Odd amp realisation - Chord sounds v lead lines

Cacofonix · July 2014

I have come to the conclusion that it is a rare amp that sounds good playing both chords and lead lines.

YMMV, but I have been listening to a lot of amp demos (for that is the stuff of which I am made) and I have noticed that some amps sound fantastic playing lead lines, but lose it somewhat when chording is involved; and others sound awesome when chording, but don't have it just so when lead lines are involved.

Obviously most amp demos are not in a band context, so I might be missing the point, but has anyone else noticed this?

Drew_TNBD · July 2014

Isn't this traditionally the reason for having a "crunch" channel and a "lead" channel?

Cacofonix · July 2014

To clarify. I meant single channel amps, of course. Thanks for pointing that out.

p90fool · July 2014

I think most good amps can do both to be honest, but probably not with the same EQ settings or without external help.

Remember, for every good rhythm or lead tone you hear on record the amp has been set up just for that job and that take, often with help from pedals and certainly with help from outboard gear and mics.

Expecting one amp to reproduce all of that on its own in a boozer or living room is a big ask.

Danny1969 · July 2014

The thing I notice is an amps ability to allow major or minor thirds in a dirt chord to ring out without discending into mush. There's so many pedals that sound great on single lead lines but only valve amp dirt does chords well. So I set the amp up to sound good on chords and just use the same sound for solo's

viz · July 2014

I am biased (so are my amps) but the Carvin Legacies do really well on both. The 3rds ring out well too.

ThePrettyDamned · July 2014

Danny1969 said:

The thing I notice is an amps ability to allow major or minor thirds in a dirt chord to ring out without discending into mush. There's so many pedals that sound great on single lead lines but only valve amp dirt does chords well. So I set the amp up to sound good on chords and just use the same sound for solo's

Sounds daft, but major thirds almost always seem to sound better than minor for the most part, possibly an intonation quirk on my guitar.

Drew_TNBD · July 2014

Tbh.. I never feel I need to tweak an amp for lead lines, but then... I'm not doing the whole Gilmour thing like every other fucking guitarist on the planet seems to want to do!! /rant

I set it up to sound good for low chunky power-chords, and I generally just get on with it from there. If an amp sounds crap playing the heavy riff from Lateralus or Stinkfist, then it's going to be crap for everything else when it comes to my tastes.

Dave_Mc · July 2014

Drew_fx said:

Isn't this traditionally the reason for having a "crunch" channel and a "lead" channel?

+1

Or else just use a tubescreamer or SD1. Set the amp up for rhythm and a TS or SD1 will add the mids and smoothness for solos.

ESBlonde · July 2014

Those amps that just sound musical with chord work and or clean, can be coaxed into spitting dirt for a certain lead sounds with the right pedal(s). I've always though getting the foundation sound was the critical key. Amps with lots of features can sometimes loose that 'musical' quality in the core sound to obtain the 'X,Y,Z' options. There are exceptions of course, but they tend to be expensive.

57Deluxe · July 2014

...it is rare that an A class sounds good doing both - but that is why you have knobs on both your guitar and amp and the option for a selection of pedals from many top brand names.... An amp is as much an instrument... needs to be understood and played properly...

Every player should learn on a Tweed Deluxe - that'll teach you right!

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Odd amp realisation - Chord sounds v lead lines

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