Author Topic: I've gone all rack!!! (Read 14867 times)

withoutwarning · « **on:** September 14, 2005, 05:02:15 PM »

I managed to pick up a Marshall 9005 power amp (50+50 watts) last week off Ebay for peanuts so I decided to put together a rack mount set up...just missing the cab now :)

From top to bottom you have the following...

A Palmer PGA-04 loadbox and speaker simulator
A TC Electronics G-Major
A Soldano SP77 preamp
and
The Marshall 9005 power amp (loaded with Svetlana EL34s right now)

I tried the setup out today...DI'ed the Palmer through my POD and the combo has an astonishing amount of gain! I had the power amp whacked up to max (in mono mode so it was kicking out 50 watts) and the drive channel selected on the Soldano. I only had to turn the gain up on the preamp to 4 and it was squealing like I had a drive pedal in front of it all!The TC wasn't in the SKB case when I tried everything out though...Looking forward to picking up a cab so that I can see what this thing can really do! :o

Btw, I tried it out using my ESP MII which has the Nailbomb in the bridge...Also, cab wise I'm looking at having a custom 2x12 made. I've found a company which can make one to my spec :)

I'll keep you posted!!!

indysmith · « **Reply #1 on:** September 14, 2005, 09:09:29 PM »

Very Kewl, did yu buy all of that in one?! must be loaded. looks like ur gonna have some fun when ur cab comes! :D good luck, and tell me how she sounds.

HJM · « **Reply #2 on:** September 14, 2005, 09:37:14 PM »

I had an SP77 just like that! And a G Major, and a palmer...hey you've got my old rig!

It'll sound great, try running the 9005 in stereo, but have one side wet and the other dry - you loose stereo delays but gain clarity. If you can pick up another power amp, then run three cabs, stereo wet FX, and a dry. I did this for a while, but then some moron ran my car of eh motorway and I wrecked my back so gone are the days of huge rigs without a roadie!!!

withoutwarning · « **Reply #3 on:** September 15, 2005, 02:09:13 PM »

Quote from: indysmith

Very Kewl, did yu buy all of that in one?! must be loaded. looks like ur gonna have some fun when ur cab comes! :D good luck, and tell me how she sounds.

Thanks man :) I didn't buy the whole lot together...been collecting peices of equip over the last couple of years and have just needed the power amp unit to complete the set up. The TC G-Major I've had since 2003 as well as the Soldano preamp. The Palmer unit I bought last year.

Quote

I had an SP77 just like that! And a G Major, and a palmer...hey you've got my old rig!

It'll sound great, try running the 9005 in stereo, but have one side wet and the other dry - you loose stereo delays but gain clarity. If you can pick up another power amp, then run three cabs, stereo wet FX, and a dry. I did this for a while, but then some moron ran my car of eh motorway and I wrecked my back so gone are the days of huge rigs without a roadie!!!

There ya go! I've just nicked your old rig!!! Hehehe...What you're suggesting is exactly what I was going to do...the rig is kinda half cooked right now...the final setup will be as follows...

Gtr > ABY Box > Soldano SP77 preamp and the other channel into an Engl 520 preamp > Marshall 9005 > Custom 2x12 cab (with bass reflex ports) running in stereo.

The TC G-Major will run in the loop of the Engl and I may route the signal from the SP77 into the other input of the G-Major but probably won't as I like the sound of the dry signal (undecided as yet...). I'll use the Palmer to attenuate the signal down (not sure if it can do that though...I think the volume control on it should allow it but I've not tried it yet.

So, the final set up will be the combined sound of the Soldano and Engl...hope it works and doesn't sound sucky!

PhilKing · « **Reply #4 on:** September 15, 2005, 06:11:57 PM »

I have the G-Major, but find that it eats up some of my tone when I switch it in. I have tweaked the levels, but I still get a volume drop from it. I am going into the line in/out on a Lexicon Signature 284 (it probably recognises that I am not using a Lexicon unit and is punishing me

)

Custom79 · « **Reply #5 on:** September 15, 2005, 06:27:20 PM »

Nice rack, bet you've got some great tones in there !!

Here's mine all sourced from eBay .....

indysmith · « **Reply #6 on:** September 15, 2005, 07:08:57 PM »

pah! ya showoff! (i'm so jealous) thats delicious

HJM · « **Reply #7 on:** September 15, 2005, 10:17:34 PM »

How many men does it take to lift the rack.....I used to have on of those Marshalls...30kg+, and I used to have to use the bus and taxis back then too!

bucketshred · « **Reply #8 on:** September 15, 2005, 10:18:55 PM »

I'm kinda going off the idea of rack already, I dont think I can be arsed to program all the MIDI stuff! Plus, I like to tweak my amps too much, it is more fun :)

Andy!

big steve · « **Reply #9 on:** September 15, 2005, 10:30:07 PM »

that's true, i'd probably just go for a THD bivalve or something into a good 4x12. but, i've you've got GAS...

Custom79 · « **Reply #10 on:** September 15, 2005, 10:44:17 PM »

Quote from: HJM

How many men does it take to lift the rack.....I used to have on of those Marshalls...30kg+, and I used to have to use the bus and taxis back then too!

My other guitar player is a right wimp, he racks his poweramp seperate and complains everytime he has to carry it. We played a gig two weeks ago and I had to carry my rack about three hundred yards up a country lane on my own .......... now that was a back breaker !!

FELINEGUITARS · « **Reply #11 on:** September 16, 2005, 12:25:34 AM »

Quote from: Custom79

Quote from: HJM
How many men does it take to lift the rack.....I used to have on of those Marshalls...30kg+, and I used to have to use the bus and taxis back then too!

My other guitar player is a right wimp, he racks his poweramp seperate and complains everytime he has to carry it. We played a gig two weeks ago and I had to carry my rack about three hundred yards up a country lane on my own .......... now that was a back breaker !!

Sorry - I am with your bandmate on that one- separate poweramps
I have 3 different poweramps- Peavey 50/50, Marshall 9100(my fave) and an ADAt100s. they are all heavy valve ones so - definately separate racks for them

lepersmeesa · « **Reply #12 on:** September 16, 2005, 02:05:46 AM »

sheesh thats a lot of gear. Got any spares to give away. :D

The amazing Phil · « **Reply #13 on:** September 16, 2005, 10:09:10 AM »

I couldn't use all that rack stuff, but it sure looks mighty impressive. Bloody ace in fact, although too loud for what playing I manage to do at the moment. I need to conscript a band.... *sigh*

FELINEGUITARS · « **Reply #14 on:** September 16, 2005, 12:07:05 PM »

It's my heating system for my home in the wintertime
Gives off enough heat to keep the house warm

there are another two ADA preamps, A behringer modelling preamp , Another Roctron Pirhana, two more BBE sonic maximisers and two poweramps you cant see as well.

That rack has slowly grown since 1988, a lot of the preamps have special modifications done to them:twisted:

And I've only played through my Marshall head lately.......makes me wonder a bit :idea: