Poll: Clean channel... tube or solid state?

[Drew]

You know, I have a feeling this one comes down to what one considers a good "clean" tone.

I'm guessing you solid state guys are talking about pristine, clear-as-glass clean tones, while I bet the guys coming down behind tube amps are more a fan of clean tones with a slight amount of breakup to them, just a touch of grit in there with the sparkle (like I said, think a SRV-does-Little-Wing clean as about what I shoot for, with even the cleanest sounds I dial up having the faintest amount of edge to them).

Is this pretty accurate?

-D

 

[Elysian]

You know, I have a feeling this one comes down to what one considers a good "clean" tone.

I'm guessing you solid state guys are talking about pristine, clear-as-glass clean tones, while I bet the guys coming down behind tube amps are more a fan of clean tones with a slight amount of breakup to them, just a touch of grit in there with the sparkle (like I said, think a SRV-does-Little-Wing clean as about what I shoot for, with even the cleanest sounds I dial up having the faintest amount of edge to them).

Is this pretty accurate?

-D

i think u probly nailed it... a good clean to me is just the patch i use on my vamp pro... no real frills, a little chorus and compression, a pretty even EQ, just clean and glossy, and very nice sounding... i can't even pretend to get a good clean tone from my blue voodoo... that things clean tone just sounds like poo lol

 

[No Soul]

You know, I have a feeling this one comes down to what one considers a good "clean" tone.



Is this pretty accurate?

-D

considering the poss is at a dead heat, Id say yes.

 

[grimmchaos]

Both....at the same time!


In reality, I like a tubey clean more than SS. I usually use the neck pickup on all my guitars for clean, and I can usually get a decent clean out of my Ultra Plus. Plus a little delay and chorus goes a long way.

 

[Jerich]

considering i make my own amp and it's a solid state..I'll go for solid State...But man I love my 1970 fender twins bell like chime...I guess it depends on what I am using it for recording or live..Tube amps are so not reliable or consistant,One day they sound GodLyke the next day Like POOP!! if it was up to me, I would not leave home with out the Lee Jacksons...V100 Tube...Plug strait in and anytone i want..As far as clean...

 

[Leon]

'Course, you could have just done the Tool thing and rolled off your volume to clean up...

that's what i've been doing alot of lately. it's much easier to just flip down the volume on my guitar from 10 to about 3 to get a sweet clean sound.

i only use my A/B/Y anymore to just disconnect the signal when powering up and down lol

 

[7StringofAblicK]

I never owned a tube amp up until recently. I do have to say, my tube amp BLOWS MY SS AWAY. I have three SS amps...well two now, and both sound very clean(obviously). But, they are very thin in comparison to the tube amp. I play a lot of metal and the tubes are biased higher, so I never get a real good break up( and i don't want one). I have the distortion channel for that. Just my two cents.

 

[The Rx Elite]

Tube. I'm not a big fan of perfectly pristine clean sounds (think most of Satch's), and I think the SLIGHT amount of grit a good tube amp will adds as it begins to warm up actually adds to the "sparkle."

-D

Agreed. I kinda like the crappy clean tone that I got.

 

[Bastard Toadflax]

I voted for the tubes. I like the coloration they can give you. I did have a little 30 watt marshall solid state which had a sweet clean sound, but I can get a pretty "pristine" clean even with my EMG81-7 through a dual rec.

 

[jim777]

For a clean with no effects I go tube with a little reverb (Acoustic Research G100-112, basically a Mark II clone), for clean with chorus I go SS (Peavey Stereo Chorus 212), and then back to tube for distortion. The Jazz clean on a solid body has to be tube, but the hollow archtop jazz clean needs to be SS to show off the guitar. Mostly though, for me anyway, clean sounds are a combination of solid body guitars and tube amps, or hollow bodied guitars and SS amps.

jim

 

[NewArmyGuitar]

Tubes. My Blue Voodoo has an incredible clean channel.

 

[Elysian]

solid state again

 

[Gurj]

From my current set-up, I'd say SS. Despite what the manual says, I can't find the clean channel on my XXX!!!!

 

[Kagami]

I like the super-clean gain channel my randall has, when using it, the lighter strings are just as loud as the heavy ones, lol.

 

[Elysian]

Tubes. My Blue Voodoo has an incredible clean channel.

i didn't even see this post right above mine haha... yeah i used to own a blue voodoo, and it had an ok clean channel, but don't turn it up real loud hahaha... it had decent distortion though(especially after swapping out the sh*t tubes that were in it for a set of jj/tesla 12ax7 and 6l6gt's), and the +12dB boost on the fx loop was good for lead work... don't need all that now though with my vamp

 

[Jesse]

With tube amps you get that nice, warm sound, like that feeling when you piss your pants... right before you realize what your doing... you know the one.


EDIT: works better when drunk... give it a shot! go on!

 

[Jeff]

The Carvin MTS 3200 has a pristine clean channel, almost SS in its cleanliness, yet has the tube warmth.

 

[Toshiro]

I've never been happier than the day I sold my Blue Voodoo. That amp made me want to never play guitar.

 

[AG Rocks]

If you want an awesome clean from a tube amp, you need headroom! A 50watt tube amp turned up will start to break up on the clean channel.

A 300watt tube amp will take a LOT more volume and attack before even beginning to break up on the clean channel! You want a super super massive clean tone...

Blue Voodoo 300. 4x15" speaker cabs and a semi-hollow will yield some amazing sounds! Not for the faint of heart or weak in tone!!!

Toshiro, thats surprising. I've heard some people say that about the Voodoo, but ive never had that experience. I've used the Voodoos for 8 years and ive never been lacking for any sound I could imagine! The Voodoo with a nice 30band EQ in the loop can virtually match any other amp's sound.

 

[Drew]

If you want an awesome clean from a tube amp, you need headroom! A 50watt tube amp turned up will start to break up on the clean channel.

See, some of us LIKE that about tube amps' clean tones.