I have upped the value of just about all of the caps. More bottom, and warmer character this way. I swapped the 50+50 can cap in the pre section with a 32+32. Gives it a more vintage vibe. Softer around the edges. I clipped the cap off of the master volume control and added a 470K resistor in its place as well as clipped the cap off of the pre gain. This tweak made an amazing difference with the hi gain channel, more bottom, earlier breakup and much more natural response. I put a .68 cap on the presence pot, instead of the .1. ( The George Lynch tweak) I also use a 12AT7 in the 4th tube position, the furthest to the left. Really opens up the hi gain inputs distortion.
This amp now sounds almost identical to an early 70s metal panel Marshall, it is no longer an 80s sounding amp. It is warmer and bigger, still has plenty of gain but with true old school flavor. I am amazed at how far this head has come. It now is right there with my vintage stuff.
Mine is a 6 knob version, I have never messed with the 8 knob. These amps are extremely picky about tubes, the wrong tube sounds REALLY bad, more than any amp I have owned. Good pre and power tubes make a huge difference, if you still have the original Siemens in it, you are winning 1/2 the battle. I also run mine with an attenuator, so I can really crank it. I tend to not use the boost switches on the hi gain channel, but on the low gain they sound really nice. Lots of variety with settings between inputs. I was shooting for a medium hot gain, 70s flavored machine and really have it where I want it now.
