Nice cleans?

[Eric***]

Sorry Eric. Should I read the original post?

No need to apologize -- I was just playing around. Try as I might to remember, I always end up forgetting how bad text is at relaying subtle sarcasm.

[Eric***]

For me you can't beat a Strat through a Fender Twin Reverb. That's about the best clean there is. But I'm not wild about MOST Fender amps when they're over-driven, or when they're used with Les Pauls or other humbucker-equipped guitars so I doubt I'll ever buy one. Maybe a Bassman someday.

For cleans on both single-coil AND humbucker guitars I really like the Vox AC30 Custom Classic 1x12 I owned up until recently. I sold it a year ago to the rhythm guitarist in one of my bands; but that's a really sweet amp for the money. I find it's nice and sparkly and chimey with a Strat but handles those growly Les Paul lows pretty well too.

Vox seems to be a really popular answer -- I'll have to try me one of those.

If you want to improve your clean tone regardless of whatever amp you're using; go out and get a Keeley Compressor.

So...why is this? I've heard it before (actually, Tung mentioned it earlier as well), but what does compression have to do with tone? On an actual audio level, I only know a compressor to do the whole normalizing-of-the-level thing.

Keeping with the whole detailed-explanation theme of the thread, how does a compressor help?

[Retro Hound]

No need to apologize -- I was just playing around. Try as I might to remember, I always end up forgetting how bad text is at relaying subtle sarcasm.

My reply was somewhat sarcasm also (look at your signature). I was just too subtle.

[Eric***]

My reply was somewhat sarcasm also (look at your signature). I was just too subtle.

Yeah I saw that, but didn't know how to respond to it without sounding patronizing, so I took the safe route.

I think I'm going to put in a late new year's resolution to stop using sarcasm when typing.

[Tibernius]

Don't know if my "clean" tone counts...

I use channel 1 on my Fallen Angel with Mid and Treble at 12 o'clock, Bass at 9 and the gain just below the point at which it starts distorting, with the Electric Mistress with the chorus and rate set at 12 o'clock in the effects loop.
Otherwise I'll use the same settings with a Delay replacing the Chorus. I very rarely play a pure, clean amp. Most of the time the gain stays maxed.

The FA's tone's somewhere between a Marshall and a MESA. Same level of gain available as a MESA but smoother and less "fizzy". A massive amount of bass as well. 4 12AX7s for the pre-amp, 2 EL34s for the power amp.

Only other clean tone I've liked was the VJ's. I used the JC120 setting on my G2.1u through an old 25-watt Yamaha solid-state for a while and hated it. Just sounded bland. Probably the amp causing that though.

[mainestratman]

Every once in awhile I love a pure, clean sound... when I started looking at Marshalls I was warned that there was "no such thing" as a clean Marshall tone, but am very happy with the clean channel on my TSL.