Members Ripfence Posted November 28, 2005 Members Share Posted November 28, 2005 Originally posted by vancleaf oh. Thanks for your help man! I like the THD hotplate. It will do exactly what you want it to do. It takes the output of your amp, attenuates it then feeds it to your speakers. Used sparingly they can sound pretty good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members whatever Posted November 28, 2005 Members Share Posted November 28, 2005 Originally posted by blargh If you're trying to get more gain, save yourself the risk and bother, use a boost pedal... Yep. Sounds better too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ono Posted November 29, 2005 Members Share Posted November 29, 2005 not a thing wrong with using a variac. don`t go above 120 though. when you find the spot you like whether it be 100 volts /90 volts etc. you need to rebias tha amp at that voltage. you will not be able to use the amp on 120 again until you re-bias at 120. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ono Posted November 29, 2005 Members Share Posted November 29, 2005 you don`t have to do this but when you rebias at the alternate voltage it will sound more correct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members VHoholic Posted November 29, 2005 Members Share Posted November 29, 2005 Originally posted by vancleaf I always hear alot of dudes say don't use one cuz you'll ruin your amp...blah blah. Never heard any actual occurences of an amp being ruined by one. I do know that it cant be under like 80 volts or some {censored}....Someone please fill me in!!! I want to use one for my 59 bassman ri. Hey Rich, i've used one for years and never once had any problems with it. I just try not to go any lower than 80-90 volts. I'm not sure how it will work with your bassman though. Just be careful and don't blow up your amp! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members vancleaf Posted November 29, 2005 Author Members Share Posted November 29, 2005 Originally posted by VHoholic Hey Rich, i've used one for years and never once had any problems with it. I just try not to go any lower than 80-90 volts. I'm not sure how it will work with your bassman though. Just be careful and don't blow up your amp! Thanks Guy:wave: Does having it at 80-90volts make a big difference in volume? Did you use that when we did shows way back when? I'll try to keep me amp together:freak: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members John S. Shinal Posted November 29, 2005 Members Share Posted November 29, 2005 Originally posted by vancleaf If I do get one, I would use it within the reasonable range...I guess like 90 volts or so... what could happen at this level? You will get slightly less headroom from the amp, and your tubes will be running underbiased. If you are going to do this for a long time, take your amp to a tech and have him readjust the bias on the power tubes so they are running at the proper point. When underbiased tubes fail, they fail BIG, and often short - which means they kill your (expensive) output transformer in a cloud of smoke. I've experimented with Variacs trying to get the fabled EVH variac tone, and didn't really hear THAT much of a difference. BTW, Ed has told about 4 different versions of his variac story over the years - he's almost as bad as Billy Gibbons when it comes to Tone Tales. Supposedly his definitive rig was using the Variac as a LOAD for the Legendary Marshall Head, and then tapping the signal off the Variac and sending THAT to his main power amps for the stage cabinets, and a separate amp feed to Alex. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members VHoholic Posted November 29, 2005 Members Share Posted November 29, 2005 Originally posted by vancleaf Thanks Guy:wave: Does having it at 80-90volts make a big difference in volume? Did you use that when we did shows way back when? I'll try to keep me amp together:freak: Yep, that was my setup back in the day. It's nowhere near as low as bedroom volume at 80-90volts but definitely way lower than at 120v. I used my 5150 combo for a bunch of those shows also. For home use i bet if you set a variac to 80-90v and then do what i do, lay a heavy blanket over the cab to really muffle it out, it would really get the volume down. I move away just a slight amount of the blanket to expose the speakers a little so the highs come through. It's a crazy setup but it works for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ZachOmega Posted November 30, 2005 Members Share Posted November 30, 2005 Can I suggest just buying the appropriate volume amp to begin with? It just seems backwards to buy an amp on reputation and then find out you have to crank it to ungodly levels for it to sound good. You had to have known this at the time you