which stock "clean" mod is best for taking pedals?

I'm new to the whole modular thing and I'm looking to buy a combo and some mods but I definitely want a clean mod that takes pedals really well. Granted I'll probably mod all of my mods but until I have money to do that, which stock clean modules sound the best with pedals?

(sorry if there is already a post about this)

I'd assume the KH-1 or Clean for a pure, unmovable clean. If you want some native distortion on board, I'd figure a Super V, JTM, or even Plexi.

Personally.... I am blown away by the clean tone of the Blackface.

I like the Blackface with 12AT7 tubes. It is technically a mod but 12AT7 tubes are fairly cheap and easy to install.

As far as pure stock i'd look at the Clean module. It is a great clean sound but lacks the personality of the Blackface or Top Boost to some degree. Only problem with the stock Blacface is that it cracks up somewhat early. Hence the 12AT7's.

Peace, Joshua

I have a KH1 right now that would be a good platform. I had a Blackface and it sounded almost identical but the KH1 can be pushed much more without breaking up. I also have a DLX and while it sounds very good, it will break up pretty early too.

The trick with the clean modules that I have learned is that the higher the master is on the amp then the later they will break up.

Question remains: what kind of pedals?

Tubescreamer, Zendrive, Barber Small Fry, Fuzz Face.

The best clean for pedals may not be the best clean when you are not using pedals.

I personally love the blackface clean, I run the gain high on it and get that nice 70's tube amp clean sound.

But I would say if you are running pedals the best clean for that would be something with almost no gain, flat sounding, so that your pedal is being used to the full extent. the KH clean is pretty **** close to as clean as you can get.

What is the difference between the Blackface and Clean module. The PCB layout looks identical to me and when I asked the Randall tech he eventually after a long pause said "the blackface has a little more grit to it"

slashnstrings said:

The best clean for pedals may not be the best clean when you are not using pedals.

I personally love the blackface clean, I run the gain high on it and get that nice 70's tube amp clean sound.

But I would say if you are running pedals the best clean for that would be something with almost no gain, flat sounding, so that your pedal is being used to the full extent. the KH clean is pretty **** close to as clean as you can get.

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I think it also depends on if you want a transparent clean that will allow you to derive all your tone from the pedal, or if you are looking to goose a clean channel into overdrive. Like the classic vol-up, gain-down TS into Fender blues tone

Running different boosts on one clean channel, I'd actually suggest the Blackface or Deluxe as good contenders for that. Great cleans of course and both take pedals quite well, very punchy cleans. What I think can be even cooler is if you run the Deluxe in a "best of both worlds"-type setup, set for medium drive on the channel, you can do a lot from that starting point. Roll off the vol knob (and/or insert a cut EQ detox pedal) for great vintage cleans, or go the other way and push the medium crunch into more gain with the boost pedal of your choice, depending on what sort of gain tone you're going for. The Deluxe on medium gain can get you a great punchy mid 70's rock roll crunch tone. Especially with something like a Gibson-type guitar in split coil. Love that sound.

yeh as for pedals I use a lot of different drives and fuzzes, delays, and reverbs. I play a lot of ambient post rock style music as well as metal...

I do like the sound of the blackface but the early breakup from what I hear of it isn't too desirable. What are the main cheaper mods that people do on them to allow you to crank the gain and still keep it clean?

This is one place I've not seen the MTS shine. I tried a few different OD and Boost pedals that were hight quality and sounded amazing with a CA-100 and a Rivera Venus 6, but just sounded like *** with every clean module I tried (Black face, Tweed, Deluxe and Clean.) That being said the modules and my volume knob do everything I need so I don't really care. My favorite stock clean modules are the Super V and the Blackface. An AC-30 and a Twin...How can you go wrong? But I also ordered a Salvation LoneClean mod. This thing really has it's own sound and has a ton of tone options. It over drives nicely too. It has a much more solid mid range then any of the stock clean modules. I had already given up my OD and Boost pedals by the time I got this module so I can't speak to how it might take pedals.