"How To Cook A Tube Amp" by Dave Barber

EdGrip

If, like me, you remember reading this article years ago and now can't find it... that's because that forum's gone. But, Google still have it in their cache, so here it is - reproduced, just in case.

Here is a tone recipe that works well with most tube amps, this will help improve both clean and overdriven tones and is just in time for the season...your family and friends will love it!

You will need a Barber Launch Pad or other extremely high headroom and uncolored clean boost and a tube amp that has a preamp tube right after the input (nearly all tube amps work this way).

In this case we are going to use the LP as a input trim (ala mixing desk) or as a "tube cooker" to get the most out of your guitars output and maximize gain staging at the input. Plug in your effects chain as normal, with the exception of placing the LP last in the chain. Set the LP Vol + on maximum, set your amp to a fairly low volume clean sound (as in "dead clean") , now footswitch your LP to "on" and start playing clean rhythm on your guitar, use your ear to set the sensitivity of your LP as you play, the idea here is to listen for the amp starting to break up as you are playing your standard rhythm style, when you find the "break up point" back off slightly on the sensitivity until you have the desired clean sound. 

Congratulations, you have just set your guitars output for maximized gain staging with your amplifier. After you have the first preamp tube better matched to your guitar, you will need to set your amps volume control a bit lower in most cases and simply set any other effects that come before your LP to their unity gain output position. If your amp has a bright cap permanently attached (deluxe reverb), you could experience some extra top end because of your relatively lower volume settings, the best option here is to “clip out” that offensive bright cap, and most amps will have a bright switch which means you can simply turn that cap off.

Happy Holidays

Enjoy!