Best Amps for Clean Tones on the Quad Cortex

I've been working with this new Quad Cortex for a while but have mostly using Neural Captures rather than the amp models. This is an effort to build a clean tone I like using nothing but the models within the device. Let's try out which amps might work best...
You can find all the presets under my Neural account (davlavMusic).
neuraldsp.com/cloud/u/davlavM...
0:00 - Intro
0:43 - Preset Structure
1:55 - Fender Princeton
3:08 - Fender Deluxe
4:48 - Hi-Watt
6:12 - Morgan 50
7:42 - Mesa Lonestar
9:09 - Mesa John P
#quadcortex
#neuraldsp

[@nickyfizz3550]

All the tones were killer, and I think would handle some OD and other effects perfectly. I really dig the LS tone, seemed super responsive to your attack. Haven't pulled the trigger on a QC, but your video is the only video that has brought me closer to doing so. My wallet doesn't thank you. 😀

[@davlavmusic7070]

I've spent thousands of hours with the QC since making this video. The Lonestar has definitely become one of my favorite amps: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nIKoiYmMj7KIis0

[@sergejkrynycky728]

Nice cleans and great video! Keep it up man!

[@712Jefferson]

Nicely done. Love seeing someone actually highlight the cleans on this device, for a change. These were really lovely.

[@02hunter64]

I love the clean sounds on the QC, hadn't really tried the JP one but will do later. The Princeton is superb, great video

[@MrTupeloFlash]

Just what i needed to hear !

[@rickthestick8]

I like the Watt and have been using that more than anything else. I recently set up a dual amp with the Watt and the CA John, a great combo. Thanks for the video.

[@ant1738]

Thx! Sound great .. definitely going to check these out!

[@BrianVallotton]

I appreciate you focusing on the clean tones. I really enjoyed your demo. I look forward to your next video. I got my QC about 3 weeks ago for my 62nd birthday from my wife. I play most every week at church and do love the Fenderish tones. I agree with you about the Deluxe. I literally just sold a Princeton Chorus a few weeks back. No need for it. The QC really does sound that good. If you made some how to use the effects it would be much appreciated too. God bless you and all you love.

[@exciter731]

Thank you for going through a nice selection of clean tones. I just got the QC a few weeks ago and haven’t really dove in beyond the presets. Certainly looking to compile a variation of clean tones. I just followed you on the Cortex app so I’ll be downloading a few from you later today. Thanks again for the great videos.

[@davlavmusic7070]

Thanks. There's a lot there in the QC. These videos are mainly to force me to dig into the options. Figured the process would be helpful to other new QC owners.

[@lucky6828]

Great Demo, thank you

[@erwinblondeau]

Thanks!

[@danser1070]

Excellent!!! Thanks.

[@davlavmusic7070]

Glad you liked it!

[@ChapmanMusic]

Cheers 🙂

[@stevejarosz8136]

You got the hiwatt pretty good. They’re mostly all good you just have to tweak the cab. I like Friedman clean too.

[@m4ssi86]

I often use the Princeton and the lonestar on the QC. I have to try the JP model too.

[@fristap]

Thanks for this video. As a beginner on electric guitar, this helps me a lot in my search for a nice clean jazz tone. I’m experiencing 1 big problem though. Maybe you can help. With all of these presets, I still hear a lot of amp breakup. While my input signal isn’t too loud. I’m having this problem with all kinds of guitars and in all the presets and captures on the qc. When I use your Hi-Watt preset, I have to turn the gain all the way down to 1,5 to stay clean. Can you guess what’s wrong here? Or what I’m doing wrong? I read a similar question on the qc community platform, but no sufficient answers. Thanks in advance!

[@davlavmusic7070]

I have had that question before as well and I'm not sure what's going on. I've been able to find several amps for clean tones and not had that issue. The Roland jazz, the John's channel 1, the hiwatt, they work well for me even with a neck humbucker. The only thing I can recommend is to check the global input gain.

[@fristap]

Thanks. I’m going to try to reach Neural with this question. I’ll keep you posted if I get an answer!

[@davlavmusic7070]

@@fristap Appreciate that. I don't get what's ging on for some folks.

[@teleoneil7214]

My group of Fender Amps in the 9 series is not coinciding with the same patches as yours ! As an example My 9A is a ' Dual Jazz ', 9B is ' Intimate Clean ' , 9C is Squeaky Clean, & the ' 9D is ' Baritone Ambience " . Have you created a custom group that highlights Fender amps ? The reason I'm trying to compare my QC is because I just received my unit & frankly I'm not happy with the sound of mine. I also just bought a brand new Les Paul & I wasn't happy with the factory pickups which were way too hot for my taste so I had the pickups swapped out for the SG Supreme ' Burstbucker ' because they could provide a clean sound that I fell in love with while playing a SG Supreme that was loaded with the ' Burstbucker ' pickups. I am using my Strat in order to follow your example so I can compare the sound quality of my QC. My Strat & Nashville Tele both distort the Hell out of every Preset that I test. I don't know what I'm doing wrong with this unit so if you can make some suggestions I would really appreciate your expertise. I also own a Helix Rack & a Fractal Axe FX111 that I use in my home studio but I bought the QC so I could sample my Digitech 2101 rack unit that I've used since 1996 until Covid hit & I haven't played live since. I was hoping to prepare the QC when I started playing again but I ran into this problem. Sorry for the long winded comment here but I really love the quality of your work & your playing, & I was hoping you could make some recommendations for this QC newcomer! Is there a way I could contact you directly via an email? I live in Calgary, Alberta, Canada so if you have the time I would really appreciate the help! Cheers!

[@davlavmusic7070]

First, you can always DM in Instagram directly here: instagram.com/davlav.music/

[@davlavmusic7070]

Ok, now to the other stuff. The preset bank you see me using are my own presets in the "My Presets" banks - the "Intimate Clean" and other presets you mention are the "Factory Presets" banks which are separate. So the presets you're hearing in all my videos are ones I created. You can go onto Cortex Cloud, follow my profile (link in the desc), and download any of them to your QC to try out. For the level issues, I'm not sure what's going on. First thing I would try is to check your global input gain. swipe down from the top of the screen to bring up that settings screen. But unless you've previously messed with that it shouldn't be causing anything like what you describe.

[@ricknelsteel]

These aren’t great clean tones. All your sounds are saturated in effects. Have you even played through a fender amp?

[@davlavmusic7070]

I have played through a Fender amp. And I never claimed these clean tones were great, I was simply trying out the different amp models on the QC to which one's I thought worked best for clean tones. This all part of my journey of learning the ins and outs of this device and sharing with the broader QC community. I'm sorry if you didn't find any value in the video.