bought the amp...unless you didn't actually play it. -Zach Omega Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members vancleaf Posted November 30, 2005 Author Members Share Posted November 30, 2005 Originally posted by John S. Shinal You will get slightly less headroom from the amp, and your tubes will be running underbiased. If you are going to do this for a long time, take your amp to a tech and have him readjust the bias on the power tubes so they are running at the proper point. When underbiased tubes fail, they fail BIG, and often short - which means they kill your (expensive) output transformer in a cloud of smoke.I've experimented with Variacs trying to get the fabled EVH variac tone, and didn't really hear THAT much of a difference.BTW, Ed has told about 4 different versions of his variac story over the years - he's almost as bad as Billy Gibbons when it comes to Tone Tales.Supposedly his definitive rig was using the Variac as a LOAD for the Legendary Marshall Head, and then tapping the signal off the Variac and sending THAT to his main power amps for the stage cabinets, and a separate amp feed to Alex. Thanks man:wave: ...good info:thu: ...really not looking to get evh tone, just lower volume. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members vancleaf Posted November 30, 2005 Author Members Share Posted November 30, 2005 Originally posted by VHoholic Yep, that was my setup back in the day. It's nowhere near as low as bedroom volume at 80-90volts but definitely way lower than at 120v. I used my 5150 combo for a bunch of those shows also. For home use i bet if you set a variac to 80-90v and then do what i do, lay a heavy blanket over the cab to really muffle it out, it would really get the volume down. I move away just a slight amount of the blanket to expose the speakers a little so the highs come through. It's a crazy setup but it works for me. Thanks Guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members vancleaf Posted November 30, 2005 Author Members Share Posted November 30, 2005 Originally posted by ZachOmega Can I suggest just buying the appropriate volume amp to begin with? It just seems backwards to buy an amp on reputation and then find out you have to crank it to ungodly levels for it to sound good. You had to have known this at the time you bought the amp...unless you didn't actually play it. -Zach Omega C-mon man! This is the USofA, land of excess. More fat people per sq.mi. than any other country.(typing as I drink my 256oz. bucket'o'cola).Fender, the only company to make a 550 watt guitar amp...why?... because thay can! America baby!...But, yeah, you are right about the appropriate size amp....Maybe a POD! :freak: :freak: :freak: :freak: :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members vancleaf Posted November 30, 2005 Author Members Share Posted November 30, 2005 Originally posted by SHAW not a thing wrong with using a variac. don`t go above 120 though. when you find the spot you like whether it be 100 volts /90 volts etc. you need to rebias tha amp at that voltage. you will not be able to use the amp on 120 again until you re-bias at 120. Thanks for the info bro! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ZachOmega Posted November 30, 2005 Members Share Posted November 30, 2005 You are right. I am a bit out of touch on this one. -Zach Omega Originally posted by vancleaf C-mon man! This is the USofA, land of excess. More fat people per sq.mi. than any other country.(typing as I drink my 256oz. bucket'o'cola).Fender, the only company to make a 550 watt guitar amp...why?... because thay can! America baby!...But, yeah, you are right about the appropriate size amp....Maybe a POD! :freak: :freak: :freak: :freak: :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rabblerabble Posted November 30, 2005 Members Share Posted November 30, 2005 Originally posted by cap'n'crunch You'd go through tubes faster. Some vintage amp users simply use a variac to get the right volts that the amp was designed for. Back then the standard home outlet was only around 110 volts. Now a lot of homes and clubs have power up to 115 - 120 volts or more. Exactly right. There are easy schems to keep the voltage correct on a vintage amp. I can find them if you need links. The only good reason I can think of to have/and use a variac is to correct ac line voltages in a less than optimal club/gig whateva... sometimes the wiring is verrrry substandard. The downfall is.. what if some schmuck decides to twiddle the knobs while you aren't around, jacks the voltage up, and fries your caps, tranny, etc, etc, amen... so find a good tech to correct the voltage through the amp itself to the standard 120 used now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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