Rebel 20 boost

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UncleNazz

UncleNazz

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Hi - does anyone have any tips on boosting the volume on the Rebel 20 when playing at high gain. I have a Blackstar HT Dual pedal which I thought was going to be the answer but I prefer the sound of the Rebel 20 cranked without it. When you stomp in the Blackstar it just gets squelchier....

I'm trying to just have a straight ahead sound with a little boost for leads - I'm not interested in having a pedal board and multi fx racks etc.... I've done that in the past and want to keep it simple this time.

Should I put the Blackstar in the Effects Loop ?

Easy answer is probs to get Rebel 30 or another Rebel 20 and AB box but this is adding expense and more hassles....

Anyone out there with an answer ????

UncleNazz
 
For a real simple boost like that, I have used an MXR Micro Amp in the effects loop of my amps in the past. It works like a champ, and isn't too expensive.

Kyle
 
Ok thanks - I think I'll try the Blackstar in the loop as a mid range boost or something and see what that does.

After reading all the hype about the BS HT dual it seemed like an easy way to get a 3 channel head out of the Rebel 20 but I much prefer the od sound from the amp to the one from the pedal. An expensive experiment if tonight's loop insertion strategy fails !!

Hope to be posting glowing reports tomorrow !!!
Cheers
UN
 
The HT-DUAL is a good pedal for me. I've got one and use it with my Rebel. But it is not really a high gain or metal pedal. And just to use it as a volume booster kind of defeats its purpose.

For me the DUAL "A" channel with the "crunch" button pressed works as a pretty good cleanish OD. But this still might add too much compression for you.

The "B" channel gives me some really good classic distortion when played into the Rebel when the Rebel is set clean and eq'ed for it. Using the distorted channel "B" into a distorted Rebel preamp is going to be mushy for sure, because the HT drive channel adds a lot of compression. I have the "B" channel gain set around 10-11 o'clock, pretty low actually, and still get a lot of compression and drive.

The whole trick for me was to set the Rebel preamp very clean, but still getting enough overall drive to make the Rebel output tubes warm up a little. Unfortunately this is a little "too clean" when the DUAL is off. If I use more Rebel gain and dial the Rebel eq to get a good meaty clean sound, it doesn't work as well with the DUAL distortions. So I feel your pain, I can't get "3 channels" either, but fortunately for me I at least have two pretty good distortions dialed doing it my way.

JWW
 
UncleNazz":2uoavllq said:
Ok thanks - I think I'll try the Blackstar in the loop as a mid range boost or something and see what that does.

After reading all the hype about the BS HT dual it seemed like an easy way to get a 3 channel head out of the Rebel 20 but I much prefer the od sound from the amp to the one from the pedal. An expensive experiment if tonight's loop insertion strategy fails !!

Hope to be posting glowing reports tomorrow !!!
Cheers
UN
Click to expand...
It really depends on your guitar.I was about ready to sell the HTDual but,when i tried it with my PRS Cu22 w/BK Mules,it was perfect with the Rebel20 (Amp Master on max,gain at 10 o'clock only).With a LP-type,it's awful (not good with active or high-output Pu's either).With other guitars,i use a Maxon OD9 or a modded SD1 and a comp.when necessary.
 
UncleNazz":1451uzur said:
Hi - does anyone have any tips on boosting the volume on the Rebel 20 when playing at high gain. I have a Blackstar HT Dual pedal which I thought was going to be the answer but I prefer the sound of the Rebel 20 cranked without it. When you stomp in the Blackstar it just gets squelchier....

I'm trying to just have a straight ahead sound with a little boost for leads - I'm not interested in having a pedal board and multi fx racks etc.... I've done that in the past and want to keep it simple this time.

Should I put the Blackstar in the Effects Loop ?

Easy answer is probs to get Rebel 30 or another Rebel 20 and AB box but this is adding expense and more hassles....

Anyone out there with an answer ????

UncleNazz
Click to expand...
If you want to play the Rebel cranked most of the time and just need a little boost for solos,a simple TS-type will do the trick (high level and low gain).
 
I had the same situation after I got my Rebel 20. Just wanted to boost the great overdrive I already had dialed in. I am using a Turbo TS (second mode, gain zero, tone knob 3/4, output half) To my ears, it sounds just like I turned the amp's gain up a little. I also have a BBE Boosta Grande that adds up to 20db of clean volume, zero gain, and a tad more beef to the overall tone. They also work well together for a fourth option (compressed, sustaining, great controllable feedback). I also just tried a Keeley modded Blues Driver and it was sweet with the Rebel, very transparent. Good luck in your search, you have a ton of options. :rock:
 
I use a Flying Dragon Pedal. http://www.lizardlegeffects.com This thing has been my new favorite pedal all year for all of our stuff. It works fantastic with the R20 to give you more of the R20 and not a new thing. My $0.02
john
 
Good morning everyone and Happy New Year for I am in Scotland and tonight is Hogmanay!! - we take it seriously here....

Last night I had a rehearsal with my Rock covers band and I was determined to spend a bit of time at the start trying to get my sound sorted out with the R20, Blackstar HT Dual and a Fulltone Clyde Deluxe Wah.

I had tried the BsHT in the effects loop but the hum was nasty so I put it back in series after the Wah. With the R20 set on low gain and high master I was able to get a passable 'rock' sound with either of the BsHT channels but it did seem compressed. After trying along with bass and drums I felt like there was something missing and decided to turn up the gain and lower the master on the R20 without using the BsHT. The result was incredible - I was back to where I'd started but the sound was so much bigger.

All I wanted was a bit of volume boost for solos but I don't want to lose the great sound from the R20 in high gain mode. We played a variety of songs such as Crazy Train, Enter Sandman, Ace of Spades, Rosalie, Jailbreak, Highway to Hell - you get the idea.....I didn't adjust anything in between songs apart from my playing style - with only myself playing guitar the leads come out fine unless there is a lot of cymbal activity!! Going into the 'cowboy song' near the end of Rosalie its possible to play gently and get it coming out that way. With the BsHT you don't get that feeling of control over the output, to play quieter passages you would have to switch it out.

The rest of the band thought we sounded great and this was down to the R20 with its no frills classic rock sound.

Anyway - I've decided to ditch the BsHT - probably on eBay, a shame as it cost me £140 !!

I might investigate the microamp in the FX loop as suggested previously.

I play a Gibson Les Paul Custom in white or a Gibson LP Standard in black (from 1989 and 1990 - I'm old!!) and love the fact that I can just plug in and go - I spent the last 20 years trying to get this sound !!!

- must get on with work !!!

Cheers,

I do go on a bit !!
UN
 
Enjoy the holidays UncleNazz! :cheers: Let's all rock on into the new year, and the next one, and the next one, etc. :D
 
Blackstar HT Dual has gone to a new home - A friend who it works for !!
He is saving to buy a Rebel 20 after hearing and playing mine last weekend.

I have today ordered an MXR Microamp as a boost to use in the effects loop as advised...

If it arrives by tomorrow I will try it out in a band scenario tomorrow night.

Fingers crossed this time that it does what I want !!

N
 
I've had good luck with the micro amp in a loop for leads, but I've had the best success with an EQ pedal of some sort. Works great and you can shape the tone as well.
The micro amp should work for you though. Let us know how it works out.
 
Good news and bad news......

As the Rock Band (covers) has a big gig coming up (my 1st in over 13 years !!) I thought I'd better try my old Marshall 4x12 in the rehearsal room instead of using their Laney cab. After nearly killing myself carrying the thing down from my top floor tenement flat in Dundee I managed to get it into the car and felt pretty good about things.

After years of playing through full stacks and then a hiatus of over a decade I hadn't appreciated/had forgotten about how directional a base cab from a stack is. If you stand off to the side it is hard to hear yourself with a loud drummer (and I play loud) The Rebel 20 sounded really 'dark' and I had to fiddle a while to get 'my' sound. The main problem was the cab blasting into legs instead of the sound spreading.

Anyway - the MXR MicroAmp worked nicely in the effects loop. it gave me plenty of boost without the sound getting too toppy. I'm going to swap the base cab for the top - angled cab that I gave to a friend in a drunken fit of frivolity (thought I'd never use them again and he had the space)

cheers,

N
 
Saturday's gig went well,,,,,

It was in Glasgow City Centre on an old refurbed car ferry - The Ferry, Glasgow.
The set up was great and the sound excellent...

There were 3 other bands on before us and they all used our kit and my Egnater R20/Marshall 4x12 cab. I took the angled one after last weeks nightmare....

The MXR Microamp did the biz for leads and I couldn't be happier...

First gig for nearly 14 years and I'm ready for the next !!!!

Thanks for all the help and comments,
There's a wee bit of footage on MySpace under Illicit Still - Egnater looks like an old radio on the Marshall Cab !!

Cheers,

UN
 
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