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Tube amp purists....

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(@rob77)
Estimable Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 136
Topic starter  

G'Day,
just a quickie for the non-purist. I play hard blues / rockabilly & I alternate two different amps (depending on the day), one with a tube pre-amp (fender rocpro) and one with a tube power amp (KMD GV-60). Was thinking of getting them modded to combine into a full-tube signal path. However, these amps onoly provide stage volume that is then mic'd & sent to front of house through the PA. Purists like the 'full-tube amp cranked sound' but is there any point in having a tube power amp if it's not cranked?

"Who says you can't 'dive bomb' a bigsby?!"


   
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(@wes-inman)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 5582
 

I don't really see why you need to modify anything, that RockPro has a Line Out, just come out of there and into your KMD.

And as far as preferring tube amps over solid state, to each his own. Many Metal players prefer solid state amps for their hard, edgy distortion, other players, Blues especially, like the spongy breakup of a tube amp. Neither is better, it's all what you personally like. And you do not have to fully crank a tube amp to enjoy this rubbery spongy breakup, but you do usually have to get the volume up a bit. To me, tube amps sound fuller and much warmer. Who knows? maybe it is all in my head, but I like tube amps better, solid states sound harsh to me.

If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis


   
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(@97reb)
Noble Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 1196
 

My solid state Marshall 30w sounds horribly brittle with it's distortion on vs. my 5 watt tube epi head with a distortion pedal in front of it. Then, some solid state amps sound better than others. Especially depending on the money you spend.

It is a small world for metal fanatics. I welcome you fellow musicians, especially the metalheads!


   
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(@rob77)
Estimable Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 136
Topic starter  

...yeah the idea of modding the KMD was to by-pass the solid state pre-amp (to have no solid-state in the path at all) I'm more of a tube person, as I play old music, not heavy metal. Was just thinkin that if it's not working hard, could you really tell the difference between tube & SS at low volumes? It's the tube in the pedal/ pre-amp that's being overdriven....? The reason I ask is that the KMD & Rocpro have very different clean sounds, & I'm trying to figure-out if it's just down to the speakers...KMD has a celestion G12 & Rockpro has a 'fender' speaker. Maybe just a vintage 30 in the rocpro would make it sound better clean...

"Who says you can't 'dive bomb' a bigsby?!"


   
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(@gnease)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 5038
 

Depends on the amp. Tube amps not only have tube active elements, but certain typical circuit designs that go with those tubes: bias, powering, interstage coupling, speaker coupling via transformer ... All these in addition to the tubes impart certain characteristic dymanic and phase/frequency behaviors. So even at lower, non-saturated levels, tubes amps often sound different (note I didn't say "better," as that's subjective) than a typical solid state amp. My Blues Junior gets used in non-saturated mode most of the time, yet a number of people have commented on the nice tone. Others have said similar things about my Roland Cube 30 (solid state). They do sound different clean, yet each is good by some person's standards.

If is sounds good, why change it.

-=tension & release=-


   
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(@rob77)
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Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 136
Topic starter  

I guess that sums it up hey? Maybe if I practice instead of thinking of ways to spend money it'll sound better!!! :lol:

"Who says you can't 'dive bomb' a bigsby?!"


   
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(@greybeard)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 5840
 

If your amp is only providing stage volume that goes into a PA, you could do worse than to invest in a small tube amp, like the Epi, Fender, Peavey 5 watters or even go down a step and get a good quality 1, 1/2 or, even 1/4 watter. You could drive one of those really hard and still only have "living-room" volume.
The nice thing is, you can even drive those little amps at home, without bursting ear-drums 3 streets away (although the neighbours nearest to you won't be pleased).

I started with nothing - and I've still got most of it left.
Did you know that the word "gullible" is not in any dictionary?
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(@rob77)
Estimable Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 136
Topic starter  

You're right, that's another avenue I've been considering. Maybe I've been getting too caught up in the whole 'vintage' thing too! :lol:

Maybe the fact that I'm still trying to find 'my' sound is the main issue. I'll keep researching - thanks for your advice everyone. 8)

"Who says you can't 'dive bomb' a bigsby?!"


   
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