Make a 1 channel amp easily into 2 !!

InstituteOfNoise

InstituteOfNoise

New member
I'm sure many here like me, at one time or another wanted to get a bit more out of some of your single chanel amps. I got a chance to demo the new Kasha Amplifiers Quikmod last nite. In minutes you can hook up this small box and basically add a second (or even third) channel to any amp. I tried it on a JCM800, a reissue Fender Super and brought my modded Epi Valve Jr. What was cool was you can use it like a boost or a second channel of the tone of choice dialed in. The Quikmod connects via a cable that on the end is a plug that is exactly the footprint of the 1st premap tube, which it plugs in to. By using a footswitch, you can keep the original amp sound of the channel, then by engaging it you get whatever the setting you dialed in on the Quikmod. There are three 12ax7's in this, plus a Post Gain knob to contour the tone, then a Gain knob. For me I'm not much a of a pedal guy, so to play a clean type amp like the Super, then kick in the Quikmod and get some pretty creamy real overdrive was pretty cool! The JCM800 tone just got much smoother with the Quikmod on and with seemingly endless sustain. And the Epi Valve Jr just got much fuller with more tonality, almost sounding like a beefy old tweed. It seemed to sound like much more than 5 watts. When I get mine shortly, I'll post some comparison clips.

I also got a copy of their NAMM ad for it here, so you can see what it looks like...

quikmodflyer.jpg
 
Re: Make a 1 channel amp easily into 2 !!

Interesting. Any idea on what it may cost?
 
Re: Make a 1 channel amp easily into 2 !!

InstituteOfNoise said:
I'm sure many here like me, at one time or another wanted to get a bit more out of some of your single chanel amps. I got a chance to demo the new Kasha Amplifiers Quikmod last nite. In minutes you can hook up this small box and basically add a second (or even third) channel to any amp. I tried it on a JCM800, a reissue Fender Super and brought my modded Epi Valve Jr. What was cool was you can use it like a boost or a second channel of the tone of choice dialed in. The Quikmod connects via a cable that on the end is a plug that is exactly the footprint of the 1st premap tube, which it plugs in to. By using a footswitch, you can keep the original amp sound of the channel, then by engaging it you get whatever the setting you dialed in on the Quikmod. There are three 12ax7's in this, plus a Post Gain knob to contour the tone, then a Gain knob. For me I'm not much a of a pedal guy, so to play a clean type amp like the Super, then kick in the Quikmod and get some pretty creamy real overdrive was pretty cool! The JCM800 tone just got much smoother with the Quikmod on and with seemingly endless sustain. And the Epi Valve Jr just got much fuller with more tonality, almost sounding like a beefy old tweed. It seemed to sound like much more than 5 watts. When I get mine shortly, I'll post some comparison clips.
Click to expand...

do you think it's more for fender style amps? i.e. adding a gain channel to a clean amp?
 
Re: Make a 1 channel amp easily into 2 !!

Not at all Fingerace. It proved it by using the QM on a JCM800, a Super Reverb and then my modded Epi Valve Jr. It will work on any amp and a second dimension to it. Remember it's like adding a mod to your amp, not a pedal, with the exception that you physically leave your amp stock and unlatered preserving it's value, especially if it's vintage. It's cool that it works for any amp, so it's very universal and in value too it would seem.

Theodie, I think they said the mfg list was around $499. Not sure what street will be. You might want to contact them for a dealer list. This QM is a new version debuting at NAMM.
 
Re: Make a 1 channel amp easily into 2 !!

Sune, sure you can! Set your stock sound to clean and set the QM to a lead setting. Use a footswitch to jump back and forth. I did this on the 3 amps I tried with it last nite. You could also do it the other way of you liked the tone where the QM setting is more clean and the stock amp is dirty. Personally the first way is more to the liking and what it's designed for.
 
Re: Make a 1 channel amp easily into 2 !!

Nice... Waiting for your review IoN. Thanks for letting us know...
 
Re: Make a 1 channel amp easily into 2 !!

