How To Make ANY Amp Sound Great

[@MarySpender]

You Make Every Guitar Amp Sound Great

[@RhettShull]

You’re the best Mary!

[@joeb3590]

You both rock

[@lewolf2884]

... said the 'Diva Bravura' to the 'every man's Virtuoso'... love you BOTH!!!

[@A_A_ron-Phillips]

My favorite KZbin channels are Mary Spender, Rhett Shull, Rick Beato, and Robert Baker. Thank you KZbin!

[@loganwhitemusic]

I ship it

[@johnp75]

If you play a guitar with tone knobs, I find it best to set your amp to the neck PU. If needed you can simply roll back your tone knob on you bridge PU to cut the treble vs cutting the treble on your amp. Both PUs will be nice and balanced. You can always clean up your amp by rolling back the volume knobs.. Volume and tone knobs are always forgotten. Best pedals ever made..

[@jkta97]

That's Jeff McErlain's trick when he dials in his Les Pauls and Strats.

[@adriatic.vineyards]

Thanks for the tip!

[@grkeith2091]

yes, yes, and yes.

[@marvinthemartian6788]

I’ve been playing for a very long time. Always had volume and tone on 10. Since buying my first tele I’ve learned the power of those knobs to affect the tone. You gave a pro tip there

[@shaneglackin]

"This isn't sponsored, they just gave me three grand worth of amp..."

[@ParanormalResponse]

I wish I had those problems.

[@JerseyMiller]

The CEO of Tone King has been trying to give me one of these really expensive amps for years. I'm getting tired of it honestly. It's like, relax chief, I only have so much space in my mansion.

[@gregoryz6545]

I have noticed that many players don’t use their looper pedal. If you loop a guitar bit that you like, and then dial in the amp without having to start and stop playing to get the little different bits otherwise missed. Cheers!

[@fishmonger7020]

Bro good idea!

[@felixuscinewicz4660]

How can you use headphones with a tube amp ?

[@theuserthatishere]

he's probably using a mic @@felixuscinewicz4660

[@davidbergewaytogo]

Wow… have been playing for twenty years and never thought of that! Let the loop play and tweak your tone… what a great tip!

[@hayleycomet8029]

I do this too!

[@bigmike70]

I'm a metal player but I still find these tips helpful for high gain amps. The gain control especially on a lot of metal amps have a pretty narrow sweet spot and it tends to be a lot lower than a lot of players think. Thanks so much!

[@Danielfucks69]

Big time this. I tend to always want all the gain I can get, but when I actually pay attention to the sound, I realize I barely need to push it to 12 oclock

[@gavinw5469]

Well most metal sounds horrible so I would imagine it would be hard to dial in a good tone.

[@alexk5325]

@@gavinw5469 thanks for your constructive input.

[@cranklabexplosion-labcentr8245]

Just scoop your mids smh

[@themixmusicandmore6280]

Yea even for metal I prefer a decent amount of Mids, deceptively low gain, low output pickups, tube amp. All the stuff teenage me thought wasn't metal lol

[@GretschenMunch]

I've seen a similar approach to this but rather than using a guitar signal, you simply sweep the controls and listen to the amp hiss - it shows those same points where the controls start to open up. There can be more than one "sweet spot" on each control as well. Often there are two points in the sweep where you hear a significant change to the hiss.

[@Burnt_Gerbil]

Another tip: Volume is a huge factor. It may sound fine at bedroom level or practicing. It will sound totally different when it’s played loud.

[@Terribleguitarist89]

Learned that one when I bought my first Half Stack in High School... Learned how to get a decent tone for in the house (my grandma was deaf so I could push the volume a bit, but still had neighbors). Moment I turned it up for a gig the sound just collapsed and I had to scramble dialing in all over again.

[@BoomTexan]

I normally think that it sounds fine at bedroom level, and sounds a lot better when loud.

[@danieljones8706]

LOL Aint that the truth! I have a small practice amp that sounds fantastic through the headphone jack but the speaker is very muddy when you crank the volume. If I had to play it live, I'd probably just use the headphone signal and boost it through a PA.

[@sneifert1968]

Why I have my own rehearsal space, so I can always practice at gigging volumes. All my amps get knarlier as they get louder.

[@misterknightowlandco]

Good bedroom tones are the exact opposite of good live tones. In the bedroom you need more gain less volume and a lot of low end just to make it sound right. Love you add volume decrease gain, decrease low end and increase mids.

[@fivewattworld]

Great stuff Rhett. My trick is not “needing” to dial in a new amp…but I fail at that. Dan at FYD is building me one for an upcoming video.

[@skrewflanders]

is it weird i read this in your voice?

[@justincase4925]

Everything at Noon settings

[@tjfulton181]

‘Fail at that’?

