SongsForTheDeaf
New member
I'm thinking of getting a Twin reverb in place of my Mesa Boogie lonestar special.. I find the lonestar special has very thin cleans
Does the Twin Reverb take fuzz pedals well ?
- Thread starter SongsForTheDeaf
- Start date
Re: Does the Twin Reverb take fuzz pedals well ?
There is no reason it cannot.
What you prefer...no one can say.
Back in the Glory Days of Rock & Roll.....there was not much at a players feet. The Fuzz was one of the first. Lots of amps, including The Twin, were hit successfully with a Fuzz.
good luck
There is no reason it cannot.
What you prefer...no one can say.
Back in the Glory Days of Rock & Roll.....there was not much at a players feet. The Fuzz was one of the first. Lots of amps, including The Twin, were hit successfully with a Fuzz.
good luck
the guy who invented fire
Fuzzy. Guitars
Re: Does the Twin Reverb take fuzz pedals well ?
I don't think so personally...
My reason is simple...most fuzz boxes tend to have a lot of bottom end (which is usually pretty flabby) and a lot of top end (which tends to be rather harsh) and very in the way of mids...
A Twin Reverb has a lot of low end (which can also be sort of flubby at times) and a lot of top end (which can also be sort of harsh) and not a lot of mids...
These 2 things together tend to get a sound thats just harsh and has little cut due to the lack of any real midrange.
It can be done with speaker selection and even EQ's of some kind but the fact of the matter is there are a lot better amps out there, IMHO for use with fuzz boxes...
Just as a side note I have a Twin Reverb I've had for nearly 20 years now and when it was my only amp I used it with what ever I wanted to use becuase I had no other options for amps...these days it is my last choice for using with a fuzz box of any kind.
I don't think so personally...
My reason is simple...most fuzz boxes tend to have a lot of bottom end (which is usually pretty flabby) and a lot of top end (which tends to be rather harsh) and very in the way of mids...
A Twin Reverb has a lot of low end (which can also be sort of flubby at times) and a lot of top end (which can also be sort of harsh) and not a lot of mids...
These 2 things together tend to get a sound thats just harsh and has little cut due to the lack of any real midrange.
It can be done with speaker selection and even EQ's of some kind but the fact of the matter is there are a lot better amps out there, IMHO for use with fuzz boxes...
Just as a side note I have a Twin Reverb I've had for nearly 20 years now and when it was my only amp I used it with what ever I wanted to use becuase I had no other options for amps...these days it is my last choice for using with a fuzz box of any kind.
Agileguy_101
Master of his Domain
Re: Does the Twin Reverb take fuzz pedals well ?
Not for the kind of music you want to play, not at all.
A better solution may be to find a nice closed back cab to go with your Mesa and disable the combo speakers (or run them both for maximum speakerage.)
Not for the kind of music you want to play, not at all.
A better solution may be to find a nice closed back cab to go with your Mesa and disable the combo speakers (or run them both for maximum speakerage.)
SteveAlysis
Active member
Re: Does the Twin Reverb take fuzz pedals well ?
Just saw these guys 3 times last week, and they were all Fender. Twin Reissue, 2x12 Deville, and an Bassman head through a 2x12. AMAZING tones with plenty of fuzz/muff action, so i think its possible but maybe with a speaker swap
Just saw these guys 3 times last week, and they were all Fender. Twin Reissue, 2x12 Deville, and an Bassman head through a 2x12. AMAZING tones with plenty of fuzz/muff action, so i think its possible but maybe with a speaker swap
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James Rock
Active member
Re: Does the Twin Reverb take fuzz pedals well ?
I'd say if you wanted to go Fender other choices might be better then a Twin, say a Bassman or even a smaller blackface amp with suitable speakers (do yuo really need the clean headroom of a Twin?). But first off I'd try to get the most out of your lonestar special. Why I haven't personally played one I know that speaker and even tube choice can make a big difference in the clean world so maybe try some different speakers or with an external cabinet to see how that sounds. I personally prefer the openess and looseness of an open back cab but you should try both open and closed. That is assuming you like everything else about the amp and it is just a little bit thin.
