Tech 21 Blonde pedal

[tjalla]

Here's my take on my Blonde:

Pros:
Sounds very good direct to board.
Accepts some (not all) OD pedals well
Has a decent amp-like quality on clean to light OD.
Sounds good into bright or full-range amps eg Deluxe Reverb with bright cap across vol pot, which is why it sounded like crud with the sim off in the demo. The DRRI isn't the most pedal friendly amp, but it is quite full-range which is why the sim-on sounded better.
Good for parking next to your computer soundcard for quick and easy good sounding demos.
Good for taking to gigs where backline is provided - saved me a couple times now.

Cons:
Can make a dark amp too dark - the speaker sim rolls off presence, as you would imagine.
Doesn't play with my Menatones (TBAIC/WMB) - I think because these have an amp-voicing too.
Knobs very sensitive and interactive (could be a pro), but I find it hard to get a consistent live sound if switching guitars/OD pedals.
Hi gain settings, to my ears, still sound a bit processed.
Footswitch on mine is intermittent :P

Redpill - you should hear what my TBIAC (6-knob) does to the BF channel on my Tone King Comet.

Conclusion - I've taken the Blonde off my board, which is now mostly the TBIAC and a WMB into (get this) the red Behringer DI with its 4x12 sim, direct to board. And for me that setup does a better job - more consistent and more natural sounding. I'll keep the Blonde next to the computer for times I want to knock up a demo with a variety of Fender tones.

[redpill]

Originally Posted by tjalla

Redpill - you should hear what my TBIAC (6-knob) does to the BF channel on my Tone King Comet.

I have a feeling I'd like the amp by itself better. I've tried and heard a lot of "transform one amp into another" setups. The best they accomplish, to my ears, is sounding like a good OD/distortion into a good amp - but not turning a Fender into a Vox or vice versa. That still sounds good, but it's not what people think they're getting, IMO.

[david henman]

....i use the liverpool model for recording straight in. amazes me every time.

have yet to run another o/d pedal through it.

-dh

[tjalla]

While I haven't played a handwired or vintage AC15, I had an AC15CCX (with the Celestion Blue) which I cranked regularly, and the TBIAC does a very respectable job in capturing the AC15's vibe on the pedal's brilliant channel - down to the compression/sag/spit at higher gain settings. I sold the Vox and haven't really missed it.

One more note about the Blonde - I find the treble knob voiced a tad low. I can't tell you what kHz its centred around but at times I wish it was a tad higher to make the cleans sparkle just that bit more. Or alternatively the addition of a separate presence knob would have been good. With the speaker sim shaving off top end (among other things), I'd like having better control to add it back as needed.

[strumminsix]

Has anyone run theirs with a reverb before the Blonde?

I have a gigs coming up that I need to run direct. Previously I was using an XT live which gets the job done but tonally not what I'm after. I was considering getting something like the M13 for FX (& use it with my amps) to use with a Blonde.

Chain would be:
Guitar > M13 > Blonde > DI > board

In theory this should work and work nicely since many folks use reverb boxes into non-reverb amps before the preamp.

Thoughts??

[redpill]

I use a reverb after the Blonde, but YMMV. But if you were going to use a multi-unit, then yeah, you'd probably put it before.

[strumminsix]

Originally Posted by redpill

I use a reverb after the Blonde, but YMMV. But if you were going to use a multi-unit, then yeah, you'd probably put it before.

That would be an option. But I don't know if it would be worth the extra cables & programming.

I see cons for either setup. After has reverb after the cab sim. Before has reverb before the preamp.

Have you tried it before?

[mwc2112]

That shouldn't even be an issue. The M13 has an effects loop, so you can put the Blonde after the comp/OD/etc and before the delay/verb/etc.

[strumminsix]

mwc2112, your suggestion would have me add reverb to a signal already cab simulated.

[redpill]

If you think about it, both reverb and delay kind of make sense after cab simulation. Room and hall reverb are supposed to emulate the sound of a guitar played through an amp into a room or a hall. I think it sounds great. Delay sounds more echo-like to my ears when used after a cab sim (or at a mixing board).

And I said that I use reverb after the sim, so yes, that means I have tried it.

[strumminsix]

Good points, redpill! Thinking that way after would be ideal!

What I was trying to ask is if you've tried it before?

Again, anyone can compare this to the Fender setting on the GT2? I thought it was ok clean but weird sounding at high gain and didn't play nice with most of my pedals i.e. my fuzz pedals sound got "lost" in the mix if you know what I mean

[Peeb]

How would these play with the BSIAB pedal?

[dr.slide]

has anyone run one of these into tech 21 power engine? the doc

[Peeb]

Originally Posted by dr.slide

has anyone run one of these into tech 21 power engine? the doc

No personally, but I think I've read somewhere that it works quite nicely.

I've definitely read that the Power Engine makes a fantastic launching pad for a modeler like the PODXT.