Can you mod a single channel amp to have a clean channel?

[Sune]

Well, as some of you know, I've kinda been looking for an amp with a clean channel.. I don't have the money right now for a new amp, but my question, as the title says, is if you could mod a single channel amp to have a clean channel as well? I'm especially thinking 'bout my Laney.

 

[Pierre]

Re: Can you mod a single channel amp to have a clean channel?

You could MAYBE put a gain stage or two on standby and that'd involve some complex wiring... Just throwing it, for all I know it's all wrong. Actually it would mess up a lot of the voltages.

 

[Sune]

Re: Can you mod a single channel amp to have a clean channel?

Well, I'm certainly no expert, I was just asking, because it's an interesting thought I got.

 

[sosomething]

Re: Can you mod a single channel amp to have a clean channel?

It's possible. People have been adding clean channels to single-channel Marshalls for years. I'm no amp tech and have NO idea how to do it, but I know that a few years ago it was a pretty common practice.

 

[Sune]

Re: Can you mod a single channel amp to have a clean channel?

I wonder if it could be possible on my amp as well, without hurting the overdrive channel?

 

[Simon_F]

Re: Can you mod a single channel amp to have a clean channel?

Have you considered playing your amp clean and getting a good pedal for the ODs? - Plexitone, SFX-03, OCD etc...

 

[ES350]

Re: Can you mod a single channel amp to have a clean channel?

You could make a switchable hi/lo input that would pad it down. Push pull volume pot maybe...that's not going to get you a Twin Reverb, but it would be cleaner.

 

[fingerace]

Re: Can you mod a single channel amp to have a clean channel?

I have read somewhere that you can change one or two of the pre amp tubes and put in tubes with less gain. I guess that that may mess up the OD channel to.

sosomething, can you give me a website or some directions to check that out??

 

[Sune]

Re: Can you mod a single channel amp to have a clean channel?

Have you considered playing your amp clean and getting a good pedal for the ODs? - Plexitone, SFX-03, OCD etc...

I can't play it clean. If I don't use the gain, there's no output! :smack:

 

[joelap]

Re: Can you mod a single channel amp to have a clean channel?

Splawn does it with his mods to 1987x amps and 1959SLP amps. I'm sure its entirely possible, just out of my current comprehension level.

 

[Simon_F]

Re: Can you mod a single channel amp to have a clean channel?

I can't play it clean. If I don't use the gain, there's no output! :smack:

Really? I'm not familiar with Laney's, but try turning the gain to zero and the master volume up high. Then ease the gain up very slowly - you should be able to achieve a clean sound with the gain low.

 

[Sune]

Re: Can you mod a single channel amp to have a clean channel?

I'll probably try that tomorrow. I did try it once, but it's not like I had the master up high. There was no sound until I turned up the gain a little, but I'll try turning the master up a little higher and then only use a little bit of gain (I should probably use the low input as well)

 

[Sune]

Re: Can you mod a single channel amp to have a clean channel?

The problem though, is that I don't just want cleans, I want GOOD cleans.

 

[wixedmords]

Re: Can you mod a single channel amp to have a clean channel?

The GH100TI has all of it's gain stages engaged all the time. The TI only.

I wouldn't mod it Sune, you'll never recoup the money invested and the modding will likely change the overall sound of the amp. In the TI simplicity it gets its difference in sound from the GH100L.

You could roll off the gain, but it would be just less gain, not clean.

I am sure it can be modded, the question would it be how much would it cost, how easy would it be to return it to stock if you weren't happy and how could you hear the mods before you perform them.

Modding is a big step, as if you are unhappy it isn't always so easy to go back. I see alot of modded amps on Ebay. Are these amps worth more? Usually not, and the owner is asking a big price for a return on an investment.

 

[Sune]

Re: Can you mod a single channel amp to have a clean channel?

You're right, I'm not doing it. I just can't let go of this baby. It's like..Even if I don't use it, I still want it around, because it's Tony Iommi's signature amp, and it's a beast! Tony is probably my favourite guitar player, so it's like I have some kind of attachment to this amp, even though I don't play guitar anymore :smack:

I can't explain it..It's like having kids, you wouldn't sell them either!

 

[wixedmords]

Re: Can you mod a single channel amp to have a clean channel?

I totally understand Sune. You got something special there.

 

[baritone]

Re: Can you mod a single channel amp to have a clean channel?

Really? I'm not familiar with Laney's, but try turning the gain to zero and the master volume up high. Then ease the gain up very slowly - you should be able to achieve a clean sound with the gain low.

That's what I was going to say. I usually like the way this sounds on the distortion channel of multi-channel amps.

 

[Simon_F]

Re: Can you mod a single channel amp to have a clean channel?

OK, I understand the issue better now. I didn't quite appreciate how metal your amp is:

"The GH100TI is equipped for out and out metal with 5 stages of gain permanently engaged and several cunning high gain modifications"

This doesn't sound like an amp that was designed for good cleans! If you're set on keeping it, I too would advise against modding it. I think your options are

1) sell it and put the money towards a multi-channel amp with good cleans

2) keep it and buy another amp for cleans

 

[Pierre]

Re: Can you mod a single channel amp to have a clean channel?

Get a stereo cab and use the Marshall head for cleans. Won't be perfect but eh, you set yourself where you are man, none of these amps do decent cleans from the start. There's not much you can do right now with what you have unfortunately.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Can you mod a single channel amp to have a clean channel?

Get a Fender combo and an ABY box.

I saw a guy tame his modded Marshall one time with a Boss GE-7 EQ pedal.
He used it the opposite of an OD pedal, by trimming down the gain, yet eq'ing it to his liking.....to retain the punch in frequencies that lost volume.