|
Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! >
New gear - Modifying amps
New gear - Modifying amps
Page:
1
Baker
35 posts
Oct 07, 2009
9:48 AM
|
I've been playing now for just over two and and a half years and have always played acoustically, except for through a PA at jam sessions etc.
So, after reading posts on this forum throughly, and watching Adam's videos I finally got myself and Epiphone Value Jr amp and a Shure 565-SD dual impedence mic, switched to it's Hi-z setting.
This set up sounds great when the volume dial is set from about 12 o'clock and upwards. It gives a lovely warm full tone, however when playing at a lower volume the tone becomes quite tinny.
Does anyone have any thoughts on how to get a better tone at a lower volume? Should I try a different mic?
I have also seen these modifications on the Lone Wolf site: http://www.lonewolfblues.com/projepimod.html.
Has anyone tried them out? Will they help with this particular problem?
As I said, I'm a totally new to this "amplified" harp stuff so any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks, Baker.
|
Bluzdude46
223 posts
Oct 07, 2009
1:45 PM
|
If you are getting the volume past 12:00 with no feedback I would question the strength of the mic element. Before modded, both of my Epi Jr's would start feeding back at about 10:00 or little more. Thats using a mic with a very strong element. Definitely do the Lone Wolf mods, forget the mods on Epiphones discussion boards or Sewatt boards, they are for guitar. Most amps sound better when pushed harder so if you can take the volume leave it up!! Also if it sounds good to you now wait until the speaker is broken in. Did you get the combo or the Head & Cab version?
|
congaron
176 posts
Oct 07, 2009
9:05 PM
|
I swapped the preamp tube until I found one I liked..I prefer the 5751 tube but I also have a 12ax7 that sounds a little better than the stock one. The biggest difference I found was to put a 2x12 cabinet on my valve junior head. It added bass, reduced feedback and increased the volume over the single 12 I was using. Next for me was using a digital delay and eq on my digitech rp80 guitar pedal. i use the expression pedal strictly as a volume control and now i can crank the amp to about 1 o'clock and leave it. Like Bluzdude, mine feeds back around 10 o'clock in a small room, but ouitdoors and on a good sized stage i can put it to 1-2 o'clock. The pedal lets me control volume. I mic it into the PA for bigger rooms or large outdoor areas. I think the 5751 makes the biggest difference if you have a volume control for your mic, no pedal and can't use 2 12's. Being able to EQ out some of the highs helps too.
Tone hasn't been a problem with mine, but maybe I don't have the same preferences. Tone is so subjective. I like a trumpet-like tone, as well as trebly grit and Chicago dirt. I like to make it honk, squawk, and even sound like a harmonica..lol. I use the vocal mic and PA for that one. Keep experimenting until you get the tone you want. the speakers make a big difference. I have used speakers from 8 inches to 12..and finally settled on 2 12 inch Jensens to get the tone I want. I am lucky. I had many options laying around for my guitar. All my stuff is recycled from and still used for guitar...except the valve junior, which i bought specifically for harp and also use for guitar now....go figure.
Last Edited by on Oct 07, 2009 9:06 PM
|
Baker
36 posts
Oct 08, 2009
2:00 AM
|
Sorry, forgot to mention the feedback. I tends to start, like you said at about 10 o'clock, unless I cup the mic really tightly. Also forgot to mention that it is a combo version.
I have a friend how can do the mods for me so will get those done and see how it goes form there.
Thanks for the feedback guys - pun intended.
Baker.
|
Bluzdude46
226 posts
Oct 08, 2009
6:35 AM
|
One more addition, sorry. I skipped over the line out Mod as unnecessary. If you have a later version of the Epi Vjr combo it has a Spec Design Eminence speaker that is very much a part of the great sound of the Amp. If you wish to add the amp sound to the House PA you are better off mic'ing the speaker instead of using a direct line out. All do respect to our friend Congaron, The Eminence Speakers really are the best for this amp and out of the 2 Epi's I've modded I prefer the Head & Cab version that has the 12" Eminence Lady Luck. I must note this is the only instance I have ever chosen a 12" speaker as a preference for Harp.
