I think the amp is fine.
I've got good pickups , good tubes, good guitars..
My Lead channel just smokes, I couldn't ask for a better high gain channel.
R1, sounds nice and chimy, R2 sounds like a blues channel.
If I throw boost in front of it it sounds pretty good. but compared to my lead channel
it sounds very anemic.
the crunch channel on my 6505+ has way more gain.
I should probably also state that I ususally run this amp with that volume one at 7 1/2
the lead master at about 2, the lead drive on about 6-7 and the overall master at about 3.
In class A with these settings the lead channel just sings
I have the R2 volume mod on mine, if I crank that level will it give me more gain?
(I'd have to figure out how to balance everything) :?
I honestly haven't played araound with it too much, as I just love what the lead channel
gives me so I've kind of ignored R2.