Anyone using dual amps at once?

rizzo

rizzo

Inspired
Going for a Dean DeLeo thing with a Friedman HBE and Vox AC30 TB. Running a stereo cab but thinking about going with individual HiRes cans for each. Anyone running a similar chain, and if so, any tips/tricks?
 
I use dual amps in practically every patch. It's worth the CPU when you find a great pairing combo of amps and cabs, where the response of one amp really compliments the other. If you're running any dual amp chain in stereo, I recommend taking advandage of the modern Enhancer
 
I've been playing around with a few Bonamassa style setups, and have set up dual amps in the Axe-FX to suit.

No special tricks - just a matter of picking amps and cabs you like and seeing how they sound.

Depending on your output setup, you may want to pan the two cabs hard right and left - that is the way Joe has it on stage - with each amp coming through it's own cab side by side behind him. I only have a single CLR wedge here, so I just set both cabs to centre pan to get them mixed equally.

I also tend to split the chain in the preset, and run each amp/cab on it's own line, so that I can set up different effects on each amp, before joining the chain back up at the Output end. This way I can run things wet/dry, ie have delay on one amp.cab and not the other etc.

It's a fun way to burn through a lot of time on a weekend! :D
 
My main patch is dual amps and cabs. HBE > 103: 4x12 Basketweave TV and Recto Red Mdrn > 4x12 Recto V30 (RW) R121 Mic and 4x2 Recto V30 (OH) no mic)
 
I frequently run a Plexi 100 along with a HBE, Brit Pre, or Solo 99 for my 80s metal tones. The Plexi is set to about half the volume as the other amp. Hard to explain what it adds. More beef to the tone, I suppose.
 
rizzo said:
Going for a Dean DeLeo thing with a Friedman HBE and Vox AC30 TB. Running a stereo cab but thinking about going with individual HiRes cans for each. Anyone running a similar chain, and if so, any tips/tricks?
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Dean DeLeo's tone is something I have studied for a long time and I have been down the rabbit hole and back with the Axe.

The first thing you need to figure out is which tone are you looking for? Crackerman? Interstate Love Song? Hickory Dichotomy? The tones you hear on the records are complex and created with things he rarely uses live. For instance Interstate Love Song was recorded with 2 Telecasters and a Supro with a 10" speaker (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=th_GUU-MKpk&list=FLrMY_XqWlJ_JATk-XZraYtw&index=9) There is a ton of layering taking place which can sometimes create an effect of modulation (which Dean says he rarely uses in the studio). He's now using some amps from Todd Snider in the studio as well.

There are also tones like Sex Type Thing that are good in the mix, but questionable when isolated (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-QTv9aiUJY&list=FLrMY_XqWlJ_JATk-XZraYtw&index=7).

If you ask me, he really doesn't try too hard to copy his recorded tones when playing live with his Les Paul (mainly), Demeter TGP3, VHT Classic, AC30 rig. I have sat directly in front of his rig at several shows to listen to just his tones and it sounds great but the tonal changes are largely coming from the volume knob and his attack. That being said, you can come real close to any of these tones with the Axe just using one amp. I think if you truly wanted to nail the live tones, you would need to run W/D/W with completely different signal paths within the axe, which is not very practical.

For me, I have three DeLeo patches: a medium gain rhythm (Interstate Love Song), heavy (Piece of Pie), and a lead with a touch of autowah (Crackerman, Vasoline, etc.). For the medium gain I am finding the Morgan AC20 works great as it already has a Marshall+Vox thing going on. Just remember to use less gain than you think and add a bit of chorus for the modulation. For the heavy and lead tones I am using TS808Mod in front of the Friedman BE with a bit more bass and presence than usual and I am getting great results in a live setting. I add in just a touch of chorus and keep the gain lower than one would expect to get great note separation and clarity. You can also do a tone match to get you the extra step if necessary.

Rock on.
 
Ventanaman said:
Dean DeLeo's tone is something I have studied for a long time and I have been down the rabbit hole and back with the Axe.

The first thing you need to figure out is which tone are you looking for? Crackerman? Interstate Love Song? Hickory Dichotomy? The tones you hear on the records are complex and created with things he rarely uses live. For instance Interstate Love Song was recorded with 2 Telecasters and a Supro with a 10" speaker (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=th_GUU-MKpk&list=FLrMY_XqWlJ_JATk-XZraYtw&index=9) There is a ton of layering taking place which can sometimes create an effect of modulation (which Dean says he rarely uses in the studio). He's now using some amps from Todd Snider in the studio as well.

There are also tones like Sex Type Thing that are good in the mix, but questionable when isolated (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-QTv9aiUJY&list=FLrMY_XqWlJ_JATk-XZraYtw&index=7).

If you ask me, he really doesn't try too hard to copy his recorded tones when playing live with his Les Paul (mainly), Demeter TGP3, VHT Classic, AC30 rig. I have sat directly in front of his rig at several shows to listen to just his tones and it sounds great but the tonal changes are largely coming from the volume knob and his attack. That being said, you can come real close to any of these tones with the Axe just using one amp. I think if you truly wanted to nail the live tones, you would need to run W/D/W with completely different signal paths within the axe, which is not very practical.

For me, I have three DeLeo patches: a medium gain rhythm (Interstate Love Song), heavy (Piece of Pie), and a lead with a touch of autowah (Crackerman, Vasoline, etc.). For the medium gain I am finding the Morgan AC20 works great as it already has a Marshall+Vox thing going on. Just remember to use less gain than you think and add a bit of chorus for the modulation. For the heavy and lead tones I am using TS808Mod in front of the Friedman BE with a bit more bass and presence than usual and I am getting great results in a live setting. I add in just a touch of chorus and keep the gain lower than one would expect to get great note separation and clarity. You can also do a tone match to get you the extra step if necessary.

Rock on.
Click to expand...

Any chance of sharing your patches as I am huge STP fan and it seems like you really know their gear and sound? Thanks
 
I am not a fan of posting presets because unless you are using the EXACT same guitar, pickups, and monitors - you won't get the exact same sounds.

But here you go:Axe-Change - Download Preset - STP MORGAN - by Ventanaman

This preset was created on an EBMM Axis Super Sport with the bridge humbucker (medium/high output and passive). The cabs are the new Ownhammer Alnico Silver and Blue mixed in the stereo cab (hat tip to Scott Peterson).

I would say this preset is "inspired by Interstate Love Song" and I use it for a lot of medium gain rhythm. You can switch off the chorus, add the drive, remove the compression, use the volume knob, or switch pickups to get a lot of usable tones. It was not meant to be an exact copy, but it does sound good live.

YMMV. Have fun.
 
Here is a quick recording of Crackerman I just made. All of the guitars are me and the AxeFx: the left channel is the DeLeo BE patch, the right channel is my STP Morgan patch with a boost in front, and the lead (one take with clams) is my DeLeo autowah patch. I think it's close - certainly as close as Dean gets in live shows.



And here is Interstate Love Song with my Morgan patch - double-tracked. Everything is AxeFx except for the acoustic guitar in the intro:


Enjoy!
 
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