Do you use the OD and Verb on-board your amp?

RVA

RVA

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Given that most of us here hunt diligently for the perfect gain pedal, I always found the likelihood that someone would be satisfied with the built-in gain rather low. Mind you, I am not talking about naural breakup, but rather gain channels.

This is true to a lesser extent for reverb since many players tend to be less picky, but there are some who are just as discerning in this area.

For me, I love 2 of the 5 gain channels on my Marshall JVM, and one I just like. I do not use the on-board gain on any other amp, including modeling amps.

For reverb, I used to use what was available untill I got the TC HOF mini, which I now use exclusively.

So, is your on-board gain and/or reverb to your liking? Is it enough?
 
My amp does not have reverb, so I have to use a pedal for that.

As for distortion, I use the gain channel on my amp, instead of a distortion pedal. In fact, I removed the distortion pedal from my board because I preferred the gain channel on my amp to the pedal.

However, I also use a Tubescreamer for certain purposes, which helps me get essentially four layers of gain:

1. Clean channel set just before overdrive starts to become apparent.

2. Clean channel with the Tubescreamer - pushes the clean channel into a nice crunch

3. Gain Channel on my amp - set to a moderately heavy distortion.

4. Gain Channel with Tubescreamer - provides a more fully-saturated distortion.
 
I like the gain channels on my JVM, and DSL. Although I have several distortion pedals, I rarely use them.

My JVM doesn't have a reverb, and that's an issue. It does have noise gate, which is bonus. The HOF had been on my list for years..I've only heard great things about it. In fact, TC pedals are my favorite. Quality!

RVA, do you have the mini or full HOF pedal? Do you get a lot of unwanted noise from your distortion? Favorite?

Most practicing I do, goes thru the Fender mustang. Not the best, but It gets the better tone at low levels and has the effects needed. When I need some volume, it's Marshall city.
 
Bocc69 said:
I like the gain channels on my JVM, and DSL. Although I have several distortion pedals, I rarely use them.

My JVM doesn't have a reverb, and that's an issue. It does have noise gate, which is bonus. The HOF had been on my list for years..I've only heard great things about it. In fact, TC pedals are my favorite. Quality!

RVA, do you have the mini or full HOF pedal? Do you get a lot of unwanted noise from your distortion? Favorite?

Most practicing I do, goes thru the Fender mustang. Not the best, but It gets the better tone at low levels and has the effects needed. When I need some volume, it's Marshall city.
Click to expand...

I have the full size TC Electronic Hall Of Fame. Great reverb pedal.
 
Bocc69 said:
I like the gain channels on my JVM, and DSL. Although I have several distortion pedals, I rarely use them.

My JVM doesn't have a reverb, and that's an issue. It does have noise gate, which is bonus. The HOF had been on my list for years..I've only heard great things about it. In fact, TC pedals are my favorite. Quality!

RVA, do you have the mini or full HOF pedal? Do you get a lot of unwanted noise from your distortion? Favorite?

Most practicing I do, goes thru the Fender mustang. Not the best, but It gets the better tone at low levels and has the effects needed. When I need some volume, it's Marshall city.
Click to expand...
You must have the JS JVM.

I have the mini but only because I do not gig and can change verbs via USB whenever I want. If you like the Tone Prints you can also change via app, but you cannot store custom presets with the app, which I use exclusively

I could not name a favorite OD, but if I had to have just 1, it would be the Empress Multidrive because of its quality and versatility.
 
With my AC30 I'm using the onboard reverb. At home I mostly play without any reverb, but sometimes I use an EHX Nano Holy Grail. It is nice enough, but I'm really GASing for a Catalinbread Talisman plate reverb.
 
Gain - yup. It's the reason I use Mesa/Boogie amps. Ain't no gain pedal anywhere at any price that can even drive through the neighborhood of gain that these amps live in. I occasionally use a clean boost with lower gain settings but they really don't need a boost at all, you can control everything with your guitar volume. As far as if it's enough, jeez I have never gone higher than 1:00 on any of the Mesa amps that I have owned. They have gain to spare, plus, my Mark 5 has 3 modes of gain in the Red channel and a Marshall-style crunch in the Green channel, so all bases are covered.

Reverb - nope. Don't like reverb, don't use it. Just muddies up the sound IMO. Sometimes nice when comping with a really, really clean (Fenderish) tone but useless to me with any kind if distorted tone. I do use a delay in the loop though.
 
If the amplifier has a nice reverb I will leave a touch of that on all the time for a slight ambience
and set up the reverb pedal in my board for a big reverb to uses when called for. I don't use
delay and big reverb together though. That makes mud. It the amplifier has no reverb
(Supro T-bolt + for example) I set the reverb pedal for ambience and leave it on.
 
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