Musicians Roadhouse

Hi, I am new to this forum.

My question has probably been asked a million times already, so I apologize. I've read many of the topics addressing this issue, but I'm still confused as I am "hardware retarded".

But I know a bloody good guitar tone when I hear one, which is why I purchased a Vintage Modern 2266 50W head which I use with my Slash Les Paul.

Anyway, I love the sound, but I don't understand how to boost my volume for when I play a lead break or solo etc????

I don't use any effects pedals, I literally plug straight into the amp. I use a marshall footwitch to change between low and high.

I also have an MXR 10-band EQ, but that seems to merely "saturate" my sound rather than actually increasing the volume when I need.

Do I need to set the amp volume as loud as I need it, then use a pedal to reduce my volume when I am not playing a solo.

Can anyone explain it to me like I'm a five year old?

Cheers.

Dave.

Ha ha!

A transparent flat booster is always a godd move.

However what i and many are finding more satisfying is setting up your rhythm sound with the volume not maxed out on the guitar (I go around 7) and then push it up to 10 for your lead sound.

Its an amazingly reactive amp that way.

StradlinRose wrote: I also have an MXR 10-band EQ, but that seems to merely "saturate" my sound rather than actually increasing the volume when I need.

Do I need to set the amp volume as loud as I need it, then use a pedal to reduce my volume when I am not playing a solo.

Thats how I use my EQ pedal
1. (minus db, for clean/
2. disengaged for crunch and
3. a pedal for solo boost)

Sometimes going from a tight superfunk groove into a solid crunch riff and back quickly is not possible to be near a volume knob and not miss a beat when you're doing 16ths with poly rythms. No one will tell me different.

A clean boost in low dynamic is great for soloing. In high dynamic, the use of the volume pot is the best way to go.

The ultimate way to get a solo boost is to tell your FOH guy to turn you up in the mix!

Welcome to the forum StradlinRose.

Has anyone ever had any experience with one of those "ebay attenuators" that go in the effects loop? I was thinking of getting one with a footswitch and turning it on to bring the levels down for rhythm and off for leads. Do they work well without changing the tone/gain?

If you have never tried it, put your mxr eq in the effects loop. It will give you more of a tone shaping rather than a saturation effect. The volume on the pedal can also be set on the pedal to act as more of a solo boost! Give it a try, an eq in the loop vs straight in front of an amp is a night and day difference. Also, as stated earlier, a clean boost in the effects loop will also act as a straight volume increase with no effect on your tone.

kevinantich wrote:an eq in the loop vs straight in front of an amp

Wait, what is the difference? I'm confused.

I have guitar plugged into mxr, it's the first thing guitar goes into. Then output from mxr goes into the VM input. What other possible setup is there?

The pedal goes into the effects loop (jacks on the back of the amp: send>pedal in>pedal out>return). Set it to the -10dBV position and switch the loop ON. This way the volume boost will be added after the signal has passed through the preamp, so it won't affect the saturation of your tone (as much).

yes, in the effects loop, need a few more cables to do it. it works great!

here's my attempt at the 5 year old answer:
- the amp works different than other amps, thus a boost in the fx loop will not work like a boost in the fx loop of other amps. I experienced a slight volume increase using a boost or an eq boosted in the fx loop, not the usual massive volume increase I got with those same pedals in the fx loop of other amps. There is some technical amp design answer to why it is the fx loop behaves like this on VM and not other amps, and I won't attempt to explain it, because I can't. Just have to accept it.
- so far best thing I've found is to a) use a clean boost in front or fx loop for a "decent" volume boost (not great, more noticeable in LDR than HDR because of compression characteristics), b) set your main VM tone with your guitar volume at 5-7 then turn it up for solos, or c) do a little of both (which is pretty much what I do).

Some use the db cut pedal trick (turn pedal on for rhythm/off for solo), and some like the detox eq which cuts everything for rhythm, then turn it off for solos giving you the same type of effect. You'll read mixed reviews on both solutions.

Seems to me if you're not a pedal user you might want to try the 'ol "set your tone up at 5-7 on your guitar volume knob and take it to 10 for solos". That was the original intent of the amp to start with.

This has been covered many times here. THE SOLUTION is the Weber Attenuator with the foot switchable bypass option. You set it for slight attenuation for rhythm and stomp on the bypass switch for lead. Your tone doesn't change at all and you get exactly what you are after for the price of a pedal because you can use the Minimass with the 2266 which is only $115.....problem solved. https://taweber.powweb.com/weber/minimass.htm

There is no better solution than this. The amp was designed for you to go from rhythm to lead with the volume pot on your guitar. You need to volume cut with this amp because any other foot switchable method adds gain or has little effect if you are already in HDR. Nothing does the volume cut trick better than this.

Thanks to those who replied.

I'm with y'all now. :)

I think a pedal with a clean boost to my signal is what I should be investigating. I lose my tone (not volume) when I use the guitars volume control.

-- Thu Nov 04, 2010 6:34 pm --

Riffraff wrote:This has been covered many times here. THE SOLUTION is the Weber Attenuator with the foot switchable bypass option. You set it for slight attenuation for rhythm and stomp on the bypass switch for lead. Your tone doesn't change at all and you get exactly what you are after for the price of a pedal because you can use the Minimass with the 2266 which is only $115.....problem solved. https://taweber.powweb.com/weber/minimass.htm

There is no better solution than this. The amp was designed for you to go from rhythm to lead with the volume pot on your guitar. You need to volume cut with this amp because any other foot switchable method adds gain or has little effect if you are already in HDR. Nothing does the volume cut trick better than this.

This sounds really cool. Thanks for the info.

As far as clean booster go, I have owned a fulltone fatboost 3, Mi audio boost n buff, and a catalin bread super chili picoso. Super Chili is the best, fatboost second and boost n buff 3rd, at least for me. Super chili = 1 knob and a fat/clean switch, simple and works excellent. FB3 a few knobs to fuck with, can add gain(I didnt want that) works pretty well, B&B, pain in the ass to set, added gain, not a fan, however there other boxes are aamazing!

yes, the only solution is the weber attenuator if you want a good volume boost without losing your gain for rythm

-- Tue Nov 09, 2010 11:12 am --

yes, the only solution is the weber attenuator if you want a good volume boost without losing your gain for rythm