Tips for breaking in guitar amps?

SeanHurley

Is there anyway I can speed up the "break-in" of guitar speakers.

I got a brand new replacement amp from Hiwatt recently as there was an issue with my orginal unit. However, it just doesn't sound as nice, very harsh and not a particularly pleasing low end. I am putting this down to the speaker not being broken in (I had originally bought the shop model).

There seems to be some diffenences of opinion on (a) whether speaker break in is a myth and (b) if it isn't, how long it takes (times range from 15 mins to 100hrs)

Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

TelePaul

Be it fact or fiction, when the bass drum hits it's not gonna matter.

PaulBrewer

I know with PMC monitors 40 hours is recommended - Run your ipod into it and leave it rattling away for a few overnights, should sort it out

Seziertisch

PaulBrewer wrote: »

I know with PMC monitors 40 hours is recommended - Run your ipod into it and leave it rattling away for a few overnights, should sort it out

+1 New speakers always need to be broken in. If you play a lot live, it should happen of its own accord. Otherwise, the ipod is your friend.

trackmixstudio

It is NOT a good idea to hook your ipod up to it.
A guitar speaker is voiced nothing like a full range speaker and low subs and high highs are not good for it.
Go to this link and select breaking in speakers where it says "select a topic"
It suggests turning the amp loud and playing percussive open chords on a clean tone.

http://professional.celestion.com/guitar/features/drdecibel/index.asp

Worked great for my orange ppc412 which was a bit flat sounding when I first got it. This advice comes from celestion themselves.

PaulBrewer

trackmixstudio wrote: »

It is NOT a good idea to hook your ipod up to it.
A guitar speaker is voiced nothing like a full range speaker and low subs and high highs are not good for it.
Go to this link and select breaking in speakers where it says "select a topic"
It suggests turning the amp loud and playing percussive open chords on a clean tone.

http://professional.celestion.com/guitar/features/drdecibel/index.asp

Worked great for my orange ppc412 which was a bit flat sounding when I first got it. This advice comes from celestion themselves.

What if it's a recording of a clean guitar Michael ?

trackmixstudio

PaulBrewer wrote: »

What if it's a recording of a clean guitar Michael ?

That sounds like a pretty boring album to have on your ipod:p

SeanHurley

I have seen some stuff about using a variac transformer on the speaker? This seems rather dangerous?

I am hoping the harshness will work itself out of the speaker, at the moment a telecaster thru it will shave your ears off. Even a les paul sounded very cutting

PaulBrewer

trackmixstudio wrote: »

That sounds like a pretty boring album to have on your ipod:p

Aha ! Got ya !

PaulBrewer

In fairness I don't see any issues - it doesn't say anywhere not to use some thing like an ipod - it also recommends turning bass up. Whilst a clean sound may not have too much high end a guitar amps usual stock in trade, distortion , is a heap of high end harmonics by definition.

PaulBrewer

SeanHurley wrote: »

I have seen some stuff about using a variac transformer on the speaker? This seems rather dangerous?

I am hoping the harshness will work itself out of the speaker, at the moment a telecaster thru it will shave your ears off. Even a les paul sounded very cutting

Huh ? A variac has been used to reduce voltage to the amp for a particular tone (didn't EVH use such like ? )

SeanHurley

I think you are right on Van Halen using one as a power soak.

Check this out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIRffx48KVc

also there is some talk of it here:

http://www.webervst.com/sptalk.html

PaulBrewer

SeanHurley wrote: »

I think you are right on Van Halen using one as a power soak.

Check this out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIRffx48KVc

also there is some talk of it here:

http://www.webervst.com/sptalk.html

60 Hz US Mains ? - I guess an amp with a guitar lead and no guitar will give you 50 Hz ?

SeanHurley

PaulBrewer wrote: »

60 Hz US Mains ? - I guess an amp with a guitar lead and no guitar will give you 50 Hz ?

See I get confused at this point

I think the tried and tested just play the damn thing might be the safest route:D

PaulBrewer

It's a phuckin speaker - fire a bit o phuckin sound into it and stop thinkin' so much ... you have a country to run !

SeanHurley

PaulBrewer wrote: »

It's a phuckin speaker - fire a bit o phuckin sound into it and stop thinkin' so much ... you have a country to run !

point taken!!

Ronan Murphy

You could also record your guitar with a DI and reamp it out to the amp on a loop

trackmixstudio

PaulBrewer wrote: »

it doesn't say anywhere not to use some thing like an ipod

It doesn't say not to throw the cab down the stairs either;)

Wow. I got to use the "smug b@stard" winky smiley that Paul uses all the time:D