Can't get good dirty + clean on .50 Caliber

[jacksonps37]

I have no idea if this is a stupid question or not, but I just bought a 50 caliber, love the clean tone, love the lead channel. My problem is, I can't get a good clean sound (low "volume" tone, little distortion) and a good lead sound (volumer pretty much all the way up) just by pressing the footswitch. This may cause some problems, having to turn around and turn the volume down or up in the middle of a song. Is there a way to modify this somehow electronically? Or has someone found some other solution?
Could use some help, I really would rather not start killing the tube sound wiith pedals. THanks.

 

[stomper]

First, welcome to the board. Second congrats on getting a cool amp. I gigged with my Studio 22 and 50 cal+ for years and stiill do occasionally. I ran an Alesis midiverbIII with a volume pedal in the loop. That is it. The volume pedal was the secret to getting the *perfect* balance of volume and distortion. Even if you bypass the effects it worked great. The reason you need something in addition to the volume pedal alone is the 50 cal tends to hum without a buffer in the loop. That is what the Alesis did. It buffered the loop and everything sounded killer. I used a Boss volume pedal for years. I have an Ernie Ball now, but I like the Boss better. They discontinued the one I wore out. Borrow a volume pedal and try it. You can use any Boss or Ibanez pedal(bypassed) to serve as the buffer. Good luck.

 

[scottcrud]

I've got a 1990 .50 Cal and if you need a really clean tone and a really distorted lead tone, you're out of luck. I run the gain on 8 and mostly use the lead channel, my clean tone sounds like Angus Youngs dirty tone and that's on my clean channel.

 

[musicman10_1]

My experience with a .50 cal + that I owned for about 5 years was that each tone you want is in the amp - just not at the flip of a switch. I ended up setting up for a great clean and using a pedal to push it into the lead sound.

After years of that I just bought a Mark IV and couldn't be happier!! The only pedals I use now are a delay in the loop and a wah in front.

 

[rvschulz]

i also run the clean channel to where there is only a slight breakup. my boss pedal is dialed in to crack it open, for some crunch and scream, if that is what i need. if i need out and out distortion, i tune the gain channel - takes all of 10 seconds ...

i swap guitars and need to retune the amp slightly - ES to strat mostly.

 

[Vigo1999]

imho, if you wants to get a cool clean sound and a cool lead sound you must run your lead master way up high, so you can get some power amp distortion, while keeping the "volume" (pre amp gain) knob at around 6 or so for a cleaner sound.

if you use it at lower volumes you'll have to turn up the gain knob and your "cleaness" will go away . . .

but i will also told ya to give a try on some cool pedals, since the .50+ absolutely loves pedals, even a Boss sounds cool trough'em . . . 8)

just my 0.02