Feel free to ask Myles

[PBBPaul]

Myles,

 

As a general principle; If an amp has a multi-tapped output transformer with 4/8/16 ohm taps, is it OK to simultaneously run say, a 4 ohm cabinet and a 16 ohm cabinet from the apppropriate taps? Or should one limit oneself to only one tap at a time?

 

Thanks,

 

Paul

 

One cab at a time.

 

You can though, take two 8 ohm cabs as an example and plug a parallel Y adaptor into the 4 ohm tap.

 

Or .... two 16 ohm cabs into the parallel adaptor and plug that into the 8 ohm tap.

 

That's kinda what I figured, thank you. I actually do have a 1x15" 16-ohm cabinet loaded with an early 60s Rola and a 1x12" 4-ohm cabinet loaded with a Celestion V30 and thought that they would sound quite nice running together from a small head that I built. Since the resistance is so far apart, I see no way to run them in either series or parallel.

[Sauce]

Hey Myles,

I'm sorry if this is a dumb question but I have a balanced JJ ECC83S intended for phase inverter use lying around and I don't really need to replace the phase inverter in the Blues Jr. right now. I was wondering though after reading your report about the JJ's last week if it would help my tone, improve the sound and still work well if I dropped it into V1 instead. Or should I just save it until the phase inverter starts wearing out? I also recently read what you wrote about JJ's not making the best phase inverters though. Thanks in advance and please excuse my ignorance.

[tomtele]

Hi Myles,

 

I hope this question doesn't get lost in this thread. Anyways, I'm currently using a Vox AD15VT, and I don't know how to get a decent distortion/overdrive (I don't know the correct term to use in this context). When I switch to the second channel the distortion sounds a bit...flat...?? (not pitch-wise but, just lack of tone and rather dull). I tried to mess with the Gain, Treble, Middle, Bass knobs, but when I turn each knob up one at a time all it seems to be doing is just increase the volume. I just started playing not too long ago, so I don't know much about tone and how to obtain a certain sound. Thanks.

[myles_rose]

Hey Myles,

I'm sorry if this is a dumb question but I have a balanced JJ ECC83S intended for phase inverter use lying around and I don't really need to replace the phase inverter in the Blues Jr. right now. I was wondering though after reading your report about the JJ's last week if it would help my tone, improve the sound and still work well if I dropped it into V1 instead. Or should I just save it until the phase inverter starts wearing out? I also recently read what you wrote about JJ's not making the best phase inverters though. Thanks in advance and please excuse my ignorance.

 

 

The JJ is a good phase inverter choice.

 

I prefer a longer plate but that is just my own personal preference.

 

 

[myles_rose]

Hi Myles,

 

I hope this question doesn't get lost in this thread. Anyways, I'm currently using a Vox AD15VT, and I don't know how to get a decent distortion/overdrive (I don't know the correct term to use in this context). When I switch to the second channel the distortion sounds a bit...flat...?? (not pitch-wise but, just lack of tone and rather dull). I tried to mess with the Gain, Treble, Middle, Bass knobs, but when I turn each knob up one at a time all it seems to be doing is just increase the volume. I just started playing not too long ago, so I don't know much about tone and how to obtain a certain sound. Thanks.

 

 

These amps have their own character and it will be a matter of you finding your own settings. Get somebody with some experience to sit down with you.

 

 

[Dr. Ellwood]

tomtele, Tom Myles is right, find someone in your area that has lots of experience setting up amps if you can. Another idea why don't you repost this question in the regular part of the forum and let the guys there have a stab at helping you, just post it and let it run for awhile as see what turns up. Myles deals with highly technical circut and specific amp problems and modifications, the regular forum would be manybe a better place for this kind of question.

 

[isxism]

Hi Myles. That's all.

[myles_rose]

Hi Myles. That's all.

 

Hello back

 

 

[haywire]

Hi Myles,

 

I'm fairly new here, and I found you here through your other site, which is terrifc, by the way.

 

I have an old'65 Black Face Vibrolux, that sat in the garage for probably 18 years, and needless to say, it sounds hollow without hardly any tone what so ever. Should I just have someone look at it and have it gone through?

 

I also have an old Strat that could use some work. If you can recommend someone, that would be great. I'm in So. Cal.

 

Thanks

[myles_rose]

Hi Myles,

 

I'm fairly new here, and I found you here through your other site, which is terrifc, by the way.

 

I have an old'65 Black Face Vibrolux, that sat in the garage for probably 18 years, and needless to say, it sounds hollow without hardly any tone what so ever. Should I just have someone look at it and have it gone through?

 

I also have an old Strat that could use some work. If you can recommend someone, that would be great. I'm in So. Cal.

 

Thanks

 

You can get the amp looked at and the guitar worked on at the same place ... TrueTone Music in Santa Monica.

 

Billy Yates is the amp guru and a Fender madman. They have two amazing guitar folks there as well.

 

 

[haywire]

Hi Myles,

 

I'm fairly new here, and I found you here through your other site, which is terrifc, by the way.

 

I have an old'65 Black Face Vibrolux, that sat in the garage for probably 18 years, and needless to say, it sounds hollow without hardly any tone what so ever. Should I just have someone look at it and have it gone through?

