Absolutely! I use an EQ in the in the loop to fine tune things and a EB volume pedal in front to back off on distortion/volume. If it wasn't for those little parts of songs that need wah, tremlo, etc...I would be straight in all the time. I don't care how transparent pedals are..something just isn't the same. If you can't get the sou d from your amp, you have the wrong amp. There is no "decent" sound. There us THE sound you need to have. I don't change my sound too much for different songs. Why would I? Oh, I do throw an attenuator in there too.
Straight in for me too with the SV20H. At first, I did the cascade mod, but found it to sound harsh. Then I went to using a Turbo Rat. Without a boost, it would sound great for lighter rock at all-at-5 jumpered, and sound a little flubby at all-at-7 jumpered. But I got a Mini Rectifier and found the low power mode on it was much darker and rounder. I applied that knowledge to the SV20H, and found that with high power mode, all-at-7 was much clearer. I'll see how much further I can push it tonight.
With all my rigs past and present I allways try to get the tone from amp and guitar allone and just augment it with pedals. Cause......I dont want to depend on pedals for tone....they break down at times they get noisey at times etc etc.....I like to know I can allways fall back on the basics......Albiet it may be dry and not have a nice juicy boost but I'm not fucked trying to struggle on just the amp allone. That said my usual pedal rig is just Wah-Dist/OD-Delay-tuner.....maybe add a chorus but not in quiet awhile.
I couldn't even imagine needing any type of OD or distortion with my DSL 40CR. All I use is a wah, tuner & phase 90 in front & in the loop an MXR mini boost for leads and delay. With my old Super Lead, I also get enough distortion straight with humbuckers, but I'll admit, I like to push it with an overdrive once in while. When I use my single coil pickup guitars, I like to use a Rat going into the amps.
I still use either a Vox Saturator or a Boss 7-Band EQ in front of my DSL 50. I don't know, it just works. Even Eddie had a graphic and an Echoplex in front. Yngwie of course used a DOD 250. Aldrich has his Rocket Fuel pedal. I used to be a purist in the early '80's with my early metal panel 1959. But it had a mild gain boost and pre- and post- masters. So even that wasn't 'pure'. I do sometimes turn off my pedals when doing pick exercises, since I don't actually play with one normally. It's my way of maintaining two hand coordination. But I say, whatever works for you, works!
Straight in via tubescreamer, lol . The tubescreamer is on all the time it gives ‘THE’ sound , simple as that .
Robin Trower is a good example here, he's used a straight up Marshall JCM tone boosted with a Fulltone Drive and a Uni-Vibe in front, and that's about it. I've heard him live a couple of times, and the sound is big and fluid, loud to be sure, but sweet. I like to use the gain channels on my JVM Satriani, but boosting the slightly grinding clean modes from the front, always from the front, is something very pure and pleasing. As Robin said, he hits the front of the amp hard. The guy has no pedal board, just like four pedals LOL. Gotta love it in these days of massive pedal boards and thin sound (I've experienced that too often. There is something to be said for keeping the circuit short!
I’m stuck mostly in the 70s, and the runoff into the 80s,.... some late 60s stuff too. Mostly Classic Rock, (with the exception of Pink Floyd/Gilmour).
Huge fan of the 70's as well but my heart lies in the 80's. The 70's rock, metal was still extremely popular in the 80's as well so it was a great decade for both decades. Don't forget about the NWOBHM movement that kicked off in the 70's that helped fuel the 80's that kicked total ass as well. I pretty much love all genres from the 80's since I grew up on MTV from their very beginning. So I have a very wide musical taste from that decade. All styles of Rock/metal, thrash and synthpop are my top faves though. I just absolutely love 80's pop culture as a whole and no matter how much people shit on it today will never change my perspective on it.
You said it! “Massive pedal boards and thin sound”! That is most often the case. For me, it’s a JTM45 w/Strat or LP and just a tad of Fender spring verb.
After three years of YJM ... I'm back to my roots, AD/CD, what I think is the holy grail. So it's been straight in like in the clip below. I noticed give it some boost was nice, but it's wasn't quite right. After much digging, I realized I needed some sort of exciter. Found out about the SoloDallas Storm V2, it's in the mail. The tower unit someday. It's the one class of devices I think that belongs inside the amp! I've never played one as yet but if it's good enough for ...
I play a ton of stuff from Slayer to SRV so it depends on what music and guitars I’m playing and what pedals suit it or none. I mostly use my 2203/04 amps for almost everything. It’s real hard to get a accurate SRV Pride and Joy sound without a tubescreamer or two or a nice Hendrix sound without a fuzz face, rotovibe, and Wah. If I’m playing AC/DC or similar stuff then straight in sounds absolutely glorious. If I’m cranking some Slayer like Angel of Death then I boost with either a TS9DX or boss SD1 and that with a cranked 6550/KT88 2203 is something that could bring anyone to the reckoning if you can play. Straight in or pedals for me all depends on what I’m playing that day. I cover a lot of stuff and really have to have the diversity and it works well. The 4010 combo in my picture will absolutely bring Slayer all night long until your fingers bleed boosted or some killer Zeppelin tones not boosted, whatever works.
Still look like its 1985, hair is even longer now maybe..but might be more 70's with downtuned 90's combined somehow, cant pin down the originals, maybe thats a good thing. tho.Could easily step back into the 80's & stay there for a whole lotta reasons. Started on the bass in 90 & maybe that shift that started to happen musically is what i know on the low end. Starting guitar 5 years ago, what a mix of no style at all has come out dominant. Learning to get out of the pocket has been a challenge in a way cause of being the glue for so long.
oh yeah. Of any 20 watter the 800 SC will be by fault of circuit. in other words you'll be heard. Thump from a 20 watter?