Why do so many people mod their amps?

[stratotastic]

With like 3,859 different amp models in existence, why mod your existing amp instead of just getting an amp that does what you want it to in the first place? Surely every tone/option is covered somewhere.

 

Discuss.

 

 

Edit: And I should add, I've been through like 15-20 amps in my lifetime so am familiar with the never-ending quest for tone, but always just got a different amp if the current one didn't do what I wanted, mostly through trading/flipping. Maybe that mindset (resale value) is what turns me off from the whole modding scene. Anyway...

[zoomzilla]

I guess because there is no PERFECT amp. If there was, we would all own it. All you can do is come close to your tone, then mod it to get there. Oh wait, the Splawn is the perfect tone. Scratch that comment!

[9ball]

well i have the TSL, which- is arguably- a {censored}ty amp.

lacks clarity and bottom end.

but GD am i glad i had this amp modded.

i did it on a whim... nostalgic notion of it being my first tube amp- figured i'd give it a shot... it's everything i've ever wanted in an amp now.

i guess i've always been a fan of the marshall sound anyways and this thing has it all as far as that goes.

[iansmitchell]

Store sell millions of designs on T-shirts, but they still sell T-shirt paints.

And Tie dyes.

 

Same {censored}ing thing.

[ericwylde]

I'm modding my Framus Cobra

for the third time

[scottcrud]

I don't know, but your avatar pic is great. "Fred Garvin, male prostitute"

[jaytee123]

 

Store sell millions of designs on T-shirts, but they still sell T-shirt paints. And Tie dyes. Same {censored}ing thing.

 

 

 

Nope. Sound and visual are two different things. Comparing the conversion of a physical action of plucking a string, converting it into electricity, modifying circuits to manipulate it for a certain sound to splashing paint or dye on a t-shirt?Thin analogy.

 

Now if you were talking about COSMETICALLY modifying amps, you would have a good analogy going.

[cobrahead1030]

if you have an amp just needs a little improvement than why not?

 

my experience with modded amps is pretty limited...a splawn modded jcm800, a voodoo modded dual recto, voodoo modded 5150, and a DIY bias modded 5150

 

i gotta say i was extremely impressed with the results in all cases

 

that being said i've never owned a modded amp myself altho i'm most likely gonna send my cobra to voodoo amps for a bit of work...not so much because i'm unhappy with it, but because there are some useless switches that trace could make useful to me

[DyeMusica]

Individuality, its pretty cool. Try it.

[Say Ocean]

If you have the core sound you want, just a little tweak will get you there. Why do people mod cars? Why do people mod guitars? Why do people... well you get the point.

[iansmitchell]

 

Nope. Sound and visual are two different things. Comparing the conversion of a physical action of plucking a string, converting it into electricity, modifying circuits to manipulate it for a certain sound to splashing paint or dye on a t-shirt?Thin analogy. Now if you were talking about COSMETICALLY modifying amps, you would have a good analogy going.

 

 

Converting hand motion to something sensed as "art", in both cases.

And if it was THAT simple, there wouldn't be pedals. Modding an amp, is often akin to the effect of a favorite pedal.

 

 

Yeah, cosmetics, too. Because I care about grill cloths and knobs.

 

I think I'll do a carbon fiber grill cloth, T-Top knobs, and all-terrain 8" tires for casters. That'll be a real improvement for my twin.

[JonesCrusher]

With like 3,859 different amp models in existence, why mod your existing amp instead of just getting an amp that does what you want it to in the first place? Surely every tone/option is covered somewhere. Discuss. Edit: And I should add, I've been through like 15-20 amps in my lifetime so am familiar with the never-ending quest for tone, but always just got a different amp if the current one didn't do what I wanted, mostly through trading/flipping. Maybe that mindset (resale value) is what turns me off from the whole modding scene. Anyway...

 

I had a Fender Twin and sent it to Fuchs for the OVer Drive Supreme Mod.

 

They gut the chasis and keep the transformers and rebuild the amp. Cost with shipping back and forth was around 1,500. Amp cost around 1,000 for a total of 2,500.

 

A Fuchs ODS100 combo with two 12's I believe costs around 4,000.

