The return of AMPZILLA - Pic Warning

[ledzepp29]

Re: The return of AMPZILLA - Pic Warning

man, thats awesome!:laugh2:
Which would you say is your preferred gigging amp?
(i knew a simple 'which one is your favorite' question wouldn't work so I had to think of a way around it) haha

I've been looking at aquiring a yba-1, and doin some of those simple bassman/plexi mods.
I'm curious what that ampeg, gibson, and carlsbro sound like?

I've heard lots of cool suff about those old garnets too, that things gonna be sick.

 

[kevlar3000]

Re: The return of AMPZILLA - Pic Warning

Scott doesn't have much wiggle room on his already low-low prices, but he can save you the shipping. When he finishes your Celtic, he'll just throw it in the trash cans out back, and you can come and pick it up.


Are you familiar with a guy who goes by the handle 'Sgt. Overdrive'? He posts over at http://www.18watt.com/, or at least used to. He owns at least one of those Gibson Atlas' - I love that whole space-race era thing they got goin' on. Doesn't that amp have the dual pilot lights that switch from yellow to red for "standby" and "on"? The whole amp just screams "ready for liftoff".

Scott is definately as good as prices can get, no hassle on that at all.

Yes, I know Sgt Overdrive very well. I like to call him the Tramp... I think he just got his 4th or 5th Gibby yesterday.

The space age aspect of these amps just adds to the whole mojo appeal. Few thinks look more odd on stage, totally puts the vision behind the V and Explorer in perspective. These amps sound bad stock, with some messing they scream. Very sturdy amps, I gig em often.

 

[kevlar3000]

Re: The return of AMPZILLA - Pic Warning

man, thats awesome!:laugh2:
Which would you say is your preferred gigging amp?
(i knew a simple 'which one is your favorite' question wouldn't work so I had to think of a way around it) haha

I've been looking at aquiring a yba-1, and doin some of those simple bassman/plexi mods.
I'm curious what that ampeg, gibson, and carlsbro sound like?

I've heard lots of cool suff about those old garnets too, that things gonna be sick.

I honestly bring a different amp every time I rehearse, each one is killer in its own way. The Carlsbro is far an away the most unique in its voice, the mids are very lush and it opens up with both Marshall and Hiwatt personality to some degree, I have never heard another amp quite like it. Not hi gain, but has beautiful sustain. Really unique, 100 percent British. The 6EU7s in the Gibsons give more snarl in the mids, dialed in they will give most Marshalls a run for the money, they are hard rock all the way. If you hit my soundclick page, check out Sugar City, that is done with the Ampegesque special. Great little 20 watter.

 

[SoCalSteve]

Re: The return of AMPZILLA - Pic Warning

Is it the YBA-1 that has the Bassman/Plexi wiring that people do the mods to?

 

[kevlar3000]

Re: The return of AMPZILLA - Pic Warning

Is it the YBA-1 that has the Bassman/Plexi wiring that people do the mods to?

Yep.

 

[Animal]

Re: The return of AMPZILLA - Pic Warning

85 Laney AOR 50. After many tweaks, this thing is screamin.

I've got an AOR 50 series II head and it sounds a bit bland atm. What tweaks did you have done to yours? What kind of sound you gettin' out of it now?

 

[kevlar3000]

Re: The return of AMPZILLA - Pic Warning

I've got an AOR 50 series II head and it sounds a bit bland atm. What tweaks did you have done to yours? What kind of sound you gettin' out of it now?

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.

 

[Animal]

Re: The return of AMPZILLA - Pic Warning

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 recently installed a set of 4 of Sovtek 12AX7LPS's in mine and it didn't make much of noticable difference. The power tubes, Sovtek WXT's were installed just before I bought the amp from the previous owner.

I'm probably not using the best cabinet for the AOR either. I'm running through a homemade 1x12" equipped with a Black Shadow (celestion classic me thinks). Not to mention I don't have a power attenuator either. Although even when I try to crank the master past 5-6, the power distortion doesn't too sound nice to my ears. Maybe I'm a 6L6 type of guy.

I keep wondering if it's worth getting it modded or just moving on to something else that will give me my sound from the start. It didn't cost me hell of a lot to buy and I'm willing to give the AOR another chance but those mods you mentioned would most likely cost a pretty penny to get a tech to do for me.

 

[fuzzyratfarts]

Re: The return of AMPZILLA - Pic Warning

I can only imagine how many guys would literally kil someonel for the wall of amps in that rehearsal studio.

I have no idea what you are talking about....... ............................ ....................... ...........


(Yes, I am implying that I would kill someone for those amps!)