Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: MrBump on October 11, 2008, 03:23:04 PM
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Had to do it. I was so impressed with the soundclips that Philip posted of his hotrodded Rat 5 watt Blackheart, that I got in touch with the bloke selling them. He does a dual valve version - EL84 and a 6V6/6L6, switchable between the 2, plus powerscaling for £280 - seemed like a bargain to me! I was desperate for a low power valve amp, as my Orange is just riddiculous as it's stuck in my spare room unable to be turned up past 0.5..!
Sooo...
(http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o82/markdemanbey/Amplifier/DSCF1755.jpg)
(http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o82/markdemanbey/Amplifier/DSCF1756.jpg)
I've been playing with it for an hour... definitely impressed. There are places you don't want to go. The powerscaling is good, but not perfect. You can use it to take the edge of the volume (or rather the loudness), but things start to get fizzy too low down. Also, with the master all the way up I found a real sweet spot for the volume, just before half way, where it gets beautiful. And that's just what I was after - on that setting, it's a perfect, just breaking up valve amp.
The thing can also be switched between a valve and a solud state rectifier... only run with the valve so far.
And then I kicked in the HT Dual!!! Whoa!!! The green channel was kicking out some biting AD\DC, and the red channel had this superb saturation. Really very good indeed.
Incidentally, I was playing mostly with my newly acquired Yam SG, and it's amazing. With no pedals, and in that sweetspot, it's got a killer bright, bluesy tone.
Will post clips, but there are 3 more links in the chain waiting to arrive - BKPs for the SG, a Framus 2x12, and an SM57 - the Samson mic I'm using to record stuff is seriously rubbish.
Mark.
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Awesome :twisted:
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Whoa cool :D :D
I am very happy with my non dual valve version. Glad you like the amp, A JJ gold pin Pre valve has tamed the fizzyness on mine at the powerscaling extreme somewhat.
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Whoa cool :D :D
I am very happy with my non dual valve version. Glad you like the amp, A JJ gold pin Pre valve has tamed the fizzyness on mine at the powerscaling extreme somewhat.
Top tip, I'll have a look around for one.
Bloody loud though, aren't they..!
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It's astonishing how loud 5 watts is when fully cranked. Mine is in a tiny room and it's dangerous to be in the with the thing on full.
I don't notice the fizzyness to much even at extremes (before I swaped the Pre amp valve) it is there though mind you that could be a failing of my not broken in Epi 1x12 cutting the top end a bit.
With the Master up 3/4 and the pre about 1/4 and my Les Paul in the middle both pickup position, there's this bloody superb cleanish Blues tone which is just lovely.
The HT Dual really does the business for some rockin though doesn't it.
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excellent! agreed that 5 watts is loud, a lot of people seem to think they're bedroom amps... they aren't really. they're nowhere near as loud as, say, a 100 watter, but the real advantage is that if you don't share any walls with neighbours (as i don't), you can crank it up, and you don't *really* need earplugs if you stand far enough away... as opposed to cranking up my engl where people at the far end of the street can hear it....
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Very nice. I'm considering a 5 watter myself.
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If you don't want your Orange.. :P
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If you don't want your Orange.. :P
I put it up on FleaBay earlier in the year... or was it last year?
Got sick of it. Wasn't doing anything for me. But I pulled it in the end, and ended up getting it a proper overhall - best thing I could have done. Changed it completely.
But I'm not gigging at the moment, and it's stupid-loud.
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If you don't want your Orange.. :P
I put it up on FleaBay earlier in the year... or was it last year?
Got sick of it. Wasn't doing anything for me. But I pulled it in the end, and ended up getting it a proper overhall - best thing I could have done. Changed it completely.
But I'm not gigging at the moment, and it's stupid-loud.
It certainly looks lovely, what kind is it? And what year?
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If you don't want your Orange.. :P
I put it up on FleaBay earlier in the year... or was it last year?
Got sick of it. Wasn't doing anything for me. But I pulled it in the end, and ended up getting it a proper overhall - best thing I could have done. Changed it completely.
But I'm not gigging at the moment, and it's stupid-loud.
It certainly looks lovely, what kind is it? And what year?
It's a GRO100. From 1971 or 72 - I like to think '71 'cos that's the year I was born, but research suggests '72... Great amp, but limited - single channel, no master volume. But when it's cranked, there's nothing quite like it.
Mark.
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Very nice Mr B. I really would like to hear some sound clips at some point if that were possible.
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Very nice Mr B. I really would like to hear some sound clips at some point if that were possible.
Definitely.
There's a new cab on it's way, and a decent mic, and some nice new BKPs for my Yam SG, then I'm away!!!
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Very nice Mr B. I really would like to hear some sound clips at some point if that were possible.
Definitely.
There's a new cab on it's way, and a decent mic, and some nice new BKPs for my Yam SG, then I'm away!!!
Excellent !!!!!!!!!
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Very nice Mr B. I really would like to hear some sound clips at some point if that were possible.
Definitely.
There's a new cab on it's way, and a decent mic, and some nice new BKPs for my Yam SG, then I'm away!!!
What pickups are you getting for the Yam SG?
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Very nice Mr B. I really would like to hear some sound clips at some point if that were possible.
Definitely.
There's a new cab on it's way, and a decent mic, and some nice new BKPs for my Yam SG, then I'm away!!!
What pickups are you getting for the Yam SG?
Well, I took advice from The Man.
I want to get them in before I say anything...
Oh, OK - it's a calibrated Mule set.