Clean amps: comp, gain stages, boosters & avoiding general early chain ridiculousness

[sal paradise]

Looking for advice on how to make awesome sounds with my prri without resorting to the world’s biggest pedalboard. And maybe pictures of your boards

I’m absolutely bought into the idea of a light drive & fuzz combo. It’s proving a little harder dialling that in with my Sunface- any tips for gain after germanium fuzzes greatly appreciated.

Two pedals, no biggy. My real consternation comes from two recent revelations:
1. I really like what a treble boost does to my driven sounds
2. A good comp sounds great with a Princeton

Now I’m trying to work out how to add another 2 pedals alongside the two drives, tuner, digital & analogue delays, modulation, aggressive tremolo & an ambient reverb,

Can I have my cake & not eat a bigger pedalboard?

[Firecat]

This for me is where mini pedals come in handy. I prefer regular sized pedals in general, but compressor and clean boost to get some more sparkle are set and forget pedals and on most of the time. I use a Mooer Yellow Comp and a Xotic Super Clean. I've thought about upgrading the Mooer to a Fairfield The Accountant a couple of times, but I have no complaints about the Yellow Comp whatsoever.

Alternatively, you could go for something like a Strymon Compadre if you want one less cable and one pedal less to power. Takes up the same space though.

[sal paradise]

This for me is where mini pedals come in handy.

That’s a cool idea! You just inspired me to do a quick shift around. It’s not pretty, but I can fit everything on there. I’ve got 8x 9v & 2x 18v on the power supply, plus currently powering the chorus off the TE-2 so can make it work…

[Shadoweclipse13]

Not sure about fuzz sounds based on what you like, but if you like the treble booster sound, get that! I've the second most recent version of the Catalinbread Naga Viper, and it sounds great with my PRRI. The beauty of the Naga Viper is that it's got a range pot, so you can have it be treble booster only, full-range booster only, or blend anywhere in between. My heavier drive sound is: Catalinbread Naga Viper > EQD The Dunes (think *Damaged Goods* by La Dispute, though maybe a little more trebly the way I use it). Catalinbread just released a newer version in the last few months that adds an input gain (I think) knob, but they also changed the transistor, so I'm not sure how it sounds yet.

EDIT: The EQD Westwood also sounds REALLY good with every amp I've tried it on. I use it with my PRRI frequently, and originally fell in love with it on a Marshall Origin 20C.

As for compressor, I've tried a few and didn't like most, but have stayed with a Lamplighter from Greer Amps and it sounds incredible. I'll never get rid of that compressor. I've also got a Drybell Unit 67 (I use for bass) that sounds awesome. The cool part there is that you can use it as a basic EQ as well, so it's got some other functions beyond just compression.

Drybell Unit 66 video that hooked me:
Patrick Hunter - DryBell Effects Unit67 Demo [Bass Demo]

[sal paradise]

Hey, thanks - loads of pedals I’ve no come across before, lots of rabbit holes to dive into Will look up the Dunes & westwood for sure, although the Fredric golden eagle works well for me.

What does your chain look like?

Just been playing around with this setup (front row only) & it’s sounding really good. That’s a keeley java boost & Fredric effects Klon clone. Starting to make sense to me now, except the additional pedals needed.

The only weird thing is the compressor doesn’t play well with the DiMarzio SDS in the bridge. Sound gets quieter- need to look at how the compressor functions and figure that out. Works perfectly on the other pickups.

[i love sharin foo]

My brown Princeton is really sensitive to input levels whether it be from pickups or pedals. I use multiple boosters at different points in my chain for various levels of boost for different tones. Both Before and after fuzz. A few of each gives me tons of possible combinations depending on what sound I want. It seems excessive until you’re actually using them, then it makes more sense. I have a little MXR mini compressor and use if after some of my fuzz boxes too. I can leave it on to control volume and peaks, but click it off for a volume boost and more dynamics. That tactic is working well for me.

[marqueemoon]

I do like my treble booster, but it is not a regular thing, and not something I use live. It’s awesome, but when playing in an unfamiliar environment I prefer maximum clarity.

I personally have no use for a compressor pedal on guitar (it’s a must on bass though).

For me a lot of what I like tonally about a small amp happens when I turn it up. It compresses and gives me more bloom from notes, and when a small amp is already cooking it doesn’t take as much to push it, and I like a JFET full range clean or mid boost post-dirt pedals. If I can get the harmonics and upper mids to pop a little the amp breaks up in a beautiful way and the boost really lights up any dirt pedals before it without muddying them up or drastically changing the eq.

In the OP’s situation I would likely be looking for an attenuator.

[sal paradise]

I use multiple boosters at different points in my chain for various levels of boost for different tones. Both Before and after fuzz.

Always in awe of your board of drives totally get why you’d need multiple boosters after seeing how dark stacked gains seem to get.

For me a lot of what I like tonally about a small amp happens when I turn it up. It compresses and gives me more bloom from notes, and when a small amp is already cooking it doesn’t take as much to push it, and I like a JFET full range clean or mid boost post-dirt pedals. If I can get the harmonics and upper mids to pop a little the amp breaks up in a beautiful way and the boost really lights up any dirt pedals before it without muddying them up or drastically changing the eq.

