Hey guys, just bought a new amp, 30 watt Marshall FDD etc....... on the gain/overdrive section theres bass, treble, and contour. i get bass, and i get treble. i do not get what contour is. Also while i'm on the subject, what does different settings of "tone" achieve? and how should tone be used in combination with distortion?
thanks, excuse the stupidity..............
Floyd
"You got the heart kid... but you don't got the tools no more....."
"DRAGOOO!!!!!!!!"
I don't know what the Contour specifically does, but it does change your sound. On my Marshall I found I got the cleanest sound with most bite straight up. All the way left seemed to highlight the lows. All the way right seemed to bring out the highs. I used to like 2 o'clock position, but that's just me. Just experiment and find the sound you like best.
If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis
In simple terms, contour is what is usually labeled as "mid" it just works in a slightly different way I think
"I had these dreams that I would learn to play guitar, maybe cross the country, become a rock star"
Contour refers to the mid range of the output tone. Bass bein the bottom end (low frequencies) and Treble the top end (high frequencies).
A typical rock/metal tone is to have the bass + treble settings high and the contour/mid really low.
However, in a live situation turnin up the countour/mid can help your guitar tone sit more clearly in the overall mix.
Hope this helps a little :)
Hi,everyone
New on this list-plying for some 27years.
I have 2 Marshalls one of them L20-80 quite similar to the 30w described.
The contour knob on this changes the amount of mid's (both low and high!) to be amplified further. Turned right it will enhance the lows (giving a slight compression to my ears- just an inpression, turned left it will enhance the mid-highs, making the sound shiny.
Posho
Keep playing!
On a few Tube pre-amps the contour controls the amount of drive to the 12AX7 tube for different tones. it sweetens the tone.
joe
