TB or normal in AC 30 for Humbuckers?

[bionic]

I am playing my les paul, gretcsh with tv jones powertrons and a P 90 jazzmaster into the top boost but prefer the normal channel for my leads with a rangemaster. Should I switch over to the darkside for my "rock" rhythm sound as well as my leads and just stay on the top boost for my cleans?

[sixstring531]

I have a Les Paul and now a Duo Jet with the TV Jones -- I haven't decided what I like yet for the sound in my AC30. I used to run it on TB only with the switch in the modern setting (on the back). Then I switched to mixing the channels with the clean a little hotter than the TB and the switch in the vintage setting. I can't tell man -- I am a bedroom player mostly and it all sounds good to me. I think I prefer it in the Vintage setting, but I will try the DUO in the modern setting today. IMHO you can't go wrong with the TB channel -- the clean is excellent as well, so who knows, mix 'em
My settings are as follows: (if standing behind the amp looking down)
Master Volume 12
Cut 3
Bass 1-2 (1:30?)
Treble 8-9
TB Volume 9-10
Clean Volume 9-10, 10-11

Vintage setting in back with the tubes set hotter

[oscar100]

prefer tb myself

[Telephile]

The normal channel can sound great with a good treble booster or OD. But The Top Boost channel on a Vox is so alive and complex. Love it with Lp's and teles.

[bionic]

I have been clean boosting my tb channel with a Tim or Timmy lately and I've been liking it but it still doesn't sound as good as the TB channel cranked up at 3 oclock and I want to leave that channel at 9 oclock to get a good chimey clean sound. I just want to get an almost tb sound out of my normal channel with maybe just a bit of the inherent girth of the normal channel so I can A/B and have the perfect two channel amp. I am thinking about just using the mid boost from a sans amp, tim or timmy as a clean boost (to get the good stuff out of the eq) or Barb Eq, Tech 21 AC 30 simulators or TBIAC to add mids and a bit of sparkle and cut through the dark and dull normal channel. I would then goose the normal channel with a rangmaster or eternity for a singing lead sound.

[re-animator]

Originally Posted by bionic

but prefer the normal channel for my leads with a rangemaster. Should I switch over to the darkside for my "rock" rhythm sound as well as my leads and just stay on the top boost for my cleans?

you're currently describing my live rig


I generally keep my SC guitars on normal channel the whole time unless I need a specifically bright tone, then i switch on the a/b switch. OR if i have to stay at low volume I use TB for cleans almost all the time, and normal for all my dirt. To me the normal channel sounds more angry and saturated when turned up.... the top boost sounds a bit thin to me on 10.... like a BF fender when they're cranked too high.