*%$#@!# Sh!t!
When I get back to Europe I'll pay you to give some amp setting classes! 8)
Funny you say that as it's actually what I always think ... like damn how can I get that sound, and then thinking about settings and not gettig there.
I think to really know your amp and get the best out of it you gotta play out a lot - playing loud with other musicians, maybe even 1 or 2 other guitarists, that's where you really get which frequencies you need to cut through and sound fat and big.
For me occasions to crank and try are still too rare, because when I meet my band there is too much to work on playing wise and I can't really play around with settings as I'd like ...