Your "lead" sound?

Changes. With present band, either channel of amp smacked a bit harder by a boost. Delay in loop. (I do love leaning into a shedload of delay..)

Maybe overdrive + octave divider. Maybe totally clean.

Same song may inspire a totally different approach from one day to the next.

 

I don't have the time to step on a button, the dexterity to change a control, the muscle to suddenly play harder, or the brain to come up with an idea with more oomph. Or the fingers to touch the instrument to begin with, or the instrument to be playing, or the physical form to be there at all, or the dimensionality to....

Okay guys, we get it. You're in a pedal subforum because of your hatred of pedals.

I love my Barber Burn Unit EQ into a klone (nowadays a Horsebreaker) for the BU's glorious interactivity with the guitar volume knob, and the optional 2nd channel. Some solos demand more of this, some more of that. For me, between these babies and playing nuances, all the sounds I want are right where I can get them.

 

My rig is a Mesa mini-rec and I'm using a Boss DD-500 delay. For lead melodies I may switch to the middle switch position if I am playing high up the neck for a little extra thickness. I generally use delay whenever I can. The big washiness is part of my sound. My band is female vocals/guitar/bass/drum machine and a little bit of pre-recorded keys here and there, so there is a lot of space in the mix and I don't think I need a boost to cut through.

We haven't played live yet so that might change things up a bit.

 

I run a Kustom Double Cross mostly which has its own boost feature, and just a Boss ME80 for a bit of delay and reverb on occasion. So really no need for any distortion or OD peddles out front. With 3 channels ranging from clean to brutal gain with independent EQ's the amp pretty much has my back. Some thought the DC was a bit fussy knob/switch wise but once you figure it out its actually quite versatile. I have mine set up where channel 2 and 3 are similar with just more volume and punch on 3. Then if I want to get really nasty about it I still have a boost switch I can tap.

 

Hmmm, tempting.
I guess it needs to go in an FX loop since it's line level?
I thought I had two of those switches but mine are FS5.
Still tempting given that I keep looking a lexicon loaded stomps and spendy verb pedals but only one of my amps has a loop.

 

No problem, we accept non corporeals here!

 

My sound is a SD-1 stacked with a saucy box, or a Timmy and very short delay for leads. I've always set my reverb on 1. Don't know why but I miss it if it's not there.

 

Depends on the style of music!
If I was recording, I would use;
-Rock lead tones - would be a Les Paul (bridge or Neck PU) through a Mesa Flux pedal with gain on 12, slap back delay into cranked AC15 with celestion greenback.
-Modern country lead (ala Keith Urban) - same as above except swap guitar with Tele (bridge PU) and Mesa Flux pedal gain at 9 and treble on 9.
-Blues lead - Tele neck PU, and just the cranked AC15 with slap back delay and maybe hint of reverb.

Live, the AC15 run edge of breakup - and usually stack pedals - normally an OCD or Paisley with the Mesa Flux. Depending on room might add reverb.

 

OK, in the interest of possibly being helpful or informative, or maybe just to give people something to make fun of, my current lead tone is created by: the “Soft Distortion Sustainer” side of a Roland Funny Cat, a Bad Monkey as a sort of clean boost (gain right the way down), a vintage EHX Bad Stone on its manual setting, with the Manual Shift knob turned wherever I choose for a particular tune, and either a Cool Cat tremolo or slap back delay. I am not currently using reverb, due to a history of abuse. Perhaps when I am stronger it will make its way back. Oh, and the input into this comes from either a tele style with Keystones or my ‘65 Danelectro.

 

Generally, I'm using a TS-type pedal for low-gain crunch, and when it's time for something more, I add a TS-7 in its 'Hot' mode for a bunch more sustain and even some controllable feedback. And yeah, I'll add in some delay if it needs to sound heroic.

I have been toying lately with a Muff pedal (a Catalinbread Manx Loughtan) too for super-sat leads. Fun stuff.

 

Epi Sheraton II USA > 1971 DR (6L6s and 2x10 JBLs) volume around 4, reverb 4.5, and CLEAN, CLEAN, CLEAN 95% of the time. When dirt is desired, Fulltone II mosfet with boost at about 60% boost and gain at 20%. My "lead" work consists of general noodling and/or single note melody lines, as befits a primarily rhythm player.

 

Fergot to mention: depending on the song, I'll use my Roland GR30 to get sounds of sax, flute, trumpet, fiddle, pedal steel, organ, etc. These sounds usually are more textural and song specific, but are part of my "lead" tones.

 

depending the song for me too.i do dirty lead with a boss sd-1 or if more wanted with the tc el. dark matter witch is more high gain o.d than distortion.for clean lead ebs g.e compressor with mxr clean boost.....and some times i stuck those.oops i forgot that there is always green russian guy near by

 

boss sd1. my rhythm sound is usually OCD

 

I've come to the conclusion my lead sound is mostly in my hands and attack. Its always overdriven. How I GET overdriven varies, but that doesnt matter. The results are the same. The only constant, effects wise, is a touch of Reverb. Whether straight into a dimed amp, or a clean amp with OD pedal, I'm a medium heavy OD for leads guy, with cleaner rhythm playing. How dirty my lead tone is is dependant on how dirty the rhythm tone is.

I add wah, univibe, delay or tremolo occasionally as needed, but they arent constants. A lot of times, I plug straight in, no pedals. IME, being able to do what you need with just a cord makes pedal usage BETTER. Tastier, less crutchlike. And, I love pedals, so I'm not on any anti pedal soapbox. I could play a full gig with either amp and no pedals, just guitar choice and knob manipulation. That's taken me a while! But once you can do that, when you DO use pedals, it's better. They always ADD to the tone.

 

last in chain...analogman moded 80s TS9

 

My lead sound? Try to think of the scene in Harry Potter & the Goblet of Fire when he opens the mermaid egg, except with more fuzz & maybe a touch of reverb. Just like my rhythm sound...

 

I move to the front of the stage and put my foot up on the monitor

 

I have had the same (basic) setup for over a decade...some guitars and pedals have come and gone, and there’s been some pickup swaps here and there, but *generally* this has been the components of my lead tone...

I’ve got too many guitars to list—mostly due to use of alternative and open tunings—but my preference is usually my avatar Telecaster.

I’ve used a reissue TS-9 through my ‘63-reissue Vibroverb for my basic rhythm tones...modulation effects, especially tremolo (on the amp), phase shifting (MXR Phase 90) or Leslie (Boss RT-20) play a part on specific songs or performances as well. I’m using my wah and analog delay less and less, and have turned on the reverb less than ten times in the last 15 years.

For leads, I generally step on an MXR Micro Amp and that’s it. On occasion, I’ll fuzz things up with a Dunlop JH-2S Jimi Hendrix Classic Fuzz, but that’s basically it.

Very recently, I’ve installed a Dr. Z’s Brake Lite attenuator in my Vibroverb, and so far, have been extremely happy with the results. Our most recent gig was played with the Brake Lite and volume balanced out to sound similar to the level of overdrive I was getting with the TubeScreamer...this, along with some other experiments, is the start of a move toward a smaller pedalboard (i.e., less weight to carry and better use of that valuable on-stage real estate).

 

Tele(or Strat) > Tube Screamer > DR w/reverb at 2-3. Works for me. I'll add compression or phase shifter occasionally as needed.