Usable Vox tones

[dswo]

Something that's eluded me with the GT-1 and the Katana is a usable Vox tone; I much prefer  Zoom's version in the G1 Four/G5n/G3n. This morning I tried again, using Boss's Matchless sim instead of "Vox Drive." For awhile I seemed to have lost all my dynamic range; it turns out I had saved the patch with solo preamp boost on, and then changed CTL1's setting to something else. Once I turned off the solo boost, my dynamic range came back. Meanwhile, though, I decided to revisit the default patches, which I hadn't listened to since I got the GT-1 a little more than a year ago.

Hmmm: COMBO AC. The name suggests Vox, I dig around: preamp is "Vox Drive," but there is some EQing in the FX1 slot. Why didn't I do anything with this patch last year? Oh, I remember: because I wanted jangle. This patch won't do that...because preamp gain is set to 100. Depending on what kind of pickups you have -- I'm playing P90s on a hollowbody Casino -- that might give a usable lead tone all by itself. Dial back your guitar volume, though, and it cleans up to a hairy but usable rhythm tone. I also found it helpful to dial back the preamp's bass, so that mid's at noon, treble's at two o'clock, and bass at ten o'clock.

[Brent Flash]

Welcome to the group dswo! 

[mooncaine]

Dude, I can't wait to try that! There are a couple of GT-1 amp models that feel dynamic to me, so I shouldn't be surprised to hear that this one's responsive to volume knobs, too. Thanks!

[panthalassa]

I realize this is an old post, but...same here. Where's the jangle in the Vox? 

I ended up using the Matchless sim, building the patch at (for me) preset 94: Unmatched Combo.

My settings are:

Combo Crunch, 2x12", Gain = 40, Level = 50, Bright = On, Bass = 10, Middle = 41, Treble = 47, Presence = 100

OD = Clean Boost with Level at 22.

FX2 = PEQ with Low Gain at 13, Low-Mid Gain at 10, High-Mid Gain at 7, High Gain at 13, Low-Mid Freq at 400Hz, Low-Mid Q at 1, High-Mid Freq at 10 kHz, and Hig-Mid Q at 1.

For fun I added the VTG Rack Q Limiter.

Edit: I'm using a ten-year old USA G&L ASAT Special, so YMMV.

Put on the solo of "Can't Buy Me Love," and A/B'd it. Very, very close.