73 superlead ptp with variac

[lowit]

Not sure if this is appropriate but I have read a lot of people using variacs here and respect everyones thoughts. I have learned tons from this site.

I have recently purchased a stock 73 ptp 100w marshall superlead. To get the distortion at acceptable levels, I have added a variac and propbably drop the voltage down to about 70. This thing sags and sounds awesome. Much better than my MV 73 100W superlead PCB.

With the stock amp, I am playing in a band with another guitarist and am having troubles getting above the mix during solos. I have an ep3 and a 5 band boss eq in front of the amp but these just tend to add gain causing more distortion instead of volume. I though about potentially adding another variac that I could have set at a higher voltage and switch between the two for rhythm and solo but I don't think the amp will respond fast enough to the voltage change. This amp is stock so there are no EFX loops. I just want to add something externally to get the extra volume. Any ideas welcomed. Thanks

[Megaro]

Interesting post. Remember to post some sound clips, or it didn't happen

Could you add a second cab to your setup ? I assume you are running one cab right now. You can get a perceived volume jump if you have enough room to position two cabs and move them apart. I also recommend that you stack your cab and get it off the floor, if that is where it is. See if you can get it at ear level. That makes a huge change in perceived volume. Are you playing with a 4 x 12 ? Just a simple change in your cabinet may be the ticket. Sounds like you have righteous tone right now, but I notice a jump in volume between 4 G12Ms and then 4 G12Hs. A higher efficiency speaker may be the ticket if you don't want to mess with your amp. It will change the tone some, but see if you can borrow some other guitarist's cabs. A slant cab might be all you need, too.

Good luck, and ohh, did I mention we would all like to hear some sound clips

[lowit]

Hi Megaro,

Thanks for the reply. I don't have any clips as all the stuff is a the drummers place. I will see what I can do.

As far as cabs, I am using an old marshall 4 x 12 slant cab equipped with chinese greenbacks. I do have a newer slant cab 1960 with vintage 30's - I think they are 65 watters. Since we will be playing out, the last thing I want is to be toting a full stack but what I am going to try based on your comments is to try the current setup with the vintage 30 cab - maybe I will get a little louder??

[GilmourD]

If somebody could correct me if I'm wrong that would be great, but wasn't Edward's personal sweet spot somewhere in the low 90VAC range? Should be able to get you above the mix for solos if you raise the voltage a tad.

Also, what's your bright channel volume set to? If it's maxed out, try lowering it a bit to bring out some added cut to your tone. I run my 1959 circuit amp with the normal volume maxed and the bright volume at about 7. I do use an attenuator, though, too.

[Star*Guitar]

The problem isn't volume really, it is that you are competing for the same frequencies. Guitar being a mid range instrument cuts though the mix better emphasising these frequencies.

Try an EQ that is foot switchable set with a frown curve that you can kick in during solos. Set the volume slider at unity or a tad below to avoid slamming the input.

[efraser68]

I have an non MV 12xxx and the way I handle it in a band scenario is to slave to a power amp. Then you run an EQ pedal in the line out of an attenuator (or a line out box) to the EQ pedal and kick the level up a bit and there's your solo boost. Not a perceived jump, but an actual level boost.

[GilmourD]

The problem isn't volume really, it is that you are competing for the same frequencies. Guitar being a mid range instrument cuts though the mix better emphasising these frequencies.

Try an EQ that is foot switchable set with a frown curve that you can kick in during solos. Set the volume slider at unity or a tad below to avoid slamming the input.

That's exactly why I was asking what his bright channel volume is set to, because I wasn't sure if it was a volume thing or an EQ thing.

I do imagine, though, that a lower voltage setting may make the amp even more midrangey and reduce the cut in the high frequencies.

[lowit]

If somebody could correct me if I'm wrong that would be great, but wasn't Edward's personal sweet spot somewhere in the low 90VAC range? Should be able to get you above the mix for solos if you raise the voltage a tad.

Also, what's your bright channel volume set to? If it's maxed out, try lowering it a bit to bring out some added cut to your tone. I run my 1959 circuit amp with the normal volume maxed and the bright volume at about 7. I do use an attenuator, though, too.

Thanks for the reply - I could raise the voltage but I would just be too overpowering. I have both volumes set to 10 and reduce line voltage from there to make sure our levels compliment each other. I will try lowering the bright to see if that has any positive affect

[lowit]

The problem isn't volume really, it is that you are competing for the same frequencies. Guitar being a mid range instrument cuts though the mix better emphasising these frequencies.

Try an EQ that is foot switchable set with a frown curve that you can kick in during solos. Set the volume slider at unity or a tad below to avoid slamming the input.

I have my 5 band with the frown and actually stepping on the ep3 at the same time and still don't cut through well. But you have me thinking - if the low voltage is making the tone more mid range than I will boost the higher frequencies and hopefully that will cut through - that actually makes sense.