Last Edited by on Oct 08, 2009 6:36 AM
|
markdc70
9 posts
Oct 08, 2009
11:31 AM
|
One suggestion when modding that V Jr is a resistor change. After the Lone Wolf mods were done to my amp, I found I couldn't get to the desired 2 to 1 drive ratio of the second gain stage before feedback. I tried a few different value resistors and settled on a 560k. This is the resistor that is soldered in before the power tube and forms a voltage divider with the existing 220k resistor. I got a more compressed and creamy tone now than with the suggested 220k resistor. Also, the hi/low input I don't feel is worth the work, as almost the same effect is achieved just turning your volume down. The line out IS something that I use and feel worthy of the extra work.
Last Edited by on Oct 08, 2009 12:42 PM
|
congaron
180 posts
Oct 08, 2009
1:05 PM
|
I forgot to mention, i actually tried my head with a red fang (eminence) at the store. That is a very good sounding combination as well and convinced me to buy the head. I was unhappy with the sound of the cabinet they had to demo it with (a 4x 12 variant that was plenty loud but lacking in harp tone) and I brought the red fang back to the store to try again. They didn't have the Epiphone cab in stock.
I don't doubt the Epiphone head/eminence cab combination at all. It gets rave reviews all over the guitar world and i have not experienced the "good for guitar bad for harp" thing at all. My tone is whatever I do to it acoustically. I love the sound of harp through everything I play through except that 4x12 cab...lol.
If I had a lady luck to try, i absolutely would. I'm kind of glad i don't..since it would be at a store and I would probably want to buy it...lol.
I am just using what i already have to save money, since i have a wide variety of stuff to try, from weber 10 inch smooth cone to jensen 12 inch alnico to some old 8 inch cab to twelve inch eminence variants to jensens..to 15 inch eminences to marshall 12 inch gold (that's a killer single 12 sound btw and my son took it with him on his last visit home...rats.) You get the picture (add formerly guitar gear tolerant but recently harp gear-edgy wife and limited finances to the ingredients above).
I liked a single jensen 12 a lot as well..alnico and normal magnet... but the duals added 3 db to the measured sound level at 1 m. I can't say i hear a huge difference in tone between one speaker and two but the volume increase was measurable and every little bit counts on stage with electric guitars.
I suspect two of the eminence 12 inch cabs would be the perfect setup because you could even split them up as needed for the best of all worlds on stage. I really like the 2 12 inch jensens and probably won't even shop around until it's time to get a bigger head..if ever. Nothing really pointing that way at the moment.
I've had other harp players comment on my tone favorably, so I'm happy. One guy even thought I was blowing through an old bullet mic...I wasn't. I don't think the audience cares about it as much as i do except for other harp players....lol. BTW..thanks for the respect, BluzDude. I hope someday to deserve it.
Last Edited by on Oct 08, 2009 1:11 PM
|
LittleJoeSamson
76 posts
Oct 08, 2009
9:12 PM
|
Hi all, Been awhile...thought I'd jump in.
I got a GREAT deal off of craigslist a couple weeks back: a barely used Blackheart BH15H head WITH the matching speaker cab for basically 1/2 retail ( maybe a little less ).
The seller was a git hobbyist with more gear than his studio apt. could hold.
Head was new in 01/09 and the speaker new in 07/09.
Looked out of the box, and could tell never gigged with.
Checked online schematics/specs, and thought this a possible decent harp rig...with alterations.
Anyway, bought after playing thru about five minutes. Could tell that it was way too gainey for harp.
The tube complement is two power EL34's. Stock Chinese. Also two pre-amp 12AX7B's, also Chinese.
I pulled all.
Started with two used RCA 6BQ5's, matched, and two 12AU7's.
Wonderful tone, no volume.
Put in a 12AZ7 in V1 and a 12AX7A in V2.
Much better volume, but an ambient hiss/hum...even at lo vol.
Then put in two milspec triple mica 6201's.
Sweet spot!
Plenty of gain, breakup, low-end, NO ambient microphonics, and NO feedback.
