Hope you guys don't mind my two threads! This is part 2, discussing the cleans. I play a lot of styles of music, and while metal may be most of my gigs, in my spare time it is almost all jazz/funk. So, hopefully I can get something good here, after all this is my main reason for the MTS systems, to get great cleans combined with a great rhythm/lead. Most metal amps are seriously lacking in cleans.
For signal path, I will be using mostly Ash/Alder bodies with Maple neck/fretboard, Duncan or BKP pickups (passive), a Carvin T100 6L6 tube poweramp (maybe a Mesa 20/20 soon), into closeback 1x12 or 2x12 with Eminence Lil'Texas (subject to change if it'll help tone).. pedals for reverb/mod/delays, but dont want to use any overdrives to get my amp tone if possible.
CLEAN #1 - Super clean, No breakup, Glassy warm and smooth
I figure my first slot should be super clean, to the point where theres NO breakup at all, even super loud volume with 100W tube amp. Its going to be hard to explain past that; the only way I guess to put it is I want a nice warm lively clean, rather than a sterile Marshall plexi or Mesa clean.
When adding reverb/chorus/delay, it should sound wonderful, FULL and WARM.
For this module, I'd love if I could find one STOCK, maybe save me some money, since its not asking for too much tonal character outside of being non-sterile, and being not gainy/breakupy. The KH-1 looks like the most reasonable from my initial research, but what do I know.
Roland JC-120 type, enough to do some fingerpicking classical, or chord-melody jazz. Alex Skolnick Trio is my favorite jazz trio, and I spend most of my time transcribing/learning his songs, so this type of clean tone is priority!
Youtube Examples -
Alex Skolnick Trio (watch these if any) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ex2Rf6WQvIY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhNnOeV9Qv4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lx6X6g4W_ho
Marty Friedman - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbhMXcbLJVY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llHYn-jGjt8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmUCjhLkPcs
Some Holdsworth chord-melodies - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6iXQUr6RZg
Animals As Leaders cleans - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvPvQDgwReY&feature=related
Just others like Pet Methany, Wes Montgomery, typical clean jazz playing. Maybe as close to Django as an electric could get me..
Would be beyond great if I could get a nice acoustic-y type tone from the same module, but I wont hold my breath.
CLEAN #2 - Funky Twang, Mid-gain Hendrix types?
Again, not great with describing my tones, especially clean tones. Here, I am looking for something that can be used to get those mid-gain Hendrix type "dirt" tones, along with being clean enough for funky type licks. Im not sure if this falls under the Marshall or Fender type, as it seems most funk guys I know use Fenders, but it sounds kinda like a low-gain Marshall to me. Hmm.
Think Hendrix's "Little Wing"
Might even be cool if I could get this tone from either the other super clean module, or from the last "Lead" type of clean, all I know is Ideally I will be able to get these 3 tones, from only two modules. Thats my goal.
I'll just go into examples with this one, since I dunno how much more to explain it. The Mesa Lonestar has always interested me, specifically to get this type of tone. As I said in my other thread though, the Carvin Legacy II's "boosted" clean (channel 2), is my dream amp for this tone.
Hendrix style - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAFaV1SrOqI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ad2EPO_y0ps
My fav band, TSQUARE & Casiopea -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DjHtEW9LzA&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBahH_6-loI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvyKiYu8elk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPqufDJ90o0
Funk time! the most important of this module -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKZVNrC0QYA
http://youtu.be/sK0ePMkBMzM?t=2m29s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2UmP6C9rcs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-qweYah6Ow
If you didn't listen to the clips, its mainly like Jamiroquai, Incognito, Tower of power, That kinda funky twang tone. Most likely a Fender Deluxe or twin??
CLEAN #3 - The Fusion, Smooth hi-gain but clean solo tone.
This one is the hardest tone to get out of ANYTHING in my experience, especially with modellers. This is why I am hoping these modules can help me out, but Its going to be hard. From what I've read, a lot of these fusion tones are usually some sort of boutique amp such as a Cornford, or Custom Audio (Suhr), with a very transparent boost such as the Maxon or BB Preamp infront.
Some of the players I relate to this tone, to give a small example, Greg Howe, Mike Stern, Allan Holdsworth, Frank Gambale, Guthrie Govan, maybe Santana slightly, can go on forever.
Examples of some of my favorites of it
Greg Howe (My fusion idol) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQ6ZjXr21hI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7iB3zQIVRI&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qJ_3R_O4I4&feature=related
Really, Greg Howe's tone is the best example I can give.. this tone is really diverse and hard to describe, but I think you all can get the idea of what im going for with Greg Howe's tone. It has a lot of gain, but its not "metal", and it cuts thru the mix great, while maintaining its smooth warm singing nature.
