Feel free to ask Myles

[Dave da Dude]

Hi Myles,

 

Long time no see.

 

There's a thread running around about "attenuators, power brakes, air brakes" that could use your help.

 

Would you mind takin' a look and offerring some (expert) opinions, facts, recommendations?

 

Dave

[Big Mike Blues]

Hi Myles!

 

Thought I would chime in here as my first post as you brought me over.

 

Question too, With my Z Mazerati, I ordered 2 GT12ax7M and a NOS 5751GE Currently this amp has a Sovtek 5751 in V1 and a un labeled 12ax7 as the PI. What is the best route to go? the "M"'s in both? or the 5751 as one or the other?

 

Good to see ya,

 

Mike Petrich

[myles_rose]

Originally posted by Dave th Dude:

Hi Myles,

 

Long time no see.

 

There's a thread running around about "attenuators, power brakes, air brakes" that could use your help.

 

Would you mind takin' a look and offerring some (expert) opinions, facts, recommendations?

 

Dave

Dave,

 

I have used all of them and I prefer the Dr. Z Airbrake personally. It is inexpensive, one unit for any impedance, needs no power, really nicely built, adjustable inside if you want to change the 1.8db steps, and has four feet that are high enough that the unit fits nicely on top of the amp over an amp handle. You can also use it in a dark gig totally by feel having to read nothing to look at anything.

[myles_rose]

Originally posted by Big Mike Blues:

Hi Myles!

 

Thought I would chime in here as my first post as you brought me over.

 

Question too, With my Z Mazerati, I ordered 2 GT12ax7M and a NOS 5751GE Currently this amp has a Sovtek 5751 in V1 and a un labeled 12ax7 as the PI. What is the best route to go? the "M"'s in both? or the 5751 as one or the other?

 

Good to see ya,

 

Mike Petrich

Mike,

 

It's all personal taste ....

 

I personally use a 12AX7M in V1 and a GE 5 star 5751 in the phase inverter slot.

[Big Mike Blues]

Originally posted by myles111:

It's all personal taste ....

 

I personally use a 12AX7M in V1 and a GE 5 star 5751 in the phase inverter slot.[/QB]

Thanks Myles. Will play around a bit and see.

[shood]

Hey Miles,

 

I was wondering if you could discuss any cons associated with purchasing a BiValve instead of a UniValve (aside from price)?

 

I think that 90% of the time I would use only one power tube in order to achieve power tube saturation at reasonable levels. All things being equal, however, I would like the ability to add a second power tube for playing live, if necessary. The BiValve also allows for even more experimentation with different combinations of tubes, which would be cool.

 

However, I am afraid all things are not equal. The very positive review on THD's site states "It's a different effect to the UniValve's threedimensional warmth, but but it is equally rewarding."

 

What comments do you have? As always, many thanks.

[myles_rose]

Originally posted by shood:

Hey Miles,

 

I was wondering if you could discuss any cons associated with purchasing a BiValve instead of a UniValve (aside from price)?

 

I think that 90% of the time I would use only one power tube in order to achieve power tube saturation at reasonable levels. All things being equal, however, I would like the ability to add a second power tube for playing live, if necessary. The BiValve also allows for even more experimentation with different combinations of tubes, which would be cool.

 

However, I am afraid all things are not equal. The very positive review on THD's site states "It's a different effect to the UniValve's threedimensional warmth, but but it is equally rewarding."

 

What comments do you have? As always, many thanks.

Shood ....

 

I find the BV to be much tighter than the UV when a single tube is used. I personally prefer the touch dynamics of the UV over the BV but then I use the UV as a preamp and in the studio and not all that much live.

 

I think the best bet here is to call THD and speak with Ed over there. He is a killer player and uses all of the THD stuff and other folks stuff too. He can offer a lot of great tips and probably get you dialed right in and make you pretty happy with an informed selection.

[QMan]

Myles,

 

I saw the tube adapters in the Fender catalog to allow the use of EL84s instead a 6L6. It said it would cut the power by 70%. First of all, do these work? Second, is there going to be a huge change in tone? I was thinking of using them in a Deluxe Reverb but I don't want to drastically change the tone of the amp.

 

Thanks for all of your work.

 

Joe

[myles_rose]

Originally posted by QMan:

Myles,

 

I saw the tube adapters in the Fender catalog to allow the use of EL84s instead a 6L6. It said it would cut the power by 70%. First of all, do these work? Second, is there going to be a huge change in tone? I was thinking of using them in a Deluxe Reverb but I don't want to drastically change the tone of the amp.