 

My amp sounds fantastic. I'm not sure if it's as great sounding as a production Fuchs as I've never played one.

 

But I could play all night plugged direct into the amp with no fx except the onboard reverb and love it. The tones are great.

[ericwylde]

that being said i've never owned a modded amp myself altho i'm most likely gonna send my cobra to voodoo amps for a bit of work...not so much because i'm unhappy with it, but because there are some useless switches that trace could make useful to me

 

I'm using the switches for to change the third stage cathode resistor and another one between the 2nd and 3rd stage

but I'll take them off again and use them for other stuff

I'll replace its SLO style gain stages (1k8/1u, 39k cathodes) by Marshall/Bogner values (2k7/.68, 10k cathodes, 100k anodes, 470pf bypass on the third stage anode, instead of 1u) for more midrange crunch/less openess and use one switch to activate a bright cap and the other one to skip the second stage (JCM 800 mode)

I'll probably have to lower the preamp voltage for more gain too

this is a big gain structure mode, so it won't have the real Cobra tone anymore

the biggest part of this mod is based on the Bogner Fish, XTC, some old Marshalls, CAE 3+, so I'm expecting a british high gainer

I've been researching a lot on novosibir's posts too (Larry Amps - this guy is a genius!)

 

but the major improvement will be one the power amp (you can do this one without losing the Framus tone that we love):

 

I'll replace the effects mix knob with a double push pull pot that will work as post phase inverter master volume (but reversed for volume cut) and will switch between the stock capacitor value (22n) and a 47n capacitor (it will let more bass in when activated, cause some say that the PPIMV might steal some low end when used in low volumes) and the fx loop will work as serial

 

I'll also replace the depth knob with a push pull pot that will work as a damping switch (resonance)

this will allow 2 different values for the negative feedback resistor

the stock value is 27k (extremely tight, big headroom)

I'll have 28k when activated (almost stock response), 56k when deactivated

in 56k it will get more power amp distortion and a smoother, more saggy response

something like the Laney VH100R resonance switch, Peavey Triple XXX damping switch and the Mesa Recto when switched from the modern to the vintage mode

 

install 100k resistor on the PI input side to roll off a bit of treble/fizz

 

the other mod (that one should be stock in every amp) is to change the bias and rectification cheap N4007 diodes by ultra FRED's (fast recovery epitaxial diodes)

I'll try 4 x UF5408's in the rectification, UF4007 in the bias

this takes out some fizz and improves the clarity (you can hear some comparisons on metroamp forum)

 

actually, I'm not gonna do anything cause I can't solder {censored}

maybe if it was LEGO

I'm only developing the mod with some help and a lot of research, specially on SLOclone and metroamp forums

my friend and bandmate Tiago Zambelli will do the job for me (for a very nice price)

[thinkpad20]

I just got my Rock Master modded. I liked the way it sounded, but figured it could sound a bit different and possibly better modded. And it does. So I'm happy. Can't decide which I like more b/c I haven't done much a/bing, but now I have two great preamps where before I had just one. It's not that expensive and if you already have an amp whose sound you like but feel like it could just be a little better (in my case, I wanted it just a little more thick and clear, but retaining the tight low end and high mids) then why not? And for some mods like parallel->serial loop mods, it just makes sense if you want a good loop for time-based effects.

[ericwylde]

I just got my Rock Master modded. I liked the way it sounded, but figured it could sound a bit different and possibly better modded. And it does. So I'm happy. Can't decide which I like more b/c I haven't done much a/bing, but now I have two great preamps where before I had just one. It's not that expensive and if you already have an amp whose sound you like but feel like it could just be a little better (in my case, I wanted it just a little more thick and clear, but retaining the tight low end and high mids) then why not? And for some mods like parallel->serial loop mods, it just makes sense if you want a good loop for time-based effects.

 

I plan to mod the rockmaster too, but the schematic is a pain in the ass to read

I only could understand something by comparing with the Triple XXX and JSX schematics

and it already sounds so good that I don't know what to change

maybe take out the fizz by taking the diodes off (it has diodes working without the push pull activated too, just like the XXX and JSX) and adding more real tube gain

[Gnt1856]

I mod my map to improve the tone. Enough said.

