Leave good enough alone?

[Steve Smith]

Can you elaborate? How is your Tube Screamer set? Where is it in your signal chain? Which of the amp's channels/modes are you using? The GE-7 is a great tool to shape your tone with. How is it set?

The DSL will get plenty mean with those two things alone, provided that you're using them correctly. I don't believe any amount of tube swapping will achieve what you describe.

I would suggest this, and in this order:

1. Remove all pedals. Plug only the guitar into the amp. Using your preferred channel, adjust the amp to sound as "mean" as possible on it's own.

2. Plug guitar into Tube Screamer, and then plug the Tube Screamer into the input of the amp. Set the Drive down low, about 9 o'clock. Set the Level way up high. Set the tone knob somewhere in the middle, wherever it sounds best to you.

3. Add GE-7 to the loop. Keep the level slider on the very right zeroed out, right in the middle. Set the others a little something like this (not my pic but I do something similar although it's more curved, like a "smile")

View attachment 127814




This should get you to a halfway decent starting point. Experiment with it. Bump the drive up on the TS, or down. Bring the sliders on the EQ up or down a touch, mess with it.

You should be able to get pretty damn mean with what you got already.

Well said MC, you are very right, this is a classic EQ setting for a great very smooth rock sound for rhythm, then just turn the settings upside down for lead...

Bobs yer uncle xx

 

[Steve Smith]

Yep, absolutely. That's why I suggested it as a starting point. Ultimately, he's going to have to experiment and find out for himself what he likes, but I suspect these settings will get him closer to what he's describing.

We are all tone chasers my friend...

The holy grail is to be able to create total dynamic and sonic control in your fingers...
Imaging just if you had the power to play so clean with the expression in your hands by being so your dynamic control. Then to just achieve incredible power and sustain and volume.

To me that is why valves have all of the warmth and so organic.... it gets loud and it starts to overdrive in a very gradual in a warm way.

 

[Steve Smith]

We are all tone chasers my friend...

The holy grail is to be able to create total dynamic and sonic control in your fingers...
Imaging just if you had the power to play so clean with the expression in your hands by being so your dynamic control. Then to just achieve incredible power and sustain and volume.

To me that is why valves have all of the warmth and so organic.... it gets loud and it starts to overdrive in a very gradual in a warm way.

I think Jimi got close to achieving that. Eddie was close ish.. I think the best he did was Fair Warning.. in later albums with Sam his sound was good but not true...

 

[FleshOnGear]

Does anyone know if the tubes for the pre amp and power section of the dsl40cr are upgradable?
As most may already know the pre amp comes with 4 ECC84'S And the power section 2 EL84's.
Was thinking somewhere down the road I'd like to hot rod my dsl40 to sound a bit meaner, a little heavier. Thought I read somewhere on this forum that I could but, can't find the post.

I use an Ibanez tube screamer to scoop or boost the lower end and I have a Boss GE-7 band EQ though I can't seem to get the sound I want with it and removed it from the FX loop. Should I even attempt to go down that rabbit hole, or continue to experiment with what I got?

Like the others have said, I don’t think you’ll make a bigger difference in your tone changing tubes than you can with your EQ pedal. If you want to try getting a heavier sound without the EQ, speakers can help.

Like others have mentioned, it’s not a cheap way to go - you might not get the sound you want on the first try. For “heavy” tones, you might try and Eminence Swamp Thang or Tonker, or a Celestion G12K-100. With speakers it’s usually best to buy used so you can turn them around without losing too much money, if you don’t like them. Good luck!

 

[GrindingMetal7]

Can you elaborate? How is your Tube Screamer set? Where is it in your signal chain? Which of the amp's channels/modes are you using? The GE-7 is a great tool to shape your tone with. How is it set?

The DSL will get plenty mean with those two things alone, provided that you're using them correctly. I don't believe any amount of tube swapping will achieve what you describe.

I would suggest this, and in this order:

1. Remove all pedals. Plug only the guitar into the amp. Using your preferred channel, adjust the amp to sound as "mean" as possible on it's own. Hint: don't be skimping on the mids. It's tempting to scoop them out, but don't.

2. Plug guitar into Tube Screamer, and then plug the Tube Screamer into the input of the amp. Set the Drive down low, about 9 o'clock. Set the Level way up high. Set the tone knob somewhere in the middle, wherever it sounds best to you.

3. Add GE-7 to the loop. Keep the level slider on the very right zeroed out, right in the middle. Set the others a little something like this (not my pic but I do something similar although it's more curved, like a "smile")

View attachment 127814




This should get you to a halfway decent starting point. Experiment with it. Bump the drive up on the TS, or down. Bring the sliders on the EQ up or down a touch, mess with it.

You should be able to get pretty damn mean with what you got already.

Can you elaborate? How is your Tube Screamer set? Where is it in your signal chain? Which of the amp's channels/modes are you using? The GE-7 is a great tool to shape your tone with. How is it set?

The DSL will get plenty mean with those two things alone, provided that you're using them correctly. I don't believe any amount of tube swapping will achieve what you describe.

I would suggest this, and in this order:

1. Remove all pedals. Plug only the guitar into the amp. Using your preferred channel, adjust the amp to sound as "mean" as possible on it's own. Hint: don't be skimping on the mids. It's tempting to scoop them out, but don't.

