Your support means the world to my family and me. I truly hope you find the captures helpful in your service to the Lord and His people.
Goal: I dial these in with the worship player in mind, because that’s the lane I primarily stay in. We’re after a particular kind of tone, and it takes some intentionality to get amps responding well with all the drives, wet effects, and modulation we throw at them.
I’ve also got guitars with single coils, humbuckers, and Filter’Trons, so I wanted to make sure these translate well across the board. With the range of gain levels, characters, and tone profiles provided in this pack, you’ll have plenty of solid options to fit your setup.
When I capture, I’m working toward three main goals:
- Capture the amp in the tonal character it’s best known for, using a balanced EQ.
This is about letting the amp be what it naturally is, with an honest representation of its core voice, the way most people would recognize and expect it to sound. - Capture that same core tone with a bit more top-end presence.
This opens it up slightly while staying true to the amp. It gives you a version that sits a little more forward in a mix and makes the capture feel a bit more lively. This isn’t better than method 1; it’s different. - If possible, and if the results are favorable, capture one or two variations that sit just left or right of that familiar center.
This takes the tone in a slightly different direction without losing its core identity. I’ll do this by introducing subtle EQ changes and other variables during the capture process, experimenting with different approaches that bring out a different side of the amp. These aren’t drastic changes, just alternative starting points that can feel better depending on your guitar, your rig, etc. These often end up being some of my favorites, especially when I’m looking for something a little different from what I’d normally reach for.
What’s Included
- One all-in-one preset with drives, using my captures for some of them, plus modulation, multiple reverbs, multiple delays, and snapshots dialed in and ready to go.
- 15 captures based on the 1966 Fender Deluxe Reverb, covering clean tones, edge-of-breakup tones, and more pushed tones where the amp is already breaking up and you get that natural grit and sizzle right away.
The Deluxe Reverb is one of my favorite amps to pair with an AC30-style amp. It does the Fender thing we all love and breaks up at a very reasonable volume. The highs are smooth, and the mids are a bit scooped, which makes it pair so well with AC30-style amps.
This one has the original speakers, smells like a 1966 😆, and sounds glorious.
I captured this one with five different gain levels because it just kept sounding amazing as it was turned up more.
Getting Started
To import the clones, just go to your Library in Helix Stadium Edit, click Clones, then click Import.
From there, find the clones from the pack you purchased and import them. Once they’re in your library, you can replace the blocks inside the preset with the proper clones.
For the all-in-one preset, I used the SoloDallas 65 drive clone, the FEN DLXVRB A BAL 3 amp clone.
Easy as that!
Naming Convention
GFHG [Amp Name] [Character] [Tone Profile] [Gain Level]
Example: GFHG FEN DLX VRB A BAL 1
Character: A
For this pack:
- A = The signature sound of this amp.
Tone Profile: Balanced, Sparkle, Shaped
- Balanced / Bal = Even response across the spectrum.
- Sparkle = Added top-end presence and a little extra shine without getting harsh.
- Shaped = “Shaped” is where I shift things around a bit using EQ during the capture process, bringing out a slightly different character. It still feels like the Deluxe Reverb, just from a different angle.
Gain Level: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
- Higher number = more breakup from the start.
Where To Start
Here are two examples to help guide where to start. There are no rules, but this framework should give you a helpful starting point.
“I have a single coil guitar, and I’m looking for edge of breakup, warmth, and balance.”
- Character: Start with A.
- Tone Profile: Start with a Balanced tone profile, because you don’t want too much high end.
- Gain Level: Since you play single coils, you’ll likely need a capture with a bit more gain, so start with Gain Level 2 and see how that treats you.
“I have PAF-style humbuckers, and I’m looking for high-end bite and nice breakup.”
- Character: Start with A.
- Tone Profile: Start with a Sparkle tone profile.
- Gain Level: Level 2 will be a nice starting point, but I wouldn’t dismiss starting with 3 and backing down the gain a touch.
See below for best practices for making adjustments within the capture.
Making Adjustments
These captures respond really well to adjustments inside your unit. You can shape them using the parameters inside the Helix Stadium.
- Prefer a little more presence and high end? Start by reducing the bass slightly. If it still needs clarity, add a bit of treble.
- Prefer a little more warmth? Start by lowering the treble.
Working with Gain Levels
Here’s the approach I recommend:
Want more drive/saturation?
Step 1: Increase the Pre Gain on the capture itself, but don’t go crazy. If there’s not enough gain available in the current capture, move to Step 2.
Step 2: Move up to the next gain level capture and, if it’s a bit too much, reduce the Pre Gain to match your desired feel.
Tip: This is a really great way to increase the headroom of a capture while still keeping the amount of gain where you want it. A lot of players end up preferring this approach.
Want less drive/saturation?
The opposite applies as well. If you need to clean up a capture and reduce the amount of overdrive, lower the Pre Gain and compensate for the volume loss by increasing the capture’s Post Gain control. For example, if you want something in between Gain Level 1 and 2, start with a Level 2 capture and reduce the Pre Gain to taste.
Level Matching
To balance volume between captures, use the Post Gain control inside the capture block, or use the Merge Mixer block and adjust the A Level, left amp, and B Level, right amp. Just don’t forget you’ve done this, because if you start swapping amp blocks, it might drive you nuts trying to level things if you forget. 🤪
As always, I am here to help. If you have questions, do not hesitate to reach out.
Coram Deo,
Troy
GuitarforHISGLORY
troy@guitarforhisglory.com
