thisisswanbon Posted November 7, 2018 Share Posted November 7, 2018 Evening all! The TH500 seems to be a much praised head, and there are many many posts etc online talking about and alluding to the unique gain structure, control relationships and the learning curve etc... but there doesn't appear to be an idiot friendly guide to getting a loud, clean tone from it! I recently asked for advice on the Aguilar owners Facebook page, and got far more help than anticipated, but mostly contradictory and not beneficial. Dave Boonshoft of Aguilar even posted the following: "Okay, well the input gain, master and tone controls are all before the power section, so you are controlling the amount of gain to the power section. EQ that is boosted is an actual increase in gain on those frequencies. Use the input gain and the master to create the gain structure you like the sound of. There is no reason to turn one control all the way down or to turn one up to any pre-determined point. Generally turning the input gain down on the town Hammer will be cleaner unless you have created a lot of gain with the other controls-which could still cause clipping. The Power section is set for its full output. If your bass has a hot output you may like using the input pad. It works exactly the same as turning down the input gain pot; but may give you a bit more flexibility. I hope this helpful! Remember that everything is interactive- sensitivity of the cab, bass output, effects pedal. Also, one thing people don’t necessarily think about-playing style." While really helpful, and massively above and beyond on the customer service front, I'm still struggling... What I'm looking for is "gain+drive+Master = loud and clean" levels of simple, which doesn't seem to exist! Every time I've gigged this head I've had non stop clipping, and when I've kicked in the sub bass, fugettaboutit! No bottom end, unbearable clipping! I've tried lowering the gain, which dropped the volume, and when upping the master caused more clipping, I've tried upping the gain, which caused clipping, upping the drive, lowering the master etc etc... I've heard that boosting the EQ causes clipping, but surely that's counter intuitive?! All I want is a nice big CLEAN tone that plays well with pedals at loud enough volume to compete with a hard hitting drummer, and synth obsessed keyboard player! Anybody have, or care to make a quick idiots guide for idiots like me, who are finding the learning curve too steep? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThirteenDevils Posted November 7, 2018 Share Posted November 7, 2018 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted November 7, 2018 Share Posted November 7, 2018 I would try drive off, master up full, adjust gain to set your volume. You should be able to get a clean tone that way, then you can try lowering the master / increasing the gain from there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oopsdabassist Posted November 8, 2018 Share Posted November 8, 2018 Yup I pretty much keep the drive right down too. I was faffing around at last rehearsal and noticed the clipping light bouncing away and my overall Vol was much lower than usual. I must have turned up the drive (without me glasses on) instead of the gain. Took me ages to work out what I had done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oopsdabassist Posted November 8, 2018 Share Posted November 8, 2018 7 hours ago, ThirteenDevils said: this is for the TH pedal though, not the amp. The TH500 amp doesn't have an AGS switch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krispn Posted November 8, 2018 Share Posted November 8, 2018 (edited) If I may..: how the tone stack interacts in ags mode might we’ll be useful in understanding how the controls on the head are interacting. It might not appear much use on the surface but that post (the bulk of information within is not my own work I was simply pointing someone in the right direction) has a great explanation of the interactivity of the controls and how their function ’alters’ in AGS mode. I’ve not used the TH head but I do have the TH pre amp pedal on my board and the controls do behave differently in AGS mode, actually as described in the information linked above. If you can try out what’s suggested in that link it may help and pay particular attention to how the mids sound. There is a massive difference in the TH pedal ‘clean’ and with AGS engaged. My understanding is the TH head reacts like the TH preamp with the AGS engaged. It’s a good read! Edited November 8, 2018 by krispn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBod Posted November 8, 2018 Share Posted November 8, 2018 There is no AGS off option on the TH500. The only reason I sold mine! It really is designed to flavour the sound away from “class D” to something warmer and “tubey” and it does that very well. I just prefer to have an off switch. My solution is a Retroglide 800 and Sansamp pedal....same idea 😎 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chienmortbb Posted November 8, 2018 Share Posted November 8, 2018 1 hour ago, BassBod said: There is no AGS off option on the TH500. The only reason I sold mine! It really is designed to flavour the sound away from “class D” to something warmer and “tubey” and it does that very well. I just prefer to have an off switch. My solution is a Retroglide 800 and Sansamp pedal....same idea 😎 Nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebassist Posted November 8, 2018 Share Posted November 8, 2018 I have: Drive - completely off Gain - about 8 o'clock (more or less pointing at the -10db button) Master - wherever depending on the room/space (I've never had to go above 2 o'clock though) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebassist Posted November 8, 2018 Share Posted November 8, 2018 (edited) On 08/11/2018 at 11:02, thebassist said: I have: Drive - completely off Gain - about 8 o'clock (more or less pointing at the -10db button) Master - wherever depending on the room/space (I've never had to go above 2 o'clock though) If you're really struggling and aren't happy with what you're getting from the TH500 but still want to stick with Aguilar and funds allow, then consider an AG700. Edited November 17, 2018 by thebassist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted November 8, 2018 Share Posted November 8, 2018 "Unique gain structures" doesn't really mean much to me. With boost and cut controls I just start with everything at 12 o'clock and find a good sound from there. If I can't find the sound I want between 11 and 1 o'clock then I know that amp isn't for me. So unsurprisingly all the controls on my TH500 are at 12 o'clock. . . . except. . . . I turn the Drive off (fully anti-clockwise) and the Master is where ever I need it. So far I have never cut and only occasionally boosted the Bass or Treble but never beyond 1 o'clock. I realise it is limited and doesn't have the broad range of a D800+ or even my AG700, but the TH500 makes a sound I like and seems to work particularly well with my Precision. I have heard the effect of the Drive control called subtle. Well it's too subtle for me. I have tried it a few times but don't really hear much of interest from that control. