Gain Position for High Gain Tones

[MetalThrasher]

I've noticed that when I am going for a high gain thrash metal tone regardless of what amp I am using the sweet spot for me always seems to be between 2 o'clock and 3 o'clock on the gain setting. Has anyone had similar experiences?

 

[saxxamafone]

Nope - gain sits in different spots on different amps. Compare a marshall to a peavey 6505 for example. Can't take a 6505 past 11 oclock.

 

[RaceU4her]

Yeah can’t say I agree but it depends on pickups and lots of things

 

[MetalThrasher]

I do agree that on the lead channel on a 6505 that is true. I really don't use the lead channel much on my 6505. I basically live in the rhythm channel. on my 6505. For the rhythm channel it's close to 2 o'clock for me.

 

[LP Freak]

Sounds to me like more of a subconscious thing

 

[VESmedic]

To me this isn’t that surprising, considering alot of amps have similar gain staging. How the amp responds and stays together ( or not) is a totally different question, but im not super surprised by this I guess. My EVH EL34 100 is the only amp that’s wildly different from my others, keeping the gain no higher than 10 o’clock on the red channel, and often even that’s too high

 

[DanTravis62]

I think its a combo of "in your head" and also maybe using similar amps over the years.

I use a wild range of settings in all my stuff

 

[Chubbs]

Yeah, i think it's a combination of the bright cap and gain working together depending on the amp. Past that point they turn into mushy shit.

 

[saxxamafone]

Wondering if you would get the same result if you dialed in each amp totally blind by ear? I've never tried it myself

 

[glpg80]

Not at all true for me.

Gain is maxed out on my JCM800, 3:30 on my Bogner, 2:00 on my laney. My stuff is set all over the place.

 

[RaceU4her]

My triple recto on orange I can dime it and be good, my laney though I don’t need it much over noon.

 

[Techdeth]

Here’s something strange I do that works .I turn gain all the way up and get it totally rich . Then set a hard gate and then suck gain out with an eq pedal and it’s level . It’s weird but then you get richer harmonics and then it’s still tight.

 

[311boogieman]

Wondering if you would get the same result if you dialed in each amp totally blind by ear? I've never tried it myself

True. And the only way to really do that is have someone else turn the dials for you but not give you any indication of what dial they are on. Someone who knows amps of course.

 

[DanTravis62]

Not at all true for me.

Gain is maxed out on my JCM800, 3:30 on my Bogner, 2:00 on my laney. My stuff is set all over the place.

Yep. Every amp seems to have a place where both you and it can agree on the settings. And the gain varies widely.

 

[scottosan]

I've noticed that when I am going for a high gain thrash metal tone regardless of what amp I am using the sweet spot for me always seems to be between 2 o'clock and 3 o'clock on the gain setting. Has anyone had similar experiences?

Never set controls by eyes

 

[MetalThrasher]

I never set my controls by eyes. Other than the gain being around the same setting that I said above, every other control is vastly different.

 

[RaceU4her]

What amps do you have? And how many different guitars?

 

[MetalThrasher]

Mark III, Mark V 35 watt, Triple Crown, 6505, and a TLS 122 combo. It's rig talk man... LOL I have several guitars. Both six and seven strings!

 

[rottingcorpse]

For me the gain level is amp specific.
Some amps become mush at 2-3 o'clock. Others are just getting good at 3 o'clock.
I have a modded 800 that is perfect and insane at noon. NOON!!! No boost,straight in.
Diezel/VHT/KSR/Marshall/Peters.....they all are different.
I would have skinned squirrels in the early 80s for amps with useable gain like we have now.

 

[jabps]

Nope - gain sits in different spots on different amps. Compare a marshall to a peavey 6505 for example. Can't take a 6505 past 11 oclock.

Lol I use to set my gain at 6 on the 5150, worked great for me.