it is kinda frustrating. i'm actually considering disconnecting the post OD tonestack all together and converting my PAB to the pickmaster cleanboost Mod just do i don't have to deal with it anymore. grrrrr
IMO you should wait. My amp took a few months to sound the right way. These amps take time to sound great and for you to get a feel of the way they respond.
Yes, second that!! Playing my HRM50 now for around 8 months - and NOW I'm getting to it!
The deal really is: PLAY IT as often as possible! In different locations, try different settings, different speakers, spend time with it. You might begin to think about the pickups your using. I put out the SD JeffBeck on the Brigde of my Esprit, cause its too "heavy" and "stuffed" for that amp in my ears.
I'm still in the learningcurve how to "play that thing". Played a Matchless DC-30 for almost 20 years in front of that and was used to: Plug in and play (loud) cause there are really not that much"options" on the Matchless as - take it or leave it.
But the HRM is totally different and - at least for me - it took a long time to understand, or better "feel" what and how to play with that amp. First noticed: The differences between guitars feel bigger, compared to the (still great responding) Matchless.
And this changes the way I pick (for example) which changes the overall sound.
What I did:
- changed the power tubes (but just because I broke one)
- checked 5 different speakers
- changed the V1 and V2 to lower gain, darker sounding Sovtek 12AX7WA (really old ones, that have been in an old Sovtek Mig30) and that put me in the "zone".
- did rehearsals in different rehearsal rooms
- changed the bridge PU on the guitar
- adjusted the HRM tone settings to have the lead sound with PAB engaged and that way the "normal" overdrive (no PAB) is now almost clean, what I like, cause adding the rc-booster to THAT, gives a really nice fat (L.Carlton-)tone with the neck PU on a ES335
- adding a ts-808 (with almost no gain) for nice more overdriven tones at PAB-off
- also the volume stettings are VERY important. I do use a c-lator with the tc2290 and it took my quite a while to understand what turning up the input dial on the c-later can do/not do for the sound.
- the deep switch actually has big effekt to the response of the amp (I think). Took me some weeks to "emotionaly feel" how it effekts the sound and therefore my playing ...
- the amp sounds pretty different "alone" as "with the band". When dialing into a good "bandsound" the same soundsetting played "at home" sounded not really well and vice versa. But it DOES sound much better WITH a band!
The point I wanted to make: This Amp is more a "musical instrument" like a guitar. And as we all know: Guitars are female. And females have "their days" and don't really understand the "technical approach" ... and also give "her" the TIME