Amp Noob (Settings question on Ace Stiletto 1x12)

[anoser]

Hey all...I'm new to the board, and pretty new to Electric Guitar amps...

Up until a couple years ago I was all acoustic, and finally made the jump...since then I've been in a couple of bands.

There is nothing more frightening to an acoustic guitar player than NOBS, BUTTON, AND SWITCHES...AAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh. After years of just plugging in, adjust volume, play...yeash.

So...my question is. I have a Fender EJ and the Ace Stiletto 1x12. Every now and then, tweaking, twisting, etc...I find some delicious tones that make me drool...

but MOST of the time, I find that ice pick in the brain, harsh tone...I assume it's treble...but adjusting that doesn't always do it.

I am completely ignorant when it comes to amp settings...I normally just use suggested settings in the book.

Anyway...are there any tips to give a Mesa Noob on this amp? I like all levels of gain...but prefer channel one to be chimey clean, and 2 to be more saturated than a 2 dollar hooker.

Maybe it's the EJ?

 

[cvansickle]

Try a compressor.

 

[cant play pool with a rop]

Getting a smooth sound with a Strat/Ace takes some tweakin for sure. I found the spongy setting to be less pingy/harsh sounding. It helps bigtime if the V-30 is broken in or not also. I have a blender pot in my Strat which helps considerably with the harshness when using higher gain and the bridge pickup. Keep the prescence, mids and treble on the amp low and adjust to taste. The Ace is definately more humbucker friendly, with singlecoils its takes some tweakin'. Also experiment with your tone and volume knobs on your guitar, with tube amps in my experience especially with a Strat everything on 10 isn't where the beauty lies. Take your time and learn the interaction between the guitar controls and amp settings to find your spot. Good luck

 

[Anonymous]

hey man, thats a cool set up! EJ strat with stiletto already guarantees holy sounds.

i nearly share the same set up, only with a 2x12" hot rod 57 reissue and three other 2x12" stilettoes.

my settings are mostly (in the tone section high-mid-bass-presence) around 12 o'clock

the gain ch1 is 12-14 usually crunch and volume between 10 - 14

in ch2 i play around with the gain and pu selections to find a sound fitting to the rest of the song/band

the output and solo is dialed how its needed for the overall loudness

crank 'em!

 

[anoser]

I appreciate people taking the time to respond...I'll muck with some of the setting suggested...and yah, I do tend to leave my guitar settings on 10...

Oddly...on the EJ with everything on 10 sounds GREAT when going clean, but definitely noticed tone nobs need to be adjusted when adding gain.

Also on the EJ...the volume nob is a bit odd...major changes in signal strength between 8-10, and really nothing worth bothering with below 8. I'm not sure why EJ spec'd it that way, but...I know he's a big pedal user and it may be that he just never adjusts his volume much.