Best amp settings for punk/ska

[Mikelamury]

I'm currently using a boss katana 50 with no effects pedals.im playing a fender FMT HH tele with an alternative 8 trembucker to and a jazz neck. Just want to get some opinions on some good amp settings(both clean and dirty) for playing leftover crack type ska/punk. I currently have it on bass-6 mids-7 treble-8.5 gain-2.5 reverb-3 for my clean channel and on bass-6 mids-9 treble-7 gain-7-8 reverb-3 for my distorted channel. It's best I've found so far but looking for better suggestions. Thanks

[NegativeEase]

I listened to Leftover Crack to understand your request -it's basically classic 90s California Punk/Ska guitar tones -nothing unusual

I would say look up mimicking a Mesa Boogie dual recto tone on your Katana -or another more full range scooped classic high gain head of the 90s/00s Maybe a tighter 6L6 type tighter more snappier break up tone -which is a more scooped tone and brighter than a Marshall EL34 type softer breakup tone.

A lot of mid range will not sound right for the ska parts likely.

[Bogner]

Don't forget that no matter the tone, volume and sheer attitude and aggression in your playing will be the secret sauce.

[CaptainWhizz]

Pick is probably quite important too, it needs to be reasonably rigid to get the bright attack, but not too thick that you can’t strum quickly.

[Mikelamury]

I'm using .60 dunlop's and now that I think about it I do believe they use mesa boogie's,I will look into that. What would you guys suggest for a better 50 watt amp below$400 I tried a fender mustang lt50 and went right back to the katana. Any suggestions?

[Empty Pockets]

Man you know there's no such thing as Leftover Crack

I was a huge Choking Victim / Leftover Crack guy back in the day. I have 20-year-old posts on this forum asking the same question you're asking now hahah.

I've seen them live several times and they always use Telecasters with stock single-coils (except once Ezra had a Gretsch DuoJet with a Telecaster bridge pickup installed) into cranked tube half-stacks like Peavey Butchers or Marshall JCM900s. Their "clean" tone is on the edge of overdrive and they just use basic Boss DS-1s for the heavy distortion parts. Their sound is the harsh twang of the twangy Tele bridge strummed hard and fast and then driven into distortion. Try using your humbucker in split mode and dial in a brighter sound than normal for the clean parts.

Glad to hear that that crackrocksteady beat drums on somewhere. Feel free in to inbox me if you want to chat more.

[alex1fly]

It always helps to articulate what you do and don't like about your current settings, and where you're playing (venues? Garage jams? At home solo?)

Here's what I put on your other thread:
"Fat, juicy, compressed cleans and raw power distortion is the name of the tone game. I'd think a high gain Marshall model for the dirt parts (with an optional boost) and a Fender model with a compressor and boosted mids for the cleans."

Thicker pick will definitely help bring definition to your sound. Ska punk is all about definition. Reducing the bass will also help with this. Maybe turn down the distortion too - too much gain can make your sound fizzy and weird.

The Katana is a great amp. If you like it, I don't think you need to switch it for another 50 watt amp. But part of what the sound you like from the band is likely a bigger cabinet like a 4x12... I guess I'm trying to say, from this comment and the ones I made in your other thread, try to make your sound "based on someone's else sound" rather than trying to "sound exactly like a certain band". It's a waste of time and money to continuously exchange gear in search of a specific sound.

You may also benefit from a nice workhorse multi-effects pedal like a Boss, Digitech, Zoom, Line 6. Those can be found for under $200 and contain a world of different sounds. The Katana plus a multi effects pedal plus your Tele would be an incredibly versatile rig for not much money.

[Mikelamury]

Damn empty pockets your right. I just watched several videos and yes they use telecasters - who would have thought? I was going about it all wrong. So I ordered the electronics out of a 60's modified telecaster already and am on my way to building a telecaster. It makes sense about getting their crunch sound from the twang of the bridge and distortion. Thanks alot empty pockets!

[Securb]

[Empty Pockets]

Damn empty pockets your right. I just watched several videos and yes they use telecasters - who would have thought? I was going about it all wrong. So I ordered the electronics out of a 60's modified telecaster already and am on my way to building a telecaster. It makes sense about getting their crunch sound from the twang of the bridge and distortion. Thanks alot empty pockets!

Happy to help buddy

[Empty Pockets]

this is the ska but not the punk

[Securb]

this is the ska but not the punk

Agreed my friend but I think both live more in the wrist than the amp or pickups.

[CaptainWhizz]

Agreed my friend but I think both live more in the wrist than the amp or pickups.

When I used to play punky stuff, I realised at one point that I was subconsciously completely changing my grip on the pick when I was strumming unmuted chords; I would change to thumb and two fingers, held in the pads of all of them, so I could really push through the strings with less chance of dropping my pick.