Maybe everything I thought I knew is wrong (NMPD)

[misterwhizzy]

As long as I can remember, I swore I would forever and always be a gain-from-the-amp guy, with the occasional boost just to get a solo tone. After my Wampler Plexi-Drive Mini purchase, I think I may have completely changed my mind.

I've been looking for the roaring Marshall tone forever, and I don't have arenas calling me for gigs or money to get into 100-watt full-blast power amp distortion. I tried to get there with an AMT M2 preamp, but the unit I had was so noisy, it was useless, and I had to return it. I think I got a bum unit, based on everything I've read and seen, but it is what it is. The Wampler does the whole clean to mean thing into my Origin 50 head. It's the sound of rock. Yes, I'm running a Marshall-in-a-box into a Marshall, but it works for me. And before I get the but-the-M2-is-a-JCM800-and-Wampler-is-a-Plexi responses, I know. Plexi drive is awesome regardless, and even the box it came in with a Crown Royal style velour bag is pure class.

I might be on my way to being a gain-from-pedals guy, as much as I hate to admit it. And I can't see any reason I should ever have thought that was a bad thing.

 

[80's_Thrash_Metal]

Hey we all click our lights on at different times.
no judgement whatsoever, welcome to the club.

I personally like gain from both!

 

[Bogner]

I much prefer gain from the amp BUT there are soma amazing pedals out there that sound very amp like and not sterile/processed/fake/etc. like a lot of pedals back in the day. The key is finding what works for you and making music!

 

[Securb]

We all use different tools. I love the gain in my heads and typically do not use gain stomps when practicing at home. Playing live and practicing with the band a stomp is so much easier to control. I am not trying to drive the head to its sweet-spot, the volume is easier to control and many of my stomps have added EQ. They also give me the option to have a variety of different amp flavors right under my feet. There is a use-case for both, use what makes you happy.

 

[alex1fly]

Use all the tools!

Amp gain. Pedal gain. Solid state. Tubes. Pliers. Sawzall.

 

[Bogner]

Use all the tools!

Amp gain. Pedal gain. Solid state. Tubes. Pliers. Sawzall.

Don't forget JB Weld...

 

[Mincer]

Switching back and forth can be a pain if you use some effects in front of the amp. You almost have to re-configure everything to send a delay pedal through the loop, as opposed to after a gain pedal in another amp.

 

[PFDarkside]

Wampler is awesome, I love my Plexi-Drive Deluxe and Pinnacle Deluxe through my little Fender! It’s far more satisfying to play a great pedal through a small amp at a reasonable volume than a huge amp barely cracked open, IMO. I love turning the 100W up but the times for that are becoming more and more rare.

 

[Obsessive Compulsive]

Gain from the amp gets me the fizz. Hi gain pedal to effects loop return rules.

Gesendet von meinem ASUS_X00RD mit Tapatalk

 

[eclecticsynergy]

I have foundation drives on each pedalboard in case of unfamiliar amps. You never know what kind of drive sound they might have (and sometimes there's no time to experiment), but just about any amp can make a decent clean platform for a great pedal.

My Friedman is still my favorite hot-British tone though, hands down, even at low volumes.
But I don't always have the luxury of using it,

 

[Mincer]

Right now, I get gain from a pedal, but if I had the right amp, I'd use that, too.

 

[Aceman]

Everything I have sounds the same - hot rodded Marshall.

Mesa Stiletto head - two channels of Marshall
Marshall VS100R - OD1/OD2 Marshall
Wampler Alexi-Drive Mini - Juiced Marshall
Suhr Riot - Marshall Turbo charged
Mooer UK Gold - JCM 900

I guess I like Marshall sounds....funny, for a guy who grew up on KISS, 80's Metal, etc....

And full disclosure, I often run the Wampler Plexi, into the Tech 21 Boost DLA into the clean channel on the Marshall!

 

[LLL]

My gain comes from my fingers... no wait, from my brain.

 

[maug2122]

As long as I can remember, I swore I would forever and always be a gain-from-the-amp guy, with the occasional boost just to get a solo tone. After my Wampler Plexi-Drive Mini purchase, I think I may have completely changed my mind.

I've been looking for the roaring Marshall tone forever, and I don't have arenas calling me for gigs or money to get into 100-watt full-blast power amp distortion. I tried to get there with an AMT M2 preamp, but the unit I had was so noisy, it was useless, and I had to return it. I think I got a bum unit, based on everything I've read and seen, but it is what it is. The Wampler does the whole clean to mean thing into my Origin 50 head. It's the sound of rock. Yes, I'm running a Marshall-in-a-box into a Marshall, but it works for me. And before I get the but-the-M2-is-a-JCM800-and-Wampler-is-a-Plexi responses, I know. Plexi drive is awesome regardless, and even the box it came in with a Crown Royal style velour bag is pure class.

I might be on my way to being a gain-from-pedals guy, as much as I hate to admit it. And I can't see any reason I should ever have thought that was a bad thing.

I love "gain stacking ", you pump over drive , distortion or fuzz into a distorting amp.

If you do it right, you can retain articulation , uniqueness of the pickups, the guitar and the speakers.

Before I got into multi effects pedalboards, I would have three different types of distortion or over drive pedals.and sometimes blend two pedals for diversity in tones of saturation.

 

[NegativeEase]

My gain comes from my fingers... no wait, from my brain.

My gain comes from the souls of the unsuspecting listener.