LSS - How do you get the breakup tone?

[Quattroste]

Hi All,

Newbie to all this Valve/Tube tone so I am still finding my feet. I can get some great sounds out of my LSS 1x12 combo but I am just wondering how to get the best use of the valve tone at lower volumes(home studio)

Is it best to

a) Have the preamp volume full and the Output volume low.
b) Have the preamp volume low and the Output volume cranked.
c) Have both volumes cranked and the guitar volume low.

Is there any best way or is it just a matter of taste?

Thanks

 

[parsky1]

Depends on what type of breakup you are looking for. Preamp, which makes the notes carely out for a long time and the higher the less dynamic and compressed your sound becomes. Poweramp, which I'm sure is what you're talking about when you mean breakup, means you have to crank the amp to get the power tubes to saturate. Meaning making your amp really loud. The is a more musical distortion, and you still maintain your picking dynamics. Finding the right mix is the hard part.

I wouldn't say you want the preamp volume real low and the Output volume cranked. I would say turn the gain up to wear it doesn't get fizzy and crank the output. A THD hotplate would help keep the volume managable, but it does slightly affect your tone, so you will have to play with the eq a bit.

 

[ylo]

Use the "Blues" setting that comes with the amp. Set the gain around 1 o'clock or higher, set the channel master to taste. For power tube bounce, use the 5 watt setting. Add drive for a creamier tone, but I usually have it defeated if using CH 2.

Unless you are playing fairly loud, you will not get power tube saturation, but in the 5 W mode, you at least get a little bit of compression even at low volumes.

 

[Mick]

I've only had my LSS for about 9 months or so but try this.

Set the amp up for a nice clean tone that you like and at the volume you'll be playing at on the 5 watt setting.( I keep the effects loop engaged and use the output knob to adjust the overall volume) Then, gradually decrease the master and increase the gain untill you get the amount of break up that you want.

This is just a start. Remember at 5w you're only using 1 power tube. Try the same thing with the 15w setting(2 tubes) for a similar but slightly different tone. You can also get great break up on the 30w settings but at that point your rectifier tube is out of the picture.

It's very important to read the manual for this amp especially if you're new to Mesa and or tube amps in general. Also, the guys on the board here are a great source of knowledge so don't be afraid to ask for help when or if you don't understand something. (or if your amp starts burping and farting :twisted: :roll: most tube amps will at least hiccup sometime during its life) Good luck and enjoy your LSS!

 

[Russ]

Do your girlfriend's best friend... :lol:

Sorry, I couldn't resist that one....

 

[zappaslaughter]

:lol:

 

[Quattroste]

Thanks all, especially Russ :wink:

I do already like the blues setting and have played around with what most of you have mentioned.

I guessed that the real power tube saturation that I was looking for was a high volume tone so I'll just have to wait until I have the ability to crank the amp without the neighbourhood complaining!

The amp is second hand and still has the original Mesa Tubes/Valves so I guess the next step is a re-tube. Eurotubes seem to have a good deal 1/2 the price of what I would have to pay for the Mesa tubes in Ireland.