Are you using pedals with the amp for clean sounds?

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user 39637

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Hi all.

What kind of pedals are you using with your Express 5:25 Plus for clean sounds, if any? Are you happy with the stock clean sounds, or do you add pedals like compressors when playing, especially when using strat type of guitars?

Greetings,
Kenneth
 
I don't use pedals at all. Especially, I don't like compressors since you loose a good part of the dynamics of your sound. The clean channel of the 525 Plus gives you so much dynamics that I had to adapt my playing (picking and fretting ) at the beginning. I play jazz, blues and fusion and the 525 Plus gives me all I need as it is.
 
GuyB said:
I don't use pedals at all. Especially, I don't like compressors since you loose a good part of the dynamics of your sound. The clean channel of the 525 Plus gives you so much dynamics that I had to adapt my playing (picking and fretting ) at the beginning. I play jazz, blues and fusion and the 525 Plus gives me all I need as it is.

Thanks for the reply. I've gotten some really nice jazz sounds with the amp, using my Ibanez AR420 (http://www.ibanez.com/products/u_eg_detail.php?year=2016&cat_id=1&series_id=8&data_id=185&color=CL01). Haven't really nailed any clean tones with my Fender Strat yet though, but will keep trying.
 
I generally use the Blues channel for cleans and then the cruch channel . Gives just a slightly warmest clean. I run pedals into that from low gain to mid gain, the crunch channel for my highest gain. Since the other pedals add some gain I use a Xotic SP compressor set to low and about and even wet/dry mix to boost the volume just a bit and to make sure it stands out in the live mix and not get lost in it on softer passages. Just makes playing clean a lot easier to mix in and just a hit more sustain. Might be amazed how many of those great clean players have a touch of compression going on.
 
I use a Mythical OD and an Ethos OD in front. Gives me tons of options....

Al
 
Just wanted to say that I found the perfect sound for my strat. I described it here: http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=71825
It's the best clean and pushed clean sounds I've ever gotten from my guitar.
 
kenneho said:
Just wanted to say that I found the perfect sound for my strat. I described it here: http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=71825
It's the best clean and pushed clean sounds I've ever gotten from my guitar.

ahh Ken
In the photo on the link you posted you've got the gain almost maxed on the crunch channel.
No one else is gonna think that's a clean tone or anywhere near a pushed clean tone either.
I would describe it as maxed out heavy crunch :mrgreen:

The stock clean tones (ie clean on channel 1 with gain below 12 oclock) are at the very top of tube amp quality and better than any Fender except the Twin (equal to it imo).
Express amps are famous for this & many people buy them just for the outstanding clean channel.
For a pushed clean tone I might push the gain to 2 oclock on the channel 1 clean voice.

People don't use pedals to get great clean tones - they buy tube amps for it.
But seems maybe you have your own definition for a clean tone.
Maybe what you call clean the rest of us think is overdrive and distortion :)
 
Newysurfer said:
kenneho said:
Just wanted to say that I found the perfect sound for my strat. I described it here: http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=71825
It's the best clean and pushed clean sounds I've ever gotten from my guitar.

ahh Ken
In the photo on the link you posted you've got the gain almost maxed on the crunch channel.
No one else is gonna think that's a clean tone or anywhere near a pushed clean tone either.
I would describe it as maxed out heavy crunch :mrgreen:

My mistake, I forgot to switch back to clean mode before taking the pickture. I've added a comment to my original post to notify the readers of this mistake.
Anyway, with the settings in the photo, but with the switch set to clean, I get this great, ever so slightly pushed (or whatever the correct term is) sound using my single coil strat.
 
kenneho said:
Newysurfer said:
kenneho said:
Just wanted to say that I found the perfect sound for my strat. I described it here: http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=71825
It's the best clean and pushed clean sounds I've ever gotten from my guitar.

ahh Ken
In the photo on the link you posted you've got the gain almost maxed on the crunch channel.
No one else is gonna think that's a clean tone or anywhere near a pushed clean tone either.
I would describe it as maxed out heavy crunch :mrgreen:

My mistake, I forgot to switch back to clean mode before taking the pickture. I've added a comment to my original post to notify the readers of this mistake.
Anyway, with the settings in the photo, but with the switch set to clean, I get this great, ever so slightly pushed (or whatever the correct term is) sound using my single coil strat.

Ken you say you have trouble finding a good clean tone - my opinion is.....................
you got the gain far too high (probably on everything)
clean is clean so get on the clean channel (stay there) & drop gain dial to 10-11 oclock.
mids around 12 oclock
treble 12 to 1
bass no more than 11
reverb to suit.
turn off your MXR EQ pedal & your compressor

you don't need pedals or youtube - you have an expensive & excellent clean tube amp :mrgreen:
 
I'm entirely with what Newsurfer has just said. I would add two things : !- ok for the gain setting low but for the EQ, I think that this could vary with the type of guitar you use but, as Newsurfer says, usually no need to go over 12. 2- The 25W or 10W settings should be the "normal" choices but don't neglect the 5W setting; sure, it breaks much earlier and you won't be able to obtain as much volume than with the other wattages but the 5W has a tone of its own wich is, imho, just beautiful.
 
Stinger22 said:
I generally use the Blues channel for cleans and then the cruch channel . Gives just a slightly warmest clean. I run pedals into that from low gain to mid gain, the crunch channel for my highest gain. Since the other pedals add some gain I use a Xotic SP compressor set to low and about and even wet/dry mix to boost the volume just a bit and to make sure it stands out in the live mix and not get lost in it on softer passages. Just makes playing clean a lot easier to mix in and just a hit more sustain. Might be amazed how many of those great clean players have a touch of compression going on.
Bump
 

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