that is quite nice (I own a copy).
 
It's been one of my top favorite models since I first got the AX8 five years ago.

Do you all tend to prefer the #1 or #2 version?

I do wish there were an update with some of the bright/gain voicing switches! Or at least knowing how to tweak the parameters to get in the same ballpark.
I'm just using v1 right now. I'm sure I'll dive deeper and maybe end up at v2.

Can't you do all that with the Ideal parameters in the amp model? I've done this a bunch with other models.
 
I'm just using v1 right now. I'm sure I'll dive deeper and maybe end up at v2.

Can't you do all that with the Ideal parameters in the amp model? I've done this a bunch with other models.

Probably, but it would be nice to know more specifically what the amp is doing with those switches and how to replicate.
 
I like the dirty Shirley but tend to swap the speaker curve from the default basketweave to the Friedman one.
Interesting. I'm not sure why, but when I just checked mine I was already on the basket weave. I tried the Friedman with it and you are right, I like the basked weave with it better. Nice detail.
 
Interesting. I'm not sure why, but when I just checked mine I was already on the basket weave. I tried the Friedman with it and you are right, I like the basked weave with it better. Nice detail.
It does not matter, I guess, but I think you misunderstood his phrasing, and reversed his meaning ( he changed TO the Friedman ) but whatever sounds good to you is correct.!
 
It does not matter, I guess, but I think you misunderstood his phrasing, and reversed his meaning ( he changed TO the Friedman ) but whatever sounds good to you is correct.!
You are totally right. I did misunderstand that. Ugh. Poor reading on my part.

Yeah, interestingly I do like the basket weave better...so I guess I like the default.
 
You are totally right. I did misunderstand that. Ugh. Poor reading on my part.

Yeah, interestingly I do like the basket weave better...so I guess I like the default.
I think it can depend on what ir your are using - I was using a York audio M25 57v and found the basketweave slightly thumpy on the low end.
I've used the same ir with the Cameron cv amp and preferred the basketweave over the default 800 speaker curve.
 
Back
Top Bottom