I have been struggling to get the best clean tone from the double verb model. i want a totally clean sound, no fuzz at all on hard hit chords, like i get on a real fender twin. I can only achieve this by putting the input drive on .70. I read that the master volume should be at 10 since its a non master volume type amp.
I am wondering if this is normal that the input drive should be soooo low. I also read that the blackface that was modelled was one that had some breakup to it. so then another question: what is a totally clean model that i can get a good strong clean sound with some midrange like the twin?
thanks,
k
Hi Kurt
First off I need to say what a fan I am and how much I love your playing and writing.
It's great to see a jazz player of your calibre using the Axe-FX.
In the jazz guitar world, where there's still more guys using Polytone and Lunchbox amps, this type of gear is often seen as excessive or as a way to hide bad technique.
Nobody could accuse you of the latter.
And while I've often felt a bit excessive taking my Axe rig to big band gigs and small jazz club gigs, the fact that you're using one too makes me feel better. hehe
So, I've struggled with the same issues as you in trying to nail my signature clean tone.
You often play with a slightly brighter tone than what I tend to go for so you might have less issues with some of the levelling problems I been having when running FRFR.
Please check out the posts that start yesterday in the following long thread that I started way back in late October:
http://forum.fractalaudio.com/amps-cabs/76024-atomic-clr-new-user-what-might-i-doing-wrong.html:
Here's my basic preset for straight ahead playing (with a neck humbucker - 57 Classic).
View attachment J1 HB.syx
If you run your rig through a power amp and guitar cabs, it'll be best if you delete every block except the Amp Block and the FX Loop Block (and maybe the Reverb Block) and replace them with shunts.
I have certain Ext controller assignments for my rig that will screw too many things up and make it too confusing to hear the Amp Block tone if you don't delete all those blocks.
You'll also need to use the Out 2 jacks of the Axe because this is where the signal that is not running through the Cab Block comes out.
I use EVM-12Ls in open back cabs myself.
If you're going through an FRFR system then you'll need to delete every block except the Amp Block, the Reverb Block, The 2 Mixer Blocks, and the 2 Cab Blocks and replace them with shunts, for the same reason stated above.
I've set the Cab Block to Factory 119 (EV in a Thiele I believe) but it's a little bassier than the Ownhammer IR I usually use, so you might need to use the Cab Block's built in bass attenuation somewhat.
In the Amp Block, it's just a stock DoubleVerb-based setting using mostly default parameters.
I think the only thing I've changed, besides the basic Gain, TMB an Master controls is the Lo Spkr Res Freq - and I've turned off the Bright Switch.
Note that I've got the Gain on 3 so it stays pretty clean no matter how hard I play, including block chording.
But it does still have a bit of fur on it if you listen closely.
If that's a drag for you, as other folks in this thread have said, you can reduce the Input Trim of the amp Block a bit.
You'll probably also want to turn the Treble up just a bit.
I'm kind of still after that real dark Metheny/Martino tone that everybody loves to hate these days. hehe
So I like it real dark.
Anyway, I hope this helps you out in some way.
Sorry if I'm coming off as a gushing fanboy, but that's an accurate description.
All the best.