Tube in solid state amps?

[jzucker]

There are so many vintage recordings of artists whose playing I adore where the guitar/amp/recording tone is poor. It's the music that I listen to.

like?

[Munk]

Last month I made a barter with my Henriksen for a Koch Studiotone XL. The day after we both wanted to go back, so I had my Henriksen home again after 24 hours. The studiotone had an excellent treble and could do things I had never heard before, but impossible to dial a good buttom and it had a noisy fan to cool the tubes. Two very opposite amps. So now I have a Tubemeister, which is in between, but maintenance is not for me and I guess they don’t have long life, with my playing pattern and many short times every day.

Anyway if this is the Jupiter you mean, it’s not very expensive
http://www.thomann.de/gb/koch_amps_jupiter_jup45c.htm

[jzucker]

i don't know if that's the correct price or not since the amp is apparently not out yet. Also, the british magazine "guitarist" said one of the cons was that it was expensive for a hybrid amp but they didn't list the price and I have no idea what they consider expensive...

I do think tubes are on their way out and the ethos pedal proves to me that you can get tube tone in a SS device. The barber barbeq does a good job too.

[Hammertone]

...The studiotone had an excellent treble and could do things I had never heard before, but impossible to dial a good buttom and it had a noisy fan to cool the tubes. …[ ]...

The Studiotone XL is a Class A amp - it runs hot. I found the amp worked fine for band gigs but for quiet playing, the fan noise was noticeable - I disconnected the fan for recording (when the amp wasn't really being driven hard, so I wasn't worried about over-heating). It's a very portable combo, but I find that really compact 1x12" open-back combos all sound a little boxy - the same amp played through a larger cabinet sounds way better to me. The Jupiter combo is in a slightly bigger box, btw. Perhaps they will offer it as a head version.

Anyway if this is the Jupiter you mean, it’s not very expensive
http://www.thomann.de/gb/koch_amps_jupiter_jup45c.htm

That's the one.

i don't know if that's the correct price or not since the amp is apparently not out yet.

Readily available in Europe. In the US, distribution is through StageTrix, here:
http://www.stagetrixproducts.com/about-us.html

[jorgemg1984]

There are so many vintage recordings of artists whose playing I adore where the guitar/amp/recording tone is poor. It's the music that I listen to.

Yeah right... how is the music separated from tone? By tone meaning touch, dynamics, articulation, beat placement, eight notes swing interpretation, attack, pick placement, etc.. All that relates to tone.

Guitar / amp tone is one thing. Recording is another... I can listen to a poorly recorded record if I like the music. But a bad guitar / amp tone it's harder for me to accept, I care more for rhythm / tone than notes these days.

[mr. beaumont]

.... Can you tell me how to get an even remotely clean tone out of this pedal? I had/have one and it always distorted the sound ... And in a way I did not like. I must be doing something really moronic here :-)

If you think like the face of a clock, gain about 7 -8 o'clock (very low) and volume around 3 o'clock. I'm guessing this wouldn't work with a tube amp, just a Super clean solid state...

i need to play around a little more...the reverb is just awful...but hey, for 40 bucks the "modeling" sounds as believable as the Fender channel on say, a Cube...

[Bushwackbob]

Jorge: not to hijack this thread, but I am unclear; are you sometimes using more than one EQ in your chain at one time? You have talked about using the Fromal for some of the spectrum and the Empress (for example) to cover other frequencies. Are you using multiple pedals for EQ at the same time? Thank you!

[jorgemg1984]

I have gone trough several eqs during my playing time. I don't think I have used more than eq at the same time on my board - I just had (and still have) a few simultaneously, but only use one. EQs can save you a lot of time, money and frustration.

I tend to use eqs to do stuff I can't do on the amp's eq. These days with the Mambo I can use sometimes my dual-band parametric eq to shape the mids. And this pedal also serves me as buffer / booster. Also nice with rented / lent amps.

I used the Fromel with the Henriksen because the Henriksen lacked (lacks) not only good mid control but also good bass and treble controls. Since I am using the BarbEQ these days I don't need the Fromel anymore (selling it soon). I don't see the Barb EQ as en eq but as a preamp.

I've also had VFE and Para Driver DI (similar to the Shape) and a modded GE-7. I only tried the Empress at a store, I like the parametric made my tech better (and much cheaper). I also used some of these pedals with my acoustic.

Looking back the Zoom G3 is the best idea - dual-band parametric eq with huge range and plenty of other effects.

Of all I've tried I like my BYOC parametric the best for shaping mids (several mods done to the original pedal) and the Fromel for bass and treble controls (also did some mods, lack of booster is sort of a joke on an eq). To warm up / tube amp feel and controls, the Barb EQ is my favorite. The Fromel with a second parametric mid control and a good booster would be perfect, the bass and treble are just perfect for guitar.

