Mystery Box!

feylya

Hmmm, what's this? A box?



Eh, that's an interesting hole...



Really? I never would have known



OH, it's an amp. Cool!

John

Turn that up to 11 and tell us how it sounds.

feylya

I was just playing it there earlier and I must admit, I am quite disappointed with the lack of gain but that's possibly cos of the tubes and breaking them in. I haven't had a chance to go over it properly yet.

BTW, that arrived today. I ordered it on the 29th September...

John

feylya wrote:

I am quite disappointed with the lack of gain

That's a pity. How much did it set you back?

feylya

Less than it's being advertised for

http://www.thomann.de/thoiw6_artikel-178988.html

sei046

i was dying hiding your secret..... i like the way u took out supposodly :-)

feylya

Secret? It was fairly fecking obvious in fairness

bounty_hunter

I was surprised!

That the amp actually exists and wasn't just a giant tube-related conspiracy.

feylya

A giant tube eh? Interesting. I'm very very tempted to go and take the amp apart right now to see how it's made

sei046

sound clips or ya may just ban yourself and pm yourself in a month

feylya

TBH, I won't get to play it again til Friday at the very very earliest. It'll probably be Sunday and I won't have broadband at that stage

bounty_hunter

feylya wrote:

A giant tube eh? Interesting. I'm very very tempted to go and take the amp apart right now to see how it's made

Luckily I foresaw this and had all implements of destruction removed from your house.

feylya

That's ok, I only need my screwdrivers...

Doctor J

What date was it sent?

It wasn't me!

It was kinda well known he was getting it to be honest... I likes it fey. Let us know how she sounds when you've had a chance to really kick her up.

feylya

It was originally sent on the 5th October and again on the 7th November. I'll have to check if the tubes are firmly seated actually. I know if I do it now, I won't go to bed.

Edit: Hmm, now this is interesting. I took the grill off the back to have a look at the tubes and one of the 12ax7's has a metal cap around it. What's that for?

And because Eoin Madsen will want to know, it's a variable bias amp with (I assume) external biasing points.

Karl Hungus

Nice to see you nicked my format for uncovering new gear.

Still, that looks like a nice amp.

Eoin Madsen

feylya wrote:

And because Eoin Madsen will want to know, it's a variable bias amp with (I assume) external biasing points.

You know I only really ask to make people who haven't biased their valve amps uncomfortable.

feylya

Then you asked the wrong person :v:

Beastieboy

Eoin Madsen wrote:

You know I only really ask to make people who haven't biased their valve amps uncomfortable.

Sorry but for those of us who are ignorant (me) could you please explain, i'm thinking of getting a valve amp (Vox Ac30cc2x) soon, and seems relevent. I haven't a clue when it comes to the electronics of guitars....

Eoin Madsen

The AC30 is cathode-biased so you should never have to worry about bias unless you get into modding.

Eoin Madsen

feylya wrote:

Then you asked the wrong person :v:

But I didn't ask.:p

feylya

Oh ho ho, but you did. On the GigSmart forum months ago when Sean (I think) was asking about cheap amps in the Open Mic section. I'll find the post later.

*Edit*

Eoin on the GigSmart forum, 28 September 2005 at 2:47pm wrote:

There's just a few different types of EQ circuit... they don't usually give that kind of detail, I was just curious. Is it fixed bias (in the style of Mesa and Engl)? Do you know if the 12AT7 is in the phase inverter position or not?

Actually, is there a schematic available at all? I'm really curious why it's so cheap among other things.

Yup, you asked me if it was fixed bias

Eoin Madsen

That was all the way back in September so it eh... doesn't count. Anyway, have you actually biased it yet?

Since the GS seems to be down, answer my more recent questions - is there an external plate voltage measurement or just bias? Does the external take banana plugs or is it something else? What does the thing over the 12AX7 look like? Sounds like a simple valve retainer.

Now crack it open and show us the insides. :v:

feylya

I got it last night. It was there for an hour. In that hour, I played it and took the back grill off so no, no biasing.

Actually, They're not banana plugs I think, despite what I said on GS. Depends if I'm thinking of the right thing

It ain't a valve retainer. Why would it be on one tube only if it was?

Eoin Madsen

I got back to you on GS. All this forum hopping is confusing!

Rustar

feylya wrote:

It ain't a valve retainer. Why would it be on one tube only if it was?

That's the new Dimebag Darryl Metal Madness tube, included with all new Randalls. :rolleyes:

feylya

Ya wha?

Beastieboy

Eoin Madsen wrote:

The AC30 is cathode-biased so you should never have to worry about bias unless you get into modding.

Thanks for the info....

feylya

Just cranked the amp a bit. Me likes

Doctor J

It's about time somebody got a tube amp they liked :v:

feylya

Oooh, harsh words there Doc. You want a go on it?

Doctor J

Nah

feylya

Your loss

Doctor J

It's nothing personal man, I'm just setting up a gang of Solid State Amp Afficionados... We're out to destroy the myth that tube amps are the only way to go. We might even hijack a luas. I won't send out your membership form so...:v:

feylya

I don't recall denouncing solid state

Remind me. Your favourite guitar amp, the one you're always talking about. That has a tube in it, doesn't it?

Doctor J

The Ampeg? No, the closest thing that has to a tube is the one in the Roc Pro in the other room

I only plug the Roc Pro so much cos you can get them. There's no point recommending the VH140C cos Big Al sold his one to me... lest it fall into the hands of False Metal. He's a great man, Big Al.

feylya

Ah, but you never talk about the Ampeg.

Doctor J

I don't need to. Didn't I point at it proudly when you were here?


Edit -> Actually, I may have pointed at it smugly...

feylya

Dunno. I was too busy trying to figure out what strings were which on the Ibanez :v:

Doctor J

It still takes me a while

feylya

Just play the fatest one

Doctor J

Oh, and if I ever mention custom wooden inlays again be a dear and snap me out of it :v:

feylya

I think we all want pictures of that particular project

Doctor J

They'll come. It's taken me three full weeks to find the right kind of wood that isn't too hard to carve but isn't so soft it beaks apart when you get down to the itty bittys. I've pretty much got the side-markers done and it's looking good but the fretboard ones required a rethink. I've got a plan though.

The Floyd is in. It stays in tune now

feylya

Interesting... Must hear it through a nice tube amp...

Doctor J

Nah

feylya

Deja vu...

LundiMardi

heh, you guys...

Karl Hungus

feylya wrote:

Just cranked the amp a bit. Me likes

Oooh, good stuff!

feylya

I haven't been able to completely crank it yet but it's a verstile little ****er. Roll your guitar volume back and it cleans up lovely. Neck pickup and it's starting to verge on Yngwie territory. Might look into getting a Keeley Tubescreamer or maybe a DS-1. Haven't tried my ME-50 through it yet either.

Oh, and the clean channel is absolutely gorgeous!