Hey guys I have an Egnater tourmaster 4212. I have individual wattage controls for each of the 4 channels plus full or half power switch for the whole amp. Im trying to get the absolute best clean tone I can get out of this thing!Is setting those clean channels at a lower wattage a benefit or No.
Is Lower wattage best for clean tone
- Thread starter RileyJ1
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Lazarus1140
New member
Re: Is Lower wattage best for clean tone
I am not familiar with your amp, and hopefully someone will correct me if I'm wrong. Typically, increasing the wattage allows whatever clean tone is available to be played at a louder volume.
I am not familiar with your amp, and hopefully someone will correct me if I'm wrong. Typically, increasing the wattage allows whatever clean tone is available to be played at a louder volume.
ItsaBass
New member
Re: Is Lower wattage best for clean tone
The cleanest, as in least distorted, tone will come from the higher power settings.
However, "best clean" tone might not necessarily be the "most clean" tone. Striving for an objectively based goal (the "most" of something) will not necessarily give you a subjectively suitable result (the "best" of something). Often, what makes a clean tone sound "good" to us is actually a little bit of warmth and compression, of the level where it doesn't really come across as what most guitarists would call distortion, but just enough to take the edge off.
In other words, it's a matter of taste. You have the amp that allows ou to try it all, so just try it all and pick the power setting that give you what you think is your best clean tone.
The cleanest, as in least distorted, tone will come from the higher power settings.
However, "best clean" tone might not necessarily be the "most clean" tone. Striving for an objectively based goal (the "most" of something) will not necessarily give you a subjectively suitable result (the "best" of something). Often, what makes a clean tone sound "good" to us is actually a little bit of warmth and compression, of the level where it doesn't really come across as what most guitarists would call distortion, but just enough to take the edge off.
In other words, it's a matter of taste. You have the amp that allows ou to try it all, so just try it all and pick the power setting that give you what you think is your best clean tone.
Last edited:
MkIII Renegade
New member
Re: Is Lower wattage best for clean tone
Crystal cleans come from higher wattage, thus no breakup, young grasshopper.
Crystal cleans come from higher wattage, thus no breakup, young grasshopper.
TwilightOdyssey
Darkness on the edge of Tone
Re: Is Lower wattage best for clean tone
Generally speaking, higher wattage = more clean headroom = cleaner cleans ... but amp design and speaker characteristics have a lot to do with it, as well as your pickup's power and anything else in front of the amp's preamp section!
Generally speaking, higher wattage = more clean headroom = cleaner cleans ... but amp design and speaker characteristics have a lot to do with it, as well as your pickup's power and anything else in front of the amp's preamp section!
hydro
Prayin' to Cheeses
Re: Is Lower wattage best for clean tone
I have a Mesa 5:50. It power scales by going class a/b (50 w) to class a (25 w). The class a/25 watt setting sounds great for cleans, it shimmers and breaks up a little. The 50 watt setting seems more harsh (but definitely more clear).
I guess it depends on what one means by "great cleans" - to me, that means a blackface Princeton or Champ or Deluxe Reverb, but to others it might mean a Roland Jazz Chorus, or a Vox AC 30.
I have a Mesa 5:50. It power scales by going class a/b (50 w) to class a (25 w). The class a/25 watt setting sounds great for cleans, it shimmers and breaks up a little. The 50 watt setting seems more harsh (but definitely more clear).
I guess it depends on what one means by "great cleans" - to me, that means a blackface Princeton or Champ or Deluxe Reverb, but to others it might mean a Roland Jazz Chorus, or a Vox AC 30.
guitfiddle
firstlessonologist
Re: Is Lower wattage best for clean tone
Word. I get my best cleans on an amp set to crunch, with slight breakup when the guitar's volume is rolled back. Picking lightly is the rest of the equation, so I really dig amps that clean up well from pick attack. My Jet City does this best of all my amps. It's like having a channel switch in my picking hand.
Word. I get my best cleans on an amp set to crunch, with slight breakup when the guitar's volume is rolled back. Picking lightly is the rest of the equation, so I really dig amps that clean up well from pick attack. My Jet City does this best of all my amps. It's like having a channel switch in my picking hand.
