Gain - Mesa/Boogie California Tweed 6V6 2:TWENTY Owner's Manual

LOW when you explore it for the right applications. Just remember that it will be all but impossible to achieve
much clipping, or even subtle breakup, in LOW as the instrument's signal strength just won't be there to push
the preamp stages into much saturation.

GAIN

This is by far the most powerful control in the preamp and its setting determines the style and personality of
the sound. It meters the gain and it sets input stage headroom, which determines whether the sound will be
clean or begin transitioning into saturation/clip. It also acts as a subtle tone control as the early tube stage's
gain is increased and decreased and imparts its own "color" on the sound.
There are three regions of the GAIN control; a low gain zone between 9:00–11:30, a warmer, more saturated
zone from 11:30–2:00 and a higher gain zone from 2:30–5:00. Each of these zones can be used for many
different applications and all can be used for both chording and single note solo work. As the GAIN control is
swept throughout its range it imparts different textures and tonal characteristics.
Generally speaking, the lower end of the control (9:00–11:30) produces a brighter, more open character that
has more dynamic content available. This region is great for clean chording where the maximum headroom
is available, the top end harmonics are bubbly and the attack is fast and immediate feeling. There is an
abundance of dynamic range as the signal has not yet been compressed by much saturation. Just keep in
mind the lower you set it, the more top end will be introduced and also, the higher you will need to set the
MASTER control for a given playing loudness.
The middle region of the GAIN control (11:00–2:00) is where the most balanced sounds live and you will find
this region delivers warm, full sound, detailed attack and good dynamics. This range delivers great chording
response, sounds richer and has more body with the cleanest sounds falling off fairly rapidly as the GAIN
passes 12:30. Depending on pickup style and strength you will have to watch for clipping as you are nearing
the crossover or threshold point, gain-wise, between clean and saturation. Some of the most expressive and
sweetest sounds are to be found in this zone where things start smearing nicely as they transition more and
more toward tube overdrive. It is probably fair to say this zone contains what most players using traditional
gain amps are seeking; a perfect transition between clean and clip. That's what the California Tweed is all
about and this 20 watt model even more so due to its perfectly clip-able power range.
The highest region of the GAIN control (2:00–5:00) is all about saturation. Up here the signal gets much
bigger in the low end and the top end begins to smear and recede to create a rounder, more compressed
sound. Dynamics become a little slower with naturally compressed peaks and a more sponge-y, forgiving feel
is produced. The highest region of the GAIN control produces some great pushed sounds as the input stage
gives it up and starts to saturate. This range of the GAIN control turns this traditional "clean circuit" into a viable
and very expressive vintage-inspired single note soloing sound. With an already thicker base of gain, the
upper region also accommodates diode and tube based overdrive pedals nicely as they increase saturation
and/or signal strength at the INPUT.
You may be surprised how aggressive the upper region of the GAIN control can be on this "traditional" amp
upon finally unveiling its true potential for Vintage-inspired crunch rhythm and even Rock soloing. There is
ample gain up here to rip into most any style you wish, save for perhaps Modern Metal, pumping out surprisingly
thick harmonic layers for chording and/or very expressive and nuanced overdrive for single notes.
At the highest GAIN settings you may notice the tone controls have a slightly diminished effect on the sound.
This is because the notes are becoming quite saturated and their character has been determined by the
circuit's overall voicing as it reacts to this level of gain.
NOTE: TONE CONTROLS: In the Cali Tweed, different and unique top end frequencies are found in the TREBLE,
MID and PRESENCE controls. We suggest becoming familiar with what each of these powerful controls bring
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