help with my dual rec solo head clean tone
- Thread starter toolshed
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YellowJacket
Well-known member
Hmm, I'm going to try to be serious here. We're talking about a 2 channel head, a 3 channel head, or the 3 channel reborn?
1) What guitars are you using?
2) What pickups / electronics are you running in your guitars?
3) Once you have steps one and two figured out, you may want to consider some actions on this.
Things I have found improve clean tone on a Dual. (Unfortunately, they take away from the dirt tone in most instances)
-Running 6L6 tubes instead of EL-34s. The bell-like Mesa STR454 tubes are great for this!
-Running Yellow Jackets with EL-84s. (at the expense of a heavy and modern dirt tone) If you are into more vintage tones, running Yellow Jackets with a Marshall 1960ax cab is absolutely mind blowingly awesome. Just be forewarned, this will turn your Dual Rectifier into a totally different amp.
-Running greenbacks or a cabinet otherwise geared to cleans. Again, this interferes with crushing modern gain tones.
4) If no tweaking or part swapping is remotely appealing, you might have to get your head modded. Voodoo amps has a mod that breathes life into the clean tone. The other option is to buy a Fender Blackface and an AB box. Then you can lug two amps everywhere you go!
I think in many cases, having a great clean sound and a great gain tone is hard because the conditions necessary to create both of these scenarios are in direct opposition with one another. I think this is why the Road king allows for two cabs to be hooked up, one for clean and one for gain. Of course, the Electra Dyne / Mark V are notable exception to this phenomenon.
1) What guitars are you using?
2) What pickups / electronics are you running in your guitars?
3) Once you have steps one and two figured out, you may want to consider some actions on this.
Things I have found improve clean tone on a Dual. (Unfortunately, they take away from the dirt tone in most instances)
-Running 6L6 tubes instead of EL-34s. The bell-like Mesa STR454 tubes are great for this!
-Running Yellow Jackets with EL-84s. (at the expense of a heavy and modern dirt tone) If you are into more vintage tones, running Yellow Jackets with a Marshall 1960ax cab is absolutely mind blowingly awesome. Just be forewarned, this will turn your Dual Rectifier into a totally different amp.
-Running greenbacks or a cabinet otherwise geared to cleans. Again, this interferes with crushing modern gain tones.
4) If no tweaking or part swapping is remotely appealing, you might have to get your head modded. Voodoo amps has a mod that breathes life into the clean tone. The other option is to buy a Fender Blackface and an AB box. Then you can lug two amps everywhere you go!
I think in many cases, having a great clean sound and a great gain tone is hard because the conditions necessary to create both of these scenarios are in direct opposition with one another. I think this is why the Road king allows for two cabs to be hooked up, one for clean and one for gain. Of course, the Electra Dyne / Mark V are notable exception to this phenomenon.
3 channel head... my main guitar is a gibson les paul with 50s wiring, orange drop caps, and 500k pots. 57 classic in the neck and a seymour duncan sh6 in the bridge.
im using marshall 1960 4-12 cabs...... just doesn't have that great of tone. I play in a prog band and sometimes we play really dark moody ambient music and the hi gain is just over kill...... I really would just like to use one amp for this application. I already have one rig with a 5150 and a rivera knucklehead that gives an excellent sound and tone. I really thought that this amp would be great of both clean and melting off your face...
im using marshall 1960 4-12 cabs...... just doesn't have that great of tone. I play in a prog band and sometimes we play really dark moody ambient music and the hi gain is just over kill...... I really would just like to use one amp for this application. I already have one rig with a 5150 and a rivera knucklehead that gives an excellent sound and tone. I really thought that this amp would be great of both clean and melting off your face...
toolshed said:
What year is the head? And what's the problem with your clean tone? Is it not loud enough or do you just not like the way it sounds?
My first guess is your bridge pickup. The Duncan Distortion (in my experience) doesn't have great cleans, and if the high-gain sound is overkill, then you might want to look into something a little bit more balanced.
the head is an 05. It's just not warm enough. it's almost like theres not enought over head. Seems to want to kinda break up, but not really like you want it for a break up tone. it's really not a clear clean tone like i'm trying to acomplish. Kinda sounds like it's brittle....Maybe i should end up with a fender or something. I'm currently running no pedals thru it. This guitar played thru my other rig is incredibile. i use the classic 57 for the clean channel and the sh-6 on the distortion.
mylo
Active member
I have an 05 DR. dont be afraid to crank up that treble and presence on your clean channel. I run my treble and presence at 4 o clock. Gain at 1 o clock. Bass at 12 o clock. I push my master volume to 1 o clock. toggle switch in the middle on my LP. I run my master a little high to get the headroom I want for the clean channel. I am using 6l6 power tubes My cleans want to break up earlier wit EL 34 tubes. Haven't tried 77's but have read they are similar.
