Got my amp fixed (finally)!
 

Well I took my amp to the amp guy at Sam Ash (hey, don't yell at me, it went well).

He quickly solved the 'no reverb' problem straight away by pointing out that my reverb tube had a crack in it, so d'oh of course it wasn't working! I stood there feeling like a huge idiot.

He found a replacement reverb tube for it, installed it, and turned the amp on and it sounded great. The reverb sounds like Jeff Buckley's "Hallelujah" sound...very sweet, pure, and clean.

Then he opened the amp up to check the transformers, caps, etc, and checked the bias on it. It was running a bit high, around 41-42, and he told me it should be in the mid-upper 30s range, so he lowered it to 35, and tried it. I couldn't tell a difference in sound/tone quality, still sounded good to me.

He also showed me detailed schematics of the Fender Deluxe AB763 (I think) circuitry and explained what each of the tubes did, which was very helpful. I must've spent close to an hour and a half there, talking about amps and the various mods he can do to them (he custom-builds tube amps). He's got me thinking of adding a mid-boost kit with a push/pull knob to control both the middle-tone control and the mid-boost separately on one knob.

We also share a love of classic and vintage cars as well, he's quite knowledgable about them as well; he drives a 1966 Mustang coupe.

But the best part of the whole thing? He didn't charge me a thing! I think he likes me, but it could be cos there probably aren't too many young girls with vintage tube amps who come there...

Anyway, just thought I'd let you all know of the status of my amp. I think it sounds better than ever now, and if I had the proper equipment, I'd record some riffs thru it and post them on here.

SAM ASH??

HOW COULD YOU!?

Just kidding..:D

Next time you have amp trouble, may I suggest giving Reinhard Amps a call? They're in your neck of the woods, and the guy knows him stuff.


I remember living in Danville, VA for awhile. I needed my amp biased, so I took it by the "music stores" in town...and they looked at me like I was crazy. Didn't even know what biasing was!

:eek:

Love old fender amps but they just don't break up enough without - the horror - pedals in front of them...so its JCM800, JMP MKIIs etc for this guy.

But my old tele into my old twin reverb sure sounded pretty.

Good news, I'm glad the tech treated you well...

You should try a 57-59 Deluxe some day.

Hey, I use a variety of 11 different effect pedals in front of my Deluxe Reverb! And sometimes I'll just crank the volume up to between 5 and 8--plenty loud for in the house playing, and nice tube overdriven tone to boot! :D

My idol as a teenager was the infamous Johnny Thunders, who played (this is why I have 2 yellow les paul jrs) an LP jr via a variety of old fenders. He got amazing sounds out of them...and I finally know how he did it.

I read somewhere that a huge Thunders fan made it down to NYC to see him play in the early 80s...JT staggered on stage, picked up his guitar, then ran the palm of his hand across the knobs, turning them all to 10. Yow!

Porschegirl has a boyfriend... Porschegirl has a boyfriend...
:p :p :p :p :p :p

SmileWavy

Hey Katie, you drive a Porsche 911 and play guitar too! You definitely got it goin on girl!!!

I just purchased a new Tophat Club Royale 2X12 last week. It is circa 1999, so it has a real vintage Vox vibe (only it sounds better than an AC30 IMHO). I decided to put off the seat re-upholstery in my 911 and spend the money on an amp. I am looking to buy a nice used 52 Reissue Telecaster too. Good decision so far.

Good luck with your Fender Amp!

Mike

Deathpunk--I'm also a Thunders fan. I like Personality Crisis and Pipeline.

Scott--don't believe the rumors--I don't have a boyfriend.

Momo--thank you! That amp sounds killer! Anything with a vintage Vox vibe is A-OK in my book! I have a Vox AD50VT, and I'm not 100% in love with it. It does get some nice sounds, but IMO it's not as versatile as my Line6 Spider, but to each his own. Of course, my Fender is my favorite amp I've ever heard. I would never get rid of it!

Awww come on... he works in a music store! Think of the discounts you could get!:D

Just messing with you!

1999 Tophat Club Royale
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1178996766.jpg http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1178996779.jpg http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1178996793.jpg

Yeah I know Scott. I've been thinking about working part-time in that music store this summer because of the discounts, but also b/c I go there so much that I know half the people that work there, so it'd be kinda cool. It's retail, tho, so I'm sure the pay will be crappy...but it's better than no money, right? :p

I don't know if Sam Ash works like this but guitar center pays commission to the salesperson on all sales. I have a friend that is a very talented keyboard/guitar/drummer and he did a ton of sales just because he actually knew what he was talking about or if someone came in looking for something specific he could help them find it... after awhile he had a clientele that would only buy from him.

You seem talented and friendly (and being a pretty girl doesn't hurt) chances are you might do very well there... and you get to play with all the newest guitars and amps all day!

my advice: get rid of most of the pedals. The sound is in your fingers. And the amp is an instrument (at least a good tube amp is).

Unless you're having to try and cover/copy a lot of different player's sounds, find a couple tones/effects you like and toss the rest. I use a good chorus (sometimes), either a Fulltone overdrive or Keeley compressor (though rarely the compressor on guitar), and an old Vox wah.

Toys get in the way of the tone and the feel.

I also wouldn't mod the amp until you know what you want out of it...and really get a feel for what it truly sounds like.

THANK YOU!!! I have too many students who go for "talent in a box"... Work on technique and timbre, then go get the best amp you can afford (but please don't fall into the neverending downward spiral of buying Dumbles and Trainwrecks;) ).

oops!

I never use pedals.

