why is this then?

[relic245]

Current set up:

335 -> Nova System -> Blackstar Artisan 30.

If i set the nova to bypass for a clean sound and all sounds good. I have another patch with just a medium overdrive on which i'm told is like a TS curuit and it does sound like that, if i then turn down the guitar volume to get a clean sound, its nicer than the bypassed clean sound.

I don't really know why that should be, only guess is that I'm adding some kind of harmonic complexity from the overdrive. Does that sound right?

[Axe_meister]

Current set up:

335 -> Nova System -> Blackstar Artisan 30.

If i set the nova to bypass for a clean sound and all sounds good. I have another patch with just a medium overdrive on which i'm told is like a TS curuit and it does sound like that, if i then turn down the guitar volume to get a clean sound, its nicer than the bypassed clean sound.

I don't really know why that should be, only guess is that I'm adding some kind of harmonic complexity from the overdrive. Does that sound right?

It is based on the TS circuit and hence has a bit of a mid pump so your mid range is increased a little.
Set the Nova to bypass and turn the mid range on the amp up. You may get a similar sound.

We guitarists are simple folk and often forget about knob twiddling on the amp.

[RocknRollDave]

It is based on the TS circuit and hence has a bit of a mid pump so your mid range is increased a little.
Set the Nova to bypass and turn the mid range on the amp up. You may get a similar sound.

We guitarists are simple folk and often forget about knob twiddling on the amp.

Eh, what? What's that then....?

Next you'll be telling me the ornamental knob on my guitar ("Tone"...? I mean, WTF?) actually, you know, does something.

[cacofonix]

Eh, what? What's that then....?

Next you'll be telling me the ornamental knob on my guitar ("Tone"...? I mean, WTF?) actually, you know, does something.

Absurd. That's a name tag. You should get one with "Dave" on or someone will think it's knocked off.

Or sell it to someone called Tony.

[relic245]

It is based on the TS circuit and hence has a bit of a mid pump so your mid range is increased a little.
Set the Nova to bypass and turn the mid range on the amp up. You may get a similar sound.

We guitarists are simple folk and often forget about knob twiddling on the amp.

Yes you are probably correct, I'd forgotten about the mid hump.

[ballandbiscuit]

The tone knob on my guitar literally does not do anything, I've never found out why

[erictheweary]

I've generally found getting a clean tone out of the drive channel on an amp to be preferable to the one on the clean channel ( on my own amp I've started doing this now and add dirt via a pedal) - especially on things like rehearsal room valvestates .Bit hard pressed to explain this other than its a bit more lively and dynamic than the clean channel on a lot of amps can provide.

[digitalscream]

Eh, what? What's that then....?

Next you'll be telling me the ornamental knob on my guitar ("Tone"...? I mean, WTF?) actually, you know, does something.

Funnily enough, I've only just discovered the wonders of a tone control which actually does something. Never had one which works, but the one on my Jaden Rose S2 is brilliant for taking the top-end edge off heavily-distorted tones rather than just making it muddy; really handy when your amp channels share the EQ section.

[ICBM]

I don't really know why that should be, only guess is that I'm adding some kind of harmonic complexity from the overdrive. Does that sound right?

Yes. Probably more important than the mid hump, in fact.

Even when it's 'clean' and not actually clipping, a normal overdrive pedal is adding harmonic distortion. This is also one reason why valve amps sound 'better' than solid-state ones - technically they're usually much 'worse', in a hi-fi sense, and introduce all sorts of extra harmonic complexity that doesn't actually sound like distortion but which makes the sound much richer and more musical.

I've generally found getting a clean tone out of the drive channel on an amp to be preferable to the one on the clean channel ( on my own amp I've started doing this now and add dirt via a pedal) - especially on things like rehearsal room valvestates .Bit hard pressed to explain this other than its a bit more lively and dynamic than the clean channel on a lot of amps can provide.

Same again. The dirty channel usually contains more complex circuitry that increases harmonic distortion even if it's not actually clipping. Some hybrid amps use a valve on the dirty channel and none on the clean channel, too - eg the original 80 series Valvestates, although both the VS series and AVTs use it on both channels.