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Ok Exhausted/Paco

62strat62strat Posts: 638
edited November 2003 in Musicians and Gearheads
Just got done working with my setup...


this is what i stands now...

guitar
boss chromatic tuner (i dont know how to bypass, or whatever!!)
gcb 595 q wah
boss cs 2
mxr phase 90
boss dm 2 delay
ts808
ibanez sonic distortion
tsdx ( on the turbo setting)

for my main distortion, i am using the tsdx on turbo with the SD on backing it up, the turbo setting doesnt hav much distortion, but its a good clean thick crunch, the SD gives it the distortion and smooths it out a bit, giving it anice rythym distortion, heavier but no muddy...and then i kick on the 808 for leads...

now i can use the tsdx with the 808 for something lighter....or just the dx for a little something as well..

when i use the cs 2 with my les paul (eopihone) thee is too much low feedback, not good foodback...., and it doesnt really do much...

but when i use the cs 2 when i use the strat, it sounds great when im running it with the dx and the SD....

but nothing comapres to when i can turn the amp up to 4 or 5..but i think thats still too loud..but that sound right there is just fucking perfect....

i have no idea what i can do anymore.
Post edited by Unknown User on
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Comments

  • exhaustedexhausted Posts: 6,638
    sounds like it's working out ok. not sure why it's being goofy with the paul.
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Bumfuq, MT Posts: 6,395
    I've never really had good luck using a compressor on a Les Paul. It's great for Fenders with single coils, though. Really fattens up the tone. I would probably dial the compressor in for your Strat, and use the output volume to match the volume of your Epi LP. Then you can just use the comp on the Strat, and if you switch guitars you'll have the same volume. I wonder how exhausted's Keeley sounds with his P-90 Jazzbastard... anyways...

    The tone of any tube amp gets sweeter and sweeter the higher you drive the output section. The saturation of power tubes being driven hard is sort of the holy grail for tube-amp afficionatos. It's hard, because you get more volume with that saturation, but it's what we live with. Some amps have variable output, where you can drop the wattage to get that saturation at lower volumes. Also, there are some special toys that reduce the wattage going from the output to the speakers, like a Marshall Power Brake:
    http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/sid=031102162910150131025216788671/g=rec/search/detail/base_id/37239
    There are others, that's just an example. That's also why some players move from big stacks to small combos, to get that saturation at lower overall volumes. Like Neil (or exhausted) playing a 22 watt Fender Deluxe. That's also why I love my 6 watt Fender Vibro Champ. Drive it hard, AND your ears don't bleed.

    So, is your TS-808 a reissue or original? Modded? I would love to have an original, but I'd probably be too afraid to use it for anything but recording projects.
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • exhaustedexhausted Posts: 6,638
    i use a hotplate on my deluxe to keep the volume down. allows me to keep it at 5 and get the drive.

    my keeley sounds pretty good with the P90s but the effect is much more pronounced with my strat and tele.
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Bumfuq, MT Posts: 6,395
    I thought it would sound good, but not great. The higher the output of the guitar, the more it gets compressed at the input. So high-gain humbuckers would sound like ass through a comp, but vintage Esquire single-coils would sound amazing through that Keeley. It's a fact of life.
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • 62strat62strat Posts: 638
    ya, the 808 is a mod from the ts5...

    i got it for 50 bucks on ebay, so i took the chance..and it sdoes sound great....


    y my fender twin reverb2 is such a sweet amp, but its too loud...
    ive tried the power break and it just distorted it all....mde it sound like shit....

    its nice on my amp cause i have 3 volume channels, one was added on to the back of the amp..then two on the second dirty channel.....so i can do alot with it, just otoo much so i cant figure it all out....
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Bumfuq, MT Posts: 6,395
    So is that a red-knob Evil Twin? I've never had good luck with those amps. Or is it a reissue of the '65? I know Fender had some weird models in the '80s, trying to meld classic Fender with the ButtRock era.
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • 62strat62strat Posts: 638
    http://www.harmony-central.com/Guitar/Data/Fender/Twin_Reverb_II-01.html


    this is the model i have. no picture there though, its a pretty nice amp, i like it. i want ot change amps, but i think its worth more to keep. I got it for 750 used and have put about 5 hundred into it..fixing it up the past 4 years! im sure i could get a good amount for it, but i dont know what else i could get for that money....

    who knows. ive used the fender hot rod..those are nice, but something was missing from it.
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Bumfuq, MT Posts: 6,395
    Yep, that's the Evil Twin. Did it look like this:
    http://www.pawnplex.com/Musical-ins/fendertwR/

    Or was it a red-knob? They're pretty much the same curcuitry, anyways. There are definitely better amps out there, but it'll work. I'd recommend getting a '65 reissue, it would complement your setup well.
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    sounds like a great setup. Amp's are supposed to be played around 4 or 5 that's where they sound best. I have no luck with compressors and les pauls either, Too much muddy bass because of the P/U's. If you'd like it compressed you'd need another compressor set lower with a different attack character. If I were you I'd leave it alone. If you have a tube amp the subtle compression you get from the rectifier is plenty for a Les Paul. Strat's sound awesome with a little bit of squeeze though knocks the harshness right out. I love that sound and I can strum harder which I like.

