Can't find the sweet spot! Need help..

[edi_87]

Ok guys.. I play MIA Strat plugged into H&K Triamp II and got following problem: When I set the mid knob too low I don't cut through the mix, and when I cranck it to, let's say, 3'o clock everything would be allright, the sound would be nice, full of character, but I'm getting this ear-piercing tone that I can't stand.. When I swith to middle pup it's getting really bad, and even worse on bridge.. The louder I play, the worse it sounds..
I've tried rolling off treble completly and it isn't any better.. Tried lowering the pups - didn't work.. What should I do? Maybe my speakers don't like mids (4 G12T75's) and I should replace them.. Maybe I should retube my amp cause it hasn't been retubed for 2 years..
What do you think can be a problem?

 

[Diego]

Re: Can't find the sweet spot! Need help..

Have a presence knob? If so, lower it along with treble as you increase the volume... you don't need so much treble when at higher volumes.

It could be your axe... it even sounds a bit like the nature of SC tones. Have any humbucker-loaded guitar to try on that setup?

 

[edi_87]

Re: Can't find the sweet spot! Need help..

Well.. I got my Presence knob at 12 so I don't think it makes the problem, I'll check it out though..
I don't have any hambucker guitar, got a lil JB in my strat though (bridge position), the sound is tragedy.. piercing as hell, way more than the single coils.. Maybe I should set the lil JB lower? Now it's about 5/64" from the bottom of the strings..

 

[Mephis]

Re: Can't find the sweet spot! Need help..

Well my amp has annoying mids too... I just scoop out a slight bit and bring the presence up, takes care of the ice pick in ear and lets you cut.


Try turning your presence to 0 and dialing your mids to where it sounds best, then turn your presence up till desired effect.

 

[Boogie Bill]

Re: Can't find the sweet spot! Need help..

Sounds to me like a microphonic tube.

Bill

 

[That90'sGuy]

Re: Can't find the sweet spot! Need help..

IMHO, the Triamp was made for humbuckers. However, when I have tried the amp with single coils, I didn't have any issues. I'd seriously try keeping back on the presence and treble, keeping the mids pretty high (around 2 o'clock ish.... I think most amps sound ice picky with anything much more) and see if that does anything for you. Different amps respond differently with different guitars, so even though the knob settings may not look "conventional", if it sounds right, it IS right

Of course, if all that fails, I'm with Boogie Bill, get those tubes changed out.

 

[Jeroen]

Re: Can't find the sweet spot! Need help..

IMHO, the Triamp was made for humbuckers. However, when I have tried the amp with single coils, I didn't have any issues.

I do not fully agree. In my opinion, the Triamp works best with singlecoils with 6L6-powertubes. On the Triamp Mk. I, this was offered as a factory option, but at some point they discontinued the Triamp 6L6, and the Mk. II isn't available stock with anything but EL34's. I say that's a waste. I personally play through a Triamp Mk. I 2x12 combo with Celestion G12H100's, that was offered the first year of production only, with the 6L6 powertubes, and it sounds really, really good. No earpiercing treble, no poor mids or whatever, just a really big sound at any volume.

 

[spuds]

Re: Can't find the sweet spot! Need help..

I suggest trying it with different guitars so that you can isolate the problem. If its still there with a different guitar with different pickups, then you can start figuring out why your amp is reacting that way.

 

[edi_87]

Re: Can't find the sweet spot! Need help..

You checked the tone controls on your axe?

I always play with those maxed out.. People say that this way strat sounds better..

Sounds to me like a microphonic tube.

Well I'm not a specialist on this ground, but that's possoible.. Anyway, I'm retubing in the nearest future.. I think I'll go for JJ's since they've gotten some nice reviews recently..


Well.. there's another possibility.. When I changed pups I also changed pots. I'm not sure what pots have been installed, 2 SSL-1's are wired together and JB jr has separate tone control.. Singles sound ok but when I switch to 1 or 2 position (JB or with JB) the sound is really piercing.. What's your opinion? Should I lower the pup or is it a pot issue?
Thanks

 

[suislidE03]

Re: Can't find the sweet spot! Need help..

Id put money on the speakers. I had T75s in my Laney when i first got it, and never did appreciate the sound. It was ALWAYS ice picky, and even beam blockers didnt really cut it. Switched to Eminence V12s, PERFECT. Ice pick is no longer in the amps vocabulary. Every time i hear an amp with T75s i can still hear that scooped mid and sharp highs. I would seriously suggest a speaker change.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Can't find the sweet spot! Need help..

first thing i would check is that the control for the jb jr. if its a 500k, i would switch it to 250k thatll smooth things out from the guitar a touch.

the 75's are not my favorite speakers

is the problem when you play live or just by yourself? if its live, have you tried listening to what it sounds like 3-4 meters in front of your cab? better or worse?

 

[edi_87]

Re: Can't find the sweet spot! Need help..

Id put money on the speakers

That's exacly what I'm going to do.. 2 G12H30s + 2 V30s should do the job

i would check is that the control for the jb jr. if its a 500k

Can I check it myself? How?

have you tried listening to what it sounds like 3-4 meters in front of your cab? better or worse?

Well, the sound is pretty the same.. maybe slightly better.. Piercing high-mids stay though

Is the JB wired to one knob only?

I guess yes, but Im not sure about that..

I guess Ill have to look inside my baby and check the pots and wiring..

 

[LesStrat]

Re: Can't find the sweet spot! Need help..

DO NOT spend money before isolating the problem.

It might be a tube, it might be a speaker, it might be the pot, it might be tone adjustments....


As others have said, try making adjustments; try using different guitars; try your guitar in a different amp; check your wiring; etc., etc.

 

[Stevo]

Re: Can't find the sweet spot! Need help..

the 75's are not my favorite speakers

Especially for mids, they are definitely not my favorite speakers.

If you want mids, go for the G12m, G12h, or Weber Blue Doc ceramic.. or similar.

 

[The Golden Boy]

Re: Can't find the sweet spot! Need help..

Try turning your presence to 0 and dialing your mids to where it sounds best, then turn your presence up till desired effect.

This sounds like the best starting point. I'd isolate that it's not an EQ problem before moving on to tubes (which I doubt), or even the speakers.

 

[edi_87]

Re: Can't find the sweet spot! Need help..

ok, I did what you told me to do. Two single coils sounded darker, weren't ice picky at all, but they hadn't been a big problem before.. Anyway, the bridge humbucker - JB jr sounded darker, muddier, but.... still damn piercing.. i'd say that it hasn't lost much of an ice pick it had before.. even though i'd run presence and mids almost all the way down..

 

[The Golden Boy]

Re: Can't find the sweet spot! Need help..

Where are your EQ and gain settings?

Do you have your bass cranked?

Try starting with everything at 12:00 and go from there. It doesn't help that the JB Jr is voiced differently, but it shouldn't be THAT much of a factor.