Smooth, singing, clear LSS lead sound?

[timmerel]

I still haven't quite nailed a smooth, singing overdrive sound with my LSS that is as clear sounding as I would like. I am playing a Parker Fly Mojo (Seymour Duncan Jazz humbucker in neck and JB humbucker in bridge - both coil tappable, both active pickups).

This is my first high gain amp, so I have a lot to learn. The closest settings I've tried are:

Drive 12
Drive setting Thick
Gain 3
Treble 1.30
Mid 12
Bass 10
Presence 10
Master 10
5 Watt setting
Reverb Warm set to 9.30
plus a POD XT basic compressor in the effects loop
Neck humbucker tone full, volume full

Drive 12
Drive setting Normal
Gain 3
Treble 11.30
Mid 1.30
Bass 11.30
Presence 9
Master 2
5 Watt setting
Reverb Warm set to 9.30
plus a POD XT basic compressor in the effects loop
Neck humbucker tone half, volume full

In terms of tone, I am thinking a little bit in the direction of the sound on this sample:

http://www.scottlernermusic.com/music/ScottLerner-FuchsSampleFusionClipGold.mp3

It was done using a Fuchs amp, so not sure if the LSS does that sort of thing.

All advice gratefully received and listened to.

Tim

 

[timmerel]

Tried backing off on the guitar volume with tone rolled down to half - seems to help a bit on the smoothness and clarity front.

 

[chedgeco]

I don't think your going to get that Fuchs Scott Lerner tone (really just a Robben Ford clone tone) out of the LSS. You might if you put Hermida Audio ZenDrive in front of it but I don't think the lead channel of the LSS will get you there.

You might want to try the Lonestar Classic though, IMHO it would get there a lot faster. Of you could always just get a Fuchs SLX ODS, but then we might banish you from the board... :lol: :roll:

Chris... 8)

 

[Brewski]

Hey Timmerel, Do you currently use a compressor? If not, it might clean up your tone a bit and give you more sustain, if that's what you're looking for. Just a suggestion that may help a bit.

 

[timmerel]

Fuchs amps not sold here in UK, and also v. expensive. Besides, I really like the Lonestar Special I just bought! Just want to get the most out of the lead tone...

Will give the zendrive a try - thank you for the suggestion.

Tried the Classic, but preferred the sound of the special for clean and overdriven tones. All seemed a bit more defined and "sparkly" (to my cloth ears anyway).

Am using the basic Pod XT compressor - don't know how that ranks in the order of compressors, and if something else might help?

 

[Kyle]

The treble and presence controls play a HUGE parts in the tone of this amp. I think with some tweaking you can come pretty close. You gotta know also that what you hear professionally recorded has had that secret "studio" button pushed. ...You know...Eq'd ...mastered...etc. Just find something close that you like. I personally don't run the mids or bass that high on mine on any setting and i run the presence higher. Also, try taking out the effects loop. I think anyone with an LSS will tell you the treble and the presence are very instrumental to finding your "sweet spot". I can't tell you what to set things at because your guitar and signal chain will be different than mine. Congratulations on your new purchase. I hope you enjoy your LSS as much as I enjoy mine.

 

[SabuJSE]

Your Bass is WAY too high, I think. With higher drive and Treble, too much bass really muds things up.

Here's my approximation of an Allman Brothers-type tone with a SG:

"Thickest"
Drive 10:00
Gain 2:00
Treble 2:00
Mid 11:00
Bass 9:30
Presence 1:30

15 watt setting, Channel 2. Volume to taste. Kick a fuzz in on that and you are a permanent resident in Sustainville.

EDIT: You are using a Pod XTL? OMG the Fuzz Pi model is perfect with this amp. Kick that in on Channel 2 and sustain for years. Adjust tone on the XTL to taste - it makes a huge difference.

 

[timmerel]

Have tried monkeying about following your advice, and this seems better.

Drive 10.30
Drive setting Thick
Gain 1.30
Treble 1
Mid 1.30
Bass 10.30
Presence 9
Master 10.30
30 Watt setting
Reverb Warm set to 9.30
plus a POD XT basic compressor in front of the amp
Neck humbucker tone full, volume full

I tried turning the Mid further down and presence further up, but it sounded too "buzzy" to me.

I wonder if the active pickups push things a little differently.

 

[SabuJSE]

Active's probably do... maybe someone can chime in on what freq's the active pups push the most and then you can adjust from there.

 

[timmerel]

Have finally figured it out - for touch sensitive, singing overdrive at 30 watts using the 8 ohm out and normal setting, set the drive low around 10.30 and then used every control pre-presence as decreasing gain stages. So say Gain at 3, treble at 1.30, mid at noon, bass at 10.30. Then presence to taste (say noon) and master set low. Add a compressor in the loop for some boost without grit, pickups full include the piezo and voila.

I feel so much better...

 

[BottyGuy]

Great news timmerel, I'll add this thread to my notes for the next time I'm in GC wearing out the floor model. Someday I'll actually buy one.

 

[SabuJSE]

Oy - I meant to put Presence at 3:00, not 9 (I meant as in 9 out of 10 - mixing my descriptions here)

 

[ned]

Dude- that rig is sick. Love the LSS with the extension cab.

 

[timmerel]

And now have managed to get the same sound recorded using a Sequis Motherload - so silent recording and sounds the same as through the cab!

Very, very, very cool.

 

[boogiemon]

Sorry if anyone is getting tired of me saying this, but, at ~3 o'clock, the treble knob begins to add significant gain, so treble up, presence down, voicing switch set to "thicker", & keep those power tubes hot, no 4 ohms into 8.

regards

 

[jrkooshman]

wow- Timmeral- this setting is amazing with my PRS single cut. I just a/b'd with the Zendrive and there was barely any difference- the Zen just gave it some extra compression and sustain, like a 2nd ***-kicking!

 

[lyman]

set the drive low around 10.30 and then used every control pre-presence as decreasing gain stages. So say Gain at 3, treble at 1.30, mid at noon, bass at 10.30.

that brings up a good point. with mesas, it's helpful to think of the eq knobs as gain stages rather than something that simply boots/cuts one narrow frequency. i know, it's just semantics but i think it might help people wrap their head around how the controls are so interactive.