1 Channel amps

[maliciousteve]

Hey guys. I've been thinking lately about guitarists who use 1 channel amps (Paul Gilbert and Zakk Wylde) and i wondered how they manage to play their solos without getting lost in the mix or sounding too quiet. I've used 2 channel or 2 master volume amps before and i always used the second master volume as a volume boost for solos. How do other guys do it with just the one channel?

[FELINEGUITARS]

This is one way to do it
http://www.award-session.com/solobooster.html

[maliciousteve]

Blimey, that's exactly what i was looking for

[Brow]

I use a single channel amp (Orange AD30) and whenever I want a volume boost for solos I just switch my Fulltone Fat Boost on. Does the trick for me :)

[TwilightOdyssey]

This is one way to do it
http://www.award-session.com/solobooster.html

As will any clean boost through the FX loop.

[Tricalibur]

yah pretty much any type of signal or gain booster would doit. Especialy Treble boosters. Might wanna look into Vox's cooltron series of pedal. They look pretty cool.

[Backbone]

Guys...learn to work with your volume pot. For my solos I always work with the pot.

[Bainzy]

Any half-decent professional band should have a good soundguy that knows the songs, and will know when to adjust the mix so they can cut through.

[The amazing Phil]

I've found just changing my picking technique and going from about 80%-100% open on the volume pedal I use works wonders.

I also have a SPF ego booster which is awesome, but clicks rather noticeably when turned on/off and though they'll change this for nothing, I wouldn't be able to send it to them for nothing so I'm waiting on that, but I found that I prefered using it at the more extreme settings (as opposed to just for boosting solos) because the Boss pickups on my tele or P-90 in my SG with the boost up high and the vacuum tube in the Matamp being run at full tilt was just such a bloody good sound.

[TwilightOdyssey]

Any half-decent professional band should have a good soundguy that knows the songs, and will know when to adjust the mix so they can cut through.

That's not always possible.
A good sound engineer SHOULD make your solo louder, but we all know what really happens.

Also, many clubs in the US, and NYC in particular, will not let an 'outside' engineer touch their board.

[screamingdaisy]

Hey guys. I've been thinking lately about guitarists who use 1 channel amps (Paul Gilbert and Zakk Wylde) and i wondered how they manage to play their solos without getting lost in the mix or sounding too quiet. I've used 2 channel or 2 master volume amps before and i always used the second master volume as a volume boost for solos. How do other guys do it with just the one channel?

It's easier to cut through a band when you're the only guitarist

If you watch Zakk play you'll see he's always adjusting his volume knob for differnent levels of gain

In many bands the whole band backs off in volume to add emphasis to the solo (particularily popular in blues and blues rock)

Lastly, overdrives and fuzz boxes with a strong midrange boost.


Yeah, the soundman boost is effective, but not very practical for us non-superstars.

[screamingdaisy]

Also, many clubs in the US, and NYC in particular, will not let an 'outside' engineer touch their board.

True in pretty much any club that values their sound system.

[Bird]

Any half-decent professional band should have a good soundguy that knows the songs, and will know when to adjust the mix so they can cut through.

That's not always possible.
A good sound engineer SHOULD make your solo louder, but we all know what really happens.

Also, many clubs in the US, and NYC in particular, will not let an 'outside' engineer touch their board.

A terrible fate to be at the mercy of the in house soundman....  

[fps_dean]

I only have one channel amps ;)

The SL-X has footswitchable master volumes, so that solves that right there.

Otherwise I am relying on the sound guy to up the volume during a solo most of the time.  For many songs, I use my Ibanez Jem and use the single coil and the neck or bridge pickup for most of my rhythm, so I solo on the neck which will provide a boost very adequate to solo on.