Username: Password:

Author Topic: Interesting find - the Slash #34 JCM800 mod...  (Read 25977 times)

Twinfan

  • Light Heavyweight
  • ******
  • Posts: 10528
Interesting find - the Slash #34 JCM800 mod...
« on: September 16, 2011, 11:07:42 AM »
For those folks like me who enjoy techie stuff - here's the accurate #34 JCM800 mod as used by Slash on numerous GnR and solo recordings:

www.mediafire.com/?bbnxtoc0fvfk8h7
« Last Edit: September 16, 2011, 11:09:43 AM by Twinfan »

HTH AMPS

  • Middleweight
  • *****
  • Posts: 5649
    • HTH AMPS
Re: Interesting find - the Slash #34 JCM800 mod...
« Reply #1 on: September 16, 2011, 01:00:29 PM »
I've had that schematic Santiago posted for a while - think he put it up on the Marshall forum.

Makes the amp brighter (ouch), but also a certain snarl - you really need to crank the amp with these mods to get it sounding right.

I reckon the softer AII Duncans Slash uses counter this to some extent.

JacksonRR

  • Lightweight
  • ***
  • Posts: 949
  • Schrodinger's cat walks into a bar and doesn't.
Re: Interesting find - the Slash #34 JCM800 mod...
« Reply #2 on: September 16, 2011, 02:18:42 PM »
Thankyou!

Twinfan

  • Light Heavyweight
  • ******
  • Posts: 10528
Re: Interesting find - the Slash #34 JCM800 mod...
« Reply #3 on: September 16, 2011, 04:07:29 PM »
I'm with you HTH.  I'm really loving #34 mode on my AFD at the moment - use the power scaling and crank the gain is the way to go.

I hated #34 to start with and I prefer it to AFD now!  :lol:

darkbluemurder

  • Welterweight
  • ****
  • Posts: 2246
Re: Interesting find - the Slash #34 JCM800 mod...
« Reply #4 on: September 16, 2011, 04:42:35 PM »
Makes the amp brighter (ouch), but also a certain snarl - you really need to crank the amp with these mods to get it sounding right.

I reckon the softer AII Duncans Slash uses counter this to some extent.

Well that 500pf output coupler (instead of the 22nf = 22000pf which is more than 40fold) cuts out so much bass that the overall result must be a lot brighter. This is not fully compensated by replacing C4 with the tenfold value. IMHO it is a good idea to reduce bass in the 2203 circuit as I find it turns to mush rather quickly with the gain control turned up.

Also that .1uf cathode cap on the second gain stage will make things very bright and add more gain.

The cathode bypass cap on the third stage is so large that it adds only gain but no frequency shaping.

I second the comments on the AII Duncans. The #39 circuit also sounds very bright and benefits from a smoother pickup.

Cheers Stephan


Frank666

  • Bantamweight
  • **
  • Posts: 132
Re: Interesting find - the Slash #34 JCM800 mod...
« Reply #6 on: September 16, 2011, 06:41:22 PM »
Nice, any idea if it works on a 50w model? Also, great playing HTH

HTH AMPS

  • Middleweight
  • *****
  • Posts: 5649
    • HTH AMPS
Re: Interesting find - the Slash #34 JCM800 mod...
« Reply #7 on: September 17, 2011, 12:04:56 AM »
Nice, any idea if it works on a 50w model? Also, great playing HTH

cheers man - was a bit ropey on that video, only really learnt it this afternoon AND I gashed my right hand open yesterday, so it was a bit sore trying to play  :(

Dmoney

  • Welterweight
  • ****
  • Posts: 3577
Re: Interesting find - the Slash #34 JCM800 mod...
« Reply #8 on: September 17, 2011, 12:07:12 AM »
one thing i don't reeeeally get in that document, is attaching the sheild of a wire to the plate/anode of a valve. I've read about it briefly but never understood the practice.

