Helix Talk

[SillyOctpuss]

Have first rehearsal with a different band for a fill in gig tonight. I'm going to be using my '76 deluxe reverb for this. Last time I filled in for them I think I was using one of the Rat models on the HX one for dirt and leads. I'm kind of curious about trying some preamp models into the front of the DR though. I woke up at 5am and started trying to setup the skeleton of a preset at least. At whisper volumes I was kind of digging the SLO lead preamp model, but at those volumes hard to tell if anything actually good or not. Should be able to crank up a little more on my lunch break, just want to be vaguely prepared as I pretty much have to head up there straight after work.

Any thoughts on using preamp vs full amp model like this? Is this a dumb idea entirely and I should just stick to dirt pedal models?

I've used some of the preamps into my amps but I've not used them at a gig though. I had a ton of fun killing a few afternoons running the matchless, litigator, ventoux and some Fender preamps into my jvm at a decent volumes.

 

[Sascha Franck]

I've used some of the preamps into my amps but I've not used them at a gig though. I had a ton of fun killing a few afternoons running the matchless, litigator, ventoux and some Fender preamps into my jvm at a decent volumes.

But did you run them into the front or into the power amp return?

 

[SillyOctpuss]

But did you run them into the front or into the power amp return?

Into the front like a drive pedal. Some of them worked pretty well, especially the matchless preamp into the jvm crunch channel.

 

[spawnofthesith]

In my head I don't see why it wouldn't work well considering "amp in a box"/preamp pedals are pretty popular to use with clean platforms like a DR, my assumption would be that the HX preamp models would be a similar type of thing

Really just need to try at proper volume and see for myself I suppose. Alas I'm stuck at work so conjecture and pondering it is for now

 

[SillyOctpuss]

In my head I don't see why it wouldn't work well considering "amp in a box"/preamp pedals are pretty popular to use with clean platforms like a DR, my assumption would be that the HX preamp models would be a similar type of thing

Really just need to try at proper volume and see for myself I suppose. Alas I'm stuck at work so conjecture and pondering it is for now

Absolutely. The matchless preamp is never going to turn a marshall into a matchless but it worked pretty well as an alternative drive pedal.

Always fun to try new stuff out and get your hands dirty.

 

[spawnofthesith]

Absolutely. The matchless preamp is never going to turn a marshall into a matchless but it worked pretty well as an alternative drive pedal.

Always fun to try new stuff out and get your hands dirty.

Yeah I'm not expecting my DR to suddenly turn into 100% accurate SLO in the slightest just looking for some cool gain tones to use/have available on the palette

 

[Sascha Franck]

In my head I don't see why it wouldn't work well considering "amp in a box"/preamp pedals are pretty popular to use with clean platforms like a DR, my assumption would be that the HX preamp models would be a similar type of thing

Dunno. Valid assumption but in my experience, it rather didn't work too well with "full" preamps, especially once it was about cutting through in a band context.

 

[spawnofthesith]

So everything I had queued up this morning was pretty ehhhh

However, I think the bigger issue here is the stupid jensen speaker that I hate thats in that combo. Any dirt through it sounds crappy to me. dirt models on the stomp, real dirt pedals, etc..

just buzzy boxy honky crap

Remade the preset with a timmy, OCD, and the rockerverb preamp. Was getting kind of decent ish results there but I'm not really very happy still lol

Will see how things sound in the mix tonight but I'm kind of thinking about ordering a creamback for the amp...

 

[norminal]

buzzy

Have you dialed in the high cut?

 

[spawnofthesith]

Have you dialed in the high cut?

High cut where? Could possibly help

but I have the same problem with analog dirt boxes with this amp too so

 

[sashimi]

So everything I had queued up this morning was pretty ehhhh

However, I think the bigger issue here is the stupid jensen speaker that I hate thats in that combo. Any dirt through it sounds crappy to me. dirt models on the stomp, real dirt pedals, etc..

just buzzy boxy honky crap

Remade the preset with a timmy, OCD, and the rockerverb preamp. Was getting kind of decent ish results there but I'm not really very happy still lol

Will see how things sound in the mix tonight but I'm kind of thinking about ordering a creamback for the amp...