My personal "tone quest" followed a relatively direct path that lead to a single coil guitar plugged directly into a high quality, simple, point to point, class A amplifier.

A great musician could plug a tennis racket into a tin can and make it sound amazing. For a mere mortal like me, spending my music time playing a fine guitar through a fine amplifier can make for a sublime experience.

Mike

Amps and tone are cool.. but its all about songs. Writing
great songs...and playing them. Not too many guitarists
or musicians can do this. It is not an easy thing.

The best guitar players (john petrucci, joe satriani) in the world have huge racks full effects. Yes you need to have alot of talents but the effects can greatly improve tone/over all sound.

I think petrucci and satriani are boring. my opinion. no bounce...no soul. flat sounding flash.

Effects are just that...effects. The tone and sound are in your fingers and a combination of the guitar and the amp. What most people don't understand is that an amplifier is an instrument...well, a good one is. You do NOT get the tone by twiddling knobs...you get it by working the system.

It took me a lot of years to get this, and you really have to have a good amp to feel it. That is one reason that people love old Fenders, old Marshalls, and boutique amps like Top Hat, Bogner, etc. Best amp I've ever had was my Bogner Shiva, and you had to *play it*, not just turn the knobs to get the sounds you wanted. A modeling amp will be close, but it is an impersonation, and it cannot bounce.

There is more to guitar than racks. I think the true test is to take the rack away and see what you get from a player. I've seen plenty of guys in LA that sounded HUGE...then a technical glitch and you heard what they really sounded like. And it was crap.

I think of effects like spices. If you use too much or try to make it your meal, you'll make your guests pretty sick...

ooff...that 'surfing with the alien' satriani/vai stuff is so horrific, it's fun to listen to in an ironic way.

It's all about a mix of attitude, chops, tone, and the song...with chops not being ther #1 attribute.

So Porschegirl, who are yer big guitar heros?

Mine are numerous:
Fred Sonic Smith
Izzy Stradlin (wrote all the songs, was the coolest)
Andy McCoy
Nicke Hellacopter
Chuck Berry
Mick Taylor
Mick Ronson
Mick Jones
James Williamson
Ross The Boss
Jimmy Page
Ron Asheton
Bob Stinson
Greg Sage
Greg Ginn
Euroboy
Keith Richards
Bob Mould
Lesley West
Cheetah Chrome
Richard Lloyd
Bob Quine

Interestingly, I am not a great guitarist - heck I'm not even "good" - but I will say that I can crank out some great tones. I have a handful of pedals but now find that I *never* use them.

My entire signal chain now:

Les Paul (or my trusty 25 year-old SG) -> THD Univalve -> Avatar cab with one Vintage 30 and one G12H30. That's it. Sounds incredible. I am now addicted to the harmonics that pure Class A produces...

Yeah- Class A- when the ferkers go. The articultion you can get from a small class A valve amp is amazing. Modelling great, but....Tubes put everything back in the hands. (actually people who know these things tell me that class A guiatr amps generally arent true class A even if the makers say they are....)

Ive always avoided pedals, but I have a few now. Careful attention is required with signal chain when using small valve amps, IMHO....Ive recently disciovered what Im starting to consider the best kept tone secret there is. The graphic equaliser. Are these a new thing? :rolleyes:

My 5 watt epiphone class A head screams. I have yet to mod it, however. The goal is for it to become my main recording amp, or at least something I can split the signal into to kind get some more 'color' in the rhythm tracks...

You're right, but luckily the Univalve is actually Class A. Plus, it has the ability to run at least 20 or so different tube types. Searching for neat NOS tubes is a new hobby. My favorite power tubes in the thing are a Mazda 6V6, a Visseaux 6K6, a Tung Sol 5881 and a Mullard EL34. Wonderful stuff.

Neat trick. Im happy just to get a set that runs. Mine is a little "class A" Laney VC30 (Vox AC30 type of thing) and its got a matched set of Sovteks in at present.

Do you notice much tonal difference using different tubes? Ive always gone by the "drive from the pre-amp, tone from the power amp" mantra- but both the amp techs I know just shake their heads in regard to tonal differnces- they consider longevity and relability/quality to be more important.

For sure. There are even great tonal differences between brands of the same tubes. The Univalve is voiced for more power tube than preamp distortion, so it really exposes the differences in power tubes. The same goes for preamp tubes - it has two preamp tubes and can handle all of the typical 12AX7, 12AT7, 12AU7, 12AY7 and all of the ECC83/82, etc., variations. My favorite combination seems to be a 12AX7 (usually a Tung Sol reissue) and an NOS Mullard CV4024.

THD's website has some decent sound clips:

http://www.thdelectronics.com/soundclips.htm

Thats an intersting looking gadget. Doesnt get much more basic, perfect for the tone chaser....

My guitar heroes are (in no particular order)

Robbie Krieger (The Doors--I was a huge Doors fan when I started playing, and I didn't play with a pick at first, used my fingers, like Robbie did)

Eric Clapton (especially his Cream and Layla/blues stuff)

Eric Johnson--cliffs of Dover is still my fave song of his, although Forty Mile Town is a very close second.

Tom Petty

Neil Young (especially his early days)

Keith Richards--amazing, some of his stuff seems subtle but he gets interesting tones on all those classic old Stones songs (btw, I've got the same fuzz box as used on 'Sastisfaction')

Crosby, Stills, Nash (& occasionally Young)--first ever song I learned to play was 'Teach Your Children' from some of my mom's old guitar stuff.

Let's see...I'm sure I'm forgetting a few...

Oh yes, Pete Townshend, Jimi Hendrix, et al.