In the OP’s situation I would likely be looking for an attenuator.

This is interesting. Push the amp & I might not need compressor?

Could I use something as simple as the JHS little amp box type thing, or should I be looking at a powered one?

[marqueemoon]

This is interesting. Push the amp & I might not need compressor?

Could I use something as simple as the JHS little amp box type thing, or should I be looking at a powered one?

It very much depends on the sound you’re going for. If you like it squeaky clean or are going for a spanky funk sound or something a compressor is what you want.

If you like a little hair on your sound and some compression from the amp, but at a conversation-type volume then that’s where an attenuator could help.

The JHS is intended to go in an effects loop, which the PRRI doesn’t have.

You would need an attenuator that goes inline between the output of the amp and the speaker.

I have a cheap one I bought used for $30 that’s a Swart Night Light knockoff from what I can tell. It’s ok. I certainly got my $30 worth.

If I were using one more regularly the Two Notes Torpedo Captor looks interesting.

[fuzzjunkie]

Hey, thanks - loads of pedals I’ve no come across before, lots of rabbit holes to dive into

I’ve got an EQD Bellows which sounds pretty good into the Princeton. Will look up the Dunes for sure.

What does your chain look like?

Just been playing around with this setup (front row only) & it’s sounding really good. That’s a keeley java boost & Fredric effects Klon clone. Starting to make sense to me now, except the additional pedals needed.

The only weird thing is the compressor doesn’t play well with the DiMarzio SDS in the bridge. Sound gets quieter- need to look at how the compressor functions and figure that out. Works perfectly on the other pickups.

Not something I have ever used, but The Edge runs his DiMarzio equipped Strats through a Boss FA-1 FET preamp as a booster.

[sal paradise]

Not something I have ever used, but The Edge runs his DiMarzio equipped Strats through a Boss FA-1 FET preamp as a booster.

I’m not really a Strat person, so that’s gonna be overkill.

Quite into the idea of an attenuator to push the amp & get a more compressed sound without a pedal. Could even negate the need for a klon/ts type thing to push for breakup.

Might look for one with adjustable volume as I’ve been thinking about trying a 25w speaker, so that would impact volume & breakup (Torpedo Captor is fixed at -20db).

I’ll see if I can connect it to my Torpedo Live at some point soon, but would need some kind of speaker cable extender.

[marqueemoon]

Not something I have ever used, but The Edge runs his DiMarzio equipped Strats through a Boss FA-1 FET preamp as a booster.

I’m not really a Strat person, so that’s gonna be overkill.

Quite into the idea of an attenuator to push the amp & get a more compressed sound without a pedal. Could even negate the need for a klon/ts type thing to push for breakup.

Might look for one with adjustable volume as I’ve been thinking about trying a 25w speaker, so that would impact volume & breakup (Torpedo Captor is fixed at -20db).

I’ll see if I can connect it to my Torpedo Live at some point soon, but would need some kind of speaker cable extender.

Is the Torpedo Live just a load box/cab sim with no attenuation capability? That’s surprising.

If you like it you could use the line input with whatever attenuator you get.

Even with running small amps louder I really like my Klone (I use an Archer Ikon). It does color the sound quite a bit.

[sal paradise]

Not something I have ever used, but The Edge runs his DiMarzio equipped Strats through a Boss FA-1 FET preamp as a booster.

I’m not really a Strat person, so that’s gonna be overkill.

Quite into the idea of an attenuator to push the amp & get a more compressed sound without a pedal. Could even negate the need for a klon/ts type thing to push for breakup.

Might look for one with adjustable volume as I’ve been thinking about trying a 25w speaker, so that would impact volume & breakup (Torpedo Captor is fixed at -20db).

I’ll see if I can connect it to my Torpedo Live at some point soon, but would need some kind of speaker cable extender.

Is the Torpedo Live just a load box/cab sim with no attenuation capability? That’s surprising.

If you like it you could use the line input with whatever attenuator you get.

Even with running small amps louder I really like my Klone (I use an Archer Ikon). It does color the sound quite a bit.

Yep, Torpedo Live, Captor x & the Suhr Reactive load all bypass if you connect a cab. Seems like a missed opportunity, but I guess they're aimed at IRs over attenuation.

Good to know a light drive still sounds good. But that means klone, fuzz & booster... it would be rude not to add a rat, And then I'm back at 2 additional pedals again despite losing the compressor lots of playing to do before I make any decisions there, and I'm not likely to be gigging with that setup anytime soon.

Just picked up this for an ok price. French, handmade & simple. Hope it sounds ok...

[Fozzie Guillen]

I have no complaints about the Yellow Comp whatsoever.

Big Yellow Comp fan here. Have a Mira and a CP-1X and the Mooer still hasn't come off my main board.

[sal paradise]

Ok, I absolutely get what you mean. This has worked a treat, thank you. When the amp is pushed it has a lot more life. Sounds really
Punchy on the Strat neck pickup without the compressor.

As soon as I get up to 5 on volume, getting really flabby bottom end. Will try it with a few other guitars, definitely something weird about the way the SDS-1 works with this amp. Maybe need to try lowering the pole magnets?