chewy notes on D-style amps

[Structo]

I think I have a 30pf on my master.

[swt]

wow seems that only vintage people is searching for good tone...nowadays young guys are not hearing...they search the style, but tone is your identity.

[greg54]

I put the 47pf cap on the MV, and the brightness is perfect!
However, it's a bit too harsh. Not much though.

swt: Don't know why that is with some young players. To me, it has to sound pleasant to the ears or I can't listen to it.

[Structo]

Yes, don't be afraid to experiment with different caps, there or elsewhere.

This is the fun with building amps, building, tweaking, tuning, etc.

Real satisfaction when you get her dialed in.

[JHP]

Posted: Tue Nov 26, 2013 10:49 pm Post subject:

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I put the 47pf cap on the MV, and the brightness is perfect!
However, it's a bit too harsh. Not much though.

The more you turn up the master the less affect the cap will have. If you have a true 30% taper pot the sweet spot for 47-68pf is around 4-5 a 10-15% pot and you may need to get the master up around 7 for the right balance.

As you turn up the master you may want to lower the input on the D Lator.

I find you can generally get the same amount of brightness with or without the cap but the OD has a different character to it. With the cap in you have to balance it with the master up high enough or it doesn't sound great.

[greg54]

The more you turn up the master the less affect the cap will have. If you have a true 30% taper pot the sweet spot for 47-68pf is around 4-5 a 10-15% pot and you may need to get the master up around 7 for the right balance.

As you turn up the master you may want to lower the input on the D Lator.

I find you can generally get the same amount of brightness with or without the cap but the OD has a different character to it. With the cap in you have to balance it with the master up high enough or it doesn't sound great.

Good to know. Thanks!

Greg

[greg54]

Yes, don't be afraid to experiment with different caps, there or elsewhere.

This is the fun with building amps, building, tweaking, tuning, etc.

Real satisfaction when you get her dialed in.

I'm actually not far off. When I get the harshness out of the OD, then I'll be very happy with it.

Greg

[da Geezer]

Yes, don't be afraid to experiment with different caps, there or elsewhere.

This is the fun with building amps, building, tweaking, tuning, etc.

Real satisfaction when you get her dialed in.

I'm actually not far off. When I get the harshness out of the OD, then I'll be very happy with it.

Greg

Have you looked at the snubbers yet? They are the ceramic caps mounted on both sides of V2.
Standard 102 values are 250p for both. I have 330p for both of my snubbers.
You can easily use alligator clip leads to parallel additional caps across the existing caps to see if it gets you closer to your goal.
Start with 100p across each 250p cap (350p total value) to see where you're at...go up or down in value until you find what fits you better.

G

[greg54]

Have you looked at the snubbers yet? They are the ceramic caps mounted on both sides of V2.
Standard 102 values are 250p for both. I have 330p for both of my snubbers.
You can easily use alligator clip leads to parallel additional caps across the existing caps to see if it gets you closer to your goal.
Start with 100p across each 250p cap (350p total value) to see where you're at...go up or down in value until you find what fits you better.

G

Thanks for the suggestion. What exactly will that do for the tone?

I really appreciate everyone's willingness to help me. It means a lot. Thanks!

Greg

[JHP]

Thanks for the suggestion. What exactly will that do for the tone?

It will make the OD less bright.

[Structo]

Also many of us use a variable treble bleed on the OD channel.

You can experiment with the cap value.

[greg54]

Thanks, JHP and Structo!

[greg54]

Have you looked at the snubbers yet? They are the ceramic caps mounted on both sides of V2.
Standard 102 values are 250p for both. I have 330p for both of my snubbers.
You can easily use alligator clip leads to parallel additional caps across the existing caps to see if it gets you closer to your goal.
Start with 100p across each 250p cap (350p total value) to see where you're at...go up or down in value until you find what fits you better.

G

I talked to Mark Kane, who built the amp. He said there's already 330p caps on the V2. So I'm all set.

[greg54]

I still have harshness when I turn up the gain. It's fine if I don't turn the gain up.
In the photo I added a 330pf cap (circled in red) and replaced the 150k resistor with a 180k (circled in yellow).

I've also turned the OD trim up to 40k from 30k. The harshness is still there, but the changes are making the amp less 3D, less dynamic, less chewy, and taking away the brightness I like.

[IMG768]http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/ss205/gm54/IMG_0136_edit2.jpg[/img]

[tubedogsmith]

This is one of my amps and I've been trying to help Greg with this from 3000 miles away. He's a good sport! He wants lots of gain at very low, bedroom type volumes. We're setting the amp volumes at gigging levels and using the loop box as an overall master volume with the send and output high and the return low. Basically starving the signal. If you get the return up to at least a third or so it sounds ok but lower not so much. I believe he's using a 2X12 with G1265's.
Here, with local guys I've worked with for this kind of application I've helped them get a good tone with using a Palmer or similar device for reamping but this runs into some bucks and it usually takes a fair amount time and consult to get it just right so not practical here.
We added a 47pf to the amp overall master which he liked for his cleans but is a challenge with the OD. Without going to extra switching or separate masters have any of ya'll been able to get a soft, smooth OD with a setup like this at the super low volume?
We're trying to save him the cost from having to ship the amp back for a makeover