Modding Amps

El Dunco

El Dunco

Sock Supplier to RHCP
Is it possible to mod the lead channel of my crate tube amp to make it a hi-gain distortion channel rather than a blues overdrive channel? I don't want to buy a new amp or use a metal pedal because I want to really work the tubes.

If I can mod the OD channel, can someone tell me how it's done?

If not, should I buy a tubescreamer?

Thanks for any help,

Duncan
 
Re: Modding Amps

A tubescreamer wouldn't be a bad investment in any case.

But yes it should be moddable and it shouldn't be that big of a deal. I would be suprised if you wern't happy with just some higher gain preamp tubes.

Edit* Though I wouldn't suggest attempting to mod it your self.
 
Re: Modding Amps

Mephis said:
A tubescreamer wouldn't be a bad investment in any case.

But yes it should be moddable and it shouldn't be that big of a deal. I would be suprised if you wern't happy with just some higher gain preamp tubes.
Click to expand...

Done that, I just want to be able to have more gain at lower volumes as opposed to cranking it to sound good. So how would I mod the gain?
 
Re: Modding Amps

I guess I'm one of the lucky few who have enough gain to kill a dog at bedroom volumes...

Sorry but you'll need to have your amp modded for an extra preamp tube. No clue what it will cost, wait till this year's namm is over there's a product to add an extra channel to any amp. It might be what you're looking for.
 
Re: Modding Amps

Just put a boost in front of it, like a TS or similar with the gain low and the level high. You'll even get some feedback at low volumes if you do it right. Or just stick a big muff in front, that'll get anything screaming.
 
Re: Modding Amps

well, according to crate's website the amp is class A and the powertubes are already working full power all the time, more might not be the best idea. Adding another preamp tube might work, but it's a question of the amps circuit how much added gain it will give you. Considering that there' are already 3 preamp tubes in the amp, you might run out of room, or into serious heat problems. or the input tansformer might not be string enough to handle an extra tube. And of course it could turn out pretty expensive.

A Tubescreamer should give you the extra ain you want but imo there's something better for what you want: stick a rocktron Silver Dragon in front of your clean channel. That way you'll have four channels available(your clean, your lead, and both of the silver dragon's channels). The silver dragons awaken channel will have a more classic tubescreamer type sound so it's more like oldschool metal and hardrock. The slayer channel will be one of the meanest and sickest metal distortions i can think of. And since this pedal has a tube it in it everything from it sounds a lot more real and ballsy than anlog effects. That will also be cheaper than modding your amp.
 
Re: Modding Amps

Go with pedals to get the extra preamp gain. The SFX-03 is a good pedal as is the Carl Martin Plexitone. A tubescreamer is also a good investment, but will possibly need some amp volume to sound really distorted. You'd have to do some serious mods to take an amp from overdrive to distortion without adding gain stages.
 
Re: Modding Amps

Beer$ said:
Is it possible to mod the lead channel of my crate tube amp to make it a hi-gain distortion channel rather than a blues overdrive channel? I don't want to buy a new amp or use a metal pedal because I want to really work the tubes.

If I can mod the OD channel, can someone tell me how it's done?

If not, should I buy a tubescreamer?

Thanks for any help,

Duncan
Click to expand...

If I were you I'd drop the cash for a nice tube-based pedal, like Maxon's reissue of the Ibanez tube king (or the silver dragon mentioned above). Actually, the maxon reissue one looks better than Ibanez's with the lil' switch in the middle of the knobs, but man, what a costly pedal: http://www.zzounds.com/item--MAXROD881

sometimes you can find cool tube pedals cheaper tho - there's a music store here going out of business, and they've got a tube works 310 mega shred pedal with a tube for $50. supposedly its the same circuit as the tube driver in a different housing.
 
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Re: Modding Amps

You might not like the midrange spike that a Tube Screamer type pedal might give you though?
 
Re: Modding Amps

The extra mid from the tube screamer, as stratdeluxer said, might be overbearing. If you really want to kick the distortion into high gear, then I suggest a modified, either by kelley, analogman, or stardeluxer, ds-1. It should be enough distortion for anyone.
 
Re: Modding Amps

Loserchief said:
+1
probably the best, but also probably most expensive advice.
Click to expand...

He wants to turn a Bluesy tube overdrive amp into a hi-gain amp.

With a few pedals it can get near that sound, but it's more along the lines of having the pedals BE the sound and not the sound of tubes being pushed that achieves the sound.

That may work at lower volumes but the odds are that when he cranks the amp up and loses the headroom it's going to turn to mush.

I've owned a good number of amps and a good number of pedals. There's a right tool for the right job and I overwhelmingly find that when I try and get an amp to try and make a sound it was never intended to make I end up making sonic mud.
 
Re: Modding Amps

I just changed the tubes it's all good at high volumes. Dad bought me a Crate 150 SS Amp for Christmas (it hasn't arrived yet) and I can use that for practice.
 
Re: Modding Amps

Well The Powerblock has arrived. I am very pleased with it. Is there any way to make the preamp gain more powerful? (It's SS remember)
 
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