Le Lead channel B Fuzz

BesmirchedTea

New member
I listened to some Youtube vids of Le Lead, and it sounded sweet like the Mesa-Boogie Mark IV I'm trying to avoid lugging around, so I bought one thru Guitar Center.
Sadly, in real life, mine sounds nothing like the videos.

Channel B sounds like a fuzz box at all gain levels
(Think Beatles; You say you want a Revolution).

Signal flow is guitar to Le Lead input, Le Lead 1/4" output to input of HX effects (effects bypassed, input set to accept line level), out of HX to QSC FRFR powered speakers.

Channel A brightens the sound, but doesn't sound amp-like either; just brighter.

Any suggestions?
Is mine just a lemon?
Do I need to install a Mesa 12AX7?
Does it only sound good with the Torpedo cab?
Do the units that test poorly (or are untested) all get sent to Guitar Center?

Thanks in advance for any helpful advice!
 
Hi BesmirchedTea,

by any chance, are you using the Line out that doesn't have the speakersim? That line out is designed to go into a power amp (Le Lead is a preamp, not an amp) or a speakersim (like the CAB M), not to go straight to PA. ;)

Use the XLR output and activate the speakersim.
 
XLR out sounds fine. Thanks!

I also just found that following the Le Lead 1/4 out with EP Xotic Booster cleans it up quite a bit as well.
I'd have expected the opposite; another gain stage intuitively seems like it should make more distortion, not less.

Now I'm convinced to keep it.
Next revision, can you put the XLR on top?
Jack on the side, as it sits now, the unit takes up lots of pedalboard real estate, even with 90 degree XLR, and I might need a second one for stereo...

Thanks a-gain for the help!
 
Hi, ok good to know you made it work.

It's still better to use a CAB M, gives your more tonal options and a more realistic tone, but not everybody wants to spend that much, I totally understand it.

Next revision, can you put the XLR on top?

It was not possible to have all the connectors fit on top, but are you talking just the XLRs? Ther are some angled XLR connectors, just in case that would fix your issue. Thank you for your suggestion anyway I appreciate any feedback. ;)
 
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