Do extra-gain-stage amps (IE Rockstah Mod 5) clean up well?

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Polaris26
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Do extra-gain-stage amps (IE Rockstah Mod 5) clean up well?

Post by Polaris26 » Wed Jun 05, 2013 5:50 pm

Hello all,

Forgive me if my Marshall experience thus far doesn't extend much beyond the early 1970's (non-master volume) types, but I have been having fun with my plexi and JTM-45/100 style circuits.

I recently became interested however in the sounds of the later style amps with some gain added to the front end, either like the S.I.R. ("Slash") #39 amp or even the mod used in the Rockstah MOD 5 amps which use both triodes of the first 12AX7 cascaded for more drive, plus a master volume.

What I am wondering is, can you make an "all-in-one" amp that does all of those sounds well, but is not channel switching, at least in the sense of having two or more distinct signal paths that are switched back and forth? Like the sound goes from JTM-45 cleans to Slash drive continuously, with the twist of some knobs...

My main concern I guess with that style of gain amp is the use of 'cold' stages (like in the SIR amp) with 10k on the cathodes. How do those amps sound clean (with the pre-gains dialed down and the master volume up)?

The clips you always hear of those amps are (of course) dialed in for major gain because that is the sound the person who designed it was trying to achieve, so that makes sense. But can they sound good set on cleaner settings, or would you need to switch over to a totally other signal path (or somehow route the input from the guitar to bypass some gains stages with a relay) to get the better cleans? Does anyone know of clips online of a Rockstah Mod 5 or Slash AFR style amp played "clean"?

thanks,
Dave

stef
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Re: Do extra-gain-stage amps (IE Rockstah Mod 5) clean up we

Post by stef » Wed Jun 05, 2013 7:43 pm

Mod5 cleans up the same way a 2203 does. Try any 2203/2204 (jmp or jcm series)...
No experience with the SIR mods...
If you're looking for more gain from the jtm 45 then a 12xxx lead spec (NMV) with an attenuator is the ticket IMO

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snakepit86
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Re: Do extra-gain-stage amps (IE Rockstah Mod 5) clean up we

Post by snakepit86 » Mon Jun 24, 2013 9:06 pm

in a well balanced 4 gain stages amp it cleans up aroung 5 on guitar vol pots. It depends on your mics too

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neikeel
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Re: Do extra-gain-stage amps (IE Rockstah Mod 5) clean up we

Post by neikeel » Tue Jun 25, 2013 10:47 am

:whistle: :whistle:
Neil

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