Can figure out my archon 50

[Rsegarra]

So, to start I’m relatively a beginner but I happened to get a great deal and had a good job at the time plus wanting to celebrate grad school. Anyways I’m rocking on a archon 50, with a 2017 prs CE. the clean Channel is beautiful and the lead is great too on its own

i like power Metal and stuff like metallica or heavier so all is good.
Lately I’ve been trying to get a more classic rock into punk rock and just general rock tone which I am finding impossible to do
(I’m also running the master at like 2/10 with gain pretty low too because this thing is loud even set to 25w.)

ive tried a plumes (each mode sounded mostly the same) and a tumnus wambler deluxe. Both are soso (is it just me or do they not mix well with the amp)

I even tried using them both as boosts into the clean channel which worked pretty well but only with plumes after wampler. If I swap the bass gets kinda crackly?


So I’m begging someone to help me figure out this amp to get a good tone I can use for a large variety of music because right now both od pedals seem to be soso.

 

[Boogie]

Matching a dirt pedal with a particular amp can take time...a lot of it. If one doesn’t work, go get another one until you find the right one. Others here with similar experience can lead you down the right path.

Have you tried turning down the gain and increasing the master? That amp has the goods, you just have to discover the right spot. Don’t be afraid to increase the master, keep the gain control below 11:00, and don’t be afraid to lower the guitar volume control. Keep the Mid control up, too.

 

[alantig]

I use a Radial ToneBone Hot British with mine. Works very well. And as Boogie said, turn the gain way down. There's a ton of range w/the gain control, and use the depth and presence knobs to fine tune. Another thing you can do is crank the gain on the clean channel - it gets into nicely broken up territory.

 

[bodia]

I like the Bogner Burnley with my Archon 50w. You can get where you want to go. Here's a good video showing how diverse the Archon can be.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

IMO...

Drop the pedals for now. You need less gain and boosting with a pedal OR adding distortion with a pedal is counter productive.

Turn your gain WAY down. Below 9:00 on the dial. Turn your mids down and your treble and presence up. Don't be afraid to go WAY up on those. 8:00 on the gain knob is classic rock crunch. Put it back in 50 watt mode and leave it. 25 watt mode changes it to triode mode which is smoother and softer. That's not what you want for open crunchy tones.

If you're looking for the tight bottom, M kind of tones, turn the depth knob down to 9:00 or so as well.

Stand back and be amazed!

 

[Rsegarra]

IMO...

Drop the pedals for now. You need less gain and boosting with a pedal OR adding distortion with a pedal is counter productive.

Turn your gain WAY down. Below 9:00 on the dial. Turn your mids down and your treble and presence up. Don't be afraid to go WAY up on those. 8:00 on the gain knob is classic rock crunch. Put it back in 50 watt mode and leave it. 25 watt mode changes it to triode mode which is smoother and softer. That's not what you want for open crunchy tones.

If you're looking for the tight bottom, M kind of tones, turn the depth knob down to 9:00 or so as well.

Stand back and be amazed!

Is the volume much higher at 50w? I play from home so I’ve been unable to raise volumes or gain much due to the sheer volume this amp pushes

 

[alantig]

Is the volume much higher at 50w? I play from home so I’ve been unable to raise volumes or gain much due to the sheer volume this amp pushes

The master volume on it works very well. You can use that to tame it. If you're trying to get output tube gain, not so much, but if you're just using the preamp gain, it works well.

 

[Rsegarra]

The master volume on it works very well. You can use that to tame it. If you're trying to get output tube gain, not so much, but if you're just using the preamp gain, it works well.

I’ll try that, lead channel right?

 

[alantig]

I’ll try that, lead channel right?

Yes. You can crank the preamp (channel volume, I think) and then the mast way down. Someone here suggested setting your tone with master up, then turning it down to suit your situation.

You can also turn the channel volume way down and crank the master to drive the output tubes. That may suit your tastes a little better. For me, for that kind of crunch, I either take a pedal through the clean channel or back the gain off a ton on the lead channel.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

Is the volume much higher at 50w? I play from home so I’ve been unable to raise volumes or gain much due to the sheer volume this amp pushes

Do not think of the 50/25 switch as a way to control volume. It is not! 25 watts will still break windows. On this amp (which I own) it switches from Pentode to Triode on the power tubes, This changes the feel and tone of the amp MUCH more than it changes the volume. You want open Marshall type crunch, you do not want it in 25 watt mode. Even at lower volumes, it changes the tone and feel. turn the presence WAY up and the master volume down, and set tone as I mentioned above. I don't see what cab/speaker you are using, but that is the starting point for open crunch tones

 

[Rsegarra]

Do not think of the 50/25 switch as a way to control volume. It is not! 25 watts will still break windows. On this amp (which I own) it switches from Pentode to Triode on the power tubes, This changes the feel and tone of the amp MUCH more than it changes the volume. You want open Marshall type crunch, you do not want it in 25 watt mode. Even at lower volumes, it changes the tone and feel. turn the presence WAY up and the master volume down, and set tone as I mentioned above. I don't see what cab/speaker you are using, but that is the starting point for open crunch tones

I’m using the combo so I’m just using the base speaker. Also for what you said I’m guessing use lead channel?

 

[Deleted member 5962]

I’m using the combo so I’m just using the base speaker. Also for what you said I’m guessing use lead channel?

Oh yes, lead channel! It can CRUSH, but it can do crunch too, just hast to be dialed differently.