huge but simple break through on finding that "middy" / "glassy" thing i've been hunting for 2 years.
ok i can't believe it was that simple !! the secret to most "brown" sound and good classic rock tone were PAF style pickups.
i had a seymour duncan '59 in the neck and JB in the bridge. i switched them and BAM !! '59 in the bridge made all the difference !!
if any of you are hunting this mysterious and highly subjective tone. drop a seymour duncan '59 or a dimarzio "evolution" (both PAF low output pickups).
the other thing i did was put KT77 power tubes in as i personally felt EL4's did not have enough low end.
nik has been super kind and patient to help figure this out. he never gave up on me
bless his soul !!