[@chrisdrake447]

I remember reading about Matt Scofield’s technique for dialling in any amp but didn’t find a video or audio demonstration until much later. Tired it with a Mesa Boogie Blue Angel combo, a Thinline Tele and a PRS Singlecut, and couldn’t quite nail the sounds I was after. Later bought a 2002 Les Paul Junior 1957 reissue, plugged it into the Blue Angel and ... truly could not get a bad sound with that single P90, whatever the setting. Moral of the story: just keep playing & trying stuff, I guess! Happy New Year to you and your family and crew.

[@a2ndopynyn]

Other Moral of the Story: The Guitar Matters, as much as the amp (unless you play hardcore metal).

[@katielowen]

I was late to p90s too and they absolutely were a game changer to getting great, diverse sounds

[@Rexy-sy9wt]

Yep. P90 . Yep. Gibson les Paul juniors. Yep. Can't go wrong. 🎉

[@JzuHax]

Great tips. And great playing on a great amp. But I think it would be enlightening for beginners to see you operate on a _bad_ amp like a Marshall MG. The aim wouldn't be the same of course. Rather, how do you get a decent sound out of a sub-par transistor amp? Same for these small modelling combos with tons of possibilities: how do you approach them? How do you avoid being overwhelmed by effects, distortion and such?

[@joelarrivee4512]

Agree, pretty difficult to get a bad sound out of that amp even if you tried. But the same principles apply for a $200 or $2000 amp, it’s the results that vary.

[@SCOTT-ki3ve]

For a garbage amp just turn up the midrange all the way and turn the bass and treble all the way down. Most garbage gear has way to much treble and loose unusable bass. So just get rid of all that and you'll have something you can work with that cuts thru. You can also do it on good amps if you want a very classic sound,or grungy sound at very high gain. It's the Kurt Kobain trick. You'll be able to be heard well in a live setting without competing with the other instruments. It doesn't sound that great by itself unless the amp is good but it actually sounds really good in a mix

[@wonderwomanguy]

THIS!

[@bakters]

@@joelarrivee4512 "pretty difficult to get a bad sound out of that amp even if you tried" Interestingly, I just explained to someone, that's what they wanted. They zeroed on the "typical" classic rock sound and that's what you got here. Very cool. I don't like features I hardly every use.

[@dougcrowe1226]

Great idea

[@reesehaller4085]

I play a Mesa Boogie California Tweed, the bass control on that amp I find does the most to help the amp sound more open and articulate. Loved the video really learned a lot!

[@westernrider100]

Mesa Boogie are incredible. When I bought my first one, the store owner told me to read the manual especially the sections that covered the channels and tone controls.

[@ukaeyfvkfiayuvefyiu]

I feel Mesa EQs have pretty wide Qs for their bands. So when the bass gets turned up, you’re getting all kinds of resonance and maybe even low low mids.

[@clancyconlin2760]

The panning in the intro was super nice. I wouldn't normally say anything about it, but even on laptop speakers it sounded really good. What a delight.

[@TranscendentBen]

The thing with those old-style Fender type tone circuits is controls can partly interfere with each other. Remarkably, the early Marshall amps were copies of the Fenders, and these guitar-amp-specific tine circuits survive to this day. Turning up the treble might also turn DOWN the bass, and how much it does this may depend on the position of the bass control. The old guitar amp tone circuits were made with as few components as practical, and the bands often interact with each other. Thus you may need to sweep through each control with the other controls in different positions to find out how the response changes. It wasn't as nice and consistent hifi/stereo tone controls (designed by Bandaxall and often called that) that use more components, and the difference can be confusing.

[@jackpeters9349]

Bandaxall was the Ampeg guy who did design. Ampeg rules!

[@grkeith2091]

here! here!

[@BrentGrowe]

I've seen this technique and use it all the time now. it's a wonderful starting point. Getting to know the amp and what the knobs have to offer is really overlooked. I repeatedly go through this process as I seem to learn new things about the amp each time I do. I have a VOX ac15 c1 and a Fender '65 Deluxe Reverb. The ac15 I bounce back and forth between the Normal and Top Boost channels every few months or so. The Fender I use input one of the vibrato channel. Run them both Clean with a bit of break up and pedals in front. The real fun is once it's in the band context you get to start all over again. Cheers! Thanks for another great video!

[@williamgoodwin6857]

What you showed here is exactly what I was taught back in ‘96 when I bought my first new amp. It was a Hughes & Kettner 100 watt combo, blues series. Still plays incredibly. Thank you for the refresher course!!

[@nickf2170]

Dialing clean sound is pretty straight forward, no issues with that. Dialing in a lead sound, that sounds and feels under the fingers how I want, has been a continual pain in the ass. Amp I use has gain 1, gain 2 knobs, along with a gain channel master. For playing alone at the house I'll run G1 and G2 on the higher side and master V lower around 3. That sound would get totally lost in a band situation, so for that I run the master V higher, around 6 but lower the G1 and G2. This second way sounds much better but puts out about 90 to 110 DB, not good for hearing health. The amp is set on 25 watt club setting.

