Help with TM60 settings

[Eric]

So I've been using my recently-purchased Tech 21 TM60 in full-band situations (i.e. a louder live situation), and I have a few questions.

Is this amp best used as a single-channel amp? I seem to have difficulty getting enough treble out of channel 2 when I switch from clean (ch 1) to dirty (ch 2).

How do you configure channel 2 to cut through? Right now I have a reasonable amount of gain (~10:00), decent growl/mid (11:00-12:00), and level as needed. Weep (even-order harmonics) is off. For the overall EQ, I have reverb at about 9:00, lows down (~10:00-11:00), and highs maxed out.

I'm using this with a LP-style guitar (Agile AL-3100), and on anything other than the bridge pickup, it seems to fade down into fuzz territory, though that does get quite loud if need be. I am 90% sure this is just me not knowing how to fully use the amp yet, but I am looking for some pointers.

I almost always play with some level of OD, maybe cleaning up for arpeggiated parts or other simple fills. I was assuming channel 2 would be my home, but do you think I'd have better luck on channel 1? All of these settings are from memory, so I'm not sure they're 100% accurate. I think they're at least pretty close.

Any help/input would be appreciated.

[markb]

I'll be honest with you, Eric. Ch2 can be a bit over compressed for live use. It works but it can get lost in the mix. It records fantastically.

If you play with OD all the time, try bringing up the punch control on Ch1. That'll get you into tweedy territory, you can then shape the mids using the master tones. Turning them up will tame the mid hump introduced by "punch". I find I cant get tweed Bassman / early Marshall tones out of that. Think JTM45, Beano era Clapton. With humbuckers I'd use Drive 2:00, Punch 11:00, Level to taste, Low 3:00, High 2:30. All settings are approximate. You won't get that emulated 4x12 bass kick out of Ch1.

For later Marshall style crunch, use Ch2. I like the gain at about 1:00, growl about 4:00, Low at about noon, High 2:00. It works best with humbuckers for my money.

On the plus side, I haven't found a pedal that Ch1 doesn't like apart from Muff-type fuzzes.

Have you got the manual? I'd suggest trying some of the "suggested settings". I think they're on tech21nyc.com.

[Eric]

Have you got the manual? I'd suggest trying some of the "suggested settings". I think they're on tech21nyc.com.
Tried some of them out by myself and was going to revisit them, but when I got to tweaking in a live situation, I quickly forgot what the suggested settings were.

I'll give your ideas a whirl. I was going for a Marshall-y rock tone on Ch2, but I'll futz more with Ch1 and see what I can come up with. Thanks for all of the input.

[deeaa]

Tried some of them out by myself and was going to revisit them, but when I got to tweaking in a live situation, I quickly forgot what the suggested settings were.

I'll give your ideas a whirl. I was going for a Marshall-y rock tone on Ch2, but I'll futz more with Ch1 and see what I can come up with. Thanks for all of the input.

Methinks the TM-60 controls are a tad different from the other TM series? Anyway does it have the active mid, which goes into sort of top boost when you go past noon setting?

I always used something based on the 'AC/DC' preset settings from the manual on all my Tech-21 devices...I have very strong active guitars only (EMG85's) so I kept the gain at lower than suggested, like at a quarter, and found the correct middle setting for the best crunch, that's it...I very seldom used the EQ much more than the middle setting.

But, I have this understanding it's not configured quite the same as TM-10, 120 for instance.

[markb]

Here's a picture of the panel, Dee. As you can see it's a two channel amp with a tone/mid voicing control for each channel and master treble and bass controls. The master controls also interact to affect the midrange. They can take a bit of dialling in because moving one control can have a big effect on the overall tone.
The boost is footswitchable and is post gain for solos.

http://www.tech21nyc.com/products/images/illustrations/tm60_thumb.gif

[deeaa]

Yeah that's totally different - no mid knob at all! So I guess it does depend heavily on a combination of settings.

The TM-120 is controlled more like the TM-10 etc. but also on that amp the controls are SUPER sensitive, just a millimetre to another direction can make surprising difference.