I play hx stomp models through an amp with a jensen speaker sometimes. I just dial the amp in to be really dark and it works pretty well for me. You could probably cut highs anywhere. Once you cut the highs the jensen responds pretty flat and works well for models. Cab sims disabled of course.

 

[spawnofthesith]

I play hx stomp models through an amp with a jensen speaker sometimes. I just dial the amp in to be really dark and it works pretty well for me. You could probably cut highs anywhere. Once you cut the highs the jensen responds pretty flat and works well for models. Cab sims disabled of course.

I did turn the treble way down from where I normally have it and it definitely helped, suppose I could try even more

Do you run just the preamps or the full amp models typically?

 

[JiveTurkey]

How about taking a different amp with a speaker you like and supplementing with pedals?

 

[Sascha Franck]

I don't like typical Jensens, either. For precisely the same reason. Good for clean, country-ish breakup and sometimes possibly some fuzzy affairs, not exactly suitable for any typical rocksounds.
However, many years ago I learned that pretty much all traditional Fender amps sound way better when you hit their input pretty hard. Even seems to tame some of the annoying boxyness of whatever strange speakers Fender decided to use. Of course you lose 100% clean sounds that way and you need to be careful with the good old reverb, but others than that I enjoyed a blackface Twin I used to play for a whole bunch of gigs a whole lot more than without that little trick.

 

[dronerstone]

I don't like typical Jensens, either. For precisely the same reason. Good for clean, country-ish breakup and sometimes possibly some fuzzy affairs, not exactly suitable for any typical rocksounds.
However, many years ago I learned that pretty much all traditional Fender amps sound way better when you hit their input pretty hard. Even seems to tame some of the annoying boxyness of whatever strange speakers Fender decided to use. Of course you lose 100% clean sounds that way and you need to be careful with the good old reverb, but others than that I enjoyed a blackface Twin I used to play for a whole bunch of gigs a whole lot more than without that little trick.

100% agree. Most bigger-iron blackface amps have clean channels that sound good on paper, but are much too loud/clean and can easily flip into "bland" territory, unless you hit them with something to liven things up a bit. An always-on boost works wonders.

 

[spawnofthesith]

How about taking a different amp with a speaker you like and supplementing with pedals?

I'd love to lay down the hog with a Mark or EVH but this gig requires a small combo sadly

 

[JiveTurkey]

I'd love to lay down the hog with a Mark or EVH but this gig requires a small combo sadly

112 and the EVH? That's portable AF and sounds awesome \m/

 

[Sascha Franck]

I know you probably don't want to hear it, but now that you've got the Stomp, why not try to run it through a fullrange solution of whatever kind? Borrow a typical wedge or ask the sound guys, whatever.
Note: I would recommend to *not* use the typical house monitoring and blend your guitar with the rest. I only do that as a last resort and always bring my own monitor just for my guitar. I think a little physical separation makes things a lot easier all around.
But as said, with the Stomp I would at least give it a try for a gig or two. Especially in environments asking for smaller sized stuff you may find it easier to deal with than an amp.

 

[spawnofthesith]

112 and the EVH? That's portable AF and sounds awesome \m/

Might give this a go, but for tonight's rehearsal probably will still roll with the DR. I also just ordered a creamback


this gigs not for 3 weeks so ideally I'd like to just leave something at their spot til show time. Have a jawa gig next week that I'm using the 1x12 for and possibly the evh too and I don't really feel like bringing those back and forth this week, afterall, guitar/DR/ pedalboard is only one trip

but after that I'll take the temperature of where I'm at lol

I know you probably don't want to hear it, but now that you've got the Stomp, why not try to run it through a fullrange solution of whatever kind? Borrow a typical wedge or ask the sound guys, whatever.
Note: I would recommend to *not* use the typical house monitoring and blend your guitar with the rest. I only do that as a last resort and always bring my own monitor just for my guitar. I think a little physical separation makes things a lot easier all around.
But as said, with the Stomp I would at least give it a try for a gig or two. Especially in environments asking for smaller sized stuff you may find it easier to deal with than an amp.

ehhh

not ready/wanting to do that at this time

 

[sashimi]

I did turn the treble way down from where I normally have it and it definitely helped, suppose I could try even more

Do you run just the preamps or the full amp models typically?

I run the full amp models. I didn’t like the preamps as much.