[@BrianGay57]

Excellent tutorial on amp setup! I have done the same for a long while. One thing I would add that I also start with my guitar’s volume rolled back a bit, allowing me to use the guitar volume knob as a boost to hit the front of the amp harder, or roll it back some for cleans. This is especially useful for single channel amps. I used to just dime the guitar volume, and I suspect many beginning and even intermediate players haven’t yet discovered that it can be much more than just an on off switch for preventing feedback or hum between songs.

[@tiusragan-johnson]

Have a festival gig today and expecting a pair of standard fender combos I’ve never played before. My first time playing a backlined amp. Came back to this as a refresher! Ready to rock.

[@simon_patterson]

I'd never used a tube amp before, when someone lent me a Laney tube amp. I used this method and quickly found a workable sound. Very handy to know where to start!

[@jimbrennan3795]

Thank you for this tutorial Rhett, it has helped me a lot. I really appreciate that you and Rick Beato love to share your enthusiasm and knowledge.

[@ericjtomsky]

I have an old carvin combo amp I found at a local music store that I love... I've tried other amps as well but I've owned this amp almost a decade now and I feel like I know it inside and out and the clean tones it gives are really unmatched. Find myself reaching for it more than my supro I got a year or 2 ago

[@xeniebaby]

I feel like this is the most practical and effective tone video I've seen on KZbin! Thanks for always sharing your knowledge Rhett!

[@CakeorDeath1989]

I'd love to see a mini part 2 with something like an AC30, or any amp that allows you to jump channels? Channel jumping is still a huge "???" for me, and I'm sure many people would get a lot out of the video. Or maybe a video talking about blending the tone of two amps in a stereo and/or wet-dry rig? But yeah, this video is amazing. I'll definitely be using these tips going forward. 👍

[@turrlurr2043]

Hey Rhett. Great vid, you sound awesome and the intro music was fantastic. I agree with some of the other commenters here. Most of us will never be able to play through an amp like this and while the same rules apply to any cheap amp as well, it would be super interesting to watch you use these methods to dial in something more common and affordable. I'd love to see you work with a Bandit, a Katana, a Marshall MG or any other amp that a lot of use as a first amp. Maybe show how you would use a pedal or two to reach a usable sound with them. Thanks again, man.

[@kevinjsim]

I also would love to see his thoughts on the Katana, I have one and am enjoying it but I know I'm not getting the full use of it.

[@charlesoxley7242]

This is an excellent idea. I too would love to see this.

[@leo._.vincent]

@@kevinjsim I've had a boss katana for about a year now and ill give you some tips, each channel works like a tube amp or very similar, the clean channel will start to break up with the gain past 3. The crunch channel sounds most similar to the amp he used in the video except for the fact it breaks up way easier. the crunch channel imo works well with a mid scoop and a bit of a bass boost if you have the knobs at noon, and the clean channel just sounds good at noon, but feel free to experiment and use the tips in the video, they will apply. The boost pedals work really well on both the clean and crunch. you don't want to have the gain very high on the crunch if you are adding effects/pedals. My favorites are the Tube Screamer, and Guv DS (Marshall Sound btw).

[@harveycan5820]

Exactly... Do this with a mid-range amp and a Squier.... Then stage 2 with a Vintera and a Peavey or maybe a Princeton... Then stage 3 with the works. A good player should be able to maximize each set up. Maybe show how to use a Boss OD or Distortion pedal to beef up the cheaper rig. Or, just do what you do and go top shelf.. Maybe show how to not get a bad sound LOL.

[@joshuafreedman7703]

Biff Tells It Like It Is Biff you haven't walked a mile in this man's shoes, and you do not know what his life is like, so, for you to tell him to just save his money and get the same kinda of gear *you* have is pretty godddddammmmmm inconsiderate and shows a ferocious lack of compassion -- you probably really enjoy throwing rocks at stray cats. Your advice is worse than useless, it's insulting and offensive. Go right and ahead and barf up your invective and angry response to my comment, but my ears will not hear you, and my eyes will not see you.

[@BobPerrone]

This was really helpful Rhett, I drive myself crazy sometimes with playing with knobs, especially when connected to an unfamiliar amp.

[@dashifusheffield2568]

I'm a rookie still learning to play have no idea how to set my amp up I have a marshall 30 with a four programmable channels I can set it up clean but the other stuff I didn't understand or know how to do this was a bit of a help I'm going to try playing with it some more thank you

[@Aristocratic_Utensil]

I don't know how many times I've replayed that intro jam...

[@Aristocratic_Utensil]

The intro song.. is one of the best jams I've ever heard, hell I stayed just for that!

