When to change the Tonestack Type?

Reading up on the Tonestack type in the Tone page of the Amp Block I have question about when to change this.

For example if I am using the Badger 18 Amp Block, then the Tonestack Type is set to default, so does this mean that it is using the Badge 18 Tonestack by default and there is no need to change it to the Badger 18 Tonestack available as an option?

Thanks
 
That's right.

With the Axe you can change this to other tonestack "types" that are set on other real amps. In essence.....you can "Frankenstein" your amp in the virtual world.

Not just with the tonestack but with all the other amp parameters as well that are not usually exposed to the user with the real amps. Totally awesome!
 
A tonestack is a passive EQ circuit, and a very simple one at that - usually consists of the 3 controls, 3 capacitors and 1 resistor. This page on my website gives a basic comparison of designs and frequency responses of typical Fender and Marshall tonestacks: GM Arts - Guitar Amplifiers

As you can see, the control pots are connected in series and stacked on top of each other, hence the term tone stack. Typical settings usually cut some mids. The tonestack location makes a big difference in overdriven preamps, because like all filters, it changes the tone of the signal preceding preamp stages, and changes the overdrive character of stages that follow it.
 
Thanks but to clearly understand are you saying that with my example of the badger 18 that as well as using that Amp Block, I should also use the Badger 18 Tonestack, and the same for any other Amp block that has a defined Tonestack - many thanks?
 
Thanks but to clearly understand are you saying that with my example of the badger 18 that as well as using that Amp Block, I should also use the Badger 18 Tonestack, and the same for any other Amp block that has a defined Tonestack - many thanks?
Every amp model starts out with its own tone stack, even if its tone stack isn't in the drop-down list of tone stacks. No need to select the tone stack after calling up the amp model.
 
I found a great use for it. I wanted to get a Cameron-modded Marshall tone (versus the Cameron brand amp) so I selected a Plexi 100 and then changed the tonestack to a Cameron one. :)
 
So is it true to say if you select an amp and then change its tone stack, the eq knobs adjust whatever amp is selected in the tone stack and the gain knobs adjust whatever amp is selected in the amp block?
 
Every amp model starts out with its own tone stack, even if its tone stack isn't in the drop-down list of tone stacks. No need to select the tone stack after calling up the amp model.

Sort of. There are currently 66 Tone Stacks. Every amp model uses one of these tone stacks. Obviously as there are more models than tone stacks some models share tone stacks. If you set the Tone Stack Type to Default, the amp block will use the tone stack appropriate for that model. For example, the Plexi 50W models use the "Plexi" tone stack (not surprisingly). If you set the Type to Default then the selected tone stack will be the Plexi tone stack. If you set the Type to Plexi it will be the same tone stack.

The reason I did it this way is so you don't have to remember what the default tone stack is for the model. Simply set the Type back to Default.

BTW, the tone stack is one of the main things that gives an amp its particular voice. People wax on about NOS tubes and "vintage iron" and cloth insulation and other nonsense but at the end of the day it's 99% frequency response. The tone stack shapes the frequency response pretty drastically. Many so-called boutique amps are nothing more than a classic design with a tweaked tone stack. The Axe-Fx II is unique in that it is the only modeling device that accurately replicates a tone stack along with the interaction of the controls and influence of surrounding circuitry. I had to solve the mesh equations for each of the major tone stack types which wasn't easy. A tone stack is a 3rd-order network and coding that was a real challenge.
 
So is it true to say if you select an amp and then change its tone stack, the eq knobs adjust whatever amp is selected in the tone stack and the gain knobs adjust whatever amp is selected in the amp block?

I think the position of the tonestack circuit in the overall amp circuit is part of what makes a guitar amp sound like it does. So depending on the amp model, the tonestack can interact with the amp differently. E.g. boosting a tone control can have a big impact on gain or not so much depending on the amp model.
 
I had to solve the mesh equations for each of the major tone stack types which wasn't easy. A tone stack is a 3rd-order network and coding that was a real challenge.
That's huge. Once you go beyond a trivially simple circuit, mesh equations can become tortuous and nasty.
 
Cliff, Would it be possible to add more tonestacks to the Gen1 units?

Also, When you change the tonestack on an amp model, Do you also need to change/adjust the Tone Freq parameter to the tonestack selected? (example: Plexi Tone Freq - 599HZ to a JTM45 which is 752HZ)
 
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