 

Thanks for all of your work.

 

Joe

Joe,

 

Lots of folks love these.

 

There is more at http://www.groovetubes.com/product.cfm?Product_ID=1778

[QMan]

quote:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Originally posted by QMan:

Myles,

 

I saw the tube adapters in the Fender catalog to allow the use of EL84s instead a 6L6. It said it would cut the power by 70%. First of all, do these work? Second, is there going to be a huge change in tone? I was thinking of using them in a Deluxe Reverb but I don't want to drastically change the tone of the amp.

 

Thanks for all of your work.

 

Joe

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Joe,

 

Lots of folks love these.

 

There is more at http://www.groovetubes.com/product.cfm?Product_ID=1778

 

--------------------

Myles S. Rose

Thanks for the quick response. Could you or anyone else tell me to what extent this is going to affect the tone of the amp? Is it going to make a Deluxe Reverb sound like a Vox?

Thanks again.

 

Joe

[myles_rose]

Originally posted by QMan:

quote:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Originally posted by QMan:

Myles,

 

I saw the tube adapters in the Fender catalog to allow the use of EL84s instead a 6L6. It said it would cut the power by 70%. First of all, do these work? Second, is there going to be a huge change in tone? I was thinking of using them in a Deluxe Reverb but I don't want to drastically change the tone of the amp.

 

Thanks for all of your work.

 

Joe

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Joe,

 

Lots of folks love these.

 

There is more at http://www.groovetubes.com/product.cfm?Product_ID=1778

 

--------------------

Myles S. Rose

Thanks for the quick response. Could you or anyone else tell me to what extent this is going to affect the tone of the amp? Is it going to make a Deluxe Reverb sound like a Vox?

Thanks again.

 

Joe

It will not sound like a Vox ... it will be closer, but there are many other differences between the two amps.

[daddyelmis]

Myles: Your thoughts, please. Marshall DSL201 with JJ EL84's and JAN/Philips 12ax7's. Just today, I've lost virtually all of the clean headroom on the clean channel. I typically dime the master volume to push the power tubes and keep the clean volume at 3-5 so it just at breakup. I also use a Weber Mass attenuator.

 

Today, turned on main power, let it warm for a couple minutes, turned off the standby and with the above settings it was distorted significantly in a more "fizzy" way. Not unpleasing, but not good and certainly not my normal sound.

 

The EL84's and 12ax7's were put in service about 2 years ago -- but this amp doesn't see a lot of action and since I got the Bassman a year ago it hasn't seen much at all. Over the last month I've started using it again.

 

You think bad pwr or pre tubes? Something worse?

 

Many thanks.

[daddyelmis]

Myles: Update on the Marshall-- the problem is not consistent (or, rather, it's intermittent). Seems like when I powered down, waited a bit, then went through the normal start up (power, wait a minute, standby off) it was fine.

[myles_rose]

Originally posted by daddyelmis:

Myles: Your thoughts, please. Marshall DSL201 with JJ EL84's and JAN/Philips 12ax7's. Just today, I've lost virtually all of the clean headroom on the clean channel. I typically dime the master volume to push the power tubes and keep the clean volume at 3-5 so it just at breakup. I also use a Weber Mass attenuator.

 

Today, turned on main power, let it warm for a couple minutes, turned off the standby and with the above settings it was distorted significantly in a more "fizzy" way. Not unpleasing, but not good and certainly not my normal sound.

 

The EL84's and 12ax7's were put in service about 2 years ago -- but this amp doesn't see a lot of action and since I got the Bassman a year ago it hasn't seen much at all. Over the last month I've started using it again.

 

You think bad pwr or pre tubes? Something worse?

 

Many thanks.

I'd need to see the amp on the scope but two years is a long time, even not playing all that much on EL84 tubes.

 

I change them in touring applications after ten shows or 300 hours.

[daddyelmis]

I'll dig the stock EL84's out of my gig bag and switch them -- my guess was that it was them, but never hurts to ask someone smarter than me (which, come to think of it, includes my 4 year old daughter).

 

Thanks, Myles.

[ktimken]

Hey Myles,

 

I picked up a Maz Jr. 18 NR head and was wondering if it'd be alright to swap out the 5ar4 for a 5r4.

 

Thanks,

 

Kyle

[myles_rose]

Originally posted by ktimken:

Hey Myles,

 

I picked up a Maz Jr. 18 NR head and was wondering if it'd be alright to swap out the 5ar4 for a 5r4.

