The Blueshawk does sound good, for some reason I like that P90 sound a lot better than my LP DC's. Could be the hollowbody contributing to it, too.
I'd love to own one...they really are pretty cool....
Rock Dungeon Remodel - the After Pics
- Thread starter 2manband
- Start date
I'd love to own one...they really are pretty cool....
2manband
Kick Henry Jackassowski
The Blueshawk does sound good, for some reason I like that P90 sound a lot better than my LP DC's. Could be the hollowbody contributing to it, too.
The blueshawk has a 5-way Varitone circuit as well. It's basically a variable EQ scoop. Some of the low-cut settings get a little more Fendery.
The one time I played one (back when they actually were still making them in the mid 90's or so) I was really impressed with the wide array of sounds...
2manband
Kick Henry Jackassowski
Agreed. Between that and the SD Convertibles, I can cover a lot of territory.
I don't even remember what the Convertibles really sound like...I always thought they were a cool idea back then in the era before modeling and whatnot...
2manband
Kick Henry Jackassowski
They sound like ....well...whatever you want them to sound like. They're an EL34 power section, but the preamp section can do a pretty good approximation of lots of different sounds, depending on which modules you use and in what sequence. Fender, Vox, Marshall, Mesa, etc. - it all depends on how you set it up. It also has a built in power soak (actually more of a power shunt, but that's nitpicking) that goes from 5W to 100W so you can really crank it up without being too loud.
I love 'em.
Their big achilles heal tho is that the modules plug in kinda like old video game cartridges did - you have to keep the contacts clean and snug. It's a great amp for the house/studio, but not something you'd want to take on the road.
2manband
Kick Henry Jackassowski
Why don't I remember the Blueshawk from the Rocktacular? You hid the good stuff, didn't you?
I did - actually. I was having a bunch of strangers come over. Figured better safe than sorry.
Dew Knot Hump
Sausager
The space looks great.
Prages
User Error
I wonder why they were never more popular...
Prages
User Error
Yeah, that is probably a good ide . . .
Hey. Wait.
The only thing I've discovered to be missing after Pragestock is the door stop.
I vaguely remember somebody suggesting we move it out of the way while people were carrying equipment upstairs, but I have no idea where it went.
FenderPusher
Beardcore Apologist
Do you have to blow on them repeatedly as well?
The only thing I've discovered to be missing after Pragestock is the door stop.
I vaguely remember somebody suggesting we move it out of the way while people were carrying equipment upstairs, but I have no idea where it went.
Sadie buried it.
Prages
User Error
Entirely possible.
Denverdave
Resident Ragamuffin
It's a theory anyway.....
2manband
Kick Henry Jackassowski
If the modules don't make good contact, the amp doesn't work. You just have to use a little contact cleaner on a Q-tip and clean the contacts. I also used a jewlers screwdriver to bend some of the little copper tabs in a little so that were a little more snug.
Not a big deal really - took maybe 1/2 hour to do both amps, and I've only had to do it once in the 3 or 4 years that I've owned them.
They're also very particular about rectifier tubes. I run old Sylvania 5u4gb's - any of the new manufacture Russian tubes I've tried have blown after a few hours use, but the Sylvania's have been going strong for quite a while now.
Both of these are known problems, and were pretty easy to research on the web. I think that between them, the account for about 90% of the "unreliable" reputation that these amps have gotten.
I guess, at the time, they were a pretty expensive amp, and nobody wanted to drop that kind of $ on something that might have problems. They sell for about $500 now on eBay, so that's pretty affordable, and good work-arounds have been figured out for their major bugs.
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voodoosmc
a good kind of terrible
Do you notice a change in the tone quality between the lower wattage settings and the higher settings? Within the next year I'm hoping that I'm going to be either buying a high end tube amp (Dr. Z, Swart etc..) and powersoak or a high end acoustic (Froggy Bottom, Bourgeois) and a decent tube amp that sounds as good as possible at really low volumes but still has enough umph to work for jam sessions and is pretty cheap. I don't gig and really have no desire to so it's mostly a 99% at home amp. Does the SD convertible seem like a good idea for that?
