NAD - 5:25 w 1X12

[Bill_Z]

Hi All

Just picked up my 5:15 with the Celestion 12. What a great amp! Gonna take me a while to get it dialed in, but I am sure it will be woth it.
Been lurking here a while and wanted to let everybody know that I learned a lot while doing so and you all helped with my selection.
I did have a couple of questions - I have a Strat and Squire Tele, both with EMG's - anyone have any suggested settings to try? I play blues, r&b, jazz, rock, etc.
Also, anyone running delays, boosters in the loop - I have a Aquapuss and EP Boost that I was thinking of running that way.

Thanks for all your help, unknowingly given, until now anyway.

 

[Furvel]

As far as the settings go, I'd say let your ears be the judge. Check the manual, there is some good info about the tone controls that helped me out when I first got my amp. If you are miking the amp, I would advise you to consider the mic position on your speaker, as you may have a significantly different tone in the PA as opposed to what you hear coming right out of the cabinet. Right now I like the mic near the outside edge of the speaker, which gives me a rich thick tone through the mains, but I have to roll the bass back on the amp to keep from getting muddy in the PA. I wind up with less bottom end than I like in my stage sound, but I get the sound I want in the PA which is what counts in the end. I've had my Express since January, so I'm still learning and making adjustments.

I run all my time based FX in the loop, and all OD's into the front end... I haven't tried any clean boosters or the like.

I will say that I'm digging this amp big-time. I had a preamp tube crap out during set-up at a festival gig, and had to use my backup (Cube 60) at a show for the first time this year. It was a huge disappointment, but these things happen, and we soldier on and make the best of it. I had a back-up set of power tubes, now I'm carrying an extra 12AX7 as well!

 

[Bill_Z]

Yeah, I have to make time to sit and listen, critically if possible. Good point about the stage mix - the tone controls are really powerful and its easy to get dialed out, at least for me right now. We have some small club gigs coming up and I'll have to keep an eye on it.
I used to run the aqua puss all the time - just to kind of thicken things up - not sure I need to do that anymore!
I have a zendrive that I havent tried yet, but loved it with my other rig.
Yikes - gonna make sure I get me some spares.
Thanks!

 

[J.J]

Hi and welcome to the family. The express is certainly versatile and will require some time to get the best from. My best advice is that you read the parts about the controls and tones in the manual a few times. Once you understand that you will be much better able to dial in what you want.

Generally one of the more usefull things I try to keep in mind is that more gain = thick tone and less gain = more sparkle.

 

[Don]

Read the manual and take pics of you amp's settings when You find something that you like.

Also, if the clean mode is too bright, turn up the gain a bit. It'll make it sound fatter before it adds a lot of dirt. As J.J implied, there's a balance between thin sparkle and fat dirt.

I run my delay and a boost in front of the amp. I prefer them there. Running a boost in the loop isn't conventional, but it can sound really good.

The only effect that I run in the loop is a Hughes & Kettner Rotosphere.

BTW, my amp is a 5:50.

 

[Bill_Z]

Good advice - especially the taking pictures - I have a tendency to find something I like then 'tweak it just a little more" and lose it all together.
Yeah, the EP does color the sound a bit so its not a clean boost so I have to see if it will work either in front or in the loop at all.
Too bad I cant bring it to work to experiment but it might wake my co-workers.

 

[Don]

I was at GC a few weeks ago and a guy was playing a Les Paul through a 5:25 1x10 combo. He was playing "Just Got Paid" by ZZ Top and it sounded great! He was using the Burn mode with the gain set at about 9:00.

I've owned my 5:50 for over a year and a half and had never considered the Burn mode with the gain turned down for a good bluesy sound!

 

[J.J]

Yes, the burn mode with the gain down is has some unexpected and very nice tones waiting to be used.

With a good whack of lower mids and not to much bass or trebble, it is kind of opposite, but complimentary to the clean mode with the gain down low enough.