Prog lead tone question

Rotti

Fractal Fanatic
Simple question, but probably a complicated answer...

What are you guys using to get great prog-ish lead tones, the kind you'd expect to get from a MkIV/V/IIc/etc.? Those are amps I've never bonded with, but seem to be go-to's for the style and nail that cutting, liquid, sustaining aggressive yet sweet tone.

What amp models, what settings, what external effects, all that good stuff.

Thanks guys!
 
This is what I use for old school prog:

Choose Plexi (I currently prefer JTM with a few mods)
Crank B/M/T/presence all the way up. You can loose some of the treble or presence if it's too spiky. I usually cut some presence off.
Good G12-M or G12-H IR. I'm using cab-ir.eu MR-JIMI_G12C at the moment (hmm I thought it was a G12H, anyways it's the bees knees for me).
Drive to taste, but start from 6. Add FAS Boost if needed. Or a Fuzz Face with drive and volume cranked.
Vintage digital delay with low mix and feedback in front of amp. Add stereo tape delay after amp for even more space.
Use a phaser or a flanger. Or both! I prefer them after drive pedals and flanger usually comes before phaser. I'm currently using Small Stone V2 emulation (which is the best sounding phaser ever made!).
Play and experiment.
 
For old school I use either the Plexi (50w) for a cleaner tone and I also use a preset I built with the Silver Jubilee and Two Stone. It is mostly the Silver, but I mix in the Two Stone to sweeten the mids.

For new school, I like the USA Yellow.
 
Those are amps I've never bonded with, but seem to be go-to's for the style

Then go for something else :)
Most players tend to make every amp sound with the same tonal character but the feel you get from an amp can simply be there or not. My suggestion is to find an amp that inspires you to play. Is it a Mesa amp? Good! Is it an Hello Kitty amp with some mods? Good!
 
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