Have to say this recent release of firmwares has changed the amps I like or (more accurately) noodle with. It's not because I think something is off, but how amazing they sound. Serious statement...my volume and tone knobs on the guitar is a whole new parameter. It's contour, punch, saturation, and juice. I normally play higher gain amps...totally guilty of this. The chieftain and tweeds have me in a rabbit hole that I'm having issues escaping from. On a normal day, i fire up the metronome with a cup of coffee and screw around with economy picking and reoccurring arpeggios. Not a fun person, but it's enjoyable and relaxing.
I had an opportunity to meet this amazing guitar tech (this excerpt leads back to the point.) This cat was just straight up waling in this warehouse that was partitioned off with practice spaces for bands. It was essentially an apartment structure for practice spaces in Cincinnati (Loud and Clear Sound Company). Hence...his playing reverbed throughout that place and it was amazing. I played the young and dumb card and walked into the shop and he explained how he was testing a double coil that he wired by hand. How he demonstrated it's abilities were by using the volume knob. Punch, Spank, and Warmth is what i heard. He explained a lot of other things, but I was too dumb at the time to absorb it. This is what it feels like now.
The pickup volume knobs have now REALLY come into their own with how they affect the sound. Its a multi-verse now. I notice it more with lower to mid gain amps. Only problem now is when I listen to high gain amps that I normally play, I shy away from them because they have less dynamics (which is probably natural and akin to how they are). The creation of gain, overdrive, saturation from picking velocity or finger picking stress is just unreal. The damn 5F8 Tweed is draining my soul. Hilarious thing is...I could walk into the most prestigious, well stocked amp dealer and couldn't even tell you what this amp should look like, but i can explain how it sounds and how I think it should break up.
BTW, the guy was the guitar tech for one or more of the guys of L. Skynyrd around '95 time era. I might be off on some of that,... its been a few years.