Who is pushing their amps with hot pups and EQ alone?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Kapo_Polenton
  • Start date Start date
I used to run medium output pickups with gain levels low and then hit it with a boost or eq pedal.

Then I got tired of all the "ingredients" needed for my tone.

So I cut back and now just run an 81 through a gate, and into the amp.

Much happier, and I think my tone has improved as a result.
 
What tonal differences are there between the 6 band mxr and ge-7 for those of you who have had both?
 
UberschallEL34":cbr7szwa said:
boost with Suhr Koko - have a nice day :D
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I can't argue with this. I tried a Fish and Chips a bit and got some interesting stuff, but the Koko just works.

I am a lower output pickup guy into plexi type amp at. Moderate volume (read gain) for clean/crunch and the Koko for everything else. I used the middle position of the mid boost on my Koko into my jet city modded to a more plexi vibe with some real fun results over the weekend. It's not hard to reach down and flip that switch for some simple EQ work.

I can't do a good a more modern metal type tone real well but it's passable. Everything else is working nicely.
 
FYI, Steve's Rebel Yell pickups are just little lower output than a JB, and sound pretty close to a JB.
 
On my VH4 it really needs nothing. I do have a SD-1 level up drive down and a KoKo boost that just gives it a little something that sounds really F'n good. PUP's vary, JB, Blackouts, Aldrich and others. I only run time based effects in the loop and for my ears I really like the sound of pushing the front end of the amp.
 
Although I do use a boost of some sort on occasion (love the Z Vex SHO), I typically don't use them (depends on the amp). That said, I'm a big fan of the Badgerplex Pre pedal for adding a "bigness" to my overall sound. It's the preamp section of an EP-3 Echoplex in pedal form...an awesome little tone-enhancing box.
 
Rogue":jr6om2k5 said:
UberschallEL34":jr6om2k5 said:
boost with Suhr Koko - have a nice day :D
Click to expand...
I can't argue with this. I tried a Fish and Chips a bit and got some interesting stuff, but the Koko just works.

I am a lower output pickup guy into plexi type amp at. Moderate volume (read gain) for clean/crunch and the Koko for everything else. I used the middle position of the mid boost on my Koko into my jet city modded to a more plexi vibe with some real fun results over the weekend. It's not hard to reach down and flip that switch for some simple EQ work.

I can't do a good a more modern metal type tone real well but it's passable. Everything else is working nicely.
Click to expand...

I had another thread about this but is the koko really able to hit the front end that hard of a moderate gain amp (2204 crunchy or plexi) and give you lead tones or are you the type of player that likes to work for it? I like to work a bit but some runs just need more gain. I like the voicing of that mid switch on the koko though and that is what has me interested. It also seems to add more gain to my ears but maybe that is just because it is pushing certain frequencies that cut more. So let's put it in terms we understand, if you start with a crunchy amp and a relatively hot pickup, do you have enough gain to play any Lynch runs?
 
Kapo_Polenton":3bxhblmf said:
I had another thread about this but is the koko really able to hit the front end that hard of a moderate gain amp (2204 crunchy or plexi) and give you lead tones or are you the type of player that likes to work for it? I like to work a bit but some runs just need more gain. I like the voicing of that mid switch on the koko though and that is what has me interested. It also seems to add more gain to my ears but maybe that is just because it is pushing certain frequencies that cut more. So let's put it in terms we understand, if you start with a crunchy amp and a relatively hot pickup, do you have enough gain to play any Lynch runs?
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I only run the Koko with the boost side and mid side about 50%, and that is hitting a plexi clone (and Jet City modded to be plexi-ish) and a MCP Nasty Nasty (a lower output pickup compared to most being discussed here) and giving me enough gain to get into some easier leads. It is NOT like a high gain amp, you do have to work for it, but it does push it into a nice lead tone/feel. I haven't run the Koko higher than 50%, but there is more room to go and that may or may not give that type of feel. In any case, I don't think you're going to get a plexi or 800 to get into that super fluid gain without some sort of stomp box that supplies its own gain, and even then it's different than a "high gain" amp.

Like I said in that other thread, Guthrie Govan is running a Badger (18 or 30, I don't know for sure) at a crunchy setting that he can still get good cleans, and boosting it with a Koko at about the same way I am running mine and he has no problem with that gain level and easily doing Lynch stuff and beyond.

I got tired of trying different pedals to get that super fluid gain with my amp. It always did something I didn't like. I have sense settled that the Koko did what I needed and I just needed to work on my chops. :)

And again, I ultimately just bought another Koko, one for a lower level boost and one for a higher level boost, or both together for a shit load of boost (I never run both). With the mid boost options on two pedals, and boosting cleanly or midboosty, I get a wide array of boosting options. Yes, possibly redundant, but it's working for me.

I am a Koko fanboy, I will admit, but there is a reason I am. It just freaking works (and a great buffer). :yes: It's not for everyone, obviously, so all you can do is track one down to try or bite the bullet and buy one and see.
 
The only pedal in my chain is a noise gate. And even that is only when Im playing live and need to not have feedback.
 
Kapo_Polenton":2r1pccma said:
I had another thread about this but is the koko really able to hit the front end that hard of a moderate gain amp (2204 crunchy or plexi) and give you lead tones or are you the type of player that likes to work for it? I like to work a bit but some runs just need more gain. I like the voicing of that mid switch on the koko though and that is what has me interested. It also seems to add more gain to my ears but maybe that is just because it is pushing certain frequencies that cut more. So let's put it in terms we understand, if you start with a crunchy amp and a relatively hot pickup, do you have enough gain to play any Lynch runs?
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I think for what you're talking about, a Timmy would be perfect. I use it in the exact manner you describe above (in bold).
 
There are a bunch of them for sale over at TGP, including the limited surf green model which some people seem to like better (I don't recall the difference)...it's the one I have but I never played the original to compare.
 
no boost needed with ceramic warpig bridge into my 5150 III
 
Kapo_Polenton":2dge2r3l said:
What tonal differences are there between the 6 band mxr and ge-7 for those of you who have had both?
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I have had many different (Ibanez, Maxon, Boss, MXR and others) 6 and 7 band graphic Eq's over the years and they all have their character but I feel anyone would pretty much do the same job. My favorite was the very old Ibanez but now prefer the Maxon for true bypass. When I did have the MXR they didn't have any bypass switch so that's why used something else. MXR was great but always on. Now they have a switch on them and haven't tried one.
 
I don't.

Of my "main" amps my VH100 has a footswitchable boost on both channels on the amp, I use the loop on my XXX as a boost to push the volume (or just swatch channels as I voice the crunch to cut better than the ultra), my El Diablos have various footswitchable options, my Roadking II has the boost function and/or I just dial it the same as my XXX - one for rhythm work and one for lead work.

If I 'need' a boost/push, I'll just toss my YJM pedal or my Daddy-O in the mix.

Derek
 
Alright, I might be buying into the hype but I pulled the trigger on a koko in the classifieds, see what it does. Didn't really hear a bad soundclip. I figure I can use my bad monkey to get where I like to be then punch that mid for solos.
 
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