[@samj.6867]

Good info. I'd like to see how sweeping the guitar volume and tone pot's will improve the sound as well while dialing in the amp at the same time.

[@citizenkang01]

My favorite intro I've heard you do. That tune was rocking!

[@markblaide2165]

Hey Rhett, I really like your playing. I would love for you to make a video where you show how you recorded all those parts to the intro music of this video. Include tabs and what recording methods you use or suggest. Maybe different skill levels for beginner to more advanced. Bass, rhythm, lead, drum track, etc. I think it would be a lot of fun!

[@bartboop]

I really like the “free” amp review. It was very fair. The lesson is fantastic. Especially try subtracting before adding in tone controls. Everything I thought from 17 to 35 was often wrong. Now I get it!

[@santamak]

great vid! also "ANY amp" *demonstrates with a tone king*

[@joewalton2732]

As someone who can barely play a radio but is enthralled with all things "guitar", thank you Rhett. You explained this more succinctly than I have ever heard before. Also, you have given me a new-found respect for the Tele.

[@baileyd12]

Silent fan here, this was one of the most useful content you have produced! I would love to see more content like this taking a single pedal and doing a deeper dive on how to get the most out of it.

[@jguse2378]

This ^^^^ Very informative Rhett Thanx for posting

[@colej3360]

This is spot on. It’s a lot more satisfying creating your ‘own’ tone by finding the sweet spot on the particular amp you have rather than trying to imitate another’s without the same gear.

[@MrPalmers1000DollarQ]

Would love to hear how you reconcile these tips with the guitar volume/tone controls as well. I find I often have a lot of option paralysis with which end of the chain I want to adjust.

[@kalkidasofficial]

Play with the volume below 5 and find your sweet spot going up or down. I personally never go over 6 on my Strat or over 4 on my Les Paul.

[@robertgransee8849]

I'm also curious about this. It *looked* like he rolled the controls on the guitar all the way up.

[@justinkearl2212]

Your videos have gotten a hell of a whole lot better over time, and it's been nice to watch. In your old videos, your eyes would be darting around all over the place, and I could tell you were being suuuper careful with how you worded things, seeming like you cared a lot about sounding smart and caring what people thought of you. All of that has melted away, and your confidence is much more natural than it ever used to be. You know what you're doing, you know who you are, and it shows. Kudos to you, dude. A smooth presence is hard to hone in on, and you've really done well with it.

[@john808welk]

The problem with this video is the Imperial sounds good at almost every setting... Great tips nonetheless.

[@davidfreiboth1360]

The rhythm player in my little '70's jam band (I was the drummer) had a black Tele Custom. Our SG playing lead used to tease him for playing a "cowboy" guitar. Thanks for featuring yours as I don’t see them often. Brings back very fond memories.

[@evanlevenseller3080]

Rhett this opening riffage is absolutely incredible. Incredible player and incredible tone

[@chriswallace9387]

Rhett … you are one of the best video makers with awesome concepts and solutions for all levels of players

[@timwhite5562]

How to make your amp sound great: practice your playing.

[@RODE2112]

@Rhett Shull. I never could figure out how to dial in a tube amp, I've been using transistor amps with pedals or processors for 45 years. But now I get it. Thanks!

[@brambongaers2395]

Nice video man, sounds awasome! If you dial in the tone with the neck pickup instead of the bridge, the neck pickup doesn’t sound muffled and you can use the tone knob on the guitar for the bridge pickup to make the sound less harsh.

[@tannerin]

unless you have a Strat

[@saulgoodman1390]

Hey Rhett, just wanna say your videos are looking awesome these days! The camera work, editing and lighting are all perfect! These things don't go unnoticed. Keep it up!

[@michaelvarney.]

To be honest, the TK-IMP-MKII is not hard to dial in for a great tone. Wonderful amp, and out of the three tube amps I own (Fender Blues Deluxe, Mesa Boogie California tweed, and the TK) it is my go to.

[@jayseb]

hahaha exactly my thought; and kinda cheesy when Rhett goes "they gave me the amp, but this video isn't sponsored"... I appreciate the honesty, no hate, but come on...

[@70topbananaman]

Thank you! I used this method on my new 5150 Iconic and was able to dial in a great sound quickly. I left resonance and presence at noon, and adjusted them last, Great tone, and very happy with my new amphead!

[@paolofuschi1]

Hi Rhett, great instructional video. I've been using the "MS tone dial" approach for quite few years. I can humbly confirm it definitely works. I often happen to play gigs in venues where the backline is provided, amps included. Through this approach I always succeed in finding the tone I like. One thing I do that might differ a little bit is that, before dialling the EQ, I initially turn the volume all the way up without playing the guitar. That produces a white noise which actually changes its quality while I start experimenting with trebles, mids and bass. That allows to find the "scoop" point much quickly. Then I readjust the volume to its breaking point and finally I play the guitar through the amp and adjust the eq that is needed. I hope I managed to explain what I do clearly. I promise I'm not trying to diminish the great content of your video. I just thought to add my two cents, that's all. Thank you ever so much for the great content you create. All the very best!

