Scott Henderson Discussion

guitarplayer · Joined: 08 Jun 2015 Posts: 64

Hi Scott,
Since you are hitting the front end of the amp with a lot of output from the sd-9 or klon, is the majority of the overdrive preamp gain, or is the master volume up high enough to distort as well? In other words, Is it power amp gain, combined with preamp gain, combined with the pedal, or is the power amp staying clean?
It seems that it would be tough to get a 100 watt power amp to break up at the volume that your band plays. The tone is really fantastic and I am trying to get a handle on the way you do it!

Scott Henderson · The Man Joined: 20 May 2004 Posts: 2135

I don't like power amp distortion - it's fizzier than preamp distortion. I don't ever turn the amp up loud enough for the power amp to distort, only to get the power tubes working hard. Another reason is because I'm only using 4 speakers, not 8 - a 100 watt amp turned up loud enough for the power section to distort would fry the speakers.

I had a '68 Marshall plexi - I sold it because I could never turn it up loud enough to sound good. That amp needs to be turned up to at least 8 with two cabinets - that's way too loud for my gig or studio.

guitarplayer · Joined: 08 Jun 2015 Posts: 64

Thanks Scott!
It is great to know. I was under the impression that power amp distortion was the key, but it seems that a big, high headroom power amp running clean with a distorted front end gives the best results. A volume pedal in the loop seems like a must have to make this setup work with a band.

Scott Henderson · The Man Joined: 20 May 2004 Posts: 2135

Yes, a volume control in the loop is the best way to change the master volume without changing the gain. I control the amount of gain with the guitar volume and sometimes going to a cleaner pedal. I love the new RC Booster because it has two stages of gain, so I don't have to mess with the guitar volume as much.

slyzspyz · Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2016 6:40 am Post subject:

Maybe guitar players are misusing the term "power tube distortion"....
when the power tubes are running at their optimum it's the natural tube compression that we all like, as opposed to "distortion", right?
i.e. if you run a distorted tube preamp into a clean solid state power amp you most likely won't get the same feel & interaction

Scott Henderson · The Man Joined: 20 May 2004 Posts: 2135

Yes, that's correct. Power amp distortion isn't a good thing - it sounds fizzy and the amp feels choked and hard to play. The compression from tubes working hard is what we like, and the distortion from the preamp. That's the whole point of pedals with a non-master volume amp, to distort the preamp without having to turn the amp up to 10 and make it sound blown up.

slyzspyz · Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2016 12:09 pm Post subject:

Scott Henderson · The Man Joined: 20 May 2004 Posts: 2135

1. Yes, I've never had any luck with turning an amp up to 10 - it usually starts sounding bad after 7 or 8 because the power amp starts to distort and sound fizzy.

2. That's something I don't like about the HRD - the clean channel has the best EQ, but it's too clean. My workaround is to put a volume control in the loop so I can turn the preamp up more and keep the power amp level down with the volume control. If I didn't do that, I'd have to combine two pedals to get enough gain.

3. Yes, that's my preferred setup. That's what my Suhr signature amp is - a MV crunch amp. I only need one pedal, and as long as I can get up to a medium volume, it sounds great. I have an OD-100 SE which has great high gain preamp distortion, so no need for a pedal, but I like pedals better for the neck pickup. If I used only the bridge pickup, I'd use the SE a lot more often. I mainly use it for recording, to change up my sound from time to time.

countandduke · Joined: 17 May 2004 Posts: 197

Ya know, JUST when I thought I understood power amp vs. preamp distortion!!! Very Happy

I always thought preamp distortion was "fizzy"? I have a 50 watt hand wired plexi style amp that sounds just fantastic! It's clean up to about 5 of 6 volume wise unless I slam the front with a pedal and or Humbucker but if I crank the volume to between 8 and 10 I get a pretty warm overdrive not too far away from that warm Eric Clapton type "woman" tone.

From what I've read, Eddie Van Halen got his brown sound from a cranked plexi 12xxx series amp. I know Ed's tone has been sought after for years and I personally love some of those early Van Halen tones and I always thought that was POWER TUBE overdrive but maybe not huh?

Anyways, like Scott has always said "use your ears"! Personally, my current amp the Landau inspired Hot Rod amp is just CRAZY good!!! The clean channel with some chorus and/or delay is just crazy good!

Best,
Chris

Wiznik · Joined: 09 Jan 2016 Posts: 28 Location: France

Hi Scott,
First, great video with Tim and Pete, it is agree with this forum,
but it's better to see you explaining it with your guitar...

I have some questions :

As your amp setting is : gain 7, MV 4 (depending of the room)
Your preamp tubes are well working, but not your power?
I thought the MV has to be at 5/6 to make the power tubes having good compression.

My amp (a Marshall JTM 60) has gain + vol for the lead channel,
And a MV.

To take the most of it i tried to put the MV at 7 and lowed the volume with the SVC in the serie loop section.
But it doesn't work very well.
And the SVC changes the gain the same way the channel vol does.

That's why i think i misunderstood something.

Thanks, Nicolas