2. Plug guitar into Tube Screamer, and then plug the Tube Screamer into the input of the amp. Set the Drive down low, about 9 o'clock. Set the Level way up high. Set the tone knob somewhere in the middle, wherever it sounds best to you.

3. Add GE-7 to the loop. Keep the level slider on the very right zeroed out, right in the middle. Set the others a little something like this (not my pic but I do something similar although it's more curved, like a "smile")

View attachment 127814




This should get you to a halfway decent starting point. Experiment with it. Bump the drive up on the TS, or down. Bring the sliders on the EQ up or down a touch, mess with it.

You should be able to get pretty damn mean with what you got already.

Ok, here it goes. My first correction and not that it matters right now. The power stage of my amp uses EL34'S not 84's because my fingers move faster than my brain when I type. lol

My guitar is plugged into my Ibanez T/S info of the amp.
setting are as follows: Gain is at 9 o'clock
Intensity at 9 o'clock
Tone at 3 o'clock
Gain on amp is at 5
Treble and mid about 8
bass between 6 and 7
Presence and resonance at 6
I use the ultra gain channel.
... and as a bonus question if you'd be so kind lol, where in the effects chain should I place my EQ pedal for best tone optomization?
From the send on my fx loop I have a Boss looper pedal then Waza craft delay then to my reverb pedal on the return end of the loop.
Thank you for your reply and info

 

[mcblink]

... and as a bonus question if you'd be so kind lol, where in the effects chain should I place my EQ pedal for best tone optomization?
From the send on my fx loop I have a Boss looper pedal then Waza craft delay then to my reverb pedal on the return end of the loop.
Thank you for your reply and info

That is something you probably want to experiment with.

To be totally honest, I actually try to avoid pedals almost entirely lol.. One pedal I do often use is the GE-7, and it's usually the last thing in the signal chain. Sometimes I'll use a touch of chorus, and even then, I'll put the EQ last. You may find that you like it at the end, like me, or you might find you like it before the other effects in your loop. You'll just have to try things out and see what you like best.

 

[Maxbrothman]

DSL has more gain on tap than you need. Another high gain amp is what I would look at. The Orange Dark Terror is British sounding but brutal.

 

[Steve Smith]

DSL has more gain on tap than you need. Another high gain amp is what I would look at. The Orange Dark Terror is British sounding but brutal.

I do agree with what you guys say here with regard to tone... but my own personal thing for live work is just keep it simple in every way... perhaps that comes from the days of stressy setting up in the 80's an 90s and the concert chairman said ... right lads we need you on in 10 minutes after the bingo? Ok
When I was still clambering over the Hammond and Leslie cabs to try to staple the black backdrop to the wall. I had not even sounchecked or got a chance of a pint... so stressed. Never ever again...
100 quid now or I dont get out of bed...
I turn up at 7.30 I play, I do a great professional job, if you want me to sing that is an extra 40 quid, then I go home xxx.

 

[Jethro Rocker]

Gain on amp is at 5
Treble and mid about 8
bass between 6 and 7
Presence and resonance at 6
I use the ultra gain channel.

With the TS9 and some gain set there too. Is this OD1? Or OD2?
What exactly are you after? That should be brutal as hell. I wonder about amp/ear placement...
How about ZERO gain on TS and put the level or volume control on it full up. Try it.

 

[Steve Smith]

With the TS9 and some gain set there too. Is this OD1? Or OD2?
What exactly are you after? That should be brutal as hell. I wonder about amp/ear placement...

The TS9 just has a lot more raunch than the OD1...

Maxim made the Ibanez pedals. Roland Boss were such brilliant effects... I have an ME6 pedal board from 1992 which works fab with the 76 JMP just clipped.

The ME6 is a legend. But also the early Ibanez pedals were brilliant also

 

[Steve Smith]

With the TS9 and some gain set there too. Is this OD1? Or OD2?
What exactly are you after? That should be brutal as hell. I wonder about amp/ear placement...
How about ZERO gain on TS and put the level or volume control on it full up. Try it.

My honest belief is that the Boss OD1 and the distortion were simply too well made and processed. The Ibanez TS and distortion were so much more raw sounding and natural

 

[Steve Smith]

With the TS9 and some gain set there too. Is this OD1? Or OD2?
What exactly are you after? That should be brutal as hell. I wonder about amp/ear placement...
How about ZERO gain on TS and put the level or volume control on it full up. Try it.

I set the JMP at about 5 on the gain right in the middle, clipping but not distorded, just before any distortion, the hardest clean sound you can get. set the tube screamer for full overdrive and the volume and tone somewhere in the middle... with a good SD thats how you get a great sound xxx

 

[Jethro Rocker]

I set the JMP at about 5 on the gain right in the middle, clipping but not distorded, just before any distortion, the hardest clean sound you can get. set the tube screamer for full overdrive and the volume and tone somewhere in the middle... with a good SD thats how you get a great sound xxx

The OD on DSL is pretty gainy, if he is using OD2 then he is already gained out. No gain on pedal bit lots of level will push the front end of amp n tighten things up.
I use my amp's tube distortion rather than pedals but I do push the front with level.
As for OP, not sure