[@patrickmonvignier4160]

This is one of the most useful videos that i have ever watched regarding amp sound! Thank you and Happy New Year!

[@cbcredit]

9:56 You're NEVER "boosting" anything on passive tone controls. Passive tone controls are always CUTTING frequencies. If you turn up a passive tone control, you're just cutting that frequency LESS. 10 on a passive tone knob means there is no cut at all for that frequency.

[@ericv7720]

Passive tone controls are optimized to sound "flat" set at noon, though.

[@waterknot1]

Actually, if it is a Fender tone stack there is no “flat” setting. There will pretty much always be scooped mids. But it is true that about noon is where the treble and bass will sound most balanced. Having a lead channel with mid boost is cool. Its a cool and easy mod to turn the ground switch on a old fender into a mid boost.

[@ericv7720]

@@waterknot1 I used to have a BDRI, and I do remember having to spike the mids for everything, especially playing any guitar with A5 pickups. At one point, I biased the power tubes a bit hotter, which brought out the mids more and tightened up the bass, as well as making breakup easier at lower volumes, which I preferred.

[@waterknot1]

@@ericv7720 That is certainly a good approach as long as you don't exceed plate dissipation for the power tubes. I have had good luck with doubling the negative feedback resistor, which gives a little more gain and allows you to keep the bias a little cooler, but still get the breakup you like at a slightly lower volume. Cheers!

[@StratMatt777]

He's a guitar player. Don't expect him to be an electrical engineer. Boost means "increase", which is the opposite of "cut". We also don't know how capacitors work, but we can turn our tone knob down on our guitar anyway. ;)

[@simonpratley3301]

What an awesome intro Rhett! Love that riff! Thanks for the tips on setting up an amp, now I have a better understanding.

[@rowbags3017]

Hi Rhett - Thanks for the really interesting and useful advice which I'll definitely "bookmark" mentally. Obviously, you're demonstrating it with a top quality valve amp (that Imperial Mk. II sounds fantastic!). While the title states "ANY" amp - would your approach still hold true if you were faced with a cheap digital setup? Say you turned up to play somewhere having been told "Don't worry about bringing an amp - we've got everything you need", and you found a budget digital combo waiting. In true professional style, "the show must go on"... so would you go about finding a usable sound the same way?

[@patrickdudink4649]

This is an awesome video idea!

[@patrickdudink4649]

Maybe @thatpedalshow could do a vid on this

[@SomebodysNephew]

Man, I had to put this in the highest resolution on my sound system because of how absolutely incredible those licks were. Talk about amazing. Compared to your amp and guitar I would be willing to bet it still doesn't even compare to what you hear sitting there playing live. I'd love to plug my favorite pair of headphones Into your amp and listen. I bet it'd give me goosebumps.

[@recoilrob4765]

When you started "sweeping" the volume control for breakup (5:15) you didn't comment on what the guitar's volume knob was set at. Same for when you were sweeping the tone controls. Seems to me that would be a very important thing to know.

[@melodymaker135]

I bet all guitar controls on 10. Kinda the default, even though of course it’s great and useful to explore the wonderful sounds the guitar controls can get ya

[@lescaster2179]

Just picked up this same Amp, in the combo with the same CME-exclusive (to the U.S.) lacquered tweed, less than a year old, in like-new condition. Likely cured my amp quest for a good long time to come. Scratched the BF and Tweed itches in the right places for my wants.

[@ghost79ish]

I like your videos, the content is typically nothing too esoteric for me as I've been playing longer than you, but I always take away something. Keep it coming man, you're a great player and a pretty chill and humble guy as far as I can tell.

[@ukaszukasz7059]

Yea You play longer and stil you are... no one in music industry or KZbin. But, keep IT coming maaaan

[@Iron-and-strings]

@@ukaszukasz7059 lol, thinking the same

[@berkayguner]

Sounds like somebody should take his own advice (hint: rhymes with "bumble")

[@GregoryHillSr]

Great Video!! I've been a hobbyist for about 40yrs, and I generally start with my guitar adjustments (G&L Legacy) tone controls between 4 & 5 , volume around 3 or 4, before messing with the amp knobs. My first amp was a Ampeg Jet 12, was easy to set up but 8 years ago I lost it from theft at a club. I now have a HRDIII that gets loud quickly @ 2 on the volume so I made a cheap attenuator working thru the effects loop. For me, adjusting the guitar, then dialing in the amp makes it for me so I can control the sweet spot with my guitar volume controls, once the amp is set.