 

Not all amps can be 100% perfect.

[matterday]

Why do you go to school to get an education?

[teemuk]

 

...maybe take out the fizz by taking the diodes off (it has diodes working without the push pull activated too, just like the XXX and JSX) and adding more real tube gain

 

 

Won't do any good since those are noise gate diodes. If you take a closer look you

[Rich]

I don't mod amps. I just have amps built the way I want them in the first place instead of trying to polish a turd.

[Slaymoar]

 

I guess because there is no PERFECT amp. If there was, we would all own it. All you can do is come close to your tone, then mod it to get there. Oh wait, the Splawn is the perfect tone. Scratch that comment!

 

 

+1

 

And its fun, like modding a car. And its cool, you can add "modded" at the end of the title.

 

But really, proper mods will take your 'ok' amp and turn it into a "hooooly {censored}" amp.

 

-D

[cobrahead1030]

I'm using the switches for to change the third stage cathode resistor and another one between the 2nd and 3rd stage but I'll take them off again and use them for other stuff I'll replace its SLO style gain stages (1k8/1u, 39k cathodes) by Marshall/Bogner values (2k7/.68, 10k cathodes, 100k anodes, 470pf bypass on the third stage anode, instead of 1u) for more midrange crunch/less openess and use one switch to activate a bright cap and the other one to skip the second stage (JCM 800 mode)....

 

to be honest i'm not smart enough to understand most of that post

 

i know a while back i talked to trace @ voodoo amps about changing the notch switch on the crunch channel from a mid-scoop switch to a lower mid-boost switch; i don't remember the specifics but i know the cost of doing it wasn't very much at all...even including a full retube (which the amp hasn't had in probably 2 years)

 

i rarely use the bright switch on the clean or notch switch on the lead channel, but from time to time i find them useful...however the notch switch on the crunch channel is 100% useless to me

[Mesa4x12er2]

I guess because there is no PERFECT amp. If there was, we would all own it. All you can do is come close to your tone, then mod it to get there. Oh wait, the Splawn is the perfect tone. Scratch that comment!

 

Maybe you should mod your ears since the amp is perfect already.

[LA-Ü-RA]

FJA made a few of my amp even better. I would not touch my Nitro though (except for the KT88 mod) cuz that amp is killer (especially killer when boosted and played through Splawn cabs).

[ericwylde]

to be honest i'm not smart enough to understand most of that post i know a while back i talked to trace @ voodoo amps about changing the notch switch on the crunch channel from a mid-scoop switch to a lower mid-boost switch; i don't remember the specifics but i know the cost of doing it wasn't very much at all...even including a full retube (which the amp hasn't had in probably 2 years) i rarely use the bright switch on the clean or notch switch on the lead channel, but from time to time i find them useful...however the notch switch on the crunch channel is 100% useless to me

 

lol I wouldn't understand {censored} one month ago too

 

send him the power amp/phase inverter mods I suggested

I'd like to know his opinion on it

I think this could add a ton of versatility

would make it able to do warmer high and mid gain tones without sounding too stiff and hard just using the switches or push pulls

the negative feedback switch would work as a low mid boost too, but on the power amp section, instead of the tonestack

I tried a framus dragon tonestack and it didn't sound as good cause it was all low mids

lacked treble and didn't smooth anything

too thick and dark, but not smoother

sou I wouldn't recommend you to mess with the tonestack for more low mids

try the phase inverter or the power amp

[guitarcapo]

With like 3,859 different amp models in existence, why mod your existing amp instead of just getting an amp that does what you want it to in the first place? Surely every tone/option is covered somewhere. Discuss. Edit: And I should add, I've been through like 15-20 amps in my lifetime so am familiar with the never-ending quest for tone, but always just got a different amp if the current one didn't do what I wanted, mostly through trading/flipping. Maybe that mindset (resale value) is what turns me off from the whole modding scene. Anyway...

 

You can make an amp totally different for a few dollars worth of capacitors, resistors, and other inexpensive parts. Your approach costs way more. Admit it.