Demeter TGP-3?

[LeftyStrat]

Anyone have any info on this preamp. Anyone have a schematic?

[MGW]

No info, but I remember really liking it when I played it.

[ToneMerc]

I have the rarest one, the only one James built and forgot to stamp a serial number on. Funny thing, I've never had any interest to document it or my TGA-3's.

TM

[FUCHSAUDIO]

It basically was a tweaked Fender Bassman style preamp as I recall.

[LeftyStrat]

I have the rarest one, the only one James built and forgot to stamp a serial number on. Funny thing, I've never had any interest to document it or my TGA-3's.

TM

How do you like it? How many tubes does it use?

It basically was a tweaked Fender Bassman style preamp as I recall.

Yeah, I read somewhere the clean channel was Bassman-style.

[LeftyStrat]

I'm not so much interested in cloning it, I've been studying various three channel preamps; CAE 3+SE, Soldano X88r, and the Anvil (http://www.jer00n.nl/2010/07/28/the-anvil-preamp/).

That one seems to get good reviews.

[ToneMerc]

How do you like it? How many tubes does it use?

Yeah, I read somewhere the clean channel was Bassman-style.

I've had it for 20 yrs. and no plans to get rid of it. Ironically, I got my first TGA-3 amp because I got tired of dancing around with Alexander and someone gave me James Demeter's number.

6

Honestly, I prefer the edge and lead channels on the amps, VHT2150 and two bottom 4-12 cabs = erection.

Yeah, clean channel supposedly modeled after a tweed Bassman, but I used to run it in a rack setup, lots of compression, chorus and verb.

EVH used to use a TGP-3 in the studio.

James is making the TGP-3 and TGA-3 again.

TM

[Vertigo]

This is quite a resurrection, but just in case anyone is still interested I just happened to fall into a TGA-3 on Saturday after having long given up looking for a TGP/TGA.

Over time, I'll make a schematic and layout but it's going to be a big job since I can't trace some of the circuit from the top of the board.

2B0DEDA3-5A09-4D99-8A0D-91DBED4814F0_1_105_c.jpeg

24EA4155-44C7-435F-9ECF-E5AA41154BD2_1_105_c.jpeg

C7E06A33-EBC7-4B61-8C97-52394DACEDFF_1_105_c.jpeg

E54E81DF-1FDF-4C7C-BC9A-02092F686A70_1_105_c.jpeg

[jafethuerta]

Any update on that schematic ?

[jafethuerta]

This is quite a resurrection, but just in case anyone is still interested I just happened to fall into a TGA-3 on Saturday after having long given up looking for a TGP/TGA.

Over time, I'll make a schematic and layout but it's going to be a big job since I can't trace some of the circuit from the top of the board.

2B0DEDA3-5A09-4D99-8A0D-91DBED4814F0_1_105_c.jpeg
24EA4155-44C7-435F-9ECF-E5AA41154BD2_1_105_c.jpeg
C7E06A33-EBC7-4B61-8C97-52394DACEDFF_1_105_c.jpeg
E54E81DF-1FDF-4C7C-BC9A-02092F686A70_1_105_c.jpeg

Any update on that schematic ?

[Vertigo]

It'll be a while. I've got a lot on my plate and there's part of the circuit that under a ball of goop

[jafethuerta]

It'll be a while. I've got a lot on my plate and there's part of the circuit that under a ball of goop

Cool, it would be amazing if you ever get to share this !!! So, no rush

[Pulsonic]

hola guys - joined a while back just reading the funny wreck battle thread w/ that one dude..laughed for days. anyway first post.

the TGP-3 is my favorite pre. don't own one, but i did play one around '89/'90 (?)

the old Arnold & Morgan store when i lived in Dallas (where Cantrell worked in '85) is where i got my '82 4104 Marshall (G1265 2x12 50wt) new.

so, they had one TGP3 unit; spent an hour w/ it in the gear room thru a Crown power - searing hard-on is a good description.
wanted to walk out w/ it no doubt; but A&M wanted the full coin $3K. that was way above my pay grade then.


what a circuit.

[10thTx]

Small world. I lived in Dallas at that time and my brother in law sold drum sets at that Arnold & Morgan store. I got my Fender Bullet electric there along with an Ibanez Flanger. That bullet was a Tele style with two strat pickups and the bridge was molded into the metal pickguard.

With respect, 10thtx

[Vertigo]

This is as far as I've made it so far. There's some structural goop on the input side of the signal board that's hiding five or six resistors, a few caps and at least one Vactrol. There are also at least two resistors under some goop on the power board. It's a pretty big effort to cut them free so no promises anytime soon, but I'm making some progress. It looks like a shop etched board, and as such, I can't trace through any of the caps since most of the leads are buried under the board and there isn't enough slack to flip it over. Same goes for the power board...I pulled voltages where I could but can't get my meter on most of the leads from the PT.

It was cutting out at high volumes the other night so I spent a few hours adding to what I have and taking voltage measurements while looking for problems. Obviously a lot left to do, but it'll get things started for those who might be interested.

Demeter TGA-3.pdf