Rediscovering my amp

[RoteGitarre]

I found it again. That sound. You know, THAT sound. The sound that reminds you why you love an amp. After months of having to play for only a few minutes at a time, I finally had the chance to sit down and get to know my old Classic 50 again. I hadn't really been very excited at the thought of playing, mostly because the tone had seemed so thin lately. No harmonic content, no girth and power, nothing pleasing to the ear no matter what guitar or pickup was going through it. After playing with my distortion and OD pedal settings to no avail, I decided that I needed to get back to basics. I jacked straight in, set the EQ and presence at 12 o'clock, and put the master and channel volumes back to 0. As I worked the volume up and got the EQ squared away, I found myself back in the same old position: thin, weak drive with no balls. I was tired of having to balance each channel volume vs master volume, so I decided to pull out an old school trick. I dimed the master, pulled back the pre gain and channel volume, and started over.

As I brought the channel volume and gain up, I heard it. Faintly at first, then with growing authority as the volume rose. It was a richness and musicality that I hadn't heard out of my amp in recent memory. It was the sound, THAT sound, that I loved the first time I cranked it nine years ago. And I found it again, and will hopefully not lose it.

Any of you guys ever have that experience with a piece of equipment?

[VanDerchuck]

Re: Rediscovering my amp

I hear ya man. Everytime I play with some friends I find myself messing with the EQ, or my pedals or switching guitars mid song. I question all my gear. Until I look at my friend who plays the drums. When I get it right I can see it on his face. He always knows before I do. Then, I don't change a thing all night. It's inspiring.

[Rich_S]

Re: Rediscovering my amp

The other day, I finally (after a year) got around to opening up my DIY 18 Watter to figure out why it sounded like crap. Turned out its problems were two-fold: it had a microphonic preamp tube and two old, worn-out, dirty input jacks. After I replaced those three bits, it was back to its old, obnoxious self again. Sounds like Blackmore's Major on "Made In Japan", but a lot quieter. I'd forgotten how much fun it is to play a good-sounding tube amp cranked up. The reliable standby Pathfinder 15 just isn't the same.

I can't believe I waited a year to get off my ass and fix it.

[PFDarkside]

Re: Rediscovering my amp

Funny you say that. Just today I started messing with my "main" amp (Mesa Road King). I've felt the same recently, like its very "bland". Millions of options for tubes, rectifiers, preamp modes, not to mention effects loops and channel switching. Combine that with my pedalboard and it was just "off".

I decided to plug straight in, turn off all the loops and channel switching (so it works as 4 individual amps with pre/master volumes and takes the overall master out of the circuit). I gave the channel master some volume and worked the gain control, with just the Strat plugged in. Needless to say I was enjoying myself for a good hour and a half this morning. (I think I too had the overall master far too low and the loop in/out volumes need to be optimized for the pedalboard again) But for the time being I'm enjoying the simplicity of a hot clean channel and responsive OD.

Hope you continue to enjoy your amp and tone.