 

I also have an old Strat that could use some work. If you can recommend someone, that would be great. I'm in So. Cal.

 

Thanks

 

You can get the amp looked at and the guitar worked on at the same place ... TrueTone Music in Santa Monica.

 

Billy Yates is the amp guru and a Fender madman. They have two amazing guitar folks there as well.

 

 

Thank you Myles.

[WaterMan]

Hey Myles,

 

Have you heard or tried Fargen's new '49 x '54 amp? If so, have any thoughts? Is it similar to anything else you've heard? Tonal characteristics? Thanks.

[myles_rose]

Hey Myles,

 

Have you heard or tried Fargen's new '49 x '54 amp? If so, have any thoughts? Is it similar to anything else you've heard? Tonal characteristics? Thanks.

 

 

Yes ... heard it and played it at the 2006 L.A. Amp Show last May. I liked it a lot.

 

Tonal characteristics ... think tweed Fender amps from those two years in the tweed Deluxe.

 

Lots of folks do the 5E3 circuit but Ben picked two of the other great ones that are more often overlooked.

 

 

[WaterMan]

Hey Myles,

 

Have you heard or tried Fargen's new '49 x '54 amp? If so, have any thoughts? Is it similar to anything else you've heard? Tonal characteristics? Thanks.

 

 

Yes ... heard it and played it at the 2006 L.A. Amp Show last May. I liked it a lot.

 

Tonal characteristics ... think tweed Fender amps from those two years in the tweed Deluxe.

 

Lots of folks do the 5E3 circuit but Ben picked two of the other great ones that are more often overlooked.

 

 

OK, thanks Myles. Last question: I notice it's Class AB. I really like the tweed tone and have a Victoria Regal and Pierson Champ. Would this Class AB amp complement the Victoria Class A (provide distinguishing tonality), or are they very similar?

[myles_rose]

Hey Myles,

 

Have you heard or tried Fargen's new '49 x '54 amp? If so, have any thoughts? Is it similar to anything else you've heard? Tonal characteristics? Thanks.

 

 

Yes ... heard it and played it at the 2006 L.A. Amp Show last May. I liked it a lot.

 

Tonal characteristics ... think tweed Fender amps from those two years in the tweed Deluxe.

 

Lots of folks do the 5E3 circuit but Ben picked two of the other great ones that are more often overlooked.

 

 

OK, thanks Myles. Last question: I notice it's Class AB. I really like the tweed tone and have a Victoria Regal and Pierson Champ. Would this Class AB amp complement the Victoria Class A (provide distinguishing tonality), or are they very similar?

 

The class A/B vs class A thing has been misunderstood forever.

 

This is not a single ended class A amp. Those have a single tube. Ben is actually more correct in stating that it is a cathode biased (rather than grid biased) AB amp as is the Vox AC-30 and most all other amps (not the THD BiValve as a more rare example) and just about any other amps with a push/pull output stage. Same for the tweed deluxe as a cathode biased push/pull amp.

 

A tweed champ is a true single ended class A cathode biased amp.

 

So ... the magic of the early tweed era amps that used a duet of output tubes that are often not accurately referred to as Class A amps incorrectly is there but by a different and more accurate name ... cathode biased.

 

 

[rsf1977]

hey myles i have an ENGL Fireball and it seems that every 12AX7 tube I try in V1 seems to have some microphonic quality. Any suggestions on what tube would work best there to calm down the microphincs. I think it also is contributing to the feedback that seems to be excessive with this amp. It is a gain monster after all. Let me know, thanks

[myles_rose]

hey myles i have an ENGL Fireball and it seems that every 12AX7 tube I try in V1 seems to have some microphonic quality. Any suggestions on what tube would work best there to calm down the microphincs. I think it also is contributing to the feedback that seems to be excessive with this amp. It is a gain monster after all. Let me know, thanks

 

What types of 12AX7s have you tried ... have you stuck to short plate types .... who tested these originally ? ??? ???

 

 

[rsf1977]

 

What types of 12AX7s have you tried ... have you stuck to short plate types .... who tested these originally ? ??? ???

 

 

I'm not sure what exactly I tried but there was a Shuguang 12AX7 and a Tung-Sol 12AX7. I got all the tubes from http://www.dougstubes.com I'm not very knowlegable on the differences between short and long plate tubes and which brands are which

[myles_rose]

 

What types of 12AX7s have you tried ... have you stuck to short plate types .... who tested these originally ? ??? ???

 

 

I'm not sure what exactly I tried but there was a Shuguang 12AX7 and a Tung-Sol 12AX7. I got all the tubes from http://www.dougstubes.com I'm not very knowlegable on the differences between short and long plate tubes and which brands are which

 

Grab an ECC83S for V1 and V2.

 

 

[rsf1977]

 

What types of 12AX7s have you tried ... have you stuck to short plate types .... who tested these originally ? ??? ???

 

 

I'm not sure what exactly I tried but there was a Shuguang 12AX7 and a Tung-Sol 12AX7. I got all the tubes from http://www.dougstubes.com I'm not very knowlegable on the differences between short and long plate tubes and which brands are which

 

Grab an ECC83S for V1 and V2.

