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The ADxxVT settings thread!

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Wow, I should try that AC15 model for Jazz. I have been using the Blackface 2x12 (Fender Twin model) all this time. I need to try some of the other amp models.

I am really happy with the Valvetronix amp. I've been using a AD120VTX for about the past year now and it is one versatile amp.

My favorite amp models on it are the Blackface 2x12 (for clean sounds), the Tweed Bassman model for Blues lead tones, and also the AC30 models for dirty rhthym sounds.

But one of my favorite amp models is the Boutique OD model for fat lead sounds. You can nail a very nice sound for doing Santana, or Gary Moore kind of tones. It's really fat and kind of vocal sounding.

-- Jim
 
Jim, the darker class A sound is perfect for Jazz. I use the AC15 & AC15TB models a lot. I also like to dial in the UK80´s setting on low gain for a real tasty Mike Stern sound.
 
That's great. I'll try these other models. I would not have tried them had I not read your suggestions. I really like Mike Stern's tone!

I like Robben Ford's tone too. You can get that one pretty close with the Boutique OD model.

-- Jim
 
Robert! SHAME ON YOU!
Mike Stern has the most delicious tone I´ve ever heard when he kicks in that DS-1! Add a splash of Chorus and you are in tele tone heaven.
Just listen to the track "You never know" from the 1996 release "Between the lines". Insanely great drumming, iirc its Dave Weckl pounding away behind Sterns power chord fest :)
 
Voodooman - I tried your AD30VT settings from the attachment above with my strat with 3 single coils. I got a very good tone which was easily to adjust to various other settings. My only problem was I also had a constant hissing sound out of the amp. I did not have time to try hum buckers with the Tweed 4X10 model. I attempted to play with the noise reduction without any success.
 
duhvoodooman said:
View attachment 670
Click to expand...
I often use a similar setting.

As far as how to to tweak the VOX models, the most important thing to undrstand is that the Valvetronix amps try to mimic the behavior of the various amps. This is particularly relevant in terms of the tone knobs. Instead of starting with the tone knobs all at 12:00 start with the settings descibed in the manual and tweak from there. The Tonelab manual has more information than the AD30VT manual; go find that at the VOX home page and read it.

You should really explore the tone space not just mess with gain etc to find the sound you're after. This was a revelation to me. I get better sounds the more time I spend with a particular model.

As Nelskie has often remarked about modellers, it takes a little time to understand them.
 
tot_Ou_tard said:
As far as how to to tweak the VOX models, the most important thing to undrstand is that the Valvetronix amps try to mimic the behavior of the various amps. This is particularly relevant in terms of the tone knobs. Instead of starting with the tone knobs all at 12:00 start with the settings descibed in the manual and tweak from there. The Tonelab manual has more information than the AD30VT manual; go find that at the VOX home page and read it.

You should really explore the tone space not just mess with gain etc to find the sound you're after. This was a revelation to me. I get better sounds the more time I spend with a particular model.

As Nelskie has often remarked about modellers, it takes a little time to understand them.
Click to expand...
I certainly didn't mean to imply that the best way to the use the AD30VT is to dial in one amp setting and then just move the gain knob around! My point was that I have found this particular setting to be quite flexible, and can dial in various degrees of OD/distortion by using the Gain in conjunction with two of my pedals.

I often do what you describe, i.e. load an amp model preset (I have the AD15/30/50/100VT presets all posted HERE) and then start tweaking to taste from there. The presets differ quite radically in their various parameter settings, reflecting the large diversity of amps--and tones--they simulate.
 
Here's an example....

Here's a link to a clip I recorded with my Strat using the Tweed settings I described above. Same riff four times, with the following conditions:

  1. Stock middle p'up setting, no pedals. No effects except for a bit of reverb.
  2. As #1, but with middle and bridge p'ups in series, per my recent "Strat Lover's" wiring mods; gives an accentuated "quack" tone
  3. As #2, but with the ToneBone kicked in; mid-range overdrive settings
  4. As #3, but with the addition of the Bad Monkey, too. A nice, aggressive lead tone!
Here's the link:

 
duhvoodooman said:
I certainly didn't mean to imply that the best way to the use the AD30VT is to dial in one amp setting and then just move the gain knob around! My point was that I have found this particular setting to be quite flexible, and can dial in various degrees of OD/distortion by using the Gain in conjunction with two of my pedals.
Click to expand...
I wasn't implying that you were implying that....:o

I was only making an independent comment that has helped me.

I return you to your regularly scheduled hour of implications. ;)
 
Im looking for a qwacky strat tone like John Mayer often has...like his "the Wind Cries Mary" tone.

Sorry bout the video, I cant explain it...but this is the tone I want!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SH_Q6yakzpM

Can anybody help me with this...I get tons of twang out of my Tele on this amp, but Im havin a hard time dialin in the qwack on my Strat. Ive tried the forums and patch libraries but I can find anything thats pleasing to my ears yet with this Strat...like a "Yellow Ledbetter" tone.

[edit]DVM's personal settings would be nice too[/edit]:D
 
Last edited:
That WCM clip sounds pretty much like a straight Strat neck pickup clean tone. I'd try the Boutique CL, Black 2x12 or Tweed 4x10 models and then play around with the tone controls in the guitar and amp to dial in the sound you want.

As far as "quack" goes, that term is usually applied to the 2 and 4 positions of the pickup selector on an S-S-S Strat, particularly the bridge/middle combo. The two p'ups are in a parallel electrical orientation, which reduces volume and thins and hollows the tone some. It's also hum-cancelling in almost all newer Strats. The quintessential "quack" tone to me has always been Mark Knopfler on Sultans of Swing.

