Universal Amplifier Mods

[Rainmaker]

On all/most amps, with relative safety, you can change the pre-amp tubes, the power-amp tubes and the speakers. You can also cut wattage by removing a pair of tubes.

Is there anything else you can do?

 

[ModestCargo]

Re: Universal Amplifier Mods

Change the speaker if it's a combo.

 

[Grandor]

Re: Universal Amplifier Mods

he said that...


You can add gain stages, add whatever you want really.
My mate has a hotplate built into his JCM800.

 

[James Rock]

Re: Universal Amplifier Mods

wat can u do SAFELY? (no need to worry about electrocution)

 

[Scott_F]

Re: Universal Amplifier Mods

The single biggest bang for the buck is a speaker change.

Often a simple preamp tube change in the first positiion can make a dramatic change.

Sometimes power tubes, going from one brand to the other of the same type, can make a difference, but not always.

Going from a 6L6 to a KT66 for example, can make a pretty big difference.

Start with the speaker though.

 

[Grandor]

Re: Universal Amplifier Mods

wat can u do SAFELY? (no need to worry about electrocution)

You can get electrocuted changing tubes.
Heck you can get electrocuted plugging it in.

 

[Jazz Rock]

Re: Universal Amplifier Mods

On all/most amps, with relative safety, you can change the pre-amp tubes, the power-amp tubes and the speakers. You can also cut wattage by removing a pair of tubes.

Is there anything else you can do?

Which tubes do you need to remove to cut the wattage? Can you do it with all tube amps or does it have to have a specific configuration?

 

[Pierre]

Re: Universal Amplifier Mods

It HAS to be a push pull amp, and it HAS to have at least 4 power tubes.

I.e I think on proper class A amps where all tubes work at all times (unlike push pull), you shouldn't be able to.


But on a dual or triple rectifier for instance, you can pull the two inside or outside tubes and it will half the wattage of the amp. Not much less loud, but less headroom and a slightly different sound. You'll also need to plug whichever cab you were using before into an impedance set to half the original one.

So in your Laney, you can't do it sorry

Push pull amps NEED 2 tubes to work.

 

[JLagoon]

Re: Universal Amplifier Mods

A couple of "universal," I guess, amp mods are mentioned here: http://members.aol.com/axeist/axeist.html