Archon 100 on a cover gig?!

[boardn10]

Hey guys,

I may have a cover gig covering 90s rock, hard rock to some 2000s and later metal.

I used to use a Bogner 20th Shiva as my main amp. I used the clean, mid gain and booted for high gain, plus some pedals.

However, I love the more aggressiv nature of the Archon. That's why I have this now and not my Shiva.

That said, I'm trying to dial in how to make this work for rock to metal covers.
Curious what others do!

I am thinking I could use a medium gain pedal like the Revv G2 into clean channel for medium gain and then use the PRS gain for high gain and roll off my volume for some lighter gain.

An alternative would be to keep the Archon at mid gain and boost it with my Dire Wolf or Rockaway for high gain, plus use my volume knob.

Those two options. Otherwise I could use one of my 3 channel amps, but I love the gain of the PRS. It's a lot like my Bogner was, but more aggressive.

Thanks!

 

[GuitarJammin]

I used to use my Archon 100 for this genre...but I had a different approach than the one you are describing. I turned up the "gain" (pre-amp vol knob) on my clean channel to taste....no boost of any type. On my High gain channel I did the same adjusting the gain knob to taste. Guitar controls were used to get even more variety of tones. I did not use any pedals in front of the amp except a tuner. I used my effects loop for effects. For Me adding pedals in front of the amp just didn't work out...and the tone from the amp itself was just too good and adding a pedal would take away from that rather than add.

Maybe this helps...maybe it doesn't....but it's what I did when I was using an Archon 100 for this genre. Sometimes I didn't even bother with effects depending on the set list or Venue.

 

[boardn10]

Thanks on that!

I do use a Friedman Buxom Boost when I want more juice and tighter lows.
Love the amp.
I could easily just reach over and lower or raise amp gain based on the song, plus use the guitar volume.
Brilliant amp.

I think it takes pedals well. I have no issues with that.

What did you use for solo boosts?
I'm gonna use either a Koko Boost, EP Booster or my modified EQ in the loop.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

I find that wanting 3 channels of clean, crunchy to gainy, and high gain or solo does not work as well FOR ME when trying to use a crunch pedal on the clean channel. Oh, it works great actually, if you have a good crunch pedal, but trying to switch off the pedal at the same time you switch channels, never worked for me. So, I prefer to set the OD channel for whatever level of gain I need for rhythm playing, and hit it with a pedal for solos. If you need two different levels of rhythm gain available, I'd set it for the higher one and roll off the guitar volume a bit for less crunch.

I also have the option having several different OD pedals available, so maybe one is a smaller boost/smoother OD, and one is more crunchy, gainy and brighter.

If I'm really stuck with clean, a classic to hard rock crunch and then solos, I can also do all that with just the clean channel with the BSIAB or OCD as the "crunch" and then the Gain Changer, Zen or Fulldrive 3 kicked on for solos. That works perfectly well, I just hate to waste that gain channel on the amp. But, completely doable that way. And, you can truly have a crunch plus solo/ high gain plus solo setup if you do it that way, by using only channel 1 for classic and 2 for high gain rhythm and leads

 

[John]

Since the Archon just has two channels, I tend to use the aggressive high gain channel with some cleans on the side- I wish the latter was around way back in my jazz ensemble/jazz band days.
I don't see why you can't throw a decent pedal on top of the clean channel for your pushed or crunch tones; from my experience and recollection this amp hasn't been a problem child as far as pedal platforms are concerned.

 

[boardn10]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the input and feedback I think in the end there is no right answer. I'll figure it out as I go and start small and build it out as needed. I'll start with just the amp, a boost and EQ for leads plus my typical effects.
Luckily the songs aren't varied enough that I have to have a Kemper or something.
I know guys who gig with those but I, like them, find that a true tube amp gives me more of the feel and tone that inspires.
I thought of a Kemper and turning of cab Sims and running with my cab, like a regular amp.
Even with my Mark V or modified Dual Rec, I think I prefer my Archon 100.

 

[andy474x]

Just my experience, but I think the PRS amps are some of the most pedal friendly amps I’ve used. Don’t have an Archon, but do have a Custom 50 and MT15, both of which are pretty similar to the Archon in many ways, Archon was born of a hot rodded Custom 50, and the MT15 from the Archon. Anyways, I’ve had great success with the Friedman pedals into my PRS amps clean channels, especially the Dirty Shirley and Smallbox (and that Buxom Boost for boosting pedals or the amp). I usually set my MT15 up so the amp gain channel is my rhythm sound, and the Dirty Shirley into the clean channel for leads, and just as a second voice for rhythm sounds. The Smallbox sounds great too, but isn’t as versatile, really excels at the Plexi sounds if you want that. But the way the EQ is voiced and the available controls on all the Friedman stuff really makes them work well with the PRS amps.

Fortunately when I was playing out before everything hit the fan, we had a second guitar player, so I didn’t have to sweat turning a few things on and off. I’m strongly considering getting a midi/loop switcher if I find myself being the only guitar player again, likely something from One Control.

 

[GuitarJammin]

Thanks on that!

I do use a Friedman Buxom Boost when I want more juice and tighter lows.
Love the amp.
I could easily just reach over and lower or raise amp gain based on the song, plus use the guitar volume.
Brilliant amp.

I think it takes pedals well. I have no issues with that.

What did you use for solo boosts?
I'm gonna use either a Koko Boost, EP Booster or my modified EQ in the loop.

Yea I think I have a total different approach...I don't try to replicate tones for songs totally...I play what tone I like best for the song and identify if that song is a medium to high gain and use the guitar volume knobs accordingly. My reverb pedals have volume pots...so when I hit it for a solo...boom I'm up.

All that said I stopped using the Archon 100 for these gigs a few years back. But I still run the same way with only a tuner in front...and effects in the loop.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

Summary if you need low to medium gain and higher gain rhythm tones, with lead tones on top of both.

1- Clean channel. Crunch pedal for rhythm, solo pedal for leads. All three tones on Channel 1
2- Gain channel set for heavier rhythm, solo pedal for leads. Clean channel still available of needed.

So, with a nice mid gain crunch pedal, and your preferred solo OD, you can have both setups.

 

[Toolmaster Of Brainerd]

My approach would be to keep the clean channel for clean only.

I'd set the archon lead channel gain between 8:30 and 11:00 for a rhythm tone depending on your pickups and tone preferences. With an 85/15 I'm at 9:30, with a JB I'm at 11:00. Don't be shy with rolling down volume!

Then I'd grab my preferred overdrive (Wampler Tumnus for me) and run that in front of the lead channel for my lead tone.

The archon distortion is too amazing to put a pedal in front of the clean channel.

I would also have no problems with tweaking the lead channel gain in between songs. I do this a lot. I don't touch the other knobs, just the lead channel gain.