yek
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Took some time at rehearsal tonight for a personal amp shootout. It was targeted at medium to higher gain. Because I'm already settled on the cleans and crunch.
My clean tone these days is the Deluxe Reverb Vibrato, Drive at 2.2 and Bass dialed back a bit. I love these amps / amp models with simple controls, quirks and all. Perfect tones, EQ'd and compressed to death, are not interesting IMHO, they don't stick. I prefer authentic over perfect. Isn't limited to amp models only BTW...
My crunch tone is also the Deluxe Reverb Vibrato. Drive at 9-10, and Bass turned down all the way. What an awesome tone. Works well with single coils as well as humbuckers.
I use these amp models with my 1x12 KTS 70-equipped cab, or my 2x12 with an EV-12L and KTS-70, through a Seymour Duncan PS-70. Fenders work very well with G12M or G12H Celestions, as proven by the Black Crowes. The traditional power amp amp + guitar cabinet remains my preferred backline rig. Beats the hell out of any FR system (which I also love, but for other purposes). Currently using an IR from YA's Checkmate M25 library when going through FRFR.
Okay, back to the higher gain stuff, which I tested with these same cabs. As you probably already know, 50% or more of the sound comes from the cabinet. So putting various amp models through the same cabinet makes them sound quite similar. Still, enough differences. I'm not a metal guy, and also not a Mesa / Diesel / etc. guy, so certain amp types just don't interest me.
Let's start with my current favorite: Carol-Ann Tucana Lead. In the past I thought this model was too polished. But as it turns out, it delivers just the right frequencies at gig level and I'm a Carol-Ann fan. Make sure to set Input Drive not too low, and turn up Overdrive to where you like it, going from classic rock to modern high-gain. You'd think that the amp is dark, but not at gig level. Keep Presence at default, and adjust Treble if necessary.
The CA Triptik is very close to the Tucana. But I prefer the Tucana. At default settings it's closer to my "ideal" dial tone than the Triptik.
Inspired by @Burgs "Brownies" video and preset, I tried the Brit Brown. Which is THE perfect amp model for some purposes, but too heavy and too thin in the highs to my liking. If I played in an '80s hard rock band, this would be my choice though.
The Friedman BE V1 always hits the mark. But two things keep me away from it. First, it 's too generic, it misses some character of its own. I think that @2112 (Leon Todd) made a similar comment. Also, somehow I don't like this amp model for leads. The notes don't cut through as well as for example through the Tucana.
Fryette More is a personal favorite. I have Fryette's GP/DI and Power Station 2 amps. The man's a genius. But the Fryette sound is not something I can use in my band. It's a bit too sterile, too industrial. But what a tone. Also fantastic for leads, so thick.
Played the JMPre, with Bass Shift, but this doesn't deliver the Marshall tone I'd choose, it's 2-dimensional for lack of a better description.
Played the Plexi 6550, which in the past used to be one of my favorite Marshall tones, because it was a bit darker and fatter than other Plexis. But not anymore, even though @2112 did a video just the other day. The gain structure and frequencies just don't please me that much, it's raspy. I'd choose Brit Brown, 1959SLP and 1987X over it any day.
An old favorite: Shiver Lead. Turn up gain and treble to get it to sound right, and it will rock. Totally holds its own when compared to the Euro Blue Modern (Ecstasy), which needs Presence bumped up and Bright Switch engaged to come alive. I used to own Bogner amps, and still love them, but they're picky and can be tough to dial in, depending on the cab. And that drives me away. Why choose a difficult amp when there are so many fantastic turn-key amp models available.
Finally, the Spawn Quickrod. Often overlooked. But fantastic when paired with the right cab, and so easy to dial in. If the Tucana doesn't work out for some reason, I'll probably go Spawn.
My clean tone these days is the Deluxe Reverb Vibrato, Drive at 2.2 and Bass dialed back a bit. I love these amps / amp models with simple controls, quirks and all. Perfect tones, EQ'd and compressed to death, are not interesting IMHO, they don't stick. I prefer authentic over perfect. Isn't limited to amp models only BTW...
My crunch tone is also the Deluxe Reverb Vibrato. Drive at 9-10, and Bass turned down all the way. What an awesome tone. Works well with single coils as well as humbuckers.
I use these amp models with my 1x12 KTS 70-equipped cab, or my 2x12 with an EV-12L and KTS-70, through a Seymour Duncan PS-70. Fenders work very well with G12M or G12H Celestions, as proven by the Black Crowes. The traditional power amp amp + guitar cabinet remains my preferred backline rig. Beats the hell out of any FR system (which I also love, but for other purposes). Currently using an IR from YA's Checkmate M25 library when going through FRFR.
Okay, back to the higher gain stuff, which I tested with these same cabs. As you probably already know, 50% or more of the sound comes from the cabinet. So putting various amp models through the same cabinet makes them sound quite similar. Still, enough differences. I'm not a metal guy, and also not a Mesa / Diesel / etc. guy, so certain amp types just don't interest me.
Let's start with my current favorite: Carol-Ann Tucana Lead. In the past I thought this model was too polished. But as it turns out, it delivers just the right frequencies at gig level and I'm a Carol-Ann fan. Make sure to set Input Drive not too low, and turn up Overdrive to where you like it, going from classic rock to modern high-gain. You'd think that the amp is dark, but not at gig level. Keep Presence at default, and adjust Treble if necessary.
The CA Triptik is very close to the Tucana. But I prefer the Tucana. At default settings it's closer to my "ideal" dial tone than the Triptik.
Inspired by @Burgs "Brownies" video and preset, I tried the Brit Brown. Which is THE perfect amp model for some purposes, but too heavy and too thin in the highs to my liking. If I played in an '80s hard rock band, this would be my choice though.
The Friedman BE V1 always hits the mark. But two things keep me away from it. First, it 's too generic, it misses some character of its own. I think that @2112 (Leon Todd) made a similar comment. Also, somehow I don't like this amp model for leads. The notes don't cut through as well as for example through the Tucana.
Fryette More is a personal favorite. I have Fryette's GP/DI and Power Station 2 amps. The man's a genius. But the Fryette sound is not something I can use in my band. It's a bit too sterile, too industrial. But what a tone. Also fantastic for leads, so thick.
Played the JMPre, with Bass Shift, but this doesn't deliver the Marshall tone I'd choose, it's 2-dimensional for lack of a better description.
Played the Plexi 6550, which in the past used to be one of my favorite Marshall tones, because it was a bit darker and fatter than other Plexis. But not anymore, even though @2112 did a video just the other day. The gain structure and frequencies just don't please me that much, it's raspy. I'd choose Brit Brown, 1959SLP and 1987X over it any day.
An old favorite: Shiver Lead. Turn up gain and treble to get it to sound right, and it will rock. Totally holds its own when compared to the Euro Blue Modern (Ecstasy), which needs Presence bumped up and Bright Switch engaged to come alive. I used to own Bogner amps, and still love them, but they're picky and can be tough to dial in, depending on the cab. And that drives me away. Why choose a difficult amp when there are so many fantastic turn-key amp models available.
Finally, the Spawn Quickrod. Often overlooked. But fantastic when paired with the right cab, and so easy to dial in. If the Tucana doesn't work out for some reason, I'll probably go Spawn.
