6505 settings w/ no boost?

[D-Rock]

So me and a friend had a mini ampfest yesterday. (Mostly my amps, he brought one of his Peters though)
Anyways, my friend is big on not using a boost now, after years of using boosts for tight metal rythym tones.
I gotta say, I'd like to start that as well.
Except I love what a boost does for my amps. We all know that uber tight and responsive sound a boost gives us.

I'd like to use my 6505 without a boost, but I just can't get it to where I'm satisfied.
It's always tubby, wooly and loose no matter what.
Am I wasting my time? Should I feel bad about using boost pedals as a crutch? Afterall, I use them exclusively with 5/6 of my amps.
I once heard a guy say "I'd put a fucking toaster in my signal path if I though it sounded good!" So I keep thinking about that thought process too.

If you have some settings let me know so I can give them a shot.

 

[warren]

what kind of guitar and pickups are you using? that can make a huge difference. I play through a 6505 and when using a guitar with active pickups I don't need a boost for tight metal riffing. when using passives it can vary wildly depending on what exactly I'm using. but most times I find the sound gets too loose or flubby because the guitar has too much low end going into the amp. put an eq in front of the amp and cut the lows a bit until you find the sweet spot. boosting the mids a hair will help as well. i mean that's essentially what a tubescreamer does but it also adds a bit of grit which you either love or hate. seems like you're trying to get away from that.

 

[D-Rock]

Thanks man, I'm using a dark sounding all mahogany guitar with moderrately high output passives.
I think my next purchase should be an EMG loaded axe. That extra tightness and the slightly thinner nature of an EMG81 should really help tame the thickness of some of my amps. I've tried reducing the lows, but the result is too drastic and weakens the tone.
Pickups are likely the main factor here, thanks again.

 

[Spaceboy]

I think my 5150 II settings are something like this, using EMGs and a VHT Fatbottom cabinet.

Pre: 5
Post: 3

Bass: 4
Mid: 6
High: 6

Presence: 7
Resonance: 3 or 4

The II is supposed to be brighter than the original 5150s though, so adjust accordingly, and maybe decrease some mids if you're using Vintage 30s. It's a starting point, I reckon! I also tune down to drop A, so I keep bass/resonance very low, which might need to be increased for higher tunings. It's still sort of flubby when compared to boosted 5150s, but it does sound good on it's own, and fits perfectly with the band I'm in.

 

[Anonymous]

Bias mod

 

[Anonymous]

Bias mod

 

[mchn13]

Use what works for you. Tghere have been a lot of recordings using boosts on the old 5150s for a reason...on my old blockletter I had two way different settings for boost or no boost. On the 5150II I didn't like using a boost at all...

 

[Rushtallica]

I don't think any setting is going to sound similar to using the boost. If that's the sound you like, there's nothing wrong with it. 8) And the friend's Peters amp probably sounds awesome and at its best without a boost but is a completely different amp.

 

[angelspade]

Live?

Lead Chan.

Pre: 5- 6
Bass: 5
Mids: 3-4
Treb: 6-7
Post: 4
Res: 5
Pres: 6-7

This basically perfect with a mahogany bodied guitar with an active in the bridge position.

 

[Spaceboy]

Also, check out that FJA Metal Mod... viewtopic.php?f=3&t=114758

It sounds so good without a boost in that clip.

 

[angelspade]

Use what works for you. Tghere have been a lot of recordings using boosts on the old 5150s for a reason...on my old blockletter I had two way different settings for boost or no boost. On the 5150II I didn't like using a boost at all...

I've owned several versions...And yes, the 5150 II (6505+) is a tighter, brighter amp.

 

[sjk]

As it has already been pointed out active pickups will be much tighter with that amp imo. I don't like the emg 81 but I've got one guitar with actives, two emg 85's and they are tighter than any of my passive pickups. Alot of people don't like Emg's, particularly the 81 but I love the 85's in the bridge or neck position of the right guitar, seems alot warmer or something too me, can't quite put my fiinger on it but it works for me.

 

[yngzaklynch]

If a boost does it for you then thats all that matters. I tired boosting my lead channel on my newly modded FJA 5150II and I really don't think the amp needs it. On a side not the Crunch channel on this amp is now totally usable. Ratter was busting out some Gov't Mule through that channle and I thought it sounded fantastic if I do say so myself.

Jim

 

[D-Rock]

Thanks guys, I think I need some actives and I'll keep boosting for the time being.
My lows and resonance have been at pretty high settings, and my 50 watt Mesa sounds bigger and thicker that the 6505. So looks like I need some new bottles too.
The 6505+ is a thought, and I've also recently been interested in the 6534+.

 

[D-Rock]

OK update boys,

I just got a really good UNBOOSTED metal tone by doing some drastic eq turning! Sounds great! More natural and I like the feel and response a lot too.
Not so precise and clinical sounding like when boosted.
I also replaced the Mesa 440's with some JJ 6L6's. But the affect was minimal.

Lead chan.
Gain - 6
Low - 4
Mid - 4
High - 7
Post - 2,3,4
Res - 9
Pres - 7
High gain input, through a Mesa Stiletto 4x12 w/V30's

 

[andwhatnot]

Bogner Ubercab, SD Blackouts, Mahogany body, 6505+, no boost.
Live:
Pre - 11:00-noon (depending on gain of other guiatrist, sometimes lower or higher)
Lows - 2:30
Mids - 1:00
Highs - 2:00
Post - To taste (generally above 11:00 for me )

Studio: basically dial down the highs a bit and the lows a bit, and the gain down to like 10:00, double tracked (one per side).

Good luck.

 

[andwhatnot]

^ sorry didn't read up and see your settings you posted. I play chugga chugga metalcore stuff, so basically my highs and lows are higher than yours, but those settings seem like they would be great for what you want from what I understand.

 

[mchn13]

Really, on the 5150/6505, you can put everything on 5 and it sounds great. Mine was based on that.. usualy:
Pre: 4
Bass: 4
Mids:6-7
Treb:4
Post:3-4
Res/pres: started at 5, but was different for every room/stage. At practice space, usually bothe were pretty high..
This was with a japanese charvel/duncan blackout tuned to B standard. I would warm up at practice with my drummer playing this mortal coil by carcass, and it was real close to their tone...

P.s. with emgs the pre would be about 5, so I guees 6 with passives would be about right...