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Post subject: Headroom
Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2015 4:21 am
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I have the M3 v2 and it's a fantastic amp in many ways and I believe a major step forward in modelling IMO. Been playing a long, long time on and off and have owned/built (and still have) many tube and solid state amps. Our other guitarist has the M2 and loves it.
I noticed that a lot (most ?) of the clean presets on the Mustang are using the compressor to limit the early breakup and give more headroom, but this robs the amp of some dynamics and also means you can't have an overdrive/distortion pedal in this slot (which you may want to switch on/off for your lead sound). If you don't use the compressor, you end up with the gain down around 1, 2 or 3 and really low channel output.
If I was using a tube amp, I'd be reaching for "V1" (the first pre-amp tube in the chain), usually a 12AX7, by now and be replacing it with a lower gain 12AT7 or something similar to give more headroom.
So, a suggestion to Fender, why not add a "V1" switch in fuse ? You could have either a "High", "Medium", "Low" selection or even, being clever, a replacement tube type from a drop-down list (12AX7, 12AT7, 12AY7, etc.).
I think this is a real issue with these presets and has me connecting my Tonelab LE in through the FX loop (which sounds really good using the 'stangs power section) that has better cleans IMO, but it's another piece of equipment I have to drag around and I'd really just like to use the Mustang.


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Post subject: Re: Headroom
Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2015 4:34 am
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I know what you're talking about, but for me I found the best way to accommodate the drop in volume on very clean channels really has more to do with getting all my presets normalized to a constant volume level. In other words, my cleanest presets which use a twin or a deluxe have higher preset volume settings, and my more gain driven presets use lower preset volume settings. That way they're all controlled equally via the master volume and will sound similar in terms of SPL, or what the audience hears or the signal the soundman receives at the board.

It's a bit tedious to do if you use a lot of presets, but it pays off during performanced because I don't drive the soundman or my bandmates crazy with a lot of variations in volumes.

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Post subject: Re: Headroom
Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2015 5:26 am
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+1, just turn the preset volume up on clean presets and down on driven presets so they are all the same(ish).

Alternatively you could copy the clean preset to the next slot and replace the compressor pedal with an overdrive. So instead of activating the "stomp" slot with the footswitch, you simply switch one preset up (and down again instead of deactivating it).
i.e. my preset #10 is a clean Deluxe with low gain and a compressor, and preset #11 is identical to #10 only with a different effect in the stomp slot.


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Post subject: Re: Headroom
Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2015 12:57 pm
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ChrisH1 wrote:
+1, just turn the preset volume up on clean presets and down on driven presets so they are all the same(ish).

Alternatively you could copy the clean preset to the next slot and replace the compressor pedal with an overdrive. So instead of activating the "stomp" slot with the footswitch, you simply switch one preset up (and down again instead of deactivating it).
i.e. my preset #10 is a clean Deluxe with low gain and a compressor, and preset #11 is identical to #10 only with a different effect in the stomp slot.
You could take this approach further by adding the 4 Button Footswitch (option for the Mustang III) for use in conjunction with your existing 2 Button fsw.

The relatively inexpensive 4Btn Fsw gives you Three (3) modes plus visual use of the Built in tuner!

Mode 1 provides Three (3) Quick Access buttons to three Presets of your choice. Mode 2 provides Preset Navigation; Up or Down incrementally or in Jumps of Ten. Mode 3 provides Enable/Disable Toggling of the Stomp, Mod, and Delay FXs. It really works well!

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Last edited by MusicLaw on Mon Dec 07, 2015 12:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: Headroom
Posted: Mon Dec 07, 2015 7:51 am
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Ok. I'd already tried everything suggested (but thanks anyway) and already had the 2 plus the 4 button switch. Still not 100% happy with the sound and still tweaking.
Recently though, I tried something else which seems to me to sound much better (to me anyway) and I think makes the amp a lot easier to control. I switched the 'Cab Sims' off.
This just uses the Mustang's own cab and speaker characteristics. After all, it is a guitar speaker and the Celestion fitted is a decent speaker, IMO. This is more like the Mustang is an amp in it's own right, rather than trying to absolutely copy every vintage sound exactly. I don't run the amp into the PA (so don't need Cab Sims) and don't really care if it sounds 'exactly' like a Bassman, Deluxe, Twin, Marshall, AC30, etc. It just has to sound 'good' and be easy to get my sound.
It's early days and the jury is still out but it looks promising. It's a little like a blanket has been removed and the amp models can 'breath', more natural. At the end of the day, the cab sim is basically only another 'filter' in the chain and can stifle the sound.
Anyone else run like this or any experience of this ? Try it, you may be surprised.


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Post subject: Re: Headroom
Posted: Mon Dec 07, 2015 10:43 am
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Joined: Tue Jan 27, 2015 3:00 am
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Electroblues wrote:
Anyone else run like this or any experience of this ? Try it, you may be surprised.

I tried it and didn't like it. I did switch quite a few presets to a different cab emulation than the default included with the amp model, however.


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