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted November 8, 2018 Share Posted November 8, 2018 (edited) I’m constantly twiddling my TH knobs. I’m currently experimenting with gain at 9o’clock, drive at 4o’clock, EQ at 12o’clock (with minor tweaks for the room) and master wherever it needs to be. It’s not a clean sound, quite valvy but not fuzzy. Edited November 8, 2018 by Marvin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danuman Posted November 9, 2018 Share Posted November 9, 2018 On 08/11/2018 at 12:43, Marvin said: I’m constantly twiddling my TH knobs. I’m currently experimenting with gain at 9o’clock, drive at 4o’clock, EQ at 12o’clock (with minor tweaks for the room) and master wherever it needs to be. It’s not a clean sound, quite valvy but not fuzzy. Same here. Which has me thinking of moving it on. I just can’t seem to find a sweet spot. I think what I’m missing is the low mid bump of the DB cabs. I think it sounds best without any drive, although it can sound a bit dry. All in all, I still think it’s a great little amp. Very powerful if you need it to be and the DI is just brilliant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chewie Posted November 17, 2018 Share Posted November 17, 2018 Hey Thisiswanbon, Check out this video....... I'm not suggesting matey is an authority but the gain stays really low until he employs Drive later in the video. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJE Posted November 19, 2018 Share Posted November 19, 2018 I set mine much the same as other folks on here, drive is off, gain at around 10-11 o clock, EQ never far off 12 o clock depending on the room and master at about 11 o clock. Im using a active bass without the pad button pushed in and mine doesn’t clip much at all, if ever and it’s perfectly clean. What bass and pedals and cab are you using, because it sounds to me like your driving the input a bit too hard if you can’t get clean tones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itu Posted November 20, 2018 Share Posted November 20, 2018 Gain is actually a set of parameters (i.e. gain + drive + eq) that you can tweak in the preamp section. So, in stead of using eq as a gain (so turn those pots past 12 o'clock), you should try to reduce other frequencies a bit downwards. This way you'd be able to tweak all parameters a bit more freely. If your amp's clipping LED blinks every now and then but the sound is OK, the LED just shows that your gain level is very good. Excessive clipping may happen because the amp is too small, or the overall gain is past the acceptable. If there are any pedals in front of the amp, their gain should be considered, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krispn Posted November 20, 2018 Share Posted November 20, 2018 Do check out the link in post 2 as it very eloquently explains the interactivity of the Th preamp. As a TH pre amp user the guide was really useful. It will likely help when dialing in the amp. If you don’t try it you’ll never know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted November 20, 2018 Share Posted November 20, 2018 Disclosure: I've not played the amp live, I've only briefly used it in a shop to demo a bass. Is there a chance that the amp is simply not loud enough for your uses? If you really have to set the controls into clipping to get into a usable volume the you might just need a bigger amp. As standard I'd assume the advice all of the users have given here is good: drive off, eq at noon, gain to just below clipping, master to set volume. That's pretty much true for any amp. If that still doesn't do it then you might just need more amp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chienmortbb Posted November 20, 2018 Share Posted November 20, 2018 I wonder if any amp that needs an idiots guide is worth while? Not being argumentative, just wondering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie Posted November 20, 2018 Share Posted November 20, 2018 Too right! I was too much of an idiot to figure it out and sold mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBod Posted November 21, 2018 Share Posted November 21, 2018 It just needs an AGS off switch, like the ToneHammer pedal preamp does... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted November 21, 2018 Share Posted November 21, 2018 On 20/11/2018 at 11:18, stevie said: Too right! I was too much of an idiot to figure it out and sold mine. That happened to me, too... 😕 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pineweasel Posted November 21, 2018 Share Posted November 21, 2018 1 hour ago, BassBod said: It just needs an AGS off switch, like the ToneHammer pedal preamp does... The Drive control is essentially a variable AGS, so just turn it all the way down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted November 24, 2018 Share Posted November 24, 2018 I’ve got mine sounding exactly how I want right now, and I’ve always managed to achieve a tone that fits the band I’m in...and works. However, without exception, the explanations of how the preamp section of the Tonehammers work have been of no help at all. In particular, Aguilar’s own explanation is just complete gobbledygook. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted November 24, 2018 Share Posted November 24, 2018 On 21/11/2018 at 18:56, BassBod said: It just needs an AGS off switch, like the ToneHammer pedal preamp does... No, the pedal needs a variable AGS knob like the amp! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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