Variac a Super Lead instead of attenuating

For all things to build the brown sound

Moderators: VelvetGeorge, RACKSYSTEMS

Post Reply
User avatar
rgalpin
Senior Member
Posts: 3668
Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2005 10:08 am
Location: Washington, DC

Variac a Super Lead instead of attenuating

Post by rgalpin » Sat Jan 10, 2015 10:38 am

This whole variac thing is getting more and more convincing to me.

http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=13018815

MXR 6 Band
Stock 100W SL Spec w 2 tubes pulled
Variac'd to around 60V
No attenuator
Bedroom volume coming out of Weber MyTone12 pre-rola-dope

Here is what is different about this clip from my previous tests... previously, I was taking amps that were tweaked to achieve the brown sound WITHOUT this kind of severe variacing. Here I am using a hard as nails, relatively stiff sounding, super lead spec and browning it out with the variac.

Before... I was recording a variac'd brownie -
But now... this clip is a variac'd stiffy.

I think the results are that much closer and more convincing. There are gain and distortion artifacts in this tone that are :thumbsup: :clap: :rock: :vh:
Top
vh junkie
Senior Member
Posts: 1288
Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2009 7:07 pm

Re: Variac a Super Lead instead of attenuating

Post by vh junkie » Sat Jan 10, 2015 11:06 am

Very cool! What are the settings on the amp controls and the mxr?
"With all due respect, sir, you're beginning to bore the hell out of me."
- Gunny Highway
Top
User avatar
rgalpin
Senior Member
Posts: 3668
Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2005 10:08 am
Location: Washington, DC

Re: Variac a Super Lead instead of attenuating

Post by rgalpin » Sat Jan 10, 2015 11:16 am

The amp is 100% - all knobs on ten - dimed.

The MXR is very touchy in this setup and can take you in and out of VH world with a slight adjustment - what i ended up with in this clip is:

[see EDIT NOTE below]

100 --- +9
200 --- +6
400 --- +9
800 --- +9
1.6k -- +3
3.2k -- +9

I did not mess with these settings as long as I would have liked to considering how much they were changing how the amp reacted when pushed. I have no doubt that I could have spent more time trying settings and listening and gotten closer to what I was looking for - which is that stinging envelope - that makes VH II scorch.

[EDIT NOTE]
After this test, I was messing with this MXR and found that the 200 slider is DEAD! And the other sliders were extremely dirty to the point where at certain settings on each slider the boost or cut that would normally result from the setting was not happening - in other words, in the dirty spots the slider appears to be unengaged. so... take these settings with a grain of salt and 2 advil and keeeeeeep going.
Last edited by rgalpin on Wed Jan 28, 2015 11:13 am, edited 3 times in total.
Top
User avatar
Jeremy1283
Senior Member
Posts: 384
Joined: Fri Aug 01, 2014 6:16 pm
Just the numbers in order: 13492
Location: Los Angeles California

Re: Variac a Super Lead instead of attenuating

Post by Jeremy1283 » Sat Jan 10, 2015 11:37 am

That sounds amazing. Hell yea. That is vh 2
All day!
What are the specs on the head?
Top
jnew
Senior Member
Posts: 1580
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2013 9:34 am
Just the numbers in order: 13492
Location: Front Row Seat From the Outer Continental Shelf

Re: Variac a Super Lead instead of attenuating

Post by jnew » Sat Jan 10, 2015 3:17 pm

rgalpin wrote:The amp is 100% - all knobs on ten - dimed.

The MXR is very touchy in this setup and can take you in and out of VH world with a slight adjustment - what i ended up with in this clip is:

100 --- +9
200 --- +6
400 --- +9
800 --- +9
1.6k -- +3
3.2k -- +9

I did not mess with these settings as long as I would have liked to considering how much they were changing how the amp reacted when pushed. I have no doubt that I could have spent more time trying settings and listening and gotten closer to what I was looking for - which is that stinging envelope - that makes VH II scorch.
Almost just a straight boost with the MXR. :thumbsup: Sounds really really good man. Vol I dimed