I can dial in great cleans but I never get this type of tone

Sounds to me like a basic Fenderish clean sound, Strat Bridge+Middle PUPs. You really should have zero problems getting that from the Axe.
 
I'll post clips later. You can get the tone but there is a difference. The basics elements are there but doesn't sound the same. I have used every clean and clean cab I could.
 
Agree with the above. Also, add a compressor block in your patch to help give it more spank.
 
Are you using a II? I didn't hear anything magical about the sound you posted that I can't get with the II. With the Ultra, the really clean with an edge stuff didn't sound as good and it sure didn't feel as good, but any of the Fender sims should be able to get somewhere in this neighborhood.

For me, I mostly run the master almost all the way up, dial in pregain to taste, typically around 4.5 to 7 depending on how clean or edgy I want it, then set the level to compensate for more or less level out of the pregain/master combo. Normally on a really clean sound, the level is cranked pretty high 90%. On something with more gain, maybe 60-70%.

If you get too much grind, reduce pregain (and maybe master a little) and raise level. If not enough, more pregain, less level.

Something I haven't done much with the II, but did with the Ultra a lot was to turn on the bright switch (which I don't often do on a real Fender) and change the cap value so it's a bit mellower than the normal bright switch mode. That can add lots of sparkle.
 
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sounds like single coil pups.. like on a strat.. possibly either the neck pup, or the middle and neck pups together..
try a model that behaves like a Fender twin or Roland JC-120 maybe..
eq wise maybe try starting with everything at 12 o'clock, maybe try backing of the mid a little
cab wise go for something like an open back 1x12 or 2x12.. closed back cabs and 4x12 cabs tend to push the mids [which you don't want too much of here]
doubt you'll need any compression... but if you do go easy with it cos it'll squeeze the sparkle out of the hi's.. so use low ratio settings [less than 3:1] and threshold settings in the -4dB to -10dB range.. stronger threshold settings [like -15dB and beyond] will start squeezing the tone too much...
add a hall reverb, roughly 3s long, I'd guess about 20% to 30% wet..

a little extra touch you could add would be to try adding a stereo pitch shifter
left fine = -6, right fine = +6
wet should be around 10% to 20%
you don't want to 'hear' it, just use it to 'spread' and 'thicken' the tone a little
this little trick isn't in the clip, but I reckon it'd sound cool..

effect placement would be:

in -> comp [if you need one] -> amp -> cab -> pitch [if you opt for it] -> reverb -> out
 
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zentman said:
Never mind, switched to Strat and all is well.
Click to expand...

Yep, that makes all the difference. I find the Axe super sensitive to changes in guitars and that sound was definitely a strat. The low gain of a strat is part of what makes that sparkle happen. If I plugged a LP into a patch set up to make that sound with a strat, it would probably grind like hell and might easily send output into clipping.
 
It's fatter. Has more warmth. I wasn't getting that spank yesterday and it was bugging me. The strat was the answer. It was late and I wasn't thinking.
I am liking the new unit more and more each day BTW. There is something to the whole "more realer" thing. Extra squishy and organic and everything else too. :) The highs are much smoother now and I don't have to roll them back any more.
 
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Your Strat clip sounds pretty similar, but the EQ and cabs are a bit different and it's quieter. I do agree that the playing on your clip has more groove though.

You are on firmware 2.xx right?
 
Scott Peterson said:
Your Strat clip sounds pretty similar, but the EQ and cabs are a bit different and it's quieter. I do agree that the playing on your clip has more groove though.

You are on firmware 2.xx right?
Click to expand...

I actually haven't checked the firmware. I got the unit two weeks ago so whatever it shipped with.
 
MikeyB59 said:
Yep, that makes all the difference. I find the Axe super sensitive to changes in guitars and that sound was definitely a strat. The low gain of a strat is part of what makes that sparkle happen. If I plugged a LP into a patch set up to make that sound with a strat, it would probably grind like hell and might easily send output into clipping.
Click to expand...

there's much more to it than just the low gain...
humbucking pups are very strong in the mids and don't allow the hi's to 'chime' like single coil pups...
to prove this you could reduce the input trim on the amp block and use a neck humbucker and you'll find that you'll still not be able to make that tone although you've effectively made the guitar have low gain [in the eyes of the amp block]..

turning down the volume on the guitar [making it low gain] won't solve this either cos you'll lose top [unless your guitar is fitted with the cap that prevents this

coil tapped humbuckers get closer to the overall tone but lack the fatness of a real single coil because a real single coil pup is considerably more powerful than one coil from a tapped humbucker.. so this tends to sound weedy and brittle..

however.. if you do have a guitar fitted with a pair of humbuckers it is possible to get a little closer to the Strat's tone if you use the middle selection [both pups on]..
it's not quite the same but from a functional angle it's about as close as you'll get..
I have a USA Strat and last year I was recording a funk album.. I tried a few things and in the end opted for my Morgan V6 with the pup selector in the middle position..
personally [and quite unexpectedly] I thought it sat better in the mix..

my beautiful Morgan Guitar Works V6's

PICT0201 edited.jpg
 
FractalAudio said:
Sounds better than the other clip to me but probably because the playing is more interesting.
Click to expand...

I'll go with that too...

plus... when you play funk, a lot of guitarists make the mistake of trying to create the tone they hear in the mix..
which often turns out to be way too thin..
the actual tone needs to be a little thicker so that the notes are present as well as the percussive hi's...
then in the mix you manage to hear all them lovely notes but perceive the tone to be thinner because of the percussive nature of the playing style..

so I reckon the clip by zentman is most likely a better tone to perform with...

Clarky's dirty lil' secret: I know that I'm mostly known as a bit of a shredder... but I played full on funk for about 6 years....
 
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