 

Thanks,

 

Kyle

Kyle....

 

Don't do that. They are very different ...

 

too different.

 

.... in the wrong way.

[daddyelmis]

Myles:

 

Wanted to pass on my recent great experience with Bob Pletka at Eurotubes. Went to him based on your review at amp blueprinting, and it was a great tip.

 

Bob supplied a set of tubes (pre and pwr) for my Pro Jr. to get a bit more clean headroom, and a balanced 12ax7 for the phase inverter -- the set really put that amp in my "sweet spot" with vol at 4-5 and tone at 6-7, and took out some of the "bite" that I perceived in the amp.

 

Bob was great to deal with, and quick to ship. Thought you oughta know.

[Teahead]

Bob at Eurotubes gets a thumbs-up from me too! He made me Deville sound better than ever. A great tube guy!

 

Myles, I'd like to ask your advice on something. I was experiencing a "whistle" or "consistent tinkle" from my Korg AC30tbx that bloomed behind certain notes on the fretboard. It decayed quite naturally and I presumed it to be a tube problem.

 

When I removed the back panel to check them, I discovered what I'm told is One of the two parallel 100ohm /5W resistors that provide the cathode biasing for the el84's, to be removed from the board and lying loose inside the chasis. It's marked R71 on the PCB, where it should have been(!)

 

I'm in a bit of a dilemma now. Could I have damaged the amp by using it this way for the past dozen practice hours in the last month? What in particular may I have strained?

 

It seems fine, apart from the "whistle" that led to me finding the resistor loose, I had no other cause for concern. The "whistle" may or may not have been attributable to the loose resistor, but I won't know until I can get it replaced.

 

What course of action would you advise. The amp is still under warranty, being four to five months old. Would if be sufficient to have a competent tech solder "R71" back inplace and check for any signs of wear?

 

Or should I bite the bullet and send it in for repair with Korg under the warranty. I'd hate to do this, only to have them solder the component on and return it with a huge shipping bill, but I want to be sure not to risk my amp.

 

Thanks for any advice you can offer here Myles. Oh and please tell Jimmy that his replacement board is looking more and more like a great idea!

 

Tea.

[myles_rose]

Originally posted by daddyelmis:

Myles:

 

Wanted to pass on my recent great experience with Bob Pletka at Eurotubes. Went to him based on your review at amp blueprinting, and it was a great tip.

 

Bob supplied a set of tubes (pre and pwr) for my Pro Jr. to get a bit more clean headroom, and a balanced 12ax7 for the phase inverter -- the set really put that amp in my "sweet spot" with vol at 4-5 and tone at 6-7, and took out some of the "bite" that I perceived in the amp.

 

Bob was great to deal with, and quick to ship. Thought you oughta know.

daddyelmis...........

 

Thanks for the feedback.

 

The Pro Jr is a very cool amp. Erik Halbig (Sara Evans) drags one all over the country to compose and practice on when he is not on the stage.

 

If you like these amps in the store when they are stock, then changing just about any tube in the front end makes the amp sound even nicer.

 

The EL84R Sovteks can also be replaced with the EL84S and the improvement jumps again.

[myles_rose]

Originally posted by Teahead:

Bob at Eurotubes gets a thumbs-up from me too! He made me Deville sound better than ever. A great tube guy!

 

Myles, I'd like to ask your advice on something. I was experiencing a "whistle" or "consistent tinkle" from my Korg AC30tbx that bloomed behind certain notes on the fretboard. It decayed quite naturally and I presumed it to be a tube problem.

 

When I removed the back panel to check them, I discovered what I'm told is One of the two parallel 100ohm /5W resistors that provide the cathode biasing for the el84's, to be removed from the board and lying loose inside the chasis. It's marked R71 on the PCB, where it should have been(!)

 

I'm in a bit of a dilemma now. Could I have damaged the amp by using it this way for the past dozen practice hours in the last month? What in particular may I have strained?

 

It seems fine, apart from the "whistle" that led to me finding the resistor loose, I had no other cause for concern. The "whistle" may or may not have been attributable to the loose resistor, but I won't know until I can get it replaced.

 

What course of action would you advise. The amp is still under warranty, being four to five months old. Would if be sufficient to have a competent tech solder "R71" back inplace and check for any signs of wear?

 

Or should I bite the bullet and send it in for repair with Korg under the warranty. I'd hate to do this, only to have them solder the component on and return it with a huge shipping bill, but I want to be sure not to risk my amp.

