Ridonkulous clean tones last night: 335 -> Fender Ultimate Chorus

ImmortalSix

John Mayer's Mankini
I was getting ridonkulous clean tones out of my "B-rig" last night --- like, amazing, "can't stop playing" tone.

The rig was an Epiphone Dot Studio with Gibson Burstbucker Pros (Alnico 5 PAFs) and a brass Wilkinson roller bridge straight through an 18' cord to a 2001 Fender Ultimate Chorus (2x12", 130 watts, the poor man's JC-120).

MAN, what a sound!

I had written off this amp in the past few years because I've been living in an apartment and it's too LOUD, but last night at practice for my musical, I got to open it up a little bit, and it just flat out killed. The drive channel is nothing to write home about (solid state and grainy), BUT

On the other hand, the clean channel is wondrous, crystallicious, rainbows and unicorns tone. I can't describe it any better than that.

These pickups haven't been gelling with this guitar, or me, until last night. I adjusted their height, and put a wound G on the guitar to fatten it up and help it intonate better --- and it was just such a magical combination.

The bass strings rang out full full full, with no rattling anywhere, just a gigantic, full sound, perfect. The highs were sweet and punctuated, with the right amount of chirp and not an ounce too much cut --- I pulled out my phone and took pictures of how the knobs were set, because I just couldn't believe how good it sounded. I had kind of a "big band" club jazz tone going on --- a lot like the tone in this song but with a fuller, tighter bass.

Don't you just love it when you get a great tone?!

I really have been all "crunch" lately and have not taken a moment to "stop and smell the roses" of clean tone.

-Hunter
 
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Re: Ridonkulous clean tones last night: 335 -> Fender Ultimate Chorus

I too find myself craving beautiful clean tone sometimes. The Stiletto has nice cleans, but sometimes I long for a good blackface Fender, or a Lone Star. I'm glad you found your clean Nirvana with an amp way cheaper than those two.
 
Re: Ridonkulous clean tones last night: 335 -> Fender Ultimate Chorus

On the other hand, the clean channel is wondrous, crystallicious, rainbows and unicorns tone. I can't describe it any better than that.


-Hunter

i lol'ed a little... but yeah a good tone = play forever
 
Re: Ridonkulous clean tones last night: 335 -> Fender Ultimate Chorus

that is why i own 2 of these... well one is the Princton and the other is the Ultimate... If i see another Ultimate Chorus amp used for cheap i will buy it... i always have my eyes open for these... My last Ultimate Chorus cost me $250... Since 1989 I've owned many versions of these Fender SS amps over the years... i buy them and have stupidly sold them over again... i really like the late 90's models without the DSP stuff..... the true Analog reverb and Chorus is the best...
 
Re: Ridonkulous clean tones last night: 335 -> Fender Ultimate Chorus

How do you like the clean tones on your FUC?

(there's got to be a better way to say that)

I played a lot of amps tonight, a Fender Deluxe (5E3), a Hot Rod Deluxe, a Blues Junior, a Mesa 5:25 Express, a Peavey Windsor Studio, et al. but I couldn't get that big fat low end I get with the Fender Ultimate Chorus.
 
Re: Ridonkulous clean tones last night: 335 -> Fender Ultimate Chorus

SS can sometimes get very nice clean tones going. Glad that you're enjoying it!
 
Re: Ridonkulous clean tones last night: 335 -> Fender Ultimate Chorus

Howdy,

One doesn't necessarily require a tube amp for very good clean tones. Congrats on finding a "new" tone you like.

Eggman
 
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