I'd say if you wanted to go Fender other choices might be better then a Twin, say a Bassman or even a smaller blackface amp with suitable speakers (do yuo really need the clean headroom of a Twin?). But first off I'd try to get the most out of your lonestar special. Why I haven't personally played one I know that speaker and even tube choice can make a big difference in the clean world so maybe try some different speakers or with an external cabinet to see how that sounds. I personally prefer the openess and looseness of an open back cab but you should try both open and closed. That is assuming you like everything else about the amp and it is just a little bit thin.
Securb
One of Jerry's Kids
Re: Does the Twin Reverb take fuzz pedals well ?
I have been playing a Twin (actually a Quad Reverb) for 35 years and have found it handles pedals incredibly well. It is breathtaking with modulation effects and a clean setting, crystal-like. For dirt I have had everything in front of it. My favorite with the Twin is a MXR Distortion+, I have used a DOD 250 with it also. I used my Twin for metal so don't worry you can take it as filthy as you want to take it, I actually has a Morley boost in line with the MXR! My theory has alway been start with the cleanest signal possible and you will get a purer sound from your guitar and your pedals. It is much easier to dirty up a clean amp than it is to clean up a dirty amp.
I have been playing a Twin (actually a Quad Reverb) for 35 years and have found it handles pedals incredibly well. It is breathtaking with modulation effects and a clean setting, crystal-like. For dirt I have had everything in front of it. My favorite with the Twin is a MXR Distortion+, I have used a DOD 250 with it also. I used my Twin for metal so don't worry you can take it as filthy as you want to take it, I actually has a Morley boost in line with the MXR! My theory has alway been start with the cleanest signal possible and you will get a purer sound from your guitar and your pedals. It is much easier to dirty up a clean amp than it is to clean up a dirty amp.
Chickenwings
Alnico 6/8
Re: Does the Twin Reverb take fuzz pedals well ?
i like the combination of fuzz and a fender twin. I did this recording with the Big Blind Ray Trio last year before having my Twin completely rebuilt by Crusty. It sounds pretty good for an amp on its last legs. I think i used a silicon fuzz for this track (actually if you look at the pic on my sig, you can see where i set the fuzz level cos its marked with a sharpie) and the guitar volume rolled back a little. You can hear how much beef it has in the first couple of seconds where the guitar is playing solo. It does the job nicely with no bass player around.
Twins can be awesome - there are a slew of pros who use them with muff etc and get huge tones, but i really think the trick for enjoying all the massive potential of a twin is in careful speaker selection. Also, there are a couple of little things you can do to make them sound fatter in the middle (by swapping a cap or two to change the tone stack to be indentical to a super reverb). I dont know how easy the new reissue twins are to work on like that tho because they are built on a PCB. To be fair to the new ones, ive never looked inside so it might be pretty easy.
Anyways, yeah im a twin fan, however ...if i was gassing for a new amp (and has cash to burn) i'd be looking at regular mesa Lonestar (not the el84 version). Those things are phat as phuck but i guess the special is a different beast.
So to answer your initial question about how a twin would compare to your amp (the special) i'd say yeah for sure it will address the "thinness" you mention. Its not that the special is not a beautiful amp, but its not an amp that is built for beef and heft. Its more of a warm, articulate and versatile class A amp. A twin is a completely different thing and does its own thing well - but you need to bear in mind that to really feel the trouser flapping low end, the amp needs to be working within its best range and you generally don't get that until you get to at least 2 1/2 - 3 on the volume knob. At that stage its pretty powerful sounding and in easily cruising along next to any drummer you care to mention, but it can be too loud for smaller venues. I have used my twin at almost whisper quiet levels and it sounds sweet, but you can tell that its really not operating at its best capacity. You will really need to try one out to see if it can give you the fatness you crave at volume levels that are appropriate for your gigging requirements. If its too much, then you might want to look into a less powerful amp that is also nice and warm.
i like the combination of fuzz and a fender twin. I did this recording with the Big Blind Ray Trio last year before having my Twin completely rebuilt by Crusty. It sounds pretty good for an amp on its last legs. I think i used a silicon fuzz for this track (actually if you look at the pic on my sig, you can see where i set the fuzz level cos its marked with a sharpie) and the guitar volume rolled back a little. You can hear how much beef it has in the first couple of seconds where the guitar is playing solo. It does the job nicely with no bass player around.
