cleans MP-1 classic vs MP-2

[MarshallJMP]

I don't think the drive is the problem, I can get it clean without any problems, it's the tone.EMG's have quite a mid sound to them which is great for high gain stuff but not so good for cleans.Passive PU's are better for clean sounds.

And yes I can get quite a good clean tone when I plug into my Marshall 1959 and use the bright channel, even with the EMG's.Also must say that the SD TB-4 has about the same output as an EMG 81 (maybe a bit less) but it sounds different.

[Harley Hexxe]

Wow, I didn't know that about EMG, so they are really heavy on the midrange?

   Maybe cutting the mids and presence on the Classic might help?

[MarshallJMP]

Yes it does help cutting the mids and I feel I need to boost the presence.

[Harley Hexxe]

Oh...so those pickups are heavy in the low midrange then. I'm glad I never got into them. I like a more balanced tone.

[rnolan]

Hey MJMP, this is where going to a parallel PU switching can help, you may not need to add as much presence boost, but hey dial it in if it works/needs it.  I've also stared to lower PU height (you don't need much to make a difference), and you can use a vol pedal (IIRC you do ?) before the preamp to back off the input if you don't want to roll vols down.  So on JPLP for example, I get great tones with PUs on 2.5 to 3 /10. And you have all the voices between 1 and 5 to play with, maybe try voices 2, 3 & 4 with PUs backed off (allot).  I started playing around with one of my MP2s to get good sounds for my Epiphone SG the other day. It has 57 gibson re-issues in it (so not super high gain PUs but great sound/character) and was kind of on a similar journey to what you are wanting I think.  I got some tones I didn't mind and I started looking into the other MP2 voices which I've never used (basically I've only used 1, 5 and 9 or 10), also it's always been with the Anderson and Ultrasonic PUs, time for new blood.  If I come up with anything decent I'll let you know (early days but good results so far).

Wow, interesting re the Classic, I thought it was a transition to the MP2 but it makes sense that it was like MP1 with some MP2 features.  And also that some found the MP2 too complex or didn't like it.  I must say I've never spent the time dialing in tones in the MP2 which I did with the MP1. I just grabbed Big Fat Crunch or whatever, tweaked it a little and went for it (I had gigs to do..).  I solved the clean sound by PU switching/combination.

Now MJMP I'm assuming you want to be able a get a good clean sound from your EMG guitars and then switch back to high gain sounds ?. The EMGs should be able to cope, they started life as great clean PUs (not that I've kept up with their development), and rolling back volume pots is more stuff to do in a quick transition (hence vol pedal suggestion).  Split col PU switching is another option, again it's backing off the input but also changing the PU impedance (though as EMGs are active ???). By and large great clean sounds tend to be single coil PUs, humbuckers switched in series tend to muddy the waters but depends on the tone you want.

[MarshallJMP]

I want to do as little as possible switching or volume rolling.My goal is to switch from clean to distortion with one switch, so no switching between PU's, volume pots, coil tapping etc. I know you will have better results this way but for live or at rehearsal I just don't have the time to do all this stuff. So in the end I'm stuck with a bridge PU and one switch on the midi pedal. For distortion this is no problem, but for clean it is.

[rnolan]

Yeah I figured this is where you were coming from... Maybe go MB1 then, it will tame your bridge humbucker and you can program the midi changes to do just what you need.  If I come up with an MP2 patch which can help I'll let you know but fastest way there IMHO is MB1  moreover it's set up to take active PUs (on some patches) and has very versatile eq.

[MarshallJMP]

It's worth a try I guess

[Dante]

The great thing about the MP-1 and the Classic is the clean tones in there are much more dynamic so you can push the clean tones harder with humbuckers and the amp will respond more like a vintage tube amp in that respect. That's something I have always felt was a downside of the MP-2.

+1


MJMP: Here are some patches

Hmmmm...I just added some clean patches to that. They are not very complicated ;)

[rnolan]

Well just tested my 2 new MP1s, both had beautiful cleans (patch 6) using Epiphone SG with Gibson 57 re-issues in it.  I liked the cleans more than the MP2.

[vansinn]

You know.. EMG makes several different active pups with each their own sound scape..

Likely not comparable to your setup, MJ, but my Schecter Riot 8 EMG 808 neck pup sounds quite nice on the MP-2 cleans; the bridge 808 sounds less good.

And then again, not because they're actives per-se, but most EMG's I've heard really doesn't really have their own distinctive sound, the exception being the ones that sat on oldschool ESP axes, producing what I'd call the ESP/EMG midrange snarl tone, like it can be heard with Timmu's sound on the Nightwish farewell album "End of an Era".

(fun thing, this active stuff.. just a low impedance pup with a build-in opamp..)

[MarshallJMP]

Hey Van what settings did you use on the MP-2 clean?

[rnolan]

Hey MJMP, do you have (I expect you do) have a stock MP1 in your collection ? Seriously, give patch 6 a go. I was impressed, then I turned on the chorus mmm great with humbuckers in the middle position (neck + bridge), I think it's a SS sound ? have to check but I really liked it.  Although I am running the B200s through the Messa cabs with tweeter crossed over at 4 k (which maybe adding some sparkle that I maybe wouldn't get into straight 12 cabs)

[vansinn]

Another option could be to replace your Lexicon MP-something with an MPX G2, which has the same effects in it, plus a really well working digital clean, complete with tone controls and dynamics control, to make it react nicely to playing style.
Add either the Red or Blue compressor and a couple effects, and it'll be just lovely.
(pity they didn't put just a single transformer-loaded tube in there ;) )

[MarshallJMP]

Mmm not fond of the MP-1 cleans.And I'm not going to buy more gear, I already have enough  ;D