    Just get some kind of attenuator like a DR Z Air Brake or the THD Hotplate. Unless you decide to get a lower powered amp. Twins are Freaking loud but if that's the sound you like just get ear plugs. :)


    most of us here are big single coil fans (P-90's etc) we like that Texas Blues Fat mids overwound sound. Compression takes the harshness out and lets you hit the strings harder making to my ears strat's sound like heaven.
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
  • 62strat62strat Posts: 638
    ya im thinking i def dont need the comp wiht the les paul. I just need a new gibson! the strat sounds almost perfect, still need some tweaking. Im not sure about the amp situation, playing in my room or by mself up to 4 or 5 sounds great and loud isnt a problem except on my ears...but playing with a band, i need to keep it down...and playing live, well the sound guys hate me...

    tell me about the 65 reverb?

    or something else
  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    Twins are too loud for what your band does. 100 watts even the 85 watts of the 65 twin is too much output. Just like the folks with Marshall stacks the 100 watters are too loud for clubs even though people routinely use them nowadays almost all with high power amps use attenuators because they realize that so much volume has an adverse affect on how the band sounds sometimes.

    I suggest going either with a 40 watt Vibrolux 2x10 or a 40 watt Super Reverb. These amps will yield around the same tone of the twin with less overall output. Your sound man will be much happier. The Reissues of these amps are very good, albiet not as good as the originals but they are at least a grand cheaper as well. If you really want the SRV vibe, check out the new vibroverb, but for that money you might as well find an original 64-66 blackface amp.
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
  • 62strat62strat Posts: 638
    ya i know its too loud. but it sounds so damn beautiful. Im not ogoing for power, it just sounds exactly what i want..when cranked, so i need that tone at alower volume. Im not neccesarrily going for the SRV Tone...i like the harder rocking tone with that underlying tone to it...
  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    yeah dude, your a guitar player, we like to be loudest ask Pete Townsend.

    The fender Vibrolux is basically that glassy clean fender tone at half that volume, but I think for your sound the Fender Super reverb would suit you better, basically a classic and much lauded blues amp, It should be plenty loud with 40 watts and 4 10's and you can crank it. Try one out. It can't hurt. you could try and rent one for a week or so to try it out with the band. Just to see how the volume issue goes with a lower wattage amp.


    or you can always attenuate
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
  • exhaustedexhausted Posts: 6,638
    *cough*attenuate*cough*
  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    THD hotplate (make sure you get the right ohm model)

    or DR. Z Airbrake are the two best I know of, but Weber also makes some form of attenuator which I'm sure is excellent but the Hotplate and airbrake are the most common, stay away from the Marshall Powerbrake you're better off searching for a used hotplate.
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
  • exhaustedexhausted Posts: 6,638
    last hotplate i saw used was an 8 ohm model for $200CAN at the shop here. they should be cheap on ebay.
  • 62strat62strat Posts: 638
    alright explain to me exactly what the hotplate will do.
  • exhaustedexhausted Posts: 6,638
    a hotplate or airbrake goes between your amp's speaker out jack and the speaker itself.

    it allows you to restrict the volume coming out of the speaker without restricting the output of the amp itself.

    tube saturation at lower volumes.

    my hotplate allows for 4, 8, 12, or 16-infinity decibel reduction of the volume.

    what it allows me to do is keep my deluxe at '5' and adjust the speaker volume as desired. kinda like a master volume.
  • 62strat62strat Posts: 638
    see now im a bit worried about that because....

    on my amp, i wish i had a picture...

    the 2nd channel, i have channel volume, master volume...

    and on the back of the amp, i have a"master stage volume" as well...

    you suppose that is supposedly doing the same as the hotplate would do?

    and i know when i tried the marshall power brake, it did nothing but totally distort my amp
  • exhaustedexhausted Posts: 6,638
    master stage volume sounds like it might be doing the same thing *if* it's post power amp. you want the control to be post power amp.
  • 62strat62strat Posts: 638
    and how do i know if its post power amp?


    i do know, even still it sounds better when thats up, and the volume oesnt change too drastically...below 4 there is no volume coimng out of the amp at all.... above that it gets louder with slight difference as volume increases
  • exhaustedexhausted Posts: 6,638
    i have no idea. 80's fenders were goofy.

    what are the power tubes in your amp? sometimes you can use a similar tube to safely reduce wattage and therefore volume.
  • 62strat62strat Posts: 638
    ive used the groove tubes and sovteks
  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    regardless of goofiness check the speaker output lead from the amp, see where it leads. If it leads to the master "stage" volume and then to the speaker it is an attenuator. fooling the speaker into thinking the amp is feeding it more people.
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
  • exhaustedexhausted Posts: 6,638
    Originally posted by 62strat
    ive used the groove tubes and sovteks

    sorry, i meant what tube type. 6L6, EL84 etc.
  • 62strat62strat Posts: 638
    i believe, not sure i am using the 6l6...
    i shoul dknow this stuff huh?damn me
  • exhaustedexhausted Posts: 6,638
    can you find yours in here?

    http://www.ampwares.com/ffg/
  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    Twin should be 4 6L6GC's
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
  • 62strat62strat Posts: 638
    ya they are 6L6's
  • exhaustedexhausted Posts: 6,638
    at this point, i'm gonna say go see an amp tech and talk to him about the problems you're having. love the tone but too much volume etc. etc.

    we can only speculate from here.
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