 

Thanks for any advice you can offer here Myles. Oh and please tell Jimmy that his replacement board is looking more and more like a great idea!

 

Tea.

Tea ....

 

No problems other than some interesting tube wear ....

 

Just have a tech put the resistor back. I guess flow soldering does have it's own list of issues.

[Teahead]

Thanks Myles! My heart rate and blood pressure are falling already! Your reassurance is much appreciated, cheers for your time, I think I owe you a cold beer sometime!

 

Tea.

[myles_rose]

Originally posted by Teahead:

Thanks Myles! My heart rate and blood pressure are falling already! Your reassurance is much appreciated, cheers for your time, I think I owe you a cold beer sometime!

 

Tea.

Tea,

 

You are more than welcome.

[madgrinder]

Oh, wise and wired Myles...sir,

 

I have a Kustom "Studio 2 Valve" amp head, 50 watts.

 

It has a nifty "flange" feature...but I can't turn it completely off without a footswitch (which hasn't been made in 20+ years).

 

Can I open the case on this one and install a toggle on the face to bypass the flanger???

 

I would like to keep the effect, it sounds very cool, but I need my cleans to be clean. The flanger turned all the way down still sings a bit over my power tubes and is disrupting my cool.'

 

Does anyone have a schematic for this old tank? or am I just going to trace the wiring to it's home and cut it's throat?

[madgrinder]

bumped for Sir Miles.

 

BTW, the footswitch connection looks like a DIN cable, or a strange mike plug.

[myles_rose]

Originally posted by madgrinder:

Oh, wise and wired Myles...sir,

 

I have a Kustom "Studio 2 Valve" amp head, 50 watts.

 

It has a nifty "flange" feature...but I can't turn it completely off without a footswitch (which hasn't been made in 20+ years).

 

Can I open the case on this one and install a toggle on the face to bypass the flanger???

 

I would like to keep the effect, it sounds very cool, but I need my cleans to be clean. The flanger turned all the way down still sings a bit over my power tubes and is disrupting my cool.'

 

Does anyone have a schematic for this old tank? or am I just going to trace the wiring to it's home and cut it's throat?

madgrinder........

 

You should be able to put a switch in there.

 

Somebody that might give you some info on the amp would be Jim Wigle over here ... he has seen most everything.

 

You can get him toll free (just ask for Jimmy) at 1-800-459-5687.

[PeeMonkey]

Hey Myles! I need your enlightment!

 

Never asked you a question before so this would be a first hehe. I have stumbled across a few gain control boxes on ebay. Heres a link to one.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=38074&item=3734340774&rd=1

 

I was wondering if these work really well on tube amps? Also does using these do any harm to the tube amp since its cranking it up so high to get the tubes running. Well Thanks for reading this. See ya.

[Caevan O’Shite]

http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/icons/icon2.gif LINK to question posted on your "Vox AC-30 Reissue owners and owners of "Ratty" originals you may want to read this"-thread ... thanks, Myles!

 

(I figured you'd see this sooner here, and following the link you could most conveniently reply there!)

[myles_rose]

Originally posted by Peemonkey:

Hey Myles! I need your enlightment!

 

Never asked you a question before so this would be a first hehe. I have stumbled across a few gain control boxes on ebay. Heres a link to one.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=38074&item=3734340774&rd=1

 

I was wondering if these work really well on tube amps? Also does using these do any harm to the tube amp since its cranking it up so high to get the tubes running. Well Thanks for reading this. See ya.

I have not seen too many problems with these things but it can depend in the amp. Most tone caps are rated at a certain DC voltage. BUT ... with a very high input signal the AC rating of these caps can be exceeded as that was not taken into account in some amp designs.

 

It is best to ask folks that have used specific devices on specific amps how they worked out.

[Dave da Dude]

Myles, this was posted on another thread, and I didn't know if you noticed it. I'm kinda' interested in the definitive answer too.

 

Author: Peemonkey

Senior Member Member # 39312

Topic: Gain Control Box do these work?

posted 07-07-2004 10:37

-------------------------------------------------

Ive seen these for sale and was wondering do these work good with tube amps, it basically just goes into effects loop so you crank up the volume or something on the amp and you lower it through this box, its supposed to get the tubes working at high volumes but with low output.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=38074&item=3734340774&rd=1

 

Heres a link for one on ebay

-------------------------------------------------

Posts: 57 | From: Home | Registered: May 2004

 

Dave th Dude