This at the 7 watt setting.
|
Bluzdude46
229 posts
Oct 09, 2009
2:06 PM
|
Yea I changed out the chinese tubes for a better grade also. Left the 12AX7 just a better grade. big difference. Now onto my bigger box the Fender LTD Reissue. I seem to remember reading somewhere that changing out 2 of the Jensen PQ10 for either Weber Alnico or Eminence speakers made a neat contrast and good combined sound. Anyone else know about this? because I'll be danged if I can find where I read it!!
|
Kingley
409 posts
Oct 09, 2009
2:42 PM
|
Changing 2 of the Jensens for Eminence in a Bassman is quite a common mod.
The Sonny Jr 410 has 2 X Weber Alnicos and 2 X 10 Eminence in it. The Sonny Jr is basically a modified Bassman circuit.
The HarpGear HG50 uses 2 X 10 Webers and 2 X 10 Jensens. The HG50 is a little different to a Bassman, but is a similar concept.
I seem to recall that Rod Piazza always changed out 2 of the Jensens for Eminence in his Bassmans as well.
For my taste a Bassman LTD ran best with a NOS 12AY7 in V1 and the rest as 12AX7 - 2 x 5881 - GZ34. That's pretty much how the original '59 Bassmans were valved.
There are a few circuit mods to make a Bassman even more harp Friendly and to encourage earlier break up.
The best person to contact for those would be Mark Burness in my experience. You can find him on the Weber board or the Lone Wolf forum pretty often. He is also on MySpace.
Last Edited by on Oct 09, 2009 2:44 PM
|
mrdon46
12 posts
Oct 10, 2009
10:54 AM
|
Hmm--seems like this thread has gone from a specific question about the valve jr to a more general one about the best speakers for harp. Returning to Baker's original request for ideas regarding his valve jr, by all means start with the LW mods, these should address much of the tone issue. I would add the line out, it makes the amp much more versatile. Second the 5751 in place of the 12AX7, these things are of course subjective but it's become my favorite noval preamp tube. Since Baker has the combo, I'd think about replacing the speaker, and fitting a 10" in place of the 8"--it's reportedly doable with bit of woodworking, and should give a good boost in useable volume and presence (I think speaker size and efficiency has the most impact on usable volume of all the things you can do to an amp). The Weber Sig 10 alnico (smooth cone with H dust cap) is a great inexpensive option, I have one in my Kalamazoo (SE EL84, very similar to the Valve Jr) and it sounds great. For more $, and if it'll fit (it's a deeper speaker), IMHO the Weber Vintage 10A125-O (alnico,smooth cone, with H dust cap) is the best single harp speaker out there. With the LW mods, a good 10" speaker and a line out, the Valve Jr would be just about the ultimate first amp--inexpensive, toneful, portable, loud enough for practices and maybe small gigs (if the rest of the band keeps to a reasonable volume), with the option of easily running a line out through the PA and using the amp as a stage monitor for larger gigs.
As for the more general question of speaker combinations for larger cabs, I also favor mixing speaker types--I have a 2X10" with a Weber 10A125-O paired with an Eminence Lil Buddy (ceramic, hemp cone) that just rocks.
|
arnenym
1 post
Oct 10, 2009
12:05 PM
|
I've modded several Epi valve jr's and my favourite is the lonewolf-mod plus a jensen C8R with a weber big harpcap or (better) a pyle driver 8 or a weber A100 with a Harpcap. IMHO - You dont need a bigger speaker than a "8.you get loud and get the fat you need.
That just give you a lowdown dirty wonderful harpamp -But it aint give you better crunch&breakup on a low volume. Cause all tube amps from a Epi VJR to a Bassman have their own point where they sound best. And that is when the amp got the volume when they start to breakup.
If you want a better breakup at lower volume you have to use the amp as a PA and get the breakup from a pedal. try a Lonewolf Harp attack and i believe you love it. I use it on gigs on small clubs to get crunch and break at low volume on my bassman. And i use it on my smaller homebrewed amps at home when i practise at löow volume at home.
Last Edited by on Oct 10, 2009 12:08 PM
|
Post a Message
|