Boogie Bill
New member
Re: Is Lower wattage best for clean tone
Guys, guys, guys...
Clean tone is C-L-E-A-N!!!!
"Slight breakup", "Crunch", etc., are NOT CLEAN tones!
My preferred clean tone comes from a 6L6 amp. I like the tighter bottom and the extended highs of the 6L6 over the more compressed tones of a smaller EL84 amp. I like big, powerful amps. But those little bottles do have their charms.
In all honesty, it comes down to what YOU like. Whether it's Nile Rodgers' rhythm clicks, Don Rich's ballsy Tele-pickin' or Andy Summer's riffing, there are many ways to produce a clean tone that sounds good.
The real key, as always, is finding the tone that SERVES THE SONG. Do that, and you'll be a winner every time.
Bill
Guys, guys, guys...
Clean tone is C-L-E-A-N!!!!
"Slight breakup", "Crunch", etc., are NOT CLEAN tones!
My preferred clean tone comes from a 6L6 amp. I like the tighter bottom and the extended highs of the 6L6 over the more compressed tones of a smaller EL84 amp. I like big, powerful amps. But those little bottles do have their charms.
In all honesty, it comes down to what YOU like. Whether it's Nile Rodgers' rhythm clicks, Don Rich's ballsy Tele-pickin' or Andy Summer's riffing, there are many ways to produce a clean tone that sounds good.
The real key, as always, is finding the tone that SERVES THE SONG. Do that, and you'll be a winner every time.
Bill
guitfiddle
firstlessonologist
Re: Is Lower wattage best for clean tone
I agree with all that, Bill, especially the part about serving the song. But I'm not talking about C-L-E-A-N clean tones here, just the ones I find enjoyable to listen to or to play. C-L-E-A-N tones are generally a bit jingy or doinky, to me, and I like a more dynamic sound for the most part.
My Jet City really does do a loud, CLEAN sound when I pick lightly with my guitar volume rolled down. Then I can go off into the many shades between clean and slight breakup, or whatever by picking. It's much more rewarding to me as a player, than a tone that is super clean no matter how hard I pick. I have a Music Man amp that will do CLEAN cleans, no matter how you touch the strings, when it's set clean, but it's just more fun for me to play in that zone where the amp only really cleans up when I do. This is where certain lower wattage amps shine.
Besides, some of the best recorded C-L-E-A-N tones are guitar straight to the board.
G-
I agree with all that, Bill, especially the part about serving the song. But I'm not talking about C-L-E-A-N clean tones here, just the ones I find enjoyable to listen to or to play. C-L-E-A-N tones are generally a bit jingy or doinky, to me, and I like a more dynamic sound for the most part.
My Jet City really does do a loud, CLEAN sound when I pick lightly with my guitar volume rolled down. Then I can go off into the many shades between clean and slight breakup, or whatever by picking. It's much more rewarding to me as a player, than a tone that is super clean no matter how hard I pick. I have a Music Man amp that will do CLEAN cleans, no matter how you touch the strings, when it's set clean, but it's just more fun for me to play in that zone where the amp only really cleans up when I do. This is where certain lower wattage amps shine.
Besides, some of the best recorded C-L-E-A-N tones are guitar straight to the board.
G-
Gearjoneser
Gear Ho
Re: Is Lower wattage best for clean tone
In this era of lunchbox amps I can understand and appreciate, I still stick with the big bottle 40 -100 watt amps for real tone. Add a good OD pedal, and the tone is better than low wattage amps because of the narrower dynamic range and lows that are spongier with maxed out EL-84's. Big bottles equal big sound. The only time I question my old school bias is when I plug into a Bad Cat EL-84 amp.
In this era of lunchbox amps I can understand and appreciate, I still stick with the big bottle 40 -100 watt amps for real tone. Add a good OD pedal, and the tone is better than low wattage amps because of the narrower dynamic range and lows that are spongier with maxed out EL-84's. Big bottles equal big sound. The only time I question my old school bias is when I plug into a Bad Cat EL-84 amp.
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