Hope this helps!

[jzucker]

jorge, post a clip!

[jorgemg1984]

Jack I should... right now I am finishing the 5th semester on the conservatory and need to lurn drums and piano properly Plus my rig is 90% finished but not there yet... I will post when both things are sorted out.

But right now I only have the BYOC Para / Barb EQ / Shape Eq. And I may sell the Shape in the meanwhile... let's see!

[jzucker]

Jack I should... right now I am finishing the 5th semester on the conservatory and need to lurn drums and piano properly Plus my rig is 90% finished but not there yet... I will post when both things are sorted out.

But right now I only have the BYOC Para / Barb EQ / Shape Eq. And I may sell the Shape in the meanwhile... let's see!

so what guitar/amp etc?

[jorgemg1984]

I have an Henriksen head modded with a BYOC Reverb 2 and a Barb EQ (plus OPA2134 and fx loop). Also a Mambo head. Cabs are Mambo with an EV 10 Force and DrZ convertible with an EVM-12L (used closed).

Guitars a 1965 Guild X-500 (new pickups, electronics, bridge, tailpiece, tuners, neck angle, finish, etc...) and a Godin Kingpin (new pickup, electronics and bridge). With John Pearse Rounds 12 with 014 and 018 on the first two strings. Fender XH for picks and Sommer cables.

What I need to finish is some of my pedals and the electronics on the guitars.

[jzucker]

when you say modded, what do you mean? Pix?

[jorgemg1984]

Which one?

[jorgemg1984]

I believe you're talking about the Henriksen... I will post pics when I do the threads. It has new opamps (opa2134), new knobs for the controls, a BYOC Reverb 2, an extra speakon out instead of the jack, a passive fx loop... and that's it I think. Oh a 9v out and some velcro on top so the Barb Eq is part of the amp all the time.

[jzucker]

are you an EE as well? Would love to see pix of the head. You should put an 18V out so you could run an ethos or other higher voltage pedal.

[jorgemg1984]

No.. Thank God no. Ironically I am very clumsy with my hands... I do have a little theory knowledge, plenty of user knowledge, tons of good ideas and two nice tech who are both crazy and price friendly enough to perform my ideas

I promise to post pics ASAP.

PS - The 18v is a good idea but I like the BarbQ so much and the Ethos is so expensive... I want to avoid temptations here. I have an RC Booster that also works well replacing the BarbQ when I want a Baxandall sound. I want to stop less money and time on gear very soon, never been so happy with my stuff - time to focus only on music.

[Eagle2x]

are you an EE as well? Would love to see pix of the head. You should put an 18V out so you could run an ethos or other higher voltage pedal.

Hi Jack: I am using the Tech 21 sans amp Para DI (with phantom power) into my Clarus 4plus. I am intrigued with your use of the Ethos (do you use the Amp version or the TLE version). How do you think it would sound with the Clarus as compared to the Sans Amp?

[jzucker]

i have the non-amp version of the ethos. what cab are you using with the clarus? I find the ethos harsh through my corus with the tweeter on...

[jzucker]

just a followup. i noticed today if I get about 8 feet away from the amp, it sounds incredible with the clean channel of the ethos and with the tweeter on. I think without the tweeter you are missing some content above 3.5k. The corus is a bit harsh at really close distances anyway but with the ethos into it and sitting 2 feet from it and with the tweeter on it seems a bit harsh but when you backup a little it sounds fantastic.

[Eagle2x]

Hi Jack:

I am using the Buscarino Chameleon speaker (2 of them) and my Clarus has the speaker emulator engaged (John Buscarino set it up for me to avoid the issue of OD through the tweeter.

I know this next question is off thread, but I was on your website and was interested in purchasing your Vol 1 & 2 - do you have them as ebooks or pdfs for sale? Thanks.

[jzucker]

i do not have them as ebooks. I'm trying to find someone who's interested in collaborating to help me either convert them to ebooks or create an app that would allow me to generate exercises/audio/text.

[Eagle2x]

Thanks Jack. I'll pick those up from the site.

[Encinitastubes]

I didn't like my Evans AH200 much until I paired it with a Raezer's Edge Twin 8. I agree that it's not an amp for Fender cleans. Oddly enough, it sounds best when it is slightly, just slightly overdriven. Sounds like a fat pedal steel sound.

[jzucker]

Which Twin 8? The horizontal one has very little high end. Of course, all bets are off now that someone else is making them. Someone in the know told me they are nothing like the original designs