Where’s the presence and sparkle?!
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I’ve just received my Spark amp, and I’m really struggling to get tones I like. The clean sound (even with Fender/Vox type amp models, I just can’t get the crystalline definition I was hoping for.
Obviously the amp is going to sound “boxy”, but I’d hoped I could get a rough approximation to my Fender combos.
The sound seems bass heavy and woolly, with no appreciable presence.
On the crunch and high gain settings, there’s no articulation and unwound strings seem weak.
I’d have thought that a product which gets as many great reviews as this would not be found wanting.Am I doing something wrong? Can anyone advise?
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@ajwain Perhaps try a BOSS EQ or Bass EQ pedal. They aren’t much and are really handy with any amp with bass flub. Since the Spark amp is a little bass heavy I’m pretty sure it would be a cheap way to add sparkle and tweak the tone to your liking. Personally, I use the Bass EQ for guitar. It does what I want. The VOX Super Beetle (and I assume the other VOX Nu-Tube based mini heads) sounds wonderful. Eyes closed it sounds like an AC-15.
Try the Bass EQ pedal. Check Reverb.com maybe there is a used one.
Good luck -
Ya there are a lot of complaints/observations about how flubby the tone is, but some kind of boost pedal will help. I did something a couple weeks ago that really freed some sparkle, but forgot what I did (!!) but I don't think it was an external pedal, I just found some setting in the app. The Spark pretty much "is what it is", but is pretty good regardless, Good luck
