Let's Talk Lead Tones.

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Let's Talk Lead Tones.

GTR --> Fulltone Full-Drive 2 -- > Fulltone Fat Boost --> Marhsall JCM800 or Rivera Knucklehead K100 or Engl preamp/Marshall EL34/100 --> Full stack, baby!

Full-Drive 2: All Settings at 12:00, except for Boost, which is all the way down, but with the Boost engaged. Compression is ON.

Fat Boost: Input Gan 3:00, Tone 12:00, Volume 12:00-3:00.

General Amp Settings: Boost Channel (or Hard Lead on the Engl) ON, Hi and Bass around 3, Mid around 4-5, Presence around 5-6, Master Volume on the 100-watters around 3-4, on the 50-watter around 7-8.

This is for a classic 80's LA lead tone, a la DiMartini, Lynch, etc. It's really not fancy, I use no reverb or other effects. It's just a good over-amped tone, with lots of harmonic complexity, very gainy, but not overly distorted. Ive been recommending this setup to several forum members, also old-metal guys like m'self, and we all seem to like it.

[beandip]

Re: Let's Talk Lead Tones.

Strat (dont matter which one) strait into my Gibson GA-30 cranked. The best natural overdrive I've ever heard. No pregain grit, just pure output/speaker distortion. The shop wants me to get the speakers re-coned, but I love it just the way it is. Oh, and on the amp, the "tone" (just like a guitar, this is old school) is set at about 7.

[JammerMatt]

Re: Let's Talk Lead Tones.

This is for a classic 80's LA lead tone, a la DiMartini, Lynch, etc. It's really not fancy, I use no reverb or other effects. It's just a good over-amped tone, with lots of harmonic complexity, very gainy, but not overly distorted. Ive been recommending this setup to several forum members, also old-metal guys like m'self, and we all seem to like it.

SWEET!! Thanx

[yes-fan]

Re: Let's Talk Lead Tones.

i find it best to have it guitar and then amp but on the amp i have the preamp way down and the power amp way up. and it sound really really good. (espesially with el34s)

[Young Angus]

Re: Let's Talk Lead Tones.

Nice thick rockin guitar, my jackson and my les paul standard when i get it, straight into channel 4 of my ENGL Savage 120 and its ENGL vintage 30 quadbox. Tone that rips!

And there will be a fulltone clyde deluxe somewhere in there too soon

[texasguitarslinger]

Re: Let's Talk Lead Tones.

Les Paul ---> Hot Rod Deluxe for sparkling clean
Les Paul ---> Danelectro Fab Tone ---> Hot Rod Deluxe for ear bleeding distortion
Les Paul ---> Big Muff Pi ---> Hot Rod Deluxe for classic '60s fuzz :afro:
Les Paul ---> Danelectro Daddy-O ---> Hot Rod Deluxe for '70s overdrive heaven :fing25:

[JSS]

Re: Let's Talk Lead Tones.

Guitar (rhythm/neck pickup) into wah pedal (not used for wah-ing usually, as much as set to a middle position as a tone filter), into high-gain amp... that's my current anyway.

[Jonny R]

Re: Let's Talk Lead Tones.

Guitar -> G2D Custom Overdrive -> Boss DD-3 ->Fender Twin

I find I always need to stop and think 'less gain than you think'

Sounds better normally

[LesStrat]

Re: Let's Talk Lead Tones.

Parker Nitefly->Dynacomp->POD 2. Presets (modded, of course) in Bank 1 for Marshall and Boogie tones, Bank 2 for blues-style tones, Bank 3 for more pure guitar tones. Effects are used from the POD depending on what I want at the moment. I adjust the tone on the geetar for specific purposes (this knob is really responsive on the Nitefly). Most of the time I play the Nitefly in the 2nd pup position, although 1st pos. is better when I want more harmonics. I use the neck pup for darker tones.

LesStrat: I recently discovered that I prefer the individual pups over the blended (pos. 2 & 4) positions. The SD rails are HOT and in this geetar really have a LP tone.

I often play direct to the mixer in band situations (to control stage volume and make the soundtech happy). When I use an amp, I tend to set it as neutral as possible. I really do get the tones I want from the guitars and the POD.

I honestly don't know what the amp settings are in most of my POD presets. I adjusted them to what I wanted, saved, and never looked back. Ultimately, my tone comes from my bony li'l fingers, so I'm to blame for it, not my equipment.

[Mr Wolf]

Re: Let's Talk Lead Tones.

Guitar to amp with a GE-7 in the effects loop to boost volume and to produce a warm midrangy-bassy sound. I have the pre-amp gain set as low as i can to produce a good thrashy chuggy palm mute so i can dial in as much power-amp gain as i can!

[Bludave]

Re: Let's Talk Lead Tones.

I use two different amps. A Marshall 900 DR combo and a Fender Super Reverb. My preference is to run the guitar straight in, but in the Fender I use a TS9 mainly for a little more sustain, and a slight volume boost. In the Marshall straight in and if I want to send it over the edge I have a Marshall BB pedal in front, but only when I want it to really scream!! The difference that guitars makes is amazing. I have a 335, LP, and SG, as well as Tele's and Strats. Each instrument really gives me a very different tone. So the choice of guitars is really what makes the difference in the lead tone!

[Scott_F]

Re: Let's Talk Lead Tones.

For that classic fendery tone, the tweed deluxe is the bomb. I'm going to build a tweed super and with an aby pedal, that ought to be a nice rig for small clubs and the like.

Then there's the bad cat. Nuff said? naw. AC30 with verb and trem. now. nuff said.

I would like to find a pedal that can give me a bit more of the carlton/ford dumbly tone. Any suggestions?

[brinton]

Re: Let's Talk Lead Tones.

Guitar (rhythm/neck pickup) into wah pedal (not used for wah-ing usually, as much as set to a middle position as a tone filter), into high-gain amp... that's my current anyway.

Yeah I forgot to put that, I ALWAYS have my wah right after the guitar

[jeremy]

Re: Let's Talk Lead Tones.

i have a few favorites.

hamer daytona aps2 neck and middle, twangbanger bridge into my blues jr with all the knobs on 12. killer blues solo tones

les paul with antiquitys into my jcm 800, neck pup is killer for allmans style stuff. the bridge pup with a voodoo lab super fuzz is a great high gain rock lead tone.

one of my guitars (chambered alder/maple top teleish thing with a pearly gates set) into my twin cranked up to about 7 with a vox valvetone (with or without rotosphere)

[dystrust]

Re: Let's Talk Lead Tones.

I did a little knob tweaking on my 2555 and couldn't believe the tone I was getting. I was running my LP into a Maxon OD-9 into the amp, set like:

Presence: 5
Bass: 8
Middle: 8
Treble: 6.5
Output Master: LOUD
Lead Master: 10
Input Gain: 10

I have the OD volume all the way up, gain at 10 o'clock, and tone at 11 o'clock. Very impressive singing gain, I loved the tone I was getting playing "For the Love of God" on the neck pup of the LP.