NAD... Straub

[Red_Label]

So I've been mainly doing modern rock/metal for a the past couple of years. But I'm starting to play around with country and classic rock again and decided to pick this used Straub up at my local dealer. Dunno much about it though, as it has a pair of 6L6s and the Straub site only shows an EL34 model (and an 18 watt model). If anyone could tell me more about this amp, that would be much appreciated. Wondering if I can put EL34s in there and try those without causing issues (I do have a set of bias probes and have biased my old Shiva, XTC, etc in the past).

I'm running it into a 4X12 cab loaded with a pair of V30s and T75s in an X-pattern. Sounds great. VERY LOUD with tons of clean headroom. Though it does get a nice edge-of-breakup slightly "hairy" thing going. Reminds me of the Twin Reverb I used to have. Running a Carl Martin Plexitone into the front of it for OD tones and pretty happy with those. Also using an MXR Dyna Comp for squishy Brad Paisley type lead stuff.

 

[jeremy]

Re: NAD... Straub

nice lookin box! never heard of them before.

yours is definitely a different amp than the 50w they show on the site now. different trannys, different filter caps, tube recto on yours

 

[Red_Label]

Re: NAD... Straub

nice lookin box! never heard of them before.

yours is definitely a different amp than the 50w they show on the site now. different trannys, different filter caps, tube recto on yours

Yeah, I just sent Harry [Straub] an email to get more info and see if I can swap-out the 6L6s with EL34s and rebias. Sounds great with 6s... just curious to see what she'd sound like with 34s.

 

[That90'sGuy]

Re: NAD... Straub

I'd contact Harry and see if it's ok to change the rectifier tube as well if I were you. With my 5e3 amp, it came with a 5AR4 which is nice and tight and has good headroom, but I found substituting it for a 5U4GB you'll get less headroom and more sag/compression. If you like what you've got generally, but want it to give up the goods a little bit sooner and not be quite as clean, you may want to give it a shot.

I've always wanted to try one of those amps, they've always sounded killer. Congrats on it!

 

[Red_Label]

Re: NAD... Straub

Hmmm... he must not be checking his email. Got a mail rejection notice stating that his mailbox is full.

 

[TheLivingDead]

Re: NAD... Straub

That looks great, man!

Congrats!

 

[Red_Label]

Re: NAD... Straub

That looks great, man!

Congrats!

Thanks! Definitely a purer signal path than I'm used to with the 2, 3, and 4-channel amps that I've mostly owned.

 

[sosomething]

Re: NAD... Straub

That looks like a nice piece of furniture. Pretty darn cool, but I think it would live only as a studio piece because I'd be scared to take it out.

 

[jeremy]

Re: NAD... Straub

That looks like a nice piece of furniture. Pretty darn cool, but I think it would live only as a studio piece because I'd be scared to take it out.

im with ya. i built a finger jointed void free pine box for a custom amp scott made me years ago and just lacquered it to not deaden the resonance and the wood showing. it looks like it has been thru a freakin war. its amazing how much abuse tolex can take and still look fine

 

[xxxplorer]

Re: NAD... Straub

^ I think tolex looks better with some road rash haha!

 

[Red_Label]

Re: NAD... Straub

That looks like a nice piece of furniture. Pretty darn cool, but I think it would live only as a studio piece because I'd be scared to take it out.

I plan to gig mine (I bought it for a new rock/country project I'm working on). But at least it came with a nice road case. I can defiitely see it getting dinged-up though.

 

[Red_Label]

Re: NAD... Straub

Harry got back to me this morning and says that this is a custom one-off amp (actually, he made two of them). Most of his amps seem to be more Marshall Plexi. But this one has a Fender thing going. The HG in the serial number stands for "Hurdy Gurdy". He's on the road now, but going to look more into his info on it when he's back in his shop. Pretty cool to own such a rare amp! All of my other amps have been production amps (even the "custom shop" boutique stuff like Bogner, VHT, Engl, and H&K is still production to me).

 

[jeremy]

Re: NAD... Straub

very cool! probably more tweed or brown fender than blackface

 

[Red_Label]

Re: NAD... Straub

very cool! probably more tweed or brown fender than blackface

I dunno man. Seems Blackface to me. I'm no expert on single-channel, class-A, clean amps or circuits tho. But it reminds me a lot of the Blackface Twin Reverb Reissue that I had. I made that same statement on TGP and a couple of posters questioned my thinking. Harry posted in that thread that I was right. I definitely prefer that edge-of-breakup sound in these amps... even for country or jazz. Pure clean amps don't seem to hold my interest for long. I do love lots of headroom (and this amp delivers). But I still like a little hint of hair there to give the tone some character and life.

 

[jeremy]

Re: NAD... Straub

well... theres no reverb for starters and bf amps didnt have presence controls

it still could totally have bf style tone stack

 

[Red_Label]

Re: NAD... Straub

well... theres no reverb for starters and bf amps didnt have presence controls

it still could totally have bf style tone stack

True on the verb and presence.

I guess I'm just referring to the general "nastier" vibe that Blackfaces seem to have over the cleaner Fenders to my knowledge. This amp seems to be a not-so-well mannered Fender (in a good way).

 

[Red_Label]

Re: NAD... Straub

WOW!!! I just spent a few very LOUD hours in the man cave and am REALLY starting to fall in love with this thing. The first couple of days I played it like a Fender Blackface. Clean, with a slight breakup, add some squishy compressor for country leads. But tonight I decided to play with the boost switch in the up position and experimented with dialing up the boost volume. Definitely adds some punch and hair on there. In fact, with the boost set to "on" this thing's really starting to remind me of an old plexi. Very fat, bouncy, vibey. So I played around with my Fulltone OCD and also my Carl Martin Plexitone in front of it and was just grinning from ear to ear. Played along with some early ACDC and some Def Leppard (High N Dry era). Then pulled-out my favorite old school tone CD (Brother Cane's "Seeds") to play along with and was REALLY grinning. What a pure joy! Just PURE tone in this amp. LOVE IT! I'm now starting really wonder what the Cantus and Twisted Triode models are like.

It's funny... because I've been floating around in the high-gain channel switcher world for years. But I think I'm really starting get this purer signal path thing and the thought of "gaining-up and scooping-out" is just a total turn-off right now. Dayum... like I needed to be GAS'ing for yet more amps! :/