Anybody done any serious modding to their Epi Valve Jr? Any before and after clips and/or tone reports? I think mine sounds pretty decent with single coils but it gets too muddy and muffled with humbuckers. I have heard good things about replacing the output transformer in the 1st or 2nd generation heads which had mismatched transformers with either the Weber WSE15 or the Hammond 125ESE or 125DSE. Anybody done that? Any other mods that have helped it with humbuckers? Bright switches, etc?
Pop music is about stealing pocket money from children. - Ian Anderson
If it's getting too muddy with humbuckers, you need to turn down either the amp's or the guitar's volume knob. You're simply overdriving the amp more.
"A cheerful heart is good medicine."
No, I don't think that's it. I've only got the amp at 9 or 10 o'clock and the volume on the guitar is set to about 6 on the bridge pickup. It sounds to me like the notes are not as distinct and that it's muddy. I compared it against my Cube 30 (ss) or Traynor YGM (tube) and they don't have that.
Pop music is about stealing pocket money from children. - Ian Anderson
Mine does that too when I play my LP through it. I boost the highs with my EQ & that seems to help. Still, I like the sound of my Strat & Tele through it more.
Dan
"The only way I know that guarantees no mistakes is not to play and that's simply not an option". David Hodge
There are a bunch of different versions of the VJ circuit board out there. On mine there's a spot on the board for a high frequency bypass cap to brighten the tone. They left it off the board, but if you want more highs it's as easy as pie to add one, in a value to suit your sonic taste. Mine sounds pretty bright to me with the 8" speaker and small open backed combo cabinet, so I've never experimented with it, but they anticipated that some would want to.
"A cheerful heart is good medicine."
Is yours the combo amp or head? I have the head running through a Line 6 extension cab with a 12" 75w Celestion speaker and it doesn't seem muddy to me. I mostly pick humbuckers.
It is a small world for metal fanatics. I welcome you fellow musicians, especially the metalheads!
What I've got is the version 2 head not the newer version 3 head with the properly matched transformer. I've also got the matching Epiphone cab loaded with the Eminence Lady Luck speaker. I've tried running the Valve Jr. through my Eminence Red Fang (in my Traynor combo) and also my Traynor YGM (70's tube amp) through the Lady Luck for comparison.
The VJ through the Red Fang had some more high end but it didn't improve the bass. It still sounded muddy as if the bass notes were running into each other - maybe this is the "farty" sound that people refer to? The Traynor through the Lady Luck sounded good - a little more rounded and less trebly than through the Red Fang.
I'm still thinking that replacing the output transformer would be a big help. In fact, I ordered one on Saturday from Weber (WSE15) to get it on the 10% off sale.
Pop music is about stealing pocket money from children. - Ian Anderson
The VJ is a straightforward amp with no negative feedback. Negative feedback is largely used to prevent "farty" bass.
"A cheerful heart is good medicine."
Another suggestion I'd make is to replace the stock EL84 power tube with a good JJ or similar-quality EL84. I suggest the JJ as their EL84s seem to have about the largest amount of clean headroom and tightest bass. You might also experiment with various flavors of preamp tubes, but the power tube is one of the biggest easily-and cheaply-changed variables affecting the tightness of the bass frequencies.
Cheers!
Strat
Thanks stratman. I should have mentioned that I'd upgraded to JJ tubes already. I've got one of the JJ EL84's in there and a 12AX7. I've also experimented with a long plate 12AX7. Better sound with the JJ's but still the muddy bass.
I have read that a swap of a 5751 for the 12AX7 sounds tighter but it will lower the gain to 70%. Don't know as I don't have one handy. Might consider that in the future.
Pop music is about stealing pocket money from children. - Ian Anderson
That swap will do much the same as turning your volume knob halfway down.
"A cheerful heart is good medicine."
Have you tried an EQ pedal?
An EQ pedal can be invaluable for cleaning up muddy tones like this. Especially the 200 Hz slider (second from left)
I am very picky myself about muddy tones. I like lots of good low end, but I like my chords to have clarity and definition, and I have found EQ pedals extremely useful for this. In my experience it is almost always the 200 Hertz slider that causes the mud in your tone. I will often boost 100 Hz for deep low end, cut 200 Hz about 10 decibels. 400 Hz I usually cut 2-5 decibels, I boost 800Hz and 1.6KHz about 3-5 decibels, and 3.2KHz and 6.4KHz around flat. Now, those are settings I personally like, I like lots of Mids to cut through. But cutting 200 Hz absolutely will clean your tone up big time.
Try one, even if it does not solve your particular problem, I am willing to bet you will still like the extra control you will have over your tone. But I am pretty sure it will solve this problem.
I have the VJ head and love it, but lacking tone controls is it's one negative feature. I always use an EQ pedal with it.
If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis
