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GAIN:
As with all tube amplifiers, especially those with higher GAIN circuits, the GAIN control is by far the most powerful control
in the amplifier. It determines the overall GAIN amount you will be working with (how clean or saturated the signal is) in any given
channel or mode by metering the signal in the beginning stages (first tubes) of the preamp. It is also a very important Tone control
as well.
Generally speaking, lower the settings of the GAIN control (below 12:00 in all modes) produce sounds that
are less saturated, cleaner, brighter and more dynamic. As the GAIN control is increased the sound begins
to get thicker and warmer and the dynamic peaks get softened by natural, sweet tube compression as the
signal moves toward saturation. This is pretty much an across the board (or Channels) response, as these
global behavior traits remain constant regardless of the individual architecture of the modes themselves.
Another simple guideline to follow that might make dialing for your sounds easier is this; as the GAIN goes
up…the BASS should come down. Following this scheme will help you avoid flub and retain a tight, focused attack.
So for example, if you are in Channel 1 CRUNCH and you want to max the GAIN (5:30) for a rhythm sound, you would want to run
the BASS control somewhere around 10:30 to keep the sound tracking tight. In the BLUES mode of Channel 2, things would be a
bit more flexible. If you wanted to run the GAIN just high enough to have a nice fury break-up when you lean into it (1:00 – 2:00),
you will be able to run the BASS a little higher (11:00 – 12:00) because there is less GAIN in the mode to begin with and you are
not using an extreme setting of the GAIN control.
NOTE: If you need very high GAIN settings to achieve the type of sound you are after, try looking to the CONTOUR for any added
low-end enhancement as this circuit comes later in the preamp and is less likely to bloat the sound. If the top-end enhancement is
unwanted, reduce the TREBLE.
Just remember that as the internal gain structure of the Modes gets increased across the Channels, so does the need to carefully
blend the GAIN and BASS, and in fact all the controls, to keep balance and cohesiveness in your Tone.
NOTE: Avoid extreme settings of both GAIN and TREBLE at the same time as the likelihood of annoying microphonic tube prob-
lems increases. If you need one set high to achieve the sound you are after, reduce the other to ensure uninterrupted performance.
TREBLE:
As in most tube guitar amplifiers, the TREBLE control (in both channels of your Express) is the most powerful of the rotary
controls and is next in line only to the GAIN control as a shaping tool. Because it is first in the signal path of the tone controls - and
from here the Middle and Bass receive their signal - it is by far the dominant tone control. For this reason the setting of the TREBLE
control is very important for equal representation of the three frequency regions to appear at their respective controls. Like most of
the controls on your Express, there is an optimum region of the TREBLE control where ample top end is mixed in and yet enough
signal is still passed on to the MIDDLE and BASS controls.
As you might surmise, here is the sweet spot. There are definitely great sounds above and below this middle region
(11:00 - 1:30), but the balance between the TREBLE control and the other two tone controls is compromised.
FrONT PANeL: CO N T r O L S & Fe A T u r e S (Continued)
INPUT
GAINTREBLE MIDBASS REVERB MASTER CONTOUR
POWER
ON
ON
STANDBY
CLEAN
ON
CRUNCH
FT SW
5 WATT
CLASS A
CH 1
BLUES
ON
CH 2
FT
SW
BURN
FT SW
O
F
F
O
F
F
INPUT
GAINTREBLE MIDBASS REVERB MASTER CONTOUR
POWER
ON
ON
STANDBY
CLEAN
ON
CRUNCH
FT SW
5 WATT
CLASS A
CH 1
BLUES
ON
CH 2
FT
SW
BURN
FT SW
O
F
F
O
F
F
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