Live Lead Tone Advice

[Melodeath]

My band uses HM-2 pedals live (tons of heavy distortion), and I've been having problems with the volume of my solos. Put it simply, I don't think I can be heard. I use a 5150, and my solos cannot be heard over the other rhythm guitar. The other guitarist's solos can be heard easily over my rhythms, however, because he uses some Crate head that has a built in lead channel with more volume, delay, and reverb. Obviously, I don't have this in my 5150, so I need some other solution. What do I get? I could get delay and reverb pedals to make the lead tone less dry, but this wont help me be heard over the other guitar. I need some type of boost, I believe.

So what should I get? OD boost? Which one? Is it really going to help much to boost a heavily distorted HM-2 tone?

Reverb/Delay recommendations would be appreciated as well. The only pedals I use live currently are HM-2 and Polytune.

Thanks

 

[Fragle]

I'd put an EQ (Boss GE7, MXR 108 or similar) in the FX loop, add some mids and turn up the EQ volume.

 

[chdrummer]

A nice boost would work too!

 

[Manicompression]

Im with Fragle, I would use an eq pedal in the fx loop. Not only could you dial in some volume boost this way but you could also take some of the obnoxious high freq info out of the signal. Eventide space looks like the best echo / verb out there from what I can tell but its quite spendy, on the other hand any delay with a tap tempo would probably do the job just fine. I had the memory man with hazari a couple years ago and quite liked it.

 

[Melodeath]

Good idea on the EQ in the FX Loop!

A nice boost would work too!

Which one? I honestly don't really know what a boost is, unless you mean a tube screamer or something. Would I put it after the HM-2 and hope it actually boosts the signal despite all that distortion?

 

[xFkx]

Good idea on the EQ in the FX Loop!


Which one? I honestly don't really know what a boost is, unless you mean a tube screamer or something. Would I put it after the HM-2 and hope it actually boosts the signal despite all that distortion?

nope.


Anywho, i'd go for something like a line6 m5, just one patch boosting the level, adding some eq (i like my lead tone darker), and some delay. The switchable fx loop on the peaveys is a godsend in many situations

 

[mickrich]

Zoom G3 in the loop.
Not only will you get lots of nice fx, they all have a level control so you can increase volume when you turn them on.
Will also give you noise reduction, gate, tuner and graphic and parametric eq.
Superb device and doesn't "feel" like a multi fx when you assign a different effect to each pedal and use like stomp boxes.

Or plan B, get an amp with lots of high mid. 6505/5150 will find it hard to compete with an amp with lots of mids in the 2-5k range.
If your other guitarist's Crate is "sharper" in the crucial sensitive hearing range he will appear louder in the live mix.
Marshall will get you there, especially since your main sound is the HM-2.
Maybe a used JMP1 into the return on the PV could be perfect for you.

Plan C, work on the other guitarists sound to make it fatter but less cutting so it balances better with your sound.

 

[Mago]

^I dunno man, the 5150 can get quite heavy in the 2-5k if you work the treble...not always in a pleasant way, though I generally don't like too much 2-3k in my guitar tones.


I'd +1 the EQ pedal in the FX loop. Should be the cheapest easierst solution if you find one 2nd hand. boost mids and level, done.

 

[mstone564]

Either get an overdrive boost (any ibanez will do) or just some type of clean boost and set the volume so it's a little louder when you get it on. Boom, your solos will sound louder.

 

[Melodeath]

I do have a Boss ME-33 MultiFX pedal I could run in the FX loop. It has delay and reverb and level controls, but it has an annoying half-second cut out whenever you switch patches, which makes it practically unusable in a live situation.

I suppose I could keep the patch on the whole time on the Boss and use the 5150 FX Loop On/Off switch for instant lead tone

Is anyone suggesting the OD/"Clean" boost in the Loop?

nope.


Anywho, i'd go for something like a line6 m5, just one patch boosting the level, adding some eq (i like my lead tone darker), and some delay. The switchable fx loop on the peaveys is a godsend in many situations

What were you saying "nope" to, exactly?

 

[xFkx]

What were you saying "nope" to, exactly?

about a tubescreamer in front of the amp raising the overall volume

 

[bryan_kilco]

about a tubescreamer in front of the amp raising the overall volume

This is correct. As well as a clean boost in front of the amp. It will make your cleans louder, but a heavily distorted signal will just get more distorted.

FX Loop all the way.

I'm also trying to figure out a simple solution for live leads.

 

[nezvers]

If you want LOUDER than I'd suggest clean boosters in FX loop, if you want mix seperation wise than one way would be use TS (probably before HM-2 like before amp and tone on TS will give little frequency focus in distortion), second would be to use some EQ pedal between HM and amp to get also HZ focus shift in distortion, if amp has drive, or separate mix wise if amp is clean or in FX loop.

 

[Nebulous]

I suppose I could keep the patch on the whole time on the Boss and use the 5150 FX Loop On/Off switch for instant lead tone

This is how I've done it.
With the Peavey JSX there is controls on the back for send/ return volume. I set these up so that when I hit the FX loop I get a volume boost.
I'd try this before introducing a pedal into the mix. You might not have to spend any money at all if the 5150 has similar controls.