Wreck amp clips

[Richie]

I think the bright switch was off in all the demos.

yep

[geetarpicker]

Even though the bright switch can be intense at times, I for the most part have always played my '89 Express with the full 500pf bright on and then darkened it back up a tad with a long chord and G12M speakers. My '85 Stancor OT Express seems just a smidge naturally brighter, and seems to do quite well without the switch at all. Still, depending on what you play it can get a little mushy set that way unless you keep a close eye on the bass knob. I do think however the 2 Express amps in that latest 3 wreck video almost sound like they were underbiased, and perhaps not tubed with the tightness of tone in mind. Also even though G12H speakers can sound great, I for one never got along with them much under the microscope of the studio. It seems with a wreck they have too much high end extension and add to the fizz issues. Old G12Ms however have this tendency to actually darken up a tad when pushed which can make them sound sweeter and less fizzy, where as I don't think an Express even has enough power to push the G12H speakers into this same realm, as they just stay really bright and fizzy all the way up. This is not the case however with all G12Ms, and for example the new Heritage G12M actually get's fizzier when pushed hard, however the new Creamback G12M seems to act more like the old ones in this regard but that is another subject for another day.

If I had been the one doing that 3 wreck video once I heard the audio playback I would have probably tried the bright switches to tighten them up, backed down the bass knobs, and perhaps also moved the mics off axis a bit. It appears they had two mics going (perhaps one a ribbon, and one brighter mic?) and maybe they went with too much of the bright mic and not enough of the ribbon but that would only help minimize the fizz but it wouldn't tighten things up any. Still the Lynch amp sounded very loose almost like a germanium fuzz face on cold day, and the only time I've heard my amp sound that loose was when I needed new output tubes and a bias adjustment.

I did like the fact though that you could really notice the fatter tone of the Stancor Express over the other one, but the Liverpool still seemed to work the best with the rest of the signal chain and the playing performance.

Anyway, for comparison sake my latest video is the only example I've done without the bright switch on either amp. The low end is a little loose, but still pleasing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfX5cmSM ... gh7w[/img]

[Richie]

I think... that one gizmo on the left in front of the speaker is a recorder. At first i thought it was a DB meter.. but looks like a small recorder.
I guess it is or has a mic/s too.

It does seem like a leveling effect between the low, loud, talking editing?
The Lynch amp was supposed to be modded for higher gain.

Isn't one of these one they recorded at one of the amp shows? maybe look to see if the video is out there to compare.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnOSCxxtXa8

[geetarpicker]

Though the unit on the left speaker does look like a digital recorder, the mic on the right (which is a bit off axis which would darken it up some) is a Sennhieser e906. The e906 is a very nice dynamic mic, and I use one as my main stage mic, plus a few of my Youtube videos were done with them. In the studio I'll use an e906 or 421 as the 2nd mic to go along with a Royer ribbon.

[ampmike]

I like the vid,I think Billy Gibbons and George L should go get their amps back.Glen vids will allways be my favorites!!!!!!!!Mikey

[Allynmey]

Sounds like this guy is scared to death to rock.

Constantly wanking on clean strat sounds with volume almost off. This is where all 'wrecks sound tight. When he did get into gain territory, the tube choice really shows it weakness. Ultrasound always uses mullard, amperex, and miniwatt in V1, V2, and V3. These tubes fart out really easily in this circuit as evidenced by even a strat getting farty in the low end.

If you like that sound, better to use a JTM 100/45 with a fuzzface and a strat. Don't forget the headscarf. Tubed properly, these amps sounded like they would be really nice!!!!

[redshark]

Allyn, any idea why they always tube their amps like that? was that Ken's suggestion?

[M Fowler]

If you like that sound, better to use a JTM 100/45 with a fuzzface and a strat. Don't forget the headscarf.

I like headscarf's

[Allynmey]

Allyn, any idea why they always tube their amps like that? was that Ken's suggestion?

I've never seen a TW from Ken or serviced by Ken with that configuration. Every TW requires custom tubing. Most start with Tungsram and Pre-war EI's. Most power tubes were Siemens. Ken did however send a few with Mullard XF2's and a randomly switched pre's to tune it for a player. The fact that all of Ultrasounds amps are tuned the same way, shows it's their preference no Ken's.

[Kassie]

I watched that demo like 5 times and I believe there is something Fishy... and I knew it for sure when I watched that video in the same room with that Marshall JMP. It almost had the same kind of gainy fuzzy texture..

So my bet is either those guitars sound pretty flat, or it is the cab with very fuzzy speakers (yea pre rola celestions are nice for the vintage stuff worshippers but sorry to say probably dried out and sound muffy fuzzy). Or something to do with the mic.

Don't want to sound too soapboxing but i was dissapointed with the demo. He just could have picked any standard marshall with a fuzzbox imho.
He just missed the whole point of those amps.. going from clean to mean... the amps didn't seem to clean up all that great at all, it stayed fuzzy... When he said 'Man it really cleans up great' I was laughing so hard...This demo would not make me want to build this amp.. Glens demo did... much better.

[redshark]

Allyn, any idea why they always tube their amps like that? was that Ken's suggestion?

I've never seen a TW from Ken or serviced by Ken with that configuration. Every TW requires custom tubing. Most start with Tungsram and Pre-war EI's. Most power tubes were Siemens. Ken did however send a few with Mullard XF2's and a randomly switched pre's to tune it for a player. The fact that all of Ultrasounds amps are tuned the same way, shows it's their preference no Ken's.

Yes, when I built the express it was tubed with tungsrams and Ei and it did what it was supposed to do. I had seen in pics some other Wrecks with just mullards in the preamp. Maybe is their preference.

[Chris G]

They all were in the center (off) ..on these demos. Would have been nice to hear him go through the differnet positions.
Thanks for posting this Richie!!!

Oops!! didn't see page 2 here on this thread!!