HTH AMPS

  • Middleweight
  • *****
  • Posts: 5649
    • HTH AMPS
Re: Interesting find - the Slash #34 JCM800 mod...
« Reply #9 on: September 17, 2011, 12:11:22 AM »
one thing i don't reeeeally get in that document, is attaching the sheild of a wire to the plate/anode of a valve. I've read about it briefly but never understood the practice.

it creates a capacitance between the shield and core (afaik), however it's never sat easy with me and you can get the same effect by putting a small cap between the plate and cathode or grid and cathode.

Dmoney

  • Welterweight
  • ****
  • Posts: 3577
Re: Interesting find - the Slash #34 JCM800 mod...
« Reply #10 on: September 17, 2011, 12:16:08 AM »
it always seemed dodgy to me to have a shield with plate voltage on it.

HTH AMPS

  • Middleweight
  • *****
  • Posts: 5649
    • HTH AMPS
Re: Interesting find - the Slash #34 JCM800 mod...
« Reply #11 on: September 17, 2011, 12:19:16 AM »
it always seemed dodgy to me to have a shield with plate voltage on it.

same here - I always changed over the 2203/2204 amps I've had to ground the shield and never noticed a difference.


Dmoney

  • Welterweight
  • ****
  • Posts: 3577
Re: Interesting find - the Slash #34 JCM800 mod...
« Reply #12 on: September 17, 2011, 12:22:25 AM »
cool. i was going to ask if it ever made a difference. seems like one of those myth things. I've never read about anyone arguing that its better to do it that way but that doesn't mean its never happened.
The schematic doesn't really make me want to try it out im afraid. cool video by the way.

jpfamps

  • Lightweight
  • ***
  • Posts: 767
    • http://www.jpfamps.com
Re: Interesting find - the Slash #34 JCM800 mod...
« Reply #13 on: September 18, 2011, 05:22:12 PM »
I've always thought that attaching the shield to the anode was a strange idea.

Yes it increases the capacitance from the anode to the grid, which will be multiplied by the gain of the following stage +1. This can be employed to prevent oscillation or reduce top end response by limiting high frequency bandwidth.

However, it seems a bad idea as:

1) the extra capacitance will be poorly defined; you would be better off using a small capacitor of known value for reproducibility.

2) The shield will now be virtually ineffective as it now has a high impedance path to ground.

3) It's probably NOT a good idea have a high voltage on the shield as it may inadvertently end up somewhere it shouldn't.


bmwfreq

  • Strawweight
  • *
  • Posts: 2
Re: Interesting find - the Slash #34 JCM800 mod...
« Reply #14 on: September 22, 2011, 08:36:03 PM »
Hello all!!!

I actually penned and posted these #34 mod instructions.  To comment on the shielded wire technique, I never actually tried using a cap instead of the shielded wire.  For the most part, I used it merely because it was utilized in the #39 AND #34 mods by Tim and Frank.  One thing to consider when modifying your amp; it is the sum total of all of the mods that creates the end resulting sound.  I'm going to guess that since using a single cap instead of the shield wire was an option when these mods were created, and that there is some benefit in using the shielded wire over the cap.

Someday when I’m feeling adventurous, I’ll swap the shield wires for some caps, and we’ll see what happens.  8)

Till then, it sounds so spot on that I hate to touch it!

Cheers!!!

Jay
BMW FREQ
jay@jjlcustoms.com
I've always thought that attaching the shield to the anode was a strange idea.

Yes it increases the capacitance from the anode to the grid, which will be multiplied by the gain of the following stage +1. This can be employed to prevent oscillation or reduce top end response by limiting high frequency bandwidth.

However, it seems a bad idea as:

1) the extra capacitance will be poorly defined; you would be better off using a small capacitor of known value for reproducibility.

2) The shield will now be virtually ineffective as it now has a high impedance path to ground.

3) It's probably NOT a good idea have a high voltage on the shield as it may inadvertently end up somewhere it shouldn't.