Rocket a bit too dark

[hans-jörg]

Thank you very much,

I think that could be the reason of my "darkness".

I´ll try it emidiatly because I`ve the amp open in front of me.

Will Report.

Best

Hans-Jörg

[M Fowler]

I don't see how since that is a treble cut circuit.

Brighter amp by having 100pf cap on volume pedal.

Change tone cap values. Stock .022 should be good.

Change coupling cap values c10/c11 from .047 to .022.

Increase mid pot value.

Make sure PI bias resistor is 1k2 R14.

Check all component values in amp against schematic.

Taylor schematic values.

[Turbojunkie]

Hi Mark!,
I was just throwing that out there, I really am a complete greenhorn, and hope I didn't waste poor Hans' time with my posts...
But with the stack of books I've just bought and the help of the excellent folks at The Amp Garage, I hope to one day have a clue!
Hope you are doing well and feeling good these days Mark, I always enjoy learning from your posts...thinking of your lil' buddy Petey too, I lost my beloved Finn-Dogg this year to cancer, and it ain't easy...
Sorry for rambling...been a LONG week!

Adam (TurboJunkie)

[hans-jörg]

I don't see how since that is a treble cut circuit.

Brighter amp by having 100pf cap on volume pedal.

Change tone cap values. Stock .022 should be good.

Change coupling cap values c10/c11 from .047 to .022.

Increase mid pot value.

Make sure PI bias resistor is 1k2 R14.

Check all component values in amp against schematic.

Taylor schematic values.

Hello Mark,
I have 150p at Volume, 0,22 for bass and mid (Fischer conform), PI is 1k2, and C10/11 is already 0,022µF.

I will try a fix 220n and switchable 10µF for the 2nd stage.
On the 1st stage there is now a 10µF. Lower (i.g. 068 -2,2µF is more shark than bright. Not that I want. therefor back to at least 10µF at 1st stage.

But the main is: I will "lend" my daughter my personal favorite Speaker: a more than 20 years old italian Alnico Speaker. That solve 50% of my Problem.

Best

Hans-Jörg

[hans-jörg]

Hans, you are the coolest dad ever. That head box looks awesome too. I think it was wise to reduce the first bypass cap like you did, however make sure the dissipation isn't too high with the new 100R resistor. I think right around 100% dissipation is good (12W), but any higher is foolish with modern tubes.

Hello,
I have 9 Volt at the cathode (seperated sides) and 295V at Anodes. Ist quite right on the edge. But there is the Screen diss. to count down - than I`m well - I think. With JJ EL84. No red plateing.

Best

Hans-Jörg

[M Fowler]

Adam, thanks man, it's been 1 year since Petey dog passed and still think about him everyday. I have my wife's dog Griffin that keeps me busy he is a great dog too. Sorry about your loss of Finn-dogg, yeah it isn't easy is it.

I'm busy with grand kids mostly, enjoying them. Got a ton of chassis, cabs, and parts collected before I retired so I'm slowly building amps.

Mark

[M Fowler]

Hello Mark,
I have 150p at Volume, 0,22 for bass and mid (Fischer conform), PI is 1k2, and C10/11 is already 0,022µF.

I will try a fix 220n and switchable 10µF for the 2nd stage.
On the 1st stage there is now a 10µF. Lower (i.g. 068 -2,2µF is more shark than bright. Not that I want. therefor back to at least 10µF at 1st stage.

But the main is: I will "lend" my daughter my personal favorite Speaker: a more than 20 years old italian Alnico Speaker. That solve 50% of my Problem.

Best

Hans-Jörg

I really like the Celestion Vintage 30 or WGS retro 30 or WGS Veteran 30 with a Rocket. These are all brighter speakers so maybe that is the answer since your components are all consistent with a Rocket.

[mauiboy81]

Hey Hans-Jorg, did you say that the bass and mid caps are .22uf if so they should be .022uf

Have you tried it with other guitars? How's it sound with a tele?

[hans-jörg]

Hey Hans-Jorg, did you say that the bass and mid caps are .22uf if so they should be .022uf

Have you tried it with other guitars? How's it sound with a tele?

Sorry, 0,022µF for shure.

The bass content strikes through, but shure a Tele is way more bright.

I think, may main problem is, that my daughter will never play a other guitar than Les Paul ( I could try - in a dark night - to swap the HB to a more downsized version - 6k, or so, ha, ha).

I started my last attempt in this cause:
1st bypass 10µF, on second: 1k5 220nF +switchable 10µF, couple C in front PI 10µF and after PI there are 0,022µF. Speaker will be a (my personal dear) very nice old Alnico.
At the Vol pot is a 150pF, the PI fizz cap (68pF) out but a 250k trim and 0,0047 as treble?cut (will be installed at the brightest position.
And thats it.
For the front I built her a sweet old fashioned Rangemaster (sounds greate there). For max. switchable distortion she gets my Russian Muff and her beloved Superfuzz.
And from this point I´m out of my daughters problem basta.

The problem of my daughter is more her loyality to me: because she could swap the amp if she needs more gain for her music from her personal -from me to her built Rocket - to a Suhr Badger 18 clone, which I built for the second guitar in the band.

My Express she don`t gets!

Thank you guys

Kind Regards

Hans-Jörg

[mauiboy81]

The rocket does have a "big round bottom" as has been discussed before. I've messed with a lot of epis that have high output humbuckers that are muddy as can be.
Sounds like she will be back to rocking in no time! Keep up the good work!

[Mark]

I don't find the bass to be too excessive with my Rocket clone at all, I find the bass control works wonderfully, the treble can be a bit much with a Strat and it is here I use the hi-cut control. No complaints about the amp at all, it works well with a Les Paul and a Strat.

[redshark]

Dark? What is the reason for the high cut to be there? Leave it dimed if your amp is too dark!! that means not cutting any highs!! Actually the cut control in the rocket enhances harmonics as it's turn clockwise since it is a reversed cut!!
If that is not enough use alnico blues or gold....

Also play single coils...

Did I leave anything? I think I wrote before on this one!!

[Jackie Treehorn]

I like smaller couplers to the power tubes, .022, made a pretty significant difference. If you've got the 220k into the phase inverter, you can stick a small cap across it 500pf or so. I did that with the ef86 channel in my rocket. You can also get a little nicer high end by bypassing the electrolytic caps on the cathodes with smaller films. I did that in a couple places, including the power tubes' cathode resistor.

[hans-jörg]

I like smaller couplers to the power tubes, .022, made a pretty significant difference. If you've got the 220k into the phase inverter, you can stick a small cap across it 500pf or so. I did that with the ef86 channel in my rocket. You can also get a little nicer high end by bypassing the electrolytic caps on the cathodes with smaller films. I did that in a couple places, including the power tubes' cathode resistor.

Thank you for this good tip.
Meanwhile I´m on a good way with the Rocket. Nothing which cann`t be plained regarding the bass response simply with Treble and Bass.
And the Alnico speaker was the biggest solution!

Thanks guys, she´s happy and I´m done (with the Rocket, but I´ve a brand new built 2203 clone on my desk and cann`t wait ...)

Best

Hans-Jörg