I have an 06 Dual Rec and know exactly what you are talking about. You will NEVER get the clean to be pristine AND as loud as the other two channels. Cannot be done, especially if you are running really hot humbuckers.But you can get a really good clean out of the amp if have the right setup.
Start by setting the Amp Master at noon or higher. You need the power tubes to be getting a lot of signal. On the clean channel I set the Treble and Presence almost all the way up, keeping the bass way down and bring the mids to noon or a little higher. I then turn the channel master all the way up and use the gain to control the volume. If you are using the Send control on the Loop don't go higher than Noon or you'll start overdriving the into the power amp. Adjust channels 2 and 3 according to you Channel 1 settings if the song needs a predominate Clean sound.
And last, but not least, bring the volume control on your guitar down to minimize slamming the front of the amp and adjust to taste. I ride my guitar volume all night long in every channel and get great results with this. On blues songs I can get a passable clean with 'hair' from my Vintage setting of channel 2 by just rolling my guitar volume back and rolling it on for the solos.
Most folks think Rectifiers are 'one trick ponies' cause they don't understand the controls and try to set them like a Fender or a Marshall. If you think about what sound you need from a given channel, don't dime any of the controls, starting from zero and then adjust with your ears, you'll be amazed at the different tones the amp is capable of.
Start by setting the Amp Master at noon or higher. You need the power tubes to be getting a lot of signal. On the clean channel I set the Treble and Presence almost all the way up, keeping the bass way down and bring the mids to noon or a little higher. I then turn the channel master all the way up and use the gain to control the volume. If you are using the Send control on the Loop don't go higher than Noon or you'll start overdriving the into the power amp. Adjust channels 2 and 3 according to you Channel 1 settings if the song needs a predominate Clean sound.
And last, but not least, bring the volume control on your guitar down to minimize slamming the front of the amp and adjust to taste. I ride my guitar volume all night long in every channel and get great results with this. On blues songs I can get a passable clean with 'hair' from my Vintage setting of channel 2 by just rolling my guitar volume back and rolling it on for the solos.
Most folks think Rectifiers are 'one trick ponies' cause they don't understand the controls and try to set them like a Fender or a Marshall. If you think about what sound you need from a given channel, don't dime any of the controls, starting from zero and then adjust with your ears, you'll be amazed at the different tones the amp is capable of.
Raggi73
Active member
This post made mye day, year even.....
After trying different thing to make my clean and distortion (channel 3) sound GREAT, I was close to give up the DR-2.
I could get a great sound of the DR-2, but at a volume that tear down my studio/rehearsal place.
I did what kramerxxx mentioned: dial the master to noone and just a touch on the channel 3 volume. Great sounding.
Also my clean can get real high now without distorting. Clear and crisp.
I have a g-major hooked up, and I have done the loop fix and it sounds great, but the volume meeter on the TC isn't showing as the channel volume is almost at 0.
My question is: Can I crank the loop volume without rising the amp volume. One thing I would like is to use the Noise gate on the TC so silence the amp.
I don't have access to my amp at this time, so that is why I'm asking this.
BTW: kramerxxx thanks for the volume idea.
I'm a happy metal-head.
After trying different thing to make my clean and distortion (channel 3) sound GREAT, I was close to give up the DR-2.
I could get a great sound of the DR-2, but at a volume that tear down my studio/rehearsal place.
I did what kramerxxx mentioned: dial the master to noone and just a touch on the channel 3 volume. Great sounding.
Also my clean can get real high now without distorting. Clear and crisp.
I have a g-major hooked up, and I have done the loop fix and it sounds great, but the volume meeter on the TC isn't showing as the channel volume is almost at 0.
My question is: Can I crank the loop volume without rising the amp volume. One thing I would like is to use the Noise gate on the TC so silence the amp.
I don't have access to my amp at this time, so that is why I'm asking this.
BTW: kramerxxx thanks for the volume idea.
I'm a happy metal-head.
