this shouldn't need to be said, but i'm going to say it anyway

Jeremy said:
Something in the distortion. I'm after a really gritty, raunchy distortion sound but its not what I'm getting. I either need to find the right pedal/combination of pedals or get an amp that's got a gain channel that doesn't sound like unwashed ass. I'm pretty bad at following directions, no? :embarrassed:
Click to expand...

we're getting closer.

so what are you getting instead of raunchy distortion? also, define raunchy. and unwashed ass.
 
Then I would say he should pick up a russian big muff pi.

Sent from my Samsung Epic 4G via Tapatalk.
 
Honestly, I think my biggest problems with this type of conversation are that I am not very good at describing the differences between the sound I am getting and the sound that I want and also that I'm not very well versed in pedals. I've never really used them much.

The gain channel on my amp sounds muddy and lifeless and feels unresponsive and the EQ knobs don't seem to effect much change in it at all. It doesn't even really feel overdriven or distorted, it just sounds muddier the higher I turn the gain and/or volume. The clean channel sounds awesome, but the pedal I'm using now to get distortion (TS-7 borrowed from the other guitar player) isn't going to cut it. I like the sound of a ton of pedals that I've seen youtubes of, but I don't know if they'll work for me. I just have to find a way to sit down and try a shitload of different dirt pedals and keep going until I find the one that gives me the sound I want. I need to wait to do that though until I can actually afford to buy one. At this point, any purchase I make that isn't food, diapers or rent is fiscally irresponsible. :embarrassed:
 
Jeremy said:
Honestly, I think my biggest problems with this type of conversation are that I am not very good at describing the differences between the sound I am getting and the sound that I want and also that I'm not very well versed in pedals. I've never really used them much.

The gain channel on my amp sounds muddy and lifeless and feels unresponsive and the EQ knobs don't seem to effect much change in it at all. It doesn't even really feel overdriven or distorted, it just sounds muddier the higher I turn the gain and/or volume. The clean channel sounds awesome, but the pedal I'm using now to get distortion (TS-7 borrowed from the other guitar player) isn't going to cut it. I like the sound of a ton of pedals that I've seen youtubes of, but I don't know if they'll work for me. I just have to find a way to sit down and try a shitload of different dirt pedals and keep going until I find the one that gives me the sound I want. I need to wait to do that though until I can actually afford to buy one. At this point, any purchase I make that isn't food, diapers or rent is fiscally irresponsible. :embarrassed:
Click to expand...

i don't think it's about pedals or being versed in gear. in fact, i would encourage you to take the ts-7 out of your signal chain, if only to really work with the amp. what's your rig anyway?
 
Help!I'maRock! said:
i don't think it's about pedals or being versed in gear. in fact, i would encourage you to take the ts-7 out of your signal chain, if only to really work with the amp. what's your rig anyway?
Click to expand...

Currently Am Std Tele -> TS-7 -> lightly modded Crate V33 -> no name 2 x 12 cab w/celestions of some sort.
 
Jeremy said:
Currently Am Std Tele -> TS-7 -> lightly modded Crate V33 -> no name 2 x 12 cab w/celestions of some sort.
Click to expand...

the TS-7 might just be complicating things. also, it would help greatly to find out what the cab is made of and what those Celestions are. it could be that you don't like the speakers, but when you hook up the amp to another cab, it comes to life.

are you going to Pragestock? if so, bring your amp with you. Prages and baimun can definitely help you sort it out.
 
Help!I'maRock! said:
the TS-7 might just be complicating things. also, it would help greatly to find out what the cab is made of and what those Celestions are. it could be that you don't like the speakers, but when you hook up the amp to another cab, it comes to life.

are you going to Pragestock? if so, bring your amp with you. Prages and baimun can definitely help you sort it out.
Click to expand...

I've been thinking of trying it with the other guy's cab for a while, he's got some sorta Marshall 4 x 12, just to see. I don't know if it would have any bearing on any of this, but it probably needs new power tubes as well. Guy I got it from said they'd never been changed and could probably use it soon and that's been several months now. I might try that if its not too expensive one day soon just to see if it makes any difference at all.

I wish I were. I have been meaning to get in touch with Baimun one of these times I go to South Bend though, just to get a beer or something...
 
Jeremy said:
I've been thinking of trying it with the other guy's cab for a while, he's got some sorta Marshall 4 x 12, just to see. I don't know if it would have any bearing on any of this, but it probably needs new power tubes as well. Guy I got it from said they'd never been changed and could probably use it soon and that's been several months now. I might try that if its not too expensive one day soon just to see if it makes any difference at all.

I wish I were. I have been meaning to get in touch with Baimun one of these times I go to South Bend though, just to get a beer or something...
Click to expand...

tubes can make a huge difference. before you buy any new gear, have your amp tested and if the tubes need to be changed, go for it. it's kind of a spendy proposition (couple hundred, along with the re-bias, all told), but totally worth it. the tech will likely tell you what else is wrong with the amp too. then once you get used to the new sound, you can talk about pedals. but if the amp sounds like moist ass, it's probably the tubes. those Crates had a decent rep.

also, do you know what the mod was?
 