[@jeffrey.a.hanson]

I was able to turn my Orange 35rt (solid state) into a giggable amp by doing this detailed run through. I identified what was bothering me, defined the sound I wanted, then set a reasonable expectation of getting close. It’s not going to replace my Deluxe Reverb or Blackstar HT40, but it’s great to have a $300 lightweight dependable amp ready to go at any time quick jam sessions or as a backup. Hell, my new bandmates thought it was a Rockerverb after our first practice.

[@sarcasticcuddlesgaming]

Out of curiosity, what settings did you end up using? (I also own a 35rt and am just starting out!)

[@JohnS-ol8dn]

Hi. I've been playing on and off for years, but I made a change this past year... I started buying up gear and plugins to get more into the engineering side of things. 42 and feel like I'm just getting started... These videos will help me make up for lost time. Thanks!

[@helmanfrow]

Revised Title: 'How To Make ANY High-End Boutique Amp Sound Great'

[@palmyrah]

Greetings from Sri Lanka. Been watching your videos for a while. This was, for me, the most enlightening yet. I found myself in full agreement with your tone choices.

[@KeepChessSimple]

Question: do you do this with the volume and tone knobs on the guitar both on 10? I always feel like those knobs are underused.

[@louaguado995]

Exactly! Most players just use their volume controls as an on/off switch. When he said the neck pickup sounded good and the bridge pickup sounded bright the first thing I thought was why not just turn down the tone knob on the bridge pickup? That's what I do, unless it's a 1 tone guitar like a standard tele.

[@leehanson1416]

It only took me playing 35 years to discover that a good amp will respond to the volume knob of a good guitar. I'll turn the guitar volume down to 7 or so, then turn it up for solos. Works great.

[@jburdsinfuse]

I use my tone almost entirely to fit our sound guy. I always dial in bright and use the tone to roll back some of the shrill. The volume…I play low output pickups, so I usually keep them dimed and use more than a single drive pedal.

[@gordonmorgan1975]

Loved the video it was very informative. I used to have a Fender Princeton Chorus and loved it. Had to sell it and now have a Traynor amp and was trying to figure how to get the best sound out of it. This will help greatly. Thanks. Always love your videos and learn something every time!

[@PerroDelCielo]

My method to make any amp sound good (keep in mind i dont use pedal, going straight to amp, i use reverb if amp has a built-in one). Crank the amp almost all the way up, use you guitar volume nob to achieve differents sounds, lower volume gives a clean sound and it will gradually brakeup when you start turning your guitar nob up. Mainly playing slide and humbucking pickup.

[@louaguado995]

That's exactly how I play. I'm old school, my Marshall jcm800 only had 1 channel and I never liked having to use a boost pedal for leads or a drive pedal for gain. I constantly ride my volume knob. Where most players just use it for an on/off switch I use mine between 2 and 4 for cleans, 5 and 7 for rythum, and 8 to 10 for leads

[@drdre4397]

Practice is a great way to make your amp sound great. If you're at a point where the only reason your tone isn't godly is because of your amp, I am jealous. Everyone can and should practice more. Excellent video rhett, that opening jam was tasty.

[@davidb.6271]

You can't say it's not sponsored and Tone King giving you a 3 thousandish amp that you promote in a video...

[@Woodrow1188]

Even tho this is a couple of yrs old I found it really helpful when it came across my feed. Awesome! Thks

[@caschurchwarden1432]

The 31st - just started my holidays. For the past two weeks I was looking forward to sit down, get a cup of tea and the Tone Course. The discount coupon no longer worked but it doesn't matter, I still got it. Just saying thank you, I've learned a lot from you. Happy new year! ...and now back to the course

[@thatmarketingshow]

Hey Rhett. Just bought myself a Tone Master after watching your video from last year or whenever it was. These tips literally came at the perfect time - thank you so much, keep up the great work.

[@sonnylallerstedt186]

Rhett, thanks for walking us through your process on sweeping amps! I’m going back through some of mine again after seeing this. Great job!! Blessings...

[@jkrause365]

Good to know I sort of stumbled on some of these techniques, like twiddling the tone controls. to get a sound I like. That's especially necessary with a Rickenbacker 12 string.

[@timcollins6970]

Before you even got into how to get a good tone, just wanted to say, that composition/mix in the beginning is fantastic. For real... that is a genius composition!

[@eastpross]

very useful content you have Rhett. Im basically self taught and spend most of my time focusing on technique but always sucked with tone. Ive watched 2 of your vids and, embarrassingly enough, Ive learned a lot. So thanks very much m8. cheers.

[@cheezyridr]

i have a mesa t/a30 combo. i dialed my amp in exactly as you described in this video, back when i bought it. i think i actually learned this from you in a different video. i'd like to hear you play through an amp like mine. so much of someone's sound comes from their hands. it would be cool to hear someone really pull the sweetness out of it that i wouldn't be able to. this is the nicest amp i ever owned. hearing what you could do on one would be great.

