Three Tones how do you get them no pedals?

[Red Planet]

Hi Guys!

I'm not needing assistance, just thought I'd bring this up as a discussion. With your Epi Les Paul how are you getting Clean, Crunch, and Scream with just guitar and amp, no pedals.

For the most part I am:

Amp mostly cranked but kept as low as possible to keep the noise/hiss down.

#1 Bridge pup turned down about half volume, using neck and bridge (neck at half volume) for decent cleans.
#2 Same switch position (middle) turn up volume on neck pup till crunch ensues.
#3 Switch to neck only and turn volume all up till she screams.

IMO this does need a not much loading situation to get the cleans and oddly my sunburst Epi 50s Les Paul Standard is better at this than any guitar I own or ever owned. Not sure why. I own the Goldtop 50s version and it does it well too but not as good as the sunburst one. They are both the same guitars but the burst sounds cleaner, brighter, and more compressed.

 

[syco]

I'm going to " go out on a limb " and say there will be a "slight " difference on a solid top vs flame / fade / burst top . Most will say the veneer / flame /burst doesn't make much difference as "thin " as it is . YMMV .... Solid Top (color ) have always seemed darker to me .

 

[Mr French]

The same exact way they done it in the old days by lowering the guitar volume.

 

[Red Planet]

I was thinking the top construction might have something to do with the tonal difference. The Goldtop is definitely warmer sounding. As I understand it the solid colors do not have a veneer and the burst do since they are using as little amount of flame wood as they can.

 

[cmjohnson]

Super easy. Plug into my Mesa Mark V:90 and set each of the three channels that way.

Same with the Mark III.

With the Mark II, I just roll down the volume control in the lead channel and switch the EQ off via the EQ footswitch.

It's harder with a single channel amp like a Marshall Superlead. It doen't have that much overdrive in it to begin with.

 

[noodlingguitars]

Super easy. Plug into my Mesa Mark V:90 and set each of the three channels that way.

Same with the Mark III.

With the Mark II, I just roll down the volume control in the lead channel and switch the EQ off via the EQ footswitch.

It's harder with a single channel amp like a Marshall Superlead. It doen't have that much overdrive in it to begin with.

same for me. most of my amps have at least 2 channels, some with 3. probelm solved

 

[rbraad68]

Around the house I mainly just plug straight into the amp no pedals nothing. For really clean tones i just use my clean channels. On my dist tones i just use the dist channel with the amp set the way i like it. I just use the volume knob on the guitar...

As far as the guitar goes I don't see much of a difference if at all what one solid or burst has more dist to it. I have in the past owned blk or solid color guitars that seemed like they had a better tone to them but... Prob in my head...

 

[icantshred]

I rarely use pedals.

I set the amp louder and dirtier than I will ever need it. For me, simple is better. I actually prefer a single channel amp, but I also don't require a very heavy distortion sound.

Control everything from volume and tone pots.

I don't really have rules or numbers, I just try to listen and adjust. There's a lot of mileage in the middle position, but I use all three depending on what type of sound I'm aiming for.

I'm perpetually dialing depending on the song/section/dynamics/etc

 

[Classicplayer]

I rarely use pedals.

I set the amp louder and dirtier than I will ever need it. For me, simple is better. I actually prefer a single channel amp, but I also don't require a very heavy distortion sound.

Control everything from volume and tone pots.

I don't really have rules or numbers, I just try to listen and adjust. There's a lot of mileage in the middle position, but I use all three depending on what type of sound I'm aiming for.

I'm perpetually dialing depending on the song/section/dynamics/etc

Yes sir! Couldn’t put it better myself… Use an Orange Dark Terror (one channel) with my Les Paul.

Classicplayer

 

[dc007]

It's harder with a single channel amp like a Marshall Superlead. It doen't have that much overdrive in it to begin with.

They overdrive very well if you can crank them

 

[icantshred]

This is some priceless old school wisdom:

I'd say, EQ the amp too, but these principles still apply. I think he left the knobs at noon just to drive home his point.

The obvious caveat here is that if you're a metal guy or going for a more modern (mid '80s or later) heavy sound you'll be a little under-prepared without some kind of boost.

 

[frehley76]

I do not use any pedals, I play in a band and I use my vol pots and my toggle to switch pickups for what is needed. I have always played this way.

 

[wildhawk1]

I do not use any pedals, I play in a band and I use my vol pots and my toggle to switch pickups for what is needed. I have always played this way.

Also played in bands and never used pedals.

As my playing improved (I still suck) the volume and tone controls along with hands gave me what was needed be it worship, blues, rock, whatever music.

Been posted here before. There's a whole lot you can get with so little.

 

[Spirit]

I use No pedals,I use the the amp channels the tone and volume controls on my guitar ,my fingers and the plectrum for pinched harmonics and rakes etc a lot can done without pedals

 

[InTheEvening]

Riding volume and tone and changing how aggressively I pick or dig into the strings covers most tones I need.

 

[rbraad68]

I have never got along with a dist pedal never found one i like. I am guilty of a delay and a chorus along with a wah pedal but the chorus and delay mainly for clean channel. For dist it's just the guitar chord and amp. Right now farting around in my bedroom it's straight into the amp. This is pretty much it for my rig. If i was playing in a band this would do me just fine right here.... I see some guys using a metric shit ton of pedals and it's straight up nuts! More processing power than the space shuttle uses to launch on some of these guys pedal boards!!