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This might be a stupid question... But what would you do to get a lower clean (solid state) amp sound? The issue is simply that one of my main dirt pedals lowers the volume significantly, even with the output set to max. But then if I run reverb into the dirt pedal with max output, and delay after, I will make the entire neighbourhood deaf. I'm just interested in how I can run my dirt pedal at 12 o'clock output (where it sounds real good, and pairs well volume-wise with my other main dirt pedal), without the clean sound being overwhelmingly loud.

The low-volume dirt pedal is an MXR Distortion+, and the amp is a JC40.

Heavy electronics descend is made for this.

JC-120?

you could put the DIST+ in a loop with a clean boost.

that assumes you have headroom to spare on the amp, though.
i'm wondering if the amp, or something later in the chain is compressing the signal, causing the dirt sound to get squished.[edit - i reread the part in your OP about the reverb & delay & realize there is likely plenty of headroom]

do you have really high output pickups, perhaps?

The problem is a disparity between dirt and clean volume? Seems like fixing the volume on your dirt pedal could also sort you out.

yah, the old D+ is known to have a volume drop. try a 100k pot instead of 10k on the output control.

@JonnyAngle, that doesn't feel like the best way to solve it... but at the same time it looks like a cool pedal. Thanks for the idea.

@Chankgeez, are you offering one?

@voerking, I have yet to figure out what "loops" actually mean/do/entail. Sorry, I'm a noob! IDK about the pickups. I've got Epiphone Alnico Classic Humbucker (nekc) & Alnico Classic Plus Humbucker (bridge).

@crochambeau, yep, just the one pedal. If I put the dirt at around 3 o'clock, it's OK, but I want the dirt at almost the lowest setting, and even with the output at max, it's way quieter than the clean amp, or using my other main dirt pedal. (Or the two other dirt pedals I have but don't use that much.)

@MechaGodzilla, I have read the phrase "100k pot" elsewhere, but have yet to figure out what that actually means, so I don't really know what you're telling me to do.

VREEEEVROOOOOW wrote:
@Chankgeez, are you offering one?

No, but they seem common enough.

VREEEEVROOOOOW wrote:@MechaGodzilla, I have read the phrase "100k pot" elsewhere, but have yet to figure out what that actually means, so I don't really know what you're telling me to do.

he means changing the level potentiometer, or volume knob. It's an easy mod if you are handy with a soldering iron

You would actually make more of a difference getting rid of the resistor before it and replacing it with a wire.

What you're describing is the D+ causing volume drop. If you get that with just the pedal run into the amp, and volume magically increases when you turn it off, it's not the fault of the amp.

You need a pedal with a level control that works or put it in a loop with a boost pedal (a rather expensive option given the problem).

I'd probably just find another pedal that I liked that didn't have said volume drop honestly!

rfurtkamp wrote: I'd probably just find another pedal that I liked that didn't have said volume drop honestly!

this is the most common-sense answer to your problem!

A Boss LS-2 would fix this. Put the D+ in Loop A, set the LS-2 to “Loop A / Bypass”, set the level for Loop A to be what you want, and then use the LS-2 to turn the D+ off and on.

Suprised i need to tell you this but.....you just need to replace your Dist+ with a FABTONE!

ratrod wrote:Suprised i need to tell you this but.....you just need to replace your Dist+ with a FABTONE!

What do you think my other main pedal is?? And that's my *main* main pedal, of course!

(I'd *love* having two of those guys btw. I'm considering getting one. And a BD-2.)