[@sponson]

TA-30 is a great amp. I originally had a TA-15 and then moved up to the TA-30. The only drawback is that you can't footswitch randomly between all 4 tones

[@sandybryson1211]

I am a Novice Guitarist and have Several Fender Guitars and a Fender Mustang IV v.2 Amp. I haven't figured out How to really Dial it in but your Video Helps. Truthfully, Videos like yours are not Plentiful. Thanks for Creating a Great Video. I wish you would Create More In-Depth Amp Videos as I am sure there is Much More to getting Really Nice Sound from a Guitar and Amp. Thanks Again for your Video.

[@coachp7486]

Thx for sharing and well explained. Haven’t read thru all 1K+ comments so may be repeating this which has already been said but this goes along with the saying ‘Use your ears; not your eyes’. Listen to what your amp has to offer and not just turn the knobs to where you think they should go or where so and so has their amp set at. Thanks RS ! 👍🏽

[@Reapprsr1]

RS , so very much appreciate your detailed work. I'd love to give my lost son an incredible tube amp because in the very short time I was with him in this life (and introduced just a few basics), his performances, at any moment, convinced me that he had been sprinkled with the magic dust of musicmanship. Yes, you are showing us one expensive amp, but you are also giving us keen understanding. I apologise, world, that I intro'd my son -him proud at 9- holding a MIM Fender Strat that I found in a pawn shop and, worse, a Line 6 Spider III also from a pawn shop back in 2003. He let that strat go in another pawn shop (darn) and I, for some reason, still have the f***ing s**t ss amp. He plays today and, although I never am able to be with him or speak with him, I see him from time to time on KZbin. Magic Dust for sure. His voice, presence on bass, on set, on violin and always so amazing, a self taught guy, on guitar. He writes, transposes and performs - I wish I could support him. I say "buy the best" you can and always listen to anyone with great ideas and good enthusiasm! Thanks RS for sharing _R

[@RonHagadoneGuitarCoach]

Thank you this is an excellent explanation of shaping the sound of a no frills tube amp. The solid state is way different. I have shared this video with a bunch of my students that struggle with their sound to the point they over buy pedals.

[@marksato7986]

Great advice there Mr. Shull. I've been playing for over fifty years and never had an organized method of setting up my tone. Much aloha to you!

[@tomm1413]

I just bought myself a Katana 100 mk2 and I always use this method to find thr sound I like! I also combine the built in effects with some of my effect pedals to create an even more distinct sound! I don't care what people say, it's great for a home amp

[@aaronreyes127]

Thank you for making this video i've been playing for years and didn't realized how important this is but i needed help and this video is a good video !

[@nikkbertschman2200]

I got my first Fender(a 70’s Tele Custom) on Sunday. Today Rhett is playing one on this video. It’s a sign from the gods!

[@philodonoghue3062]

Same Old Story (RG Taste) Perfect timing Just acquired my decades’ dream amp. Vox AC15C (Celerion speakers) A lot more knobs to fiddle with my ol’ faithful 10 volt India assembled Park by Marshall - runt with grunt. So paired with new G&L semi hollow Telecaster ASAT Tribute Special, I can set them both up from scratch. I follow you, not just for guitars and gear expertise but also your playing ability. Not much use those KZbin axe men in their bachelor pad or still living at home with ‘Mom’ who can’t show gear and gats with chops

[@KjKleven]

Exactly how I learned to find the sweet spot of my amp back in the 80's. Has worked well ever since.

[@marknachmias423]

That’s been my method ever since I watched Matt Scofield demonstrate it. Have a Happy and Healthy New Year!

[@Alleycat2112]

I'm a bass player. I record my own songs. Since I don't have 35 years experience dialing in amps I think these videos are great. I'm also have young kids starting on musical instruments. This will help me to teach them in the future.

[@nicholasdecaluwe706]

This was phenomenal. Did I it on my tube amp and all my helix settings. Made a huge difference!

[@johnvcougar]

You can see ... with your EARS, baby! That takes talent! Happy New Year 2022, Rhett and co. Thanks for all the content.

[@igortumbas2769]

Hey Rhett! I've got a number of amps myself. Interestingly the one that I favor at the moment is a Trace Elliot Tramp. When I first heard it at my guitar teacher's studio, I looked at the back of it and asked "Where are the tubes!?". This amp is indeed a solid state amp, but it holds it's ground next to any tube amp. It is a 2 channel amp with the lead channel having 2 modes if one needs more saturation for lead. Given that it cost me only $300 second hand, it is by far the best value amp I have ever owned. Versatile, warm and highly configurable. It comes with a built in boost. I often leave it on the lead channel and control the amount of breakup with the volume knob on my guitar. Sometimes I'll roll the volume off on the neck pickup and leave it fully open on the bridge. I'd not be ashamed to take it on the stage with me even though it is solid state. Like yourself, I set my tone by sweeping the controls until I get the tone I like, depending on which guitar I play. Keep going my friend!

