IDENTICAL CHANNELS
As you’ve noticed by now, the FILLMORE™ features two identical Channels. Three Modes aimed at covering all your needs, both
clean and overdriven, are provided and virtually every sound imaginable can be found among them.
We’ve found over decades that most players, especially in the stylistic categories the FILLMORE™ aims at, tend to use either slight
variations of the same gain structure or differing gain structures that are closely related sonically. The Fillmore’s identical Channel
platform offers the greatest flexibility in a 2-Channel Footswitchable format for the widest array of styles and players.
One player might use two Channels set to CLEAN and use one for pristine Chording and the other for pushed, soft-clip chording and
single-note work, or perhaps a setting tailored for their favorite overdrive pedals. Another player might set up the classic clean and
overdrive scenario using either of the gain Modes. Yet another might dial up a Crunch Rhythm sound in Channel 1 with DRIVE and
a higher gain Lead voice with HI in Channel 2. Nearly limitless possibilities are supported with the Fillmore’s identical Channel and
Mode complement. It’s up to you to explore them all and dedicate them to the sounds and switchable options that best suit your music,
but best of all is that we’ve made it simple and intuitive to do so.
THE CHANNEL MODES
CLEAN
While the architecture of the Fillmore’s preamp leans toward the more throaty voice and easier to clip “Tweed” circuits of
the 1950s, we’ve managed to get the lower half of the CLEAN Mode to behave more like a 1960s circuit associated with the Blackface
side of California’s long-adored amplifier heritage. Below 1:00 on the GAIN control you’ll find a wide range of beautiful clean sounds
that have ample sparkle and chime to fall under the pristine clean umbrella.
Until the upper end of the CLEAN Mode’s performance is explored for clipped sounds this trick might be taken for granted. However,
when the region of authentic clipped sounds is taken into consideration as you approach 3:00 and beyond, it’s no less than incredible
the chameleon-like response this upper range delivers by comparison. All that crystalline sparkle gives way smoothly to a perfect
top end that doesn’t sound buzzy or thin when it’s clipped and saturated. It’s about as close as one can imagine to sustain without
distortion—something we all dream about—or at least those of us who rely on sustain as an integral part of their solo voice.
The transition zone between these two different “personalities”, 1:00 – 3:00, is where many will find the perfect “Clean” for relying on
the instrument’s volume control to add girth, push and color. This region also behaves really well with overdrive pedals, with enough
top end to keep things open and sweet, but not so much that the overdrive applied from the pedals gets spike-y or adds buzz. This
middle region possesses a nice blend of traits that works well with many different instruments, styles and external overdrive pedals.
Though it is somewhat narrower than the truly clean zone below, or the more gain-rich region above, it nonetheless contains a usable
gradient of low-end and top-end response that should be explored for these popular in-between sounds.
DRIVE
Speaking of “in-between”, DRIVE is the quintessential model for this tricky and elusive world of not-quite-clean, but-not-
overly-saturated guitar sounds. DRIVE picks up where the CLEAN Mode tops out (actually a little before) and goes almost up to “high
gain” as can be found in the middle region of the HI Mode. However, unlike the rounder, warmer voice of HI, DRIVE features top end
response more reminiscent of a clean channel or mode. This added or “unedited” top end allows the harmonics to come through and
allows for a less compressed response that works extremely well with chordal work and single note soloing with a lot of dynamic content.
The DRIVE Mode, like CLEAN, contains more of this unfiltered harmonic content in the lower region of the GAIN Control’s range,
below 12:00. Beyond that, a more overdriven character becomes dominant and eventually, above 3:00, a more saturated sound is
created. Unlike HI, this upper range still retains substantial top end and depending on application, the TREBLE, MID and PRESENCE
become more important if you are looking for smooth single note soloing sounds. Each of these Tone Controls carries top end, includ-
ing the MID, so you will need to experiment to find the right blend of each. This ratio is perhaps a little less critical for chordal work,
but overall there is a fair amount of harmonics that expose themselves as the GAIN control is increased toward it’s maximum. This
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