Pedals to enhance cleans? (giggity, Ep booster?)

[BGrizzMayne]

Hey guys-

I run strat into a board into a Fender Twin or Deluxe.

I usually end up not using my amp's cleans much- Usually my cleaner tones are from a Maxon OD808, then I boost to my BB preamp for higher gain stuff.

I'd like to get a more 'sparkly' clean sound so I could actually make use of the clean channel and have some solid tones.

What do you guys like to spice up the clean channel? Ep booster, giggity?

 

[Steve73]

The Diamond compressor is great for this. I normally don't like comps but the Diamond 'sweetens' the tone and let's you add some sparkle via it's Tone knob. Excellent pedal in front of a clean amp (or dirty for that matter).

 

[BGrizzMayne]

I've got a Keeley 4 knob compressor already- would that and the diamond overlab?

 

[jondom22]

I personally like the straight into amp sound of a nice BF or SF Deluxe Reverb when you set the amp on the verge of breakup. To get a little more pop but maintain the cleans, an EP Booster definitely sounds good for that. I have both a SF Deluxe Reverb and an Earth G2000 head (which is almost identical to a Twin reverb), and have played single coil fenders into them with and without an EP Booster. Sounds really good stacked with a TS9 style pedal as well, although I don't like it after my Fuzz cos it loses to much dirt.

 

[the_rising]

BBE Sonic Stomp.

 

[majorlabeldebut]

I love my Ep booster for this. Just adds that perfect chime and really fills out my clean tone. I think it would be just what you're looking for.

 

[stratovarius]

The Diamond compressor is great for this.

You beat me to it.

 

[BGrizzMayne]

I've wanted an EP for a long time because of the reasons you mentioned. Do you have yours set at the beginning of the chain, or the end? I likely wouldn't be using it as a boost; just something that's always on

 

[wundergussy]

Barb EQ, Ep Booster, Clinch FX Pre.

 

[jondom22]

I've wanted an EP for a long time because of the reasons you mentioned. Do you have yours set at the beginning of the chain, or the end? I likely wouldn't be using it as a boost; just something that's always on

If you're using it as an always on, keep it towards the front of the chain, that way your OD's are being fed those nice harmonics as well, as opposed to somewhat taming your OD's by putting it after (although it creates a really nice mid-rangey snappy lead if you place it after a good OD). I guess just experiment with what you like.

 

[methc]

Diamond Comp works wonders for my cleans. Since I put it on my board and found the sweet spot for the knobs, every time I go to my clean tone my band mate (drummer) goes wow that's awesome.

 

[cas29]

My best cleans come from a Fender DR reissue (which I think is a little brother of the twin) and an empress comp>klone type with gain on 0 for warm boost> DMM550. Its just an amazing sound.

The diamond comp probably would work just as well as the empress. Really brings the brighter strings forward and creates a nice chime. And the DMM550 with a bit of modulation just sounds amazing with the amps reverb and creates a beautiful light ambiance in the background.

I cant get a decent lead/crunch sound out of this amp for the life of me. OCD, MUFF, POT, they are all just OK in this amp. But I guess I have my Marshall for the leads which all 3 pedals sound amazing through.

 

[Jules-RM]

What guitar are you using, and have you had it properly set up recently - including pickup height?

As for pedals, I like the Barber LTD SR and BAT Black Forest for this. Never really liked the EP Booster, but never tried the Giggity.

 

[jondom22]

My best cleans come from a Fender DR reissue (which I think is a little brother of the twin) and an empress comp>klone type with gain on 0 for warm boost> DMM550. Its just an amazing sound.

The diamond comp probably would work just as well as the empress. Really brings the brighter strings forward and creates a nice chime. And the DMM550 with a bit of modulation just sounds amazing with the amps reverb and creates a beautiful light ambiance in the background.

I cant get a decent lead/crunch sound out of this amp for the life of me. OCD, MUFF, POT, they are all just OK in this amp. But I guess I have my Marshall for the leads which all 3 pedals sound amazing through.

I had the same problem with a SF Deluxe Reverb and what I found out was that there's a resistor soldered onto the volume pot of the vibrato channel that in essence acts as a bright switch that you can't turn off. It sounds great when you play into that channel without a lot of OD/Fuzz/Dist in front of it, but as soon as you start adding some dirt in front, it doesn't sound great.

That's why you should do one of the following:

1 - Play through normal channel (since it doesn't have this resister on the volume pot). If you still want the reverb from the amp, you can have it easily modded so that the reverb and vibrato work on both channels.

2 - Cut the resister off the volume pot on the vibrato channel (the cheapest solution), or even install a bright switch on the vibrato channel.

3 - If you don't want to touch the guts of the amp, definitely just use a reverb pedal at the end of your chain and go into the normal channel.

Really made a HUGE HUGE HUGE difference for me. Up to that point, I had tried multiple speakers, guitars, pedals, and I kept running into the same problem once I got enough dirt in front of it.

 

[abnerfm]

EP Booster or a good Klone set as a boost

 

[trower]

A Boss Spectrum (if you can find one for less than $500) but seroiusly, I use the Spectrum for just this...phenominal.

 

[pacomc79]

Zvex SHO set low.

 

[JZG]

Interesting topic...I've also been experimenting with this and was getting some phenomenal clean tones with a combination of a Klon (set for clean boost), Badgerplex, and El Cap. The Badgerplex was always on and I would put on the Klon for just a volume boost when needed. Has me thinking of going to an A/B setup, or setting up a looper for clean/dirty sounds.

 

[cas29]

That's why you should do one of the following:

1 - Play through normal channel (since it doesn't have this resister on the volume pot). If you still want the reverb from the amp, you can have it easily modded so that the reverb and vibrato work on both channels.

2 - Cut the resister off the volume pot on the vibrato channel (the cheapest solution), or even install a bright switch on the vibrato channel.

3 - If you don't want to touch the guts of the amp, definitely just use a reverb pedal at the end of your chain and go into the normal channel.

Really made a HUGE HUGE HUGE difference for me. Up to that point, I had tried multiple speakers, guitars, pedals, and I kept running into the same problem once I got enough dirt in front of it.

Hmm thanks Ill try that. I never play though the normal channel so tomorrow Ill def give it a shot and see what happens!

 

[pacomc79]

A lot of people play with a booster or a compressor on all the time too.