Twins can be awesome - there are a slew of pros who use them with muff etc and get huge tones, but i really think the trick for enjoying all the massive potential of a twin is in careful speaker selection. Also, there are a couple of little things you can do to make them sound fatter in the middle (by swapping a cap or two to change the tone stack to be indentical to a super reverb). I dont know how easy the new reissue twins are to work on like that tho because they are built on a PCB. To be fair to the new ones, ive never looked inside so it might be pretty easy.
Anyways, yeah im a twin fan, however ...if i was gassing for a new amp (and has cash to burn) i'd be looking at regular mesa Lonestar (not the el84 version). Those things are phat as phuck but i guess the special is a different beast.
So to answer your initial question about how a twin would compare to your amp (the special) i'd say yeah for sure it will address the "thinness" you mention. Its not that the special is not a beautiful amp, but its not an amp that is built for beef and heft. Its more of a warm, articulate and versatile class A amp. A twin is a completely different thing and does its own thing well - but you need to bear in mind that to really feel the trouser flapping low end, the amp needs to be working within its best range and you generally don't get that until you get to at least 2 1/2 - 3 on the volume knob. At that stage its pretty powerful sounding and in easily cruising along next to any drummer you care to mention, but it can be too loud for smaller venues. I have used my twin at almost whisper quiet levels and it sounds sweet, but you can tell that its really not operating at its best capacity. You will really need to try one out to see if it can give you the fatness you crave at volume levels that are appropriate for your gigging requirements. If its too much, then you might want to look into a less powerful amp that is also nice and warm.
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Chickenwings
Alnico 6/8
Re: Does the Twin Reverb take fuzz pedals well ?
yeh. 335 and pearly gates set.
yeh. 335 and pearly gates set.
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Boogie Bill
New member
Re: Does the Twin Reverb take fuzz pedals well ?
Yeah, I'm thinking that if your Lonestar Special cleans are sounding thin, then you are either doing something wrong or there is a problem with the amp.
You could take another read through the owners manual, just to make sure you're in the sweet spots. And then I'd give the guys at Mesa a call. They're really good at helping you sort out tones, or figure out if there's a problem with the amp. Sometimes a simple tube swap will get ou back in the game.
One other thought. You might try running an extension cab, like the Mesa 112 closed-back widebody cab. I'd try to get one with a matching Vintage 30. A second cab will add a lot of low end punch and projection. The two pieces would be more portable than the one-piece Twin, and it could be exactly what you're looking for.
Bill
Yeah, I'm thinking that if your Lonestar Special cleans are sounding thin, then you are either doing something wrong or there is a problem with the amp.
You could take another read through the owners manual, just to make sure you're in the sweet spots. And then I'd give the guys at Mesa a call. They're really good at helping you sort out tones, or figure out if there's a problem with the amp. Sometimes a simple tube swap will get ou back in the game.
One other thought. You might try running an extension cab, like the Mesa 112 closed-back widebody cab. I'd try to get one with a matching Vintage 30. A second cab will add a lot of low end punch and projection. The two pieces would be more portable than the one-piece Twin, and it could be exactly what you're looking for.
Bill
Chickenwings
Alnico 6/8
Re: Does the Twin Reverb take fuzz pedals well ?
this one is a twin and fuzz face too (cant remember if its analogman nkt or hartman silicon tho). A different vibe cos there is some bass guitar in the mix too.
this one is a twin and fuzz face too (cant remember if its analogman nkt or hartman silicon tho). A different vibe cos there is some bass guitar in the mix too.
Dr. Vegetable
New member
Re: Does the Twin Reverb take fuzz pedals well ?
Some of the best classic rock distortion sounds I have ever heard in my life came out of a Fender Twin Reverb without any pedals at all. Still one of my favorite amps of all time.
For metal, I would probably not choose the Twin, though. You could doubtless make it work, but that Lonestar should (in theory) be a better platform to get you there. Personally, I would RTFM and then call Mesa, then give it another week to sink in...?
Some of the best classic rock distortion sounds I have ever heard in my life came out of a Fender Twin Reverb without any pedals at all. Still one of my favorite amps of all time.
