[Mr. Jelly]

There are different ways to accomplish what you are trying to do..
1) Use a small amp set it about ear high, turn up and mic it.
2) A good 40 watt amp with mid-range like a Marshall Blues Breaker and no peddles. The mid-range cuts through.
3) Old school Fender amp turned up with the bass turned down and no peddles. In a band situation it sounds better than you think.

I've seen really good guitarists crap out on stage because they don't run their sound for a band situation. Like switching to all kinds of different sounds and gains only to be lost to everybody. What sounds good with just a guitar most likely won't work on stage. What sounds good on stage might not sound good to the room. Gain and compression are killers.