Using one amp.

  • Yes I noticed with both on it was a little pushy. Not knowing how you set the order, I had the boost after the dist +. I always thought that was the correct order to boost after the gain pedal to get volume rather than overdrive the overdrive and "smash" it?

    I've never had a pedalboard with both boost and overdrive or multiple overdrives so I don't have a lot of experience there, I just know I haven't had good experiences boosting into a distortion pedal, it usually turns to pushed non dynamic fuzz.

    This procedure will only work with amps/profiles which stay clean. The Morgan AC20 OTOH will distort when pushed… ;)

  • When searching that author I see only EVH 5150 MAJIK 1 and EVH 5150 MAJIK 2 Is that where the cab came from?

    I am not sure, my man. When I first bought the Kemper, the 5150 amp + cab was what I thought would be my high gain Metal tone. The 5150 amp wasn't for me, but that guy's 5150 cab is terrific. Wished I had more info! ?(

  • Although I have profiled numerous of my amps (Vox AC 15/30/30 HW, Marshall 6100, Marshall 2525 Mini Jubilee) and although I've gotten quite good at it and like the results the one profile I rely on in both bands I play in is the Morgan AC20 by rmpacheco, which I use since 2012 because it's so tried and trusted.

    I even recorded 2 albums with it.

    Variations I do is using a pure booster with Volume +2.5 for more grit and a Plus DS (Distortion plus) with Drive at 4.0 and Volume at +3 for heavier stuff and soloing. Lately I also use the Kemper Fuzz occasionally with Drive at 4.0, Volume 0.0, Trans Shape 5.0, Trans tone 5.0, Definition 10.0, Octa 0.0 Mix 100%.

    This gives me all the versatility and expressiveness that I need.

    What a fantastic amp. That person has it dialed in perfectly. Thank you for the heads up!

  • What a fantastic amp. That person has it dialed in perfectly. Thank you for the heads up!

    Yeah. And the profile is actually heavily tweaked in the Kemper afterwards. If it sounds good it is good.

    Kemper PowerRack |Kemper Stage| Rivera 4x12 V30 cab | Yamaha DXR10 pair | UA Apollo Twin Duo | Adam A7X | Cubase DAW
    Fender Telecaster 62 re-issue chambered mahogany | Kramer! (1988 or so...) | Gibson Les Paul R7 | Fender Stratocaster HBS-1 Classic Relic Custom Shop | LTD EC-1000 Evertune | 1988 Desert Yellow JEM

  • Yeah. And the profile is actually heavily tweaked in the Kemper afterwards. If it sounds good it is good.

    Which is why I don't generally use that profile. I like the rig, but it eats a few slots as I remember and I would like to use those slots for other things.

  • I’m always surprised by folks who are surprised by the longevity and versatility of a single amp, or a single profile. Most of our heroes built entire careers on relatively unchanging rigs, across decades. I haven’t been as faithful to the legendary ac20 profile as Ingolf has been, but it’s always nearby, because it’s .. just there, good. And whatever I am using, I can go years circling around a tiny handful of variations.


    I believe it’s in a Rig Rundown, where Lionel Loueke (amazing musician!) smiling, shouts out the rmpacheco. Epic!

  • My boost is in C and the DS+ in D, just because it’s the "right" order. I rarely have them on both at the same time but just in case I wanna go over the top… ;)

    OK I will ask in a different way: Why do you like the boost(C) before the distortion pedal(D)? Wouldn't it boost volume better after the distortion+? Usually I would put a boost after the distortion pedal but maybe I'm missing something...

  • OK I will ask in a different way: Why do you like the boost(C) before the distortion pedal(D)? Wouldn't it boost volume better after the distortion+? Usually I would put a boost after the distortion pedal but maybe I'm missing something...

    I don’t even use one Boost/OD/Dist (that’s what amps are for) let alone stacking them. However, from what I can make out most people seem to run Boost in front of Drive for the added gain flavour when stacked rather than the increase (boost) in volume.

  • I don’t even use one Boost/OD/Dist (that’s what amps are for) let alone stacking them. However, from what I can make out most people seem to run Boost in front of Drive for the added gain flavour when stacked rather than the increase (boost) in volume.

    Uhm....wasn't this directed at Ingolf?

    “Without music, life would be a mistake.” - Friedrich Nietzsche

  • OK I will ask in a different way: Why do you like the boost(C) before the distortion pedal(D)? Wouldn't it boost volume better after the distortion+? Usually I would put a boost after the distortion pedal but maybe I'm missing something...

    Well, a boost in front of the DS+ will drive it even more. I only have the drive on 4.0 on the DS+, and there are cases when I want a slight edge more distortion (e.g. for singing legato lead lines).

    To get more volume with the Profiler I'd always use rig volume or a boost post stack.

    Boosting the volume in front of a profile like the AC20 will only drive the amp into more saturation and won’t give you a real volume (loudness) boost.

  • Since this thread, this afternoon I revisited my original copy of the rmpacheco profile. (I have several versions with all kinds of various mods.) Today I set up a light compressor stomp at a 50% mix, then a pure boost of 1.5db. That’s it. Nothing post stack. Reverb was the beautiful UAD Capitol Rooms Al Schmitt setting monitored through Console, so maybe not totally “fair”. Long story short; ten+ years later it’s ridiculous how great that tiny little file sounds in relation to everything else out there. Truly.

  • I don’t even use one Boost/OD/Dist (that’s what amps are for) let alone stacking them. However, from what I can make out most people seem to run Boost in front of Drive for the added gain flavour when stacked rather than the increase (boost) in volume.

    I normally don't either. Some people do and I'm always curious if I'd like it.

  • Slightly off topic: but I am finding that using one amp profile definitely works well if you put the time into it.


    Off the strength of our legendary AC20 profile (the one a lot of us use) and in the spirit of "one thing leads to another" I bought MBritt's Morgan pack... Needless to say it's great (as you would always expect) and very "giggable"...


    When I bought it I held the expectation that the AC20 profiles would be the ones I would use - wrong!


    The Morgan PR12 is quite a versatile critter indeed across a wide range of gain stage. I like it more as a single amp solution.


    Conclusion: For something I have never even seen in the flesh (I live in regional Australia) Morgan amps are quite something...

  • I am a fan of a stomp like the GS or DS+ into the Compressor followed by another GS or DS+. Using the mix control lets you dial in the freqs you want pushed, very useful stuff. And then you also have 3 levels/styles of gain generically. But my tastes vary from most of you pros.


    The comp almost acts like another gain stage and it can be adjusted to add that little bit more gain you may need after the first stomp. Like the stomp gets close to the tone you want but needs a little extra without getting thin in its own modelling.


    Stomps into a cleaner amp feels better to me also. Rather than a super saturated amp profile. But the tone is not usually as good as the saturated amp. YMMV

  • Couple of comments from me:

    1) The infamous AC20 profile....I tried it and could see what the excitement was all about. My ears are clearly full of wax and I need to revisit it.


    2) One Amp - previously I had one amp profile for solo ( mesa), one for Rhythm ( Marshall), one for clean (JC120). I've changed slightly in using one amp for Rhythm and solo to avoid ear shock for users, but a clean sound generally is different and hence is quite normal change. I hasten to add I'm not a pedal gain type of person and I don't think I ever will be. I also agree just because we have the ability to have 15 profiles per song, doesn't mean you should. So for me, this is the perfect balance.