Peavey Windsor help/tips

[Mesaman88]

The other guitarist in my band bought a Peavey Windsor Stack because he was on a budget. Any ideas on how to get this thing to get some modern sounding gain out of it. (new found glory, senses fail) Both of those bands play mesas so obviously the windsor will never ever sound like that, but as far as getting a decent modern tone. it is possible? Maybe a boss sd-1 or ts-9 overdriving it would help?

Watched a video of a JCM 800 driven with an sd-1 that sounded great. Is the stock windsor capable of the same amount of gain as an 800?

Need to get the harshness out of this amp and give it some warmth and clarity.


EQ in loop, overdrive out front is what I am thinking.

Thanks

[Jonboy79]

This might sound crazy but it worked for me using a similar amp in the studio. I had a metal band come in and my amp just didn't do the metal thing and they didn't bring any amps with them(kids). So I threw a Metal Muff with top boost in front and with the eq and top boost along with the gain of that pedal it took the amp straight into metaldom.

[Mesaman88]

Only problem is I don't really want a metal tone. We play pop punk/ alternative so we need as much clarity as possible and more of a happy distortion, not a metaldoom.

Def thinking about the EQ, someone suggested the dan electro fish and chips as a cheap decent eq.

Then maybe a modded ts9 or sd-1 for more preamp gain and a little warmth.


Thanks for the reply though. Not sure if this is suppost to be just a recording forum, but I am more concerned with live sound at the moment.

When we record we're prob doing

ltd or gibson lp - maxon od808 - mesa dual rec - mesa traditional 4x12

ltd or gibson lp - orange rockerverb - marshall 4x12


or something like that.


Thanks for the input though

-Nate

[Jonboy79]

Well just to let you know the metal muff does way more than just metal. Your best bet is to take a trip down to your local GC with the amp and cab that you're going to use and demo as many pedals as possible. I did that with a buddy of mine and his Orange and GC was more than happy to let us try everything they had in stock.

[borderline3]

what kind of settings do you use on your mesa for the kind of happy-hardcore your band is doing? my friend has that model peavey amp and i have it sitting at my house for recording right now, maybe i can help find a tone that will compliment yours?

[Shiny Turd]

I played a little bit with a friend's windsor head recently, what I found is that's sweeter sounding on lower distortion levels.

For example, you have the drive on 5 and use a ts9 to add that little extra.

It also didn't liked really hot pickups, sounded more open with 490T pickups rather than duncans I have on my gtrs.

Clarity was best paired with celestion g12t's as this head sounded a little boomy with his mesa 4x12 ( vintage 30's)

[Mesaman88]

We will probably end up trying some diff od pedals out. i think that is a must because it has no gain when we crank the master and its really muddy when we don't crank the master, haha.

Some new pickups are def in the picture too. He is on an epiphine les paul studio so I am trying to convince him to get some classic 57's. I feel like pickups any hotter or any more focused on high frequencies (burstbucker, 498t) will just made the problem of harshness worse.


I pm'ed my settings, but will also include them here.

mesa dual rectifier 3 channel - 4x12 traditional mesa cab
sed el34's, nos preamps
ec-1000 w/ emg 81 in neck

bold, diodes, channel 2, modern
presence 11:00
master 9:00
gain 11:00
bass 11:30
mids 5:00
treble 1:00

maxon od 808 drive off, tone and balance at 1:00

My sound is really big because of the od allowing me to push the power section. It has all the gain I need but its articulate (quite the opposite of his once he gets a decent amount of gain dialed in)

I need his to kinda serve as more of a rythum/backing tone but still retain some mids because he plays some leads as well.


Thanks for the help!
Sorry for such a long post!!!!!