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Solid State Amplifiers => Amplifier Discussion => Topic started by: qjenks23 on September 30, 2019, 06:32:17 PM

Title: Fender 85 tone help
Post by: qjenks23 on September 30, 2019, 06:32:17 PM
Hey I'm 18 and I've been playing a little over a year and a half now. I'm new to the forum and was seeing if anybody could help? 8 have a fender 85 amp that i just can't get to sound right, it's not a deluxe or anything. I got it used from a thrift shop and the speaker was kinda dull so i replaced it with a ET65 and it sound great but it's just missing something? Does anyone have any good settings for this amp or tone tips until i can get something more expensive? Any help is accepted
Title: Re: Fender 85 tone help
Post by: qjenks23 on September 30, 2019, 06:33:28 PM
OH, and I'm trying to achieve a John Mayer/SRV type sound if that helps


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Title: Re: Fender 85 tone help
Post by: Enzo on September 30, 2019, 08:12:11 PM
Speakers are still the single most effective way to change the tone of an amp.   Try connecting the amp to a variety of speakers to see if you like any better.
Title: Re: Fender 85 tone help
Post by: phatt on October 01, 2019, 07:54:06 AM
A lot of those mid price range amps are often a hit and miss affair.
Often clean is ok and drive channel can be anything from a duck fart to a screeching cat but as for that smooth sweet OD you mention,,,well I've never found one that works for that sound.

You could just use the clean channel and go try some OD pedals,, and maybe an optical Compressor.
If I'm looking at the right schematic the second ch has an optical limiter which would likely help the compression effect you need to get the clean channel onto a sweeter OD. But that is major rewiring with no guarantee it will work.
I can post a simple Hi pass filter you could wireup as a test to see if it helps but the Amp must have a lot of bass for it to work well.
It's just 2 resistors and a cap in front of the input.
Phil.
Title: Re: Fender 85 tone help
Post by: Jazz P Bass on October 01, 2019, 12:14:45 PM
Huh.
You want to sound like Stevie Ray Vaughn.:)
That is admirable.

These amps are from the late 80's so the distortion channel is NOT going to be want you want it to be.

That said, the Clean channel is very pedal friendly.