[lowit]

I have an non MV 12xxx and the way I handle it in a band scenario is to slave to a power amp. Then you run an EQ pedal in the line out of an attenuator (or a line out box) to the EQ pedal and kick the level up a bit and there's your solo boost. Not a perceived jump, but an actual level boost.

With your setup, are you using a variac as well and using the attenuator? Does the addition of the attenuator give you options such as an effects loop on an amplifier? I dont really use any effects but it would be nice with this amp if I could utilize some of my rack processors.

[GilmourD]

If somebody could correct me if I'm wrong that would be great, but wasn't Edward's personal sweet spot somewhere in the low 90VAC range? Should be able to get you above the mix for solos if you raise the voltage a tad.

Also, what's your bright channel volume set to? If it's maxed out, try lowering it a bit to bring out some added cut to your tone. I run my 1959 circuit amp with the normal volume maxed and the bright volume at about 7. I do use an attenuator, though, too.

Thanks for the reply - I could raise the voltage but I would just be too overpowering. I have both volumes set to 10 and reduce line voltage from there to make sure our levels compliment each other. I will try lowering the bright to see if that has any positive affect

With the bright volume at 10 it effectively takes the bright cap out of the circuit.

Let us know if dropping the bright volume a bit helps with cutting through.

[mr.twistyneck]

Having played out with a variac'd 100W '71 SL, i can tell you that switching between two variacs probably isn't the best solution for a solo boost. When you bump the variac up three or four volts from say 75 to 79, the volume doesn't immediately jump (at least, it didn't for me). I never met a soundman who understood what the hell i was doing with a variac. didn't matter - they didn't seem to anticipate solos - i'd hear the mains rise up about 2 bars into a solo. sigh.

If you prefer the sound of the variac'd head, you might try running it into a load box and then switch that between two different re-amp levels. ?

[efraser68]

I have an non MV 12xxx and the way I handle it in a band scenario is to slave to a power amp. Then you run an EQ pedal in the line out of an attenuator (or a line out box) to the EQ pedal and kick the level up a bit and there's your solo boost. Not a perceived jump, but an actual level boost.

With your setup, are you using a variac as well and using the attenuator? Does the addition of the attenuator give you options such as an effects loop on an amplifier? I dont really use any effects but it would be nice with this amp if I could utilize some of my rack processors.

I'm not using an external variac live as the amp builder put in a "virtual" variac to drop down to 90v in the down position of the standby switch. And yes, the THD Hotplate has a line out so you can add effects to the signal chain. Reverb sounds great in the line out, but I prefer to have my analog delay pedal hit the front of the amp. But the main reason I slave to a power amp is for signal level boost on solos.

[lowit]

If somebody could correct me if I'm wrong that would be great, but wasn't Edward's personal sweet spot somewhere in the low 90VAC range? Should be able to get you above the mix for solos if you raise the voltage a tad.

Also, what's your bright channel volume set to? If it's maxed out, try lowering it a bit to bring out some added cut to your tone. I run my 1959 circuit amp with the normal volume maxed and the bright volume at about 7. I do use an attenuator, though, too.

Thanks for the reply - I could raise the voltage but I would just be too overpowering. I have both volumes set to 10 and reduce line voltage from there to make sure our levels compliment each other. I will try lowering the bright to see if that has any positive affect

With the bright volume at 10 it effectively takes the bright cap out of the circuit.

Let us know if dropping the bright volume a bit helps with cutting through.

I tried to lower the bright volume but did not hear much of a change so I eneded up leaving it at 10. I hooked up my vintage 30 4 x 12 slant cab and noticed that the cabinet was actually more bassy than my cab with the chinese greenbacks so I stayed with the greenbacks. Finally I flattened the the eq sliders and raised the output above unity and still was not cutting through. What I did notice is that the other gutarist has been using his vox ac30 and he and I are almost at the same frequencies. I have better lows and have more compression but that doesn't help with solos at all. He and I need to be very cognizant of our levels and rhythm playing during the solos bottom line. If not, well end up overpowering the singer

[lowit]

Having played out with a variac'd 100W '71 SL, i can tell you that switching between two variacs probably isn't the best solution for a solo boost. When you bump the variac up three or four volts from say 75 to 79, the volume doesn't immediately jump (at least, it didn't for me). I never met a soundman who understood what the hell i was doing with a variac. didn't matter - they didn't seem to anticipate solos - i'd hear the mains rise up about 2 bars into a solo. sigh.

If you prefer the sound of the variac'd head, you might try running it into a load box and then switch that between two different re-amp levels. ?

I agree that the amp doesn't respond quick enough. I'll move the dial a couple of ticks / volts and don't hear the change in volume too quickly. I am thinking about re-amping but prefer not to as that is just more rig hardware to tote around.

Ideally a sound guy bumps it up and no worries but can't rely on that - 2 bars in and all the feeling is lost and you just cant wait to get out of it.