[@randygomez9595]

Good video Rhett, you provide some good insight on amp tone here. I would just add that when adjusting the EQ on your amp it's important to not just dial in a sound that you like by itself but also dial in a sound that mixes well with the rest of the band. The bands that have the best sound, I think, are bands where each member dials in their EQ in relation to others in the band. For example, if the bass player is using punchy, midrange heavy sound, you shouldn't add a lot of mids to your guitar tone. Take out some mids and add more treble so as to occupy a different space in the frequency spectrum.

[@andrewmcneely1877]

Man that intro song speaks to my soul. I love a solid 30 percent East Indian flavor mixed with my western grooves. I’d dig hearing songs with more East Indian percussion. Tabla and such. I think you’re about the 3rd person I’ve subscribed to. Looking forward to more

[@cannadaincowboy]

I play thur a 80’s HIWATT DR504. I use both volumes and have tried this method and it really made a difference in the tone I was trying to get in my head. Pedals also sound richer and are easier to dial in now that I’m starting with a cleaner Slightly overdriven tone. When I’m doing a indoor or outdoor gig I now just have to adjust the volume and tweak the mids a bit. Overall this method I find really works so thanks for sharing with us.

[@miscusername]

Will give it a spin later, but the shared EQ across my first two channels (EVH 5150iii 50w Stealth) might make it interesting, then all the pedals too...

[@johna.daquino8678]

In the opening scene I thought I was seeing a 60's Silvertone head rebuilt. The Tone and Mid-Bite made me realize it was something different. Thanks for this video. Great stuff!

[@mileswatkinson8135]

Good tips, I've always been more likely to dial back the unwanted side of the EQ as opposed to raising the other end, but the idea of going through the entire range of the controls one at a time is a smart one. It's been a while since I've been on a tube amp, haven't gigged in years and I just use small modelling combos at home. When I do decide to take the tube plunge again, this and your video about living room tube amps will be top of mind. I would be interested in a piece about outboard attenuators, which are more transparent, which do the best job of throttling back volume with the least effect on tone, and such. Thanks for the vid.

[@BCTGuitarPlayer]

I've owned so many amps throughout the years and have sold them all (in some cases with later regret) and the happiest I've been is with my only amp: a MESA dual rectifier recto-verb 25 watt. I no longer gig so don't need wattage past that. I've found it completely versatile; enabling me to create nearly any amp tone that I may desire, regardless of the make/model guitar of which I have several choices. So Rhett, if you haven't already, I would urge you to explore this series amp, whether it's a 25 W or higher model. The 25 is light as a feather and I couldn't be happier having two separate channels to bounce back and forth on, from clean, dirty or hard; rhythm or lead. And thanks for this presentation! Very enjoyable.

[@Wakeman8791]

I had previously liked your video with Tim and I think some of your videos about just hitting the front end of an amp with the right amount of gain. I had heard of and agreed with most of your tips in this, but they’ve been monumental in getting me those “love your tone” lines after gigs. Love your stuff, Rhett! Keep it up.

[@buddythecat4675]

Some great advice here. My main amp is a Traynor Reverb Mate from the 70's, and most of the controls seem to affect each other. The pre-amp volume actually gets a LOT bassier sounding when turned up, and most of the sweep is affected, so depending on where it is set, I have to adjust the actual bass EQ knob. Interestingly enough, there is nowhere near the amount of bass in the sweep of the actual bass EQ knob, so I have to set it mostly at a place on the preamp knob where I think that it's not too bass-y sounding to begin with, and then just go from there. Also, the "treble boost" switch depends highly on the preamp volume in the amount of highs vs. lows. It is a master volume amp, which I pretty much swear by to begin with, but on this particular amp, everything is so subjective on where you set the preamp volume that it becomes much easier to control the less predictable nature of the amp.

[@gioigeniale6711]

My first bass amp (valves), early 80`s, had the same effect. It was very difficult getting a real good sound. After a while I looked out for other solutions and found the Laney Bass 200. It had always the clean bass sound I wanted. Sorry to my old amp, but slapping with you was a desaster.

[@callore8214]

Hi Rhett, first of all Happy New Year. I watched your video on "How To Make ANY Amp Sound Great". I want to thank you for making this video. I found it very informative and things that I had not thought of before. You had asked at the end of your video, asked us to tell you what amp we use. So I use a two channel amp, it is called a Fender 30 that was made in 1981. I received it as a birthday present.I just love this amp. They only made the amp for two years(1980-1981). Keep up the good work!!