Help!I'maRock! said:
tubes can make a huge difference. before you buy any new gear, have your amp tested and if the tubes need to be changed, go for it. it's kind of a spendy proposition (couple hundred, along with the re-bias, all told), but totally worth it. the tech will likely tell you what else is wrong with the amp too. then once you get used to the new sound, you can talk about pedals. but if the amp sounds like moist ass, it's probably the tubes. those Crates had a decent rep.

also, do you know what the mod was?
Click to expand...

There were two resistors that were swapped, which apparently makes the whole amp sound less muddy. Also, the guy said he did some experimenting with preamp tubes, best I can tell I've got two 12au7s and a 12ax7.

I had a chance to play it last night some, so I took the pedal out of the chain. It sounded better, I'm getting closer to the sounds in my head now. I started using the pedal when I still had my SG because the volume and tone knobs were completely useless on that guitar. With the tele, I don't need the pedal at all to go from clean-ish to somewhat distorted which I really enjoyed. Now I've just gotta save some money up and take the thing in for a power tube checkup, I suppose. Maybe that will get me where I want to be. :shrug:
 
Last edited:
Jeremy said:
There were two resistors that were swapped, which apparently makes the whole amp sound less muddy. Also, the guy said he did some experimenting with preamp tubes, best I can tell I've got two 12au7s and a 12ax7.

I had a chance to play it last night some, so I took the pedal out of the chain. It sounded better, I'm getting closer to the sounds in my head now. I started using the pedal when I still had my SG because the volume and tone knobs were completely useless on that guitar. With the tele, I don't need the pedal at all to go from clean-ish to somewhat distorted which I really enjoyed. Now I've just gotta save some money up and take the thing in for a power tube checkup, I suppose. Maybe that will get me where I want to be. :shrug:
Click to expand...

that's cool. if anything, it'll get you closer. i'm not a fan of mixing 12au7s in. yeah, they're lower gain. but i find that plugging into the second input (if you have one) is just as effective. let the amp run on 12ax7s like it was designed for. at least that's what i do.
 
Help!I'maRock! said:
that's cool. if anything, it'll get you closer. i'm not a fan of mixing 12au7s in. yeah, they're lower gain. but i find that plugging into the second input (if you have one) is just as effective. let the amp run on 12ax7s like it was designed for. at least that's what i do.
Click to expand...

I think after I get the power tubes checked out, if I'm still not happy with the sound I'm getting I'll switch them all to 12ax7's. Somewhat higher gain is what I'm after anyway. I don't have a second input, but I can always roll back the volume and/or switch to the neck pickup if I need less.
 
Jeremy said:
I think after I get the power tubes checked out, if I'm still not happy with the sound I'm getting I'll switch them all to 12ax7's. Somewhat higher gain is what I'm after anyway. I don't have a second input, but I can always roll back the volume and/or switch to the neck pickup if I need less.
Click to expand...

sounds like a plan. you may want to budget for the possibility that you'll need to swap preamp tubes at the same time as power tubes. then if you don't need to, it's no big deal.
 
Help!I'maRock! said:
i'm not a fan of mixing 12au7s in. yeah, they're lower gain.
Click to expand...

If you ever own a Hot Rod Deluxe you might change your mind. The drive channel on those things are unusable with a 12ax7 in V1 and V2. Through in a 12au7 in there and you can actually use it. It still isn't the best drive, but it doesn't make you vomit when you hit the channel select button.
 
Chad said:
If you ever own a Hot Rod Deluxe you might change your mind. The drive channel on those things are unusable with a 12ax7 in V1 and V2. Through in a 12au7 in there and you can actually use it. It still isn't the best drive, but it doesn't make you vomit when you hit the channel select button.
Click to expand...

i did own a blues deluxe and the drive channel was awful. but that's why they make pedals.
 
Jeremy said:
I think after I get the power tubes checked out, if I'm still not happy with the sound I'm getting I'll switch them all to 12ax7's. Somewhat higher gain is what I'm after anyway. I don't have a second input, but I can always roll back the volume and/or switch to the neck pickup if I need less.
Click to expand...

IMO, you should pick ups some preamp tubes first. Preamp tube are cheap, and there's no biasing (but I doubt that the V33 has adjustable bias on the power tubes either, unless you swap out some cathode resistors).

Replacing 12au7s with 12ax7s will give you a pretty large gain boost.

Check this out. 12au7s have a gain factor of 19. 12ax7 have a gain factor of 100.

http://thetubestore.com/gainfactor.html

What that comes down to in the real world is anybody's guess, but I'm betting you'll get a ton more gain by putting 12ax7s back in the amp.

And preamp tubes only cost $10 or so each and are a simple plug and play mod.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top