Anyways, again, I'd love any suggestions based on the info I provided here.. Im kinda running out of steam describing what I want, so hopefully its enough that someone can fill in the blanks for me.
Thanks!
For signal path, I will be using mostly Ash/Alder bodies with Maple neck/fretboard, Duncan or BKP pickups (passive), a Carvin T100 6L6 tube poweramp (maybe a Mesa 20/20 soon), into closeback 1x12 or 2x12 with Eminence Lil'Texas (subject to change if it'll help tone).. pedals for reverb/mod/delays, but dont want to use any overdrives to get my amp tone if possible.
CLEAN #1 - Super clean, No breakup, Glassy warm and smooth
I figure my first slot should be super clean, to the point where theres NO breakup at all, even super loud volume with 100W tube amp. Its going to be hard to explain past that; the only way I guess to put it is I want a nice warm lively clean, rather than a sterile Marshall plexi or Mesa clean.
When adding reverb/chorus/delay, it should sound wonderful, FULL and WARM.
For this module, I'd love if I could find one STOCK, maybe save me some money, since its not asking for too much tonal character outside of being non-sterile, and being not gainy/breakupy. The KH-1 looks like the most reasonable from my initial research, but what do I know.
Roland JC-120 type, enough to do some fingerpicking classical, or chord-melody jazz. Alex Skolnick Trio is my favorite jazz trio, and I spend most of my time transcribing/learning his songs, so this type of clean tone is priority!
Youtube Examples -
Alex Skolnick Trio (watch these if any) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ex2Rf6WQvIY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhNnOeV9Qv4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lx6X6g4W_ho
Marty Friedman - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbhMXcbLJVY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llHYn-jGjt8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmUCjhLkPcs
Some Holdsworth chord-melodies - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6iXQUr6RZg
Animals As Leaders cleans - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvPvQDgwReY&feature=related
Just others like Pet Methany, Wes Montgomery, typical clean jazz playing. Maybe as close to Django as an electric could get me..
Would be beyond great if I could get a nice acoustic-y type tone from the same module, but I wont hold my breath.
CLEAN #2 - Funky Twang, Mid-gain Hendrix types?
Again, not great with describing my tones, especially clean tones. Here, I am looking for something that can be used to get those mid-gain Hendrix type "dirt" tones, along with being clean enough for funky type licks. Im not sure if this falls under the Marshall or Fender type, as it seems most funk guys I know use Fenders, but it sounds kinda like a low-gain Marshall to me. Hmm.
Think Hendrix's "Little Wing"
Might even be cool if I could get this tone from either the other super clean module, or from the last "Lead" type of clean, all I know is Ideally I will be able to get these 3 tones, from only two modules. Thats my goal.
I'll just go into examples with this one, since I dunno how much more to explain it. The Mesa Lonestar has always interested me, specifically to get this type of tone. As I said in my other thread though, the Carvin Legacy II's "boosted" clean (channel 2), is my dream amp for this tone.
Hendrix style - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAFaV1SrOqI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ad2EPO_y0ps
My fav band, TSQUARE & Casiopea -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DjHtEW9LzA&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBahH_6-loI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvyKiYu8elk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPqufDJ90o0
Funk time! the most important of this module -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKZVNrC0QYA
http://youtu.be/sK0ePMkBMzM?t=2m29s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2UmP6C9rcs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-qweYah6Ow
If you didn't listen to the clips, its mainly like Jamiroquai, Incognito, Tower of power, That kinda funky twang tone. Most likely a Fender Deluxe or twin??
CLEAN #3 - The Fusion, Smooth hi-gain but clean solo tone.
This one is the hardest tone to get out of ANYTHING in my experience, especially with modellers. This is why I am hoping these modules can help me out, but Its going to be hard. From what I've read, a lot of these fusion tones are usually some sort of boutique amp such as a Cornford, or Custom Audio (Suhr), with a very transparent boost such as the Maxon or BB Preamp infront.
Some of the players I relate to this tone, to give a small example, Greg Howe, Mike Stern, Allan Holdsworth, Frank Gambale, Guthrie Govan, maybe Santana slightly, can go on forever.
Examples of some of my favorites of it
Greg Howe (My fusion idol) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQ6ZjXr21hI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7iB3zQIVRI&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qJ_3R_O4I4&feature=related
Really, Greg Howe's tone is the best example I can give.. this tone is really diverse and hard to describe, but I think you all can get the idea of what im going for with Greg Howe's tone. It has a lot of gain, but its not "metal", and it cuts thru the mix great, while maintaining its smooth warm singing nature.
Anyways, again, I'd love any suggestions based on the info I provided here.. Im kinda running out of steam describing what I want, so hopefully its enough that someone can fill in the blanks for me.
Thanks!