Never having owned/played an H-S-S Strat, I don't know what the corresponding bridge/middle p'up combo sounds like! But the neck/middle should have that same nice, mellow quack.

Here are three of my favorite AD30VT settings. The first two are great for the Strat; the SRV setting is best for the neck pickup. The third is a terrific hard rock setting for humbucker guitars:

All-purpose_Black_2x12.gif


SRV_Typical.gif


Taz_Hard_Rock.gif
 
Moshe said:
New here! I have a 30 that I am really enjoying.

Try this,

boutique clean

Gain - Full
Treble 12 o'clock
mid - 12 o'clock
bass - 9 o'clock
All three volumes - full

maybe a little reverb.

This setting has a lot of nice top end and simply roars, imo. not much dirt though, but it works for me.

Chris
Click to expand...

I reread this topic and took notes, went home...tried up until this one and stopped after I got here....saweeeeeet!:D

But she was hummin! But with all the dials burried you kinda gotta expect it....turned the gain back to bout 2 and the hum got mild.
 
ShortBuSX said:
I reread this topic and took notes, went home...tried up until this one and stopped after I got here....
Click to expand...
Don't stop--keep experimenting. No one setting is good for everything, obviously. I've found good, useful set-ups with every model up through the UK'80's (not being a metalhead, I don't go beyond that amp model too often!). The Boutique CL is a great amp model, as you've found; AAMOF, I was just playing my son's Squier Tele through that one tonight. Sweet tones, both clean and with an OD pedal! The AC30TB model will produce some fantastic tones, too. Keep spinnin' them chickenheads! :DR
 
duhvoodooman said:
That WCM clip sounds pretty much like a straight Strat neck pickup clean tone. I'd try the Boutique CL, Black 2x12 or Tweed 4x10 models and then play around with the tone controls in the guitar and amp to dial in the sound you want.

As far as "quack" goes, that term is usually applied to the 2 and 4 positions of the pickup selector on an S-S-S Strat, particularly the bridge/middle combo. The two p'ups are in a parallel electrical orientation, which reduces volume and thins and hollows the tone some. It's also hum-cancelling in almost all newer Strats. The quintessential "quack" tone to me has always been Mark Knopfler on Sultans of Swing.

Never having owned/played an H-S-S Strat, I don't know what the corresponding bridge/middle p'up combo sounds like! But the neck/middle should have that same nice, mellow quack.

Here are three of my favorite AD30VT settings. The first two are great for the Strat; the SRV setting is best for the neck pickup. The third is a terrific hard rock setting for humbucker guitars:
Click to expand...

Thanks thatll be nice! I'll print those out and givem a try.

I didnt know about the 2-4 thing...thatll help me Im sure and is also another good reason for me to do that "Lonestar wiring" mod, as my humbucker is so hot its not a clean as the other positions, kinda overdriven and the blend is just wierd with the middle pup.

Thanks again!
 
duhvoodooman said:
Don't stop--keep experimenting... Keep spinnin' them chickenheads! :DR
Click to expand...

Are you kidding? I couldnt stop if I tried...Im just looking for good starting points...and yall have had this amp long than me, so I greatly appreciate the helpful advice.:D
 
DVM, I really like the Black 2x12 setting...but that SRV is awesome! Thanks!
 
After a year of playing acoustic (Breedlove AC25SR), I decided to take the plunge and purchased an inexpensive electric guitar (Squier 51) and an AD15VT. I figure I can always upgrade the guitar later and keep the amp :)

Anyhow, I just wanted to thank all those who have posted settings. It's a tremendous help to those of us who have no clue where to start with all those knobs.

:)
 
I've never had good luck getting Iommi-esque sounds from my Vox all by itself. It's not fuzzy enough. I can nail it with my Digitech EX7 using the Big Muff model.
 
Thanks Warren but Ive tried those already...pretty nasty, and not in a good way.
 
I found a couple(almost the same) on my own that I like, works for Sabbath, older Rush, Metallica's Whiplash as well as some early Zeppelin tele stuff.

I use the AC30...Gain about 3pm, Volume between 12 and 3, High 12, Mid 3 and Low 11, either reverb or reverb/chorus(lite on the chorus) Master at between 12 and 3.

Or same settings just use the AC10 instead.

I found these settings work even best with an OD pedal.

The funny/interesting thing is that I began to switch between the different amp models and began to think "wow this is a very versitile setting!"...I noodled around for a lil longer and thought Id better jot down my settings, I made(copied) a setting/tone chart, I noticed the last personal setting I jotted down was in December, but then I noticed almost all of the values were damn near identical! Only difference was the amp model...and my(DVM) OD pedal.
 
Wondering if anyone could share some wah settings for funk and/or Hendrix.

Thanks.
 
Don't forget with the vox foot switch you can choose 1, 2 or manual and that will give you 3 settings.
Good Luck
 
FWIW here's where the Xaviere and I are mostly living on the AD50VT these days:

Black 2X12
Gain dimed
Volume dimed
Treble 3:00
Mid dimed
Bass 10:00

I can get a nice range of distortions with my guitar's volume knob, just like the manual says. With the P90s the vibe is generally dirty-but-chimey, good for the sort of low-fi roots punk I'm into these days. This setting also sounds good with a bit of compression when the whim strikes.

I also use this for a clean setting:

Tweed 4x10
Gain 10:00
Volume 3:00
Treble 2:00
Mid 3:00
Bass 12:00
 

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