How Gritty can an Aguilar AG500 get on the clean channel???

[blastjv]

I had one for a little while and always felt like the clean channel was just TOO clean for my taste, though I LOVED the overdrive channel. I got rid of it because I wanted the clean channel to be dirtier (and at the time didn't want to use any pedals).

I recently read a review in which it was briefly mentioned that they liked the sound of the preamp clipping on the clean channel. This made me realize that I only ever set the clean channel the 'right' way so that the clip light was only barely flashing on the hardest notes.

SO, for those of you who have tried it, how much grit can you get out of the clean channel on this? I'm really looking for about an 80-90% clean sound with just a touch of grit when you dig in a bit, bordering on overdrive when you REALLY dig in. I don't like the 'usual' sound of a solid state preamp clipping, but if the AG500 does this in a smoother way, maybe this IS the perfect amp for me.

Regardless, I'm going back to the AG500 for the overdrive channel, and if I can't get any grit out of the clean channel itself, I have a Sparkle Drive and a Xotic BB on their way to try out.....


Thanks,

-John

[blastjv]

No one's tried this!?!?!?

[blastjv]

I guess I'll know in a few days.....just snagged an AG500 Combo here on TB. STOKED!!!!!


-JV

[afroman]

IME it wont get into any "good sounding" clipping.
The overdrive channel is awesome for subtle grit to full out distortion.

But, IMO getting a SS amp into clipping never sounds good.
I actually love the sound of both channels, and I did set them the "right" way too (clip light blinking only in the hardest of notes).

I think you could get an overdrive pedal and you'd have basically 3 channels. The AG500's two channel and the pedal can give you some other grit on the clean channel.

My $0.02

[blastjv]

I already have a Voodoo Labs Sparkle Drive and an Xotic BB Bass on their way to me. I'm really looking for a "3 Channel" setup:

"My" clean sound is a really heavy punchy aggressive sound that just starts to break up a bit when I dig in a little, and gets growly when I really dig in.

"My" overdrive sound is just a bit more grindy and growly than that, a little more mid-focused and dirty, but not 'distorted' (the AG500 OD channel set with the saturation at about 9 o'clock was getting me there nicely.

"My" Distortion sound is basically the AG500 OD channel set full blast!!!!!

I'm thinking that for my clean I'll have the AG500's clean channel with a little sparkle drive blended in.

For my OD, I'll use the BB on top of that.

And for my Distortion I'll use the AG500's OD channel and probably leave the Sparkle Drive in there for a little extra push and cut.

I feel like a friggin' armchair tone-snob right now....waiting for all this gear to arrive to see if it's as "ultimate" as I expect my ultimate rig to be.....


-JV

[blastjv]

My other consideration is that if the BB doesn't get me there, I might swap that out for an Agro, or wait for an Agro pedal, since I liked the OD channel on the AG500 so much. I WISH that I could have two OD settings on the AG500. I found that just turning the saturation knob gave me the OD AND the Distortion sounds I wanted, even without touching any other EQ on the amp.

Might even consider going to the amp guy near me and seeing if a mod is possible - adding a footswitchable option between two different settings of the saturation knob...Hmmmmm.....

-JV

[afroman]

Well with those 2 pedals you'll have many many options.
I tlhink should be more than set.