Tone setting

First, I love Les Pauls through Fender amps! Great sound!! But, when I try to get the sound I want... it sounds like, less than great sound!? I know musicians set up a single channel amp (in my case an '02 R8 into a blackfaced '69 Twin Reverb or a blackfaced '69 Vibrolux Reverb) just on the edge of break up. So when you dig in and hit hard, there is more over drive and when you roll back volume and pick softer you get a good clean sound. Besides goosing the front end of the amp with pedals for more gain ect.

So my question is this... or, more to the point... those of you who do this very thing... how do you do it? What are the steps you take and the order you do them in to get a good sound? I know this sounds elementary, but any and all responses will be greatly appreciated!

I was never able to achieve the OP's goals along with tone that I liked from my Vibrolux Reverb. I love the amp, but use if for more of a clean or slightly dirty sound. Maybe I just don't care for the dirty sound of the VR. What really got me to a dirty sound that I could clean up from the guitar was a tweed Deluxe 5E3 clone. That was the amp that changed my guitar playing life.

Thanks for the replies! KennyF, sweet looking rigs!! Don, I'll have to look into the 5E3!

The higher power Fender Tweeds (Bassman 59 or 60, Twin, Pro) played around 3 to 5 sound heavenly for cleans. There are some harmonics there which don't show up anywhere else that I have seen. Get them around 6 and you can play pick attack vs. volume control all day long to add hair. The little octal At Mars I have can play that line easier. At around 12 to 13 watts it is very venue friendly with a mic and PA.

How? Each one I have I do the same way, the biggest difference is the start point for the amp volume.

Easiest for me is the At Mars.

1) I put my volumes on about 7. (for anything that is where I start).
2) On the at Mars the amp on Fat and Low Power and Volume at noon and start picking soft then hard.
3) Listen for the "hair" or breakup. None? Dial it up a half notch. Repeat.
4) When you get the breakup point play with the volume control and adjust between the guitars "sweet spot" on tone versus the amps "sweet spot". Not all guitars will sound great at different volumes on the pickup hence the play back and forth.

I am sure there is a reason somebody will say this is the stupidest thing they ever heard...5 4 3 2 1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LG6uTqrRaVg

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Originally Posted by renderit

I am sure there is a reason somebody will say this is the stupidest thing they ever heard...5 4 3 2 1

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I think most people are going to say that's how it's done.

renderit, Tyvm for reply! Although... I'm almost a little disappointed that your answer didn't start off or have some form of your usual, taking in circle gibberish-warped sense of humor style that I've become accustom to on tLPF!?!?

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Originally Posted by renderit

1) I put my volumes on about 7. (for anything that is where I start).
2) On the at Mars the amp on Fat and Low Power and Volume at noon and start picking soft then hard.
3) Listen for the "hair" or breakup. None? Dial it up a half notch. Repeat.
4) When you get the breakup point play with the volume control and adjust between the guitars "sweet spot" on tone versus the amps "sweet spot". Not all guitars will sound great at different volumes on the pickup hence the play back and forth.

I am sure there is a reason somebody will say this is the stupidest thing they ever heard...5 4 3 2 1

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Speaking as an absolute newcomer to the world of electric guitar, I can only say that this is the approach I've used ever since I bought my first (Fender) amp. Even the modeling amps have a "sweet spot" I find. Then, I use the volume and tone controls (and the occasional pedal) to modify the sound to suit.

I just thought that it was the way everybody does it. Well, other than those who turn the guitar's knobs up to 11 and try to shake the building foundations...

P.S. The 7's on step one are the guitar volumes.

Amp volume half way up or "noon" to start. On a Tweed Bassman or Twin I would start lower unless you wish to rearrange walls.

Step 3 is going up a half notch (5.5 instead of 5 or 6.5 instead of 6) ON THE AMP.

Step 4 is kind of guitar dependent. Most LP's I have are good around 7 and up on their volumes. The tone will be essentially the same with no treble or bass losses on a 50's wire pattern.

oldstrummer and renderit (again) tyvm for replies.

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Originally Posted by renderit

1) I put my volumes on about 7. (for anything that is where I start).

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I don't know what the volume pot taper is on my new ES-335, but I usually start off with my guitars' volume pot(s) at about 8. This is with RS Superpots. On the new ES-335, they need to be around 5-6. I suspect they are linear taper. This is good and bad- I get a very fine level of adjustment to dial in a lot of sounds, on the other hand, I have to turn the pot farther than I'm used to so it's not as quick. I dig it overall, though.