For metal, I would probably not choose the Twin, though. You could doubtless make it work, but that Lonestar should (in theory) be a better platform to get you there. Personally, I would RTFM and then call Mesa, then give it another week to sink in...?
Securb
One of Jerry's Kids
SongsForTheDeaf
New member
Re: Does the Twin Reverb take fuzz pedals well ?
OH man I love O'brother and am seeing them in a about a week here in Toronto. I knew he used a deville , should I just get a deville ? those take fuzzes decently
this is one of my fave fuzz sounds on record
OH man I love O'brother and am seeing them in a about a week here in Toronto. I knew he used a deville , should I just get a deville ? those take fuzzes decently
this is one of my fave fuzz sounds on record
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SongsForTheDeaf
New member
Re: Does the Twin Reverb take fuzz pedals well ?
Thanks for the suggestions Bill, would a tube swap fix the thin cleans ? I will look over the manual now
It seems when I turn up the Mids past 8 o Clock the cleans just get thinner and thinner and twangier
Thanks for the suggestions Bill, would a tube swap fix the thin cleans ? I will look over the manual now
It seems when I turn up the Mids past 8 o Clock the cleans just get thinner and thinner and twangier
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Bludave
New member
Re: Does the Twin Reverb take fuzz pedals well ?
In a word yes. It is one of the best platforms for pedals it's a very loud and very heavy and very clean amp. It weighs about 90lbs and pumps out 85 watts. Great amp but almost unusable in many of the places I play its just way too loud
In a word yes. It is one of the best platforms for pedals it's a very loud and very heavy and very clean amp. It weighs about 90lbs and pumps out 85 watts. Great amp but almost unusable in many of the places I play its just way too loud
Gearjoneser
Gear Ho
Re: Does the Twin Reverb take fuzz pedals well ?
I tend to like OD/Dist/Fuzz with British type tones, while preferring chorus/phase/delay type FX on Fender amps.
I know it sounds traditional and simplistic to say that, but it's kinda true.
There's always a lot of talk about Twins, but if you really want beautiful Fender tone, go for the blackface or silverface non master Pro Reverbs.....Pre 75. I love Fender amps, and if you get any vintage one, simply restore it to 65 specs and upgrade all the speakers.
I've tried so many vintage Fenders, and the first thing that comes to mind is it's all about speakers. There's thousands of great sounding Fender amps with cruddy speakers........and that's what lead to the boutique amp craze. Those amps always came with V30's, Greenbacks, or whatever. Vintage amps only came with what they came with......Utah, licensed Jensen etc. So, grab a silverface Fender, restore it to blackface, install some Emi Swamp Thangs or Webers.....there it is.
For EL-34 amps, there's a zillion options you can go for, whether it's Marshall, Bogner, or the many variants, but your fuzz boxes will probably sound best with them at half gain, with the fuzz supplying the other half of the gain, in addition to your guitar's volume.
With clean Fenders, it's just too buzzy, not fuzzy.
I tend to like OD/Dist/Fuzz with British type tones, while preferring chorus/phase/delay type FX on Fender amps.
I know it sounds traditional and simplistic to say that, but it's kinda true.
There's always a lot of talk about Twins, but if you really want beautiful Fender tone, go for the blackface or silverface non master Pro Reverbs.....Pre 75. I love Fender amps, and if you get any vintage one, simply restore it to 65 specs and upgrade all the speakers.
I've tried so many vintage Fenders, and the first thing that comes to mind is it's all about speakers. There's thousands of great sounding Fender amps with cruddy speakers........and that's what lead to the boutique amp craze. Those amps always came with V30's, Greenbacks, or whatever. Vintage amps only came with what they came with......Utah, licensed Jensen etc. So, grab a silverface Fender, restore it to blackface, install some Emi Swamp Thangs or Webers.....there it is.
For EL-34 amps, there's a zillion options you can go for, whether it's Marshall, Bogner, or the many variants, but your fuzz boxes will probably sound best with them at half gain, with the fuzz supplying the other half of the gain, in addition to your guitar's volume.
With clean Fenders, it's just too buzzy, not fuzzy.
