U2 Streets Preset Thanksgiving Week Bake-Off anyone?
Here's mine, based on the Seattle JT Anniversary Tour.
Notable amp tweaks: mid-boosts and speaker tab settings.
Signal path: Edge strat (quack position) -> AFX III (FW 23.02) -> QSC 12
This sounds great! Are you able to share the preset, or at least the delay settings? Are you running an SDD-3000 drive before the amp?
I know, but I just can't get the Axe model to work the way I want to without turning it on and up. I've tried others' presets over the years and they are almost always too "thiin and/or brittle." So I started from scratch one day and spent hours experimenting with all the knobs to understand how they impacted the tone. I narrowed it down to a five or so various advanced settings or settings only Cliff really understands. All I did was trust my ears and experimented. The day I turned the feedback up changed everything. At least for U2 tone. Something about Edge's tone is bright and warm, but not thin and brittle. It just works for me.
Ya his current sig series has custom shop fat 50’s in the neck and middle. I’ve owned an original ‘73 and have a current sig series version and other than weight, the big difference with the current signature series is the quack position. It is really chime’y. The bridge isn’t super hot as you might think, but hotter than a std strat p/u. But to be honest I’ve heard recordings of guys with MIM strats, and if they can play, a normal person wouldn’t make out the difference.
Sure, I'll post it next time I turn on the gear (over the holiday). I tried the SDD-3000 before the amp and to me it's just a boost. Maybe my ears can't tell, but it doesn't seem to doo much. It's not the key to my tone with the Axe. I've learned to simplify. I tried to make all my core tone adjustments in the amp model. There are so many parameters that I figure there must be a way to figure it out without adding blocks. The Axe gets too complicated when you try to create tone with too many blocks because it just adds more parameters and leads to the never ending combinations of changes you can make. You can get that subtle "edge of breakup" in so many ways. There is the gain, trim, built in boost, etc. So many ways to get that natural drive. And if you can't get it with the TB AC-30 model, then just try another amp model. Maybe the AC-20 for example. The mistake I made at the beginning is I assumed you have to use the model that the artist uses. We all have different guitars, speakers and ears, so don't limit yourself to what amp you use. In fact, you could take many of the models and change their parameters enough to sound like other models. Cliff has made the circuits so "digitally accessible" that we are able to change the tone of the original amp completely. Add the built in EQ and you can model anything.
Agree and all your assumptions are right on target. Many (not all) of Edge's strat songs are played in quack position (Streets, AIWIY, Pride, ISHFWILF, etc). Strat quack into AC-30 set to "edge of breakup" is the core tone. Don't forget the Edge uses a Herdim pick and turns it sideways. He strikes the strings with the dimples on the blue pick that are meant to be a no-slip surface. That adds to the grit you're hearing. It's not just the slightly over-driven amp tone. It's the scratch from the Herdim dimples. Then there are the modulated delays - the key is to use a digital, modulated delay.
No but it has a +4db boost that people like that pushes the amp.
Sorry. I will take a look at my settings and get back to you.