 

 

Are those JJ ECC83S tubes?

[myles_rose]

Yes

 

But have them checked for gain ... true gain .... not just "gain" on a VTV tester which is NOT gain but some generic sort of number on that particular test device.

 

The vendor is going to have to know plate resistance and transconductance at 250 volts with a 2 volt bias and then calculate gain to find really nice ones.

 

 

 

 

[mdrs]

Good Morning Myles. I wondered if you could help me understanding the difference between the "brownface" Fender Pro combo and the "blackface" Fender Pro? I know the tube configuration is different. I was wondering if you could make some comments about the tone, and the differences in tone between the two. I know tone is very personal, but would still appreciate any comments.

 

Lee (aka ellwood) has a brownface Pro he simply loves, especially using it when he plays with his "blues band". He feels that the relatively low wattage, plus the 15" speaker is the key to a great blues sound.

 

As background, I have a fairly substantial collection of old amps, particularly tweed and blackface Fender combos. But, I do NOT have any combo with a 15" speaker. Also, I rarely play out, so I really just looking for a unique tone to add to my studio arsenal.

 

 

[myles_rose]

Good Morning Myles. I wondered if you could help me understanding the difference between the "brownface" Fender Pro combo and the "blackface" Fender Pro? I know the tube configuration is different. I was wondering if you could make some comments about the tone, and the differences in tone between the two. I know tone is very personal, but would still appreciate any comments.

 

Lee (aka ellwood) has a brownface Pro he simply loves, especially using it when he plays with his "blues band". He feels that the relatively low wattage, plus the 15" speaker is the key to a great blues sound.

 

As background, I have a fairly substantial collection of old amps, particularly tweed and blackface Fender combos. But, I do NOT have any combo with a 15" speaker. Also, I rarely play out, so I really just looking for a unique tone to add to my studio arsenal.

 

 

 

This is a subject that I could not begin to cover in a little snippet here.

 

Go out and grab The Fender Book - Fender Amps, the first fifty years and the book; Amps, the other half of rock and roll by Richie Fliegler

 

 

[bennyguitfiddle]

Hi Myles

couple years ago I received this old amp from my music teacher.

I have no idea the year or model but I would guess 50's.

the brand is National.

It sound real clean but it used to shock me.

It only had a 2 prog plug.

I put in a 3 prong plug, connecting the ground to the

chasis. It don't shock me anymore, but I'm afraid something

else is the problem and this might be a dangerous fix.

also the tubes in this amp are not familiar to me

could this be a problem to replace them?

 

thanks myles any info

is helpful

[myles_rose]

Hi Myles

couple years ago I received this old amp from my music teacher.

I have no idea the year or model but I would guess 50's.

the brand is National.

It sound real clean but it used to shock me.

It only had a 2 prog plug.

I put in a 3 prong plug, connecting the ground to the

chasis. It don't shock me anymore, but I'm afraid something

else is the problem and this might be a dangerous fix.

also the tubes in this amp are not familiar to me

could this be a problem to replace them?

 

thanks myles any info

is helpful

 

 

Go to www.tubesandmore.com as they would have the tubes for this amp.

 

The small National amps are a lot of fun, record really nicely and are just all around great amps.

 

 

[davidm]

Myles,

 

What's the easiest way to check for bad pre-amp tubes (and power tubes, for that matter).

 

Thanks,

 

Dave

[myles_rose]

Myles,

 

What's the easiest way to check for bad pre-amp tubes (and power tubes, for that matter).

 

Thanks,

 

Dave

 

 

Bad ... they don't work or are microphonic.

 

Not good is different ... find somebody with proper tube testing equipment.

 

 

[mdrs]

Hi Myles....I bought the '64 blackface Pro, and love it. It's a very cool old amp, with a lot of character. The 15" speaker seems to give a lot of "touch response"...you can really hear and feel the pick attack. So, it seems to have worked out well.

 

I do have a question. The seller said that the amp would have a Mullard GZ34 rectifier tube, but it actually has a MV GZ34 tube.

 

Will this make any difference in the amp's tone, or function that I should know about?

[marvar]

Myles-A question that I have been wondering about.

If the PI isn't part of the tone generating stage of an amp, then it would seem that any specified tube would sound just like any other tube, (balanced of course!) but changing the PI from, say, a 12ax7C to a 12AX7M or, short plate to long plate, the tone seems to change- is this an aural illusion, or does the PI indeed have an effect on overall tone? or is about how a certain tube passes current? or, am I way off base here?

[myles_rose]

Hi Myles....I bought the '64 blackface Pro, and love it. It's a very cool old amp, with a lot of character. The 15" speaker seems to give a lot of "touch response"...you can really hear and feel the pick attack. So, it seems to have worked out well.

 

I do have a question. The seller said that the amp would have a Mullard GZ34 rectifier tube, but it actually has a MV GZ34 tube.

 

Will this make any difference in the amp's tone, or function that I should know about?

 

 

What is an MV?

 

If it is an NOS GZ34 it will be fine