Look at Sune's amps. Neither one of those two heads gets clean. They get "dirty" clean, meaning some light clipping, but that's it. They are pure rock-n-roll machines.

Sune, to get a clean sound out of either of your amps would require a mod to bypass one of the later gain stages in the preamp. Or, sell one and get a two-channel amp that works for you.
 
Re: Make a 1 channel amp easily into 2 !!

Well Erik he might be able to use the QM to get a cleaner tone and keep the amp as the dirty tone. I didn't specifically try that, but it would be a good test as well.
 
Re: Make a 1 channel amp easily into 2 !!

From the looks of it, and the descriptions, that device just adds more gain stages. To get clean with his amps, you need less gain stages, not more. I'm guessing that thing is just enabled and bypassed through the V1 slot, similar to a footpedal would be enabled/bypassed out front.
 
Re: Make a 1 channel amp easily into 2 !!

Hehe, don't worry guys. I can't really bring myself to sell or mod my amps, so I'll just have to save up for something with a clean channel ;)
 
Re: Make a 1 channel amp easily into 2 !!

...or roll back on the volume knob. That's what I do. Much easier than tapdancing. ;)
 
Re: Make a 1 channel amp easily into 2 !!

But, I would say that if it was possible to add a clean channel of some sort to the product, I actually think you would have a much bigger market, because it would be alot more versatile. However, I have no idea if that stuff is actually possible, because that means it would have to bypass the amp's pre-amp, wouldn't it?
 
Re: Make a 1 channel amp easily into 2 !!

If you have your amp set to a dirty sound, you can't take away some triodes from it without internal mods. It's as simple as that. Unless of course it's been designed as such with switches. My Laney AOR has a switchable AOR gain stage for instance.
 
Re: Make a 1 channel amp easily into 2 !!

But seen as my amp actually has a slave option (that means the pre-amp gets bypassed and the amp only acts as a power amp), wouldn't it be possible in some way?
 
Re: Make a 1 channel amp easily into 2 !!

Sune said:
But, I would say that if it was possible to add a clean channel of some sort to the product, I actually think you would have a much bigger market, because it would be alot more versatile. However, I have no idea if that stuff is actually possible, because that means it would have to bypass the amp's pre-amp, wouldn't it?
Click to expand...

I don't know. The problem with MOST people is they want MORE gain than their amps are capable of. Most amps are TOO clean, or the cleans are too dry or gritty.

I really believe that you may be SOL (****e out of luck) in getting the type of cleans you want from your amps. I know you love that JCM 900, but if it were me...I'd sell that, keep the Laney and get something with the clean channel you want, and then A/B them.

The other thing you COULD do is contact Jeff Seal. He could pull the guts from your 900 and make it into a two channel amp, with stellar cleans and awsome OD. Just not sure if he is taking on this kind of work, or what the cost would be. He just pulls out the stock Marshall PCB board and puts in his own tag board. It's a completely reversable mod.

He did this to my 2 channel JCM 800. I now have an amp with Fender Twin type cleans and distortion that goes from Plexi to Jubilee/2204 type distortion.
 
Re: Make a 1 channel amp easily into 2 !!

Jeff_H said:
I don't know. The problem with MOST people is they want MORE gain than their amps are capable of. Most amps are TOO clean, or the cleans are too dry or gritty.

I really believe that you may be SOL (****e out of luck) in getting the type of cleans you want from your amps. I know you love that JCM 900, but if it were me...I'd sell that, keep the Laney and get something with the clean channel you want, and then A/B them.

The other thing you COULD do is contact Jeff Seal. He could pull the guts from your 900 and make it into a two channel amp, with stellar cleans and awsome OD. Just not sure if he is taking on this kind of work, or what the cost would be. He just pulls out the stock Marshall PCB board and puts in his own tag board. It's a completely reversable mod.

He did this to my 2 channel JCM 800. I now have an amp with Fender Twin type cleans and distortion that goes from Plexi to Jubilee/2204 type distortion.
Click to expand...
That's another good idea. But sell the Laney instead and keep the Marshall. :D
 
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