reducing bass

[iknowjohnny]

Are there any common ways to reduce low end besides adding high end? Adding highs never works well when i try to do this. So i'm wondering if there are any ways, maybe somewhat uncommon that will allow me to reduce lows. the amp has a ton of lows and when i turn the bass pot down it doesn't lose enough till a certain point at which there then seems to get sorta thin. hard to explain, and maybe it's more of a frequency center issue than how much low end there is. I have tried playing with the tone stack caps and bass pot values but that doesn't cut it. It's not a big problem, but it's maybe the only one thats keeping the amp from being nearly perfect to my ear.

[modern]

Kevin O'Connor has written a number of books that you might find helpful.

Try these two:

http://www.londonpower.com/catalog/prod ... ducts_id=3

http://www.londonpower.com/catalog/prod ... ducts_id=9

[Jana]

Use thinner gauge wire, bass frequencies are bigger and have a harder time bouncing through a skinny wire.

[jjman]

Reduce the value of a cathode bypass cap or a coupling cap. If you have a ~25u bypass cap, try 1u. If you have a 0.1 coupler, try 0.01.

Then adjust as needed.

[iknowjohnny]

Use thinner gauge wire, bass frequencies are bigger and have a harder time bouncing through a skinny wire.

Wow, i never thought of that ! I am assuming you aren't joking, but the reason it strikes a chord with me is that i used huge wire in this amp ! 16 gauge to be exact. And the amp has always had a overabundance of low end. And it's not coupling or bypass caps....i have tried every combo imaginable. Nor is it in the tone stack. in fact few would believe me if i told them how much i have tried. And nothing changes it. Well, except one thing...i set the amp back to cathode bias as it was a first, and the change was fantastic. The lows are still there but they are no longer causing the tone to lose definition as it was till then. They aren't 100% perfect to my ear but close enough.

But thanks for that thought Jana...i may well try rewiring the front end of the amp at least with maybe 20 gauge. It sounds great now, but i think it would sound even better if the low end was more "right". I used 16 because this surplus place nearby had some real nice quality 16 gauge teflon dirt cheap. (i think i paid like $6 for around 100 ft)

[doctord02]

uh... he's joking dude.

[dave g]

Yes, he was joking about the wire....

Would you mind posting a schematic? It would make offering advice easier.

Also, what sort of speaker cabinet are you using?

[modern]

If it's not the bypass or coupling caps, try lower the bass side of your pickups.

[iknowjohnny]

Well, like i said it's no longer really an issue. It could be a little tighter is all, but it no longer muddies up the tone. I'd offer a schematic anyways but the last version of it i drew up was many tweaks ago and i decided not to keep updating it till i come to what i am sure is the final circuit. I may be about there now tho because i haven't yet been this happy with it. But then,.......well, you know how it goes ! The funny thing is, i'm worried that i will NEVER be able to throw it back in the cabinet for good. I'm too much of a perfectionist. yet at this point i could do that and have the best sounding/feeling marshall i've ever owned. It's crazy man...

[Jana]

Jana <= she

sorry for pulling your leg last night johnny, I was in a weird mood.

btw, you will never be done with it. There will always be something to improve, lol.

[Abstract]

Use thinner gauge wire, bass frequencies are bigger and have a harder time bouncing through a skinny wire.

Red wires have always seemed to cut bass for me. The blue wires accentuate bass.

Teflon only, right?





Srsly...thicker wire can pass amperage more easily...so at least it wouldn't "cut" bass.

[Jana]

yes, teflon wires for that fluid, slippery tone. Makes the guitar play like it has slinkys on it.

White wire doesn't color the tone as much.

[FunkyE9th]

The ones with insulation you can see thru produces the most transparent sound.

[Wayne]

So if I understand you all correctly, I'd use bare, uninsulated wire if I wanted my tone to be more raw & metallic?

Aw shucks, guys, now I'm doin it too!

W

[Zippy]

And nothing changes it. Well, except one thing...i set the amp back to cathode bias as it was a first, and the change was fantastic. The lows are still there but they are no longer causing the tone to lose definition as it was till then.

Makes me wonder whether you had it biased properly when it sounded flabby.