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Post by ampedup on Nov 19, 2017 3:32:09 GMT -7
Just got back from a gig tonight and the amp sure sounded good. Was getting enthusiastic compliments on my tone for the first time. I try to keep it simple but I will still use whatever I can with the amp to get what I need. Normally it’s just a Les Paul into Z-Drive into Z-Lux which always sounded good but I wasn’t getting the girth to the sound that I wanted for the blues that my band plays. I could get it with the Z-Lux bypass boost engaged which sounds amazing but doesn’t leave many volume options if it’s always on. So tonight I added an Xotic EP boost after the Z-Drive. What a sound! And I still had the Bypass boost if I needed more and they sounded great together. I’m so chuffed with the tone I was getting. We play at lower volumes generally. I’m usually set on full power with the volume around 1-2:00 and the master at around 9:00-9:30 which is pretty loud in a pub but the amp is just barely alive, for me it needs a little “something something” at those levels to really get it singing.
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Post by doctorice on Nov 19, 2017 14:05:53 GMT -7
When you can't crank the amp -- who can these days? -- a good pedal or two are so helpful. Not only for the sound into the amp, but for the feel under one's fingers.
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Exuma
New Member
Posts: 26
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Post by Exuma on Nov 26, 2017 16:51:22 GMT -7
Can you help explain the purpose of a boost pedal? I know it boosts the signal to the amp, but I'm confused why you might need one if the amp already has a master volume that lets it break up, as well as many "level" volumes on other pedals which could boost a signal on its own.
Thanks!
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Post by ampedup on Nov 26, 2017 21:52:17 GMT -7
Well a boost is useful for more than just increasing breakup. Generally they are great for getting a volume boost for lead playing in a band situation when you need to stand out. Also I typically play with a small amount of drive but occasionally we play songs that need a clean tone but the volume needs to be consistent. In those cases I turn off the dirt pedal and might turn on a boost to compensate for the loss of volume. But I use the amps’ boost for that usually. The EP booster I’m leaving on all the time and turned as low as it can go, whether I have a clean or dirty tone, to provide a very subtle thing. The EP is known to colour your tone and it typically adds that to the low end and it also provides some warmth. It’s subtle but great. I’m not sure the audience would even know but it makes me feel a bit more confident and so my playing is improved. For that reason alone it’s worth it. I have cranked up the pedal to see what it does and without any dirt pedal it can really drive the front of the amp and get some sweet breakup but that’s not how I want to use it. I hope that helps.
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Exuma
New Member
Posts: 26
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Post by Exuma on Nov 26, 2017 21:56:46 GMT -7
Awesome, that's a great explanation. Thanks!
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Post by premiumplus (Dave) on Nov 27, 2017 8:45:52 GMT -7
If I might add, the first thing that the guitar signal goes to in the typical tube amp is a tube gain stage. There aren't any controls before this, the signal goes right to the first preamp tube. This first tube is usually the one that you would want to put your "best sounding" tube in, since it establishes the basic tone of the amp. Next in line comes the volume control, more gain stages, the tone controls, master volume, etc. A boost pedal allows you to overdrive the first stage of the guitar amp, and that will in turn effect the basic sound that you are getting out of the amp, giving it that sweet juicy sound we love. So when you crank the clean tone coming into the amp with a pedal, it overdrives and distorts the first stage and your amp's volume control becomes in effect a sort of "pre" master volume control if you will. Hope I explained this well, I'm still waking up.
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Exuma
New Member
Posts: 26
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Post by Exuma on Nov 27, 2017 8:47:41 GMT -7
Ahh, definitely makes a lot of sense. As a side question, when you put in new tubes am I expected to try and find the "best" tube to put first or is that really only for pro musicians to figure out?
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Post by premiumplus (Dave) on Nov 27, 2017 8:55:34 GMT -7
I wouldn't change a thing unless your amp starts sounding bad. Then I'd put the tubes that Doc recommends on his website in it and go play.
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Post by doctorice on Nov 28, 2017 8:04:35 GMT -7
Some boosts, or pedals set to be more boost than adders of dirt, also reshape the eq in ways that can be helpful. For example, some use Klon-style pedals with the gain nearly or fully off, with the volume and tone/treble adjusted to both hit the amp's front end harder and add some upper midrange emphasis that can lift a solo in the mix. SRV reportedly used tube screamers in a similar manner: little gain, lots of volume. The TS is known to elevate the mids and lower the bass.
It can also be cool to stack boosts and overdrives.
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Post by Don on Jan 20, 2018 14:35:30 GMT -7
I'll bet a Wampler Tumnus would sound amazing in front of a Z-Lux. I would know!
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