What you all doing for leads?

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richedie

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What do all of you running the Mod 50 (or other configurations) do for leads? Some guys like EQs, boosts, etc. I always hear pros using boosts, things like the Tube Screamer or Xotic BB, things of that nature to kind of juice it, make it easier, more fun to play, squishier. I had used a Tube Screamer years ago with a Marshall but it has been a while. Just curious what you all are doing. In the end, I’ll probably just pick up some pedals and mess around.

Later!
 
richedie":21o4qatp said:
What do all of you running the Mod 50 (or other configurations) do for leads? Some guys like EQs, boosts, etc. I always hear pros using boosts, things like the Tube Screamer or Xotic BB, things of that nature to kind of juice it, make it easier, more fun to play, squishier. I had used a Tube Screamer years ago with a Marshall but it has been a while. Just curious what you all are doing. In the end, I’ll probably just pick up some pedals and mess around.

Later!
Click to expand...

I use the Post Output on my Lexicon MPXG2 to add a +3db volume boost. If I need more "gain" I use the EMG Preamp booster I have on my guitars or a Voodoo Lab Sparkle drive.

Eric
 
For leads, I'm going to be using the 4th channel on my Mod50.

:D

But if you're talking about boosts and stuff, Matt has had great luck with the BB Preamp. That pedal is like the best sounding tubescreamer ever. Active bass and treble controls are GREAT.

I love using my Xotic RC Booster. Its very clean. Whereas the BB is like a really, really great sounding tube screamer pedal, and definitely has that op-amp flavored overdrive flavor, the RC is a full frequency clean boost that can add *some* grit. But it's not like BB, tubescreamer grit. It's like crank a fender twin to 6-7 grit. Very subtle yet tubey and oganic, but glassy and big. You know how when you crank a clean channel on a Fender up, and it's not necessarily breaking up, but you can hear some tube compression going on, and it just starts to sound bigger and react differently? That's what the RC simulates to my ears.

Amp set to dead clean, Stepping on the BB, you're like "OK, i turned on a pedal/switched channels"

Amp set to dead clean, Stepping on the RC, you're like "OK, sounds like I turned my amps clean channel up, but I really didn't"

Two different beasts.

For my backup, small gig rig, I'm using a MI Audio Crunchbox > RC Boost > Fender Blues Deluxe. Having the boost AFTER the distortion pedal allows me to have more volume, as well as gain and compression, for leads.

PS: Matthew, I am not hating on your BB at all. Great Pedal. I'll take that over a tubescreamer anyday. :thumbsup:
 
Richedie,

Is this for live gigs, or for recording/home?

Cuz for me, for live gigs, I've found that no amount of dirt/boost/gain in FRONT of the amp will do me any good. I want control over gain AND volume level of my solos. Cuz most soundmen that we deal with are asleep at the wheel. OR we're not mic'd at all.

If live is the case, then definitely have something in the effects loop of your amp, that can boost the volume and perhaps midrange frequencies POST preamp gain.

If you just want more saturation and whatnot for recording a solo, then some sort of tubescreamer-y pedal would boost some mids and smooth stuff out.
 
Honestly, just the B channel of either SL2, EG5, or E-Rect (whichever is the high gain module I decide to use that day) with a little more gain and a little more volume. Dont need any more mids. They all cut fine. Maybe some delay if I feel like stepping on the TimeFactor. Pretty simple for me. No ever told me they cant hear me :)
 
EWSEthan":33vy93dk said:
No ever told me they cant hear me :)
Click to expand...

Ain't that the truth... hahaha. ;)

On another note about boosts though.

A lot of times, boosts that I thought sounded kinda crappy as overdrives, alone into a clean channel, sounded great as boosts into a driven channel. And vice versa.
 
Thanks, the thing I love about the SL2 and EG3/4 for example is they can be EQed for rhythm and lead and cut and sound great for leads! However, I don't just use channel B like you guys do for leads. I could do that if I used channel A with gain cranked and then used guitar volume for gain control. Might do that although to me the SL2 A and B are very different! A is JCM 800, ven Plexi at times and B is modded hot Marshall. For this reason I keep one set to a lower gain and the other higher...different rhythm tones. When a lead comes along, I kick in my Creation Audio Labs Boost in the loop!

I would like the boost up front for two things. One for another flavor, like hitting my Bassman or the Vox for a hotter sound (rhythm and lead), like another channel.
For something like the E-Rect, I want more saturation/boost some mids and smooth stuff out for live usage. This way I can take the E-Rect as my main dirty tone and get what I need for leads.

I would love a pedal up front that will do both but hitting a pedal up fron on the E-Rect will not boost volume, just compression/squish so that would be a pain having to hit that and then the boost in the loop for volume. I'll have to think about it.

I am checking out the Xotic BB and Keeley Katana.

*** However, some modules like the E-Rect are supposed to have identical A and B channels. For this I can just use channel A for rhythm and control gain with my guitar volume. I use a treble bleed on my volume knobs so controlling gain is easy with clarity. I could crank the gain on the channel B for leads to get more squish. Weird though - channel B must be really compressed because I have to turn it up much louder than A to match volume! Odd.
 
Many people use tubescreamers with mesa rectifiers, but I think sometimes they use it more as an eq to tighten them up for rhythm.

Another idea could be for the B channel to maybe crank the master and turning the gain down, rather than turn the gain up and lower the master to compensate for that. Might give you a different sound, maybe more open and/or powertube compression. Most people like more gain on their leads though, but worth a shot.

I don't really notice any volume difference with my erect. What gain settings are you using?
 
RockStarNick":vwx3dpme said:
Amp set to dead clean, Stepping on the BB, you're like "OK, i turned on a pedal/switched channels"

Amp set to dead clean, Stepping on the RC, you're like "OK, sounds like I turned my amps clean channel up, but I really didn't"
Click to expand...

Makes me want to check out that RC for fun. Xotic does great job on their online clips, they've got some monster players on there that I'm sure could make anything sound good. Have you ever tried the RC+?

Also, I always forget, what's the difference between RC and AC?
 
RC = Cleanest one. Very transparent, very little gain available. Clean boost, could use it as a buffer, transparent volume boost if needed, etc.

BB = Tubescreamer-esque, but more of a british flavor. Tight kinda of overdrive. Sounds awesomely smoky. Loves neck single coils.

AC is like more of a loose kind of OD. I had one, and didn't really love it. Sounded kinda loose, flabby, and muddy.
 
With all settings the same, channel A is way louder.

I may try the BB or Katana....but I might stay put for a while because I can crank the gain on B for leads which adds some complressio nand squish. I can use Z for rhythm and use the guitar to control gain.

Eventually I want something like the BB to hit the Bassman or Vox for a new flavor.
 
Richie I'll see if I can check later in the week, but I'm almost certain my channels are equal volume.

Thanks for the rundown Nick. I think it'd be fun to use with my strat on cleans. I'm in no rush to get one just yet, but probably will down the road. There's a video of dean parks on the xotic site that is just great to listen to. He described it just like you did.
 
My E-Rect channels are exactly the same too.

Strat w/ good neck pickup + BB Preamp + COD channel A = :2thumbsup:

The BB is just an awesome pedal. Its easily the best of its type Ive played. I may still even have an MI Audio Blues Pro but I didnt like that nearly as much as the BB and its highly regarded. But I rarely use it for high gain leads. Channel B always works for me because Channel A of either SL2, E-Rect, or EG5 work great as high gain rhythm and then I also have Channel B of BMan for a lower gain rhythm. I dont need a 4th non-lead channel.
 
To me, SL2 channel A and B are very different so I don't like one for lead and one for rhythm. To me A is very JCM 800 but doesn't do the high gain I want. I need channel B for the Alice and Chains, Dokken, Metallica type stuff. Channel A is more the lighter STP, GnR, AC/DC, etc.

I use my Bassman channe B for older Led Zep type tones.

If I can find a way to get my amp set to use channel B for lead, I could ditch my Creation Audio Labs boost in the loop(best clean boost othe planet!) and instead get a BB for up front to add new plavors to my rig! If only I could get the SL2 channel A heavy enough for high gain and use my guitar volume for gain control.
 
richedie":1luf6qhe said:
To me, SL2 channel A and B are very different so I don't like one for lead and one for rhythm. To me A is very JCM 800 but doesn't do the high gain I want. I need channel B for the Alice and Chains, Dokken, Metallica type stuff. Channel A is more the lighter STP, GnR, AC/DC, etc.

I use my Bassman channe B for older Led Zep type tones.
Click to expand...

This is true. I have the gain cranked on SL2 A and its just barely (maybe not really even) enough for rhythm. Ive toyed with modding it for 2 B channels for a long time. Luckily I dont have this problem with EG5. :D
 
If I can find a way to get my amp set to use channel B for lead, I could ditch my Creation Audio Labs boost in the loop(best clean boost othe planet!) and instead get a BB for up front to add new plavors to my rig! If only I could get the SL2 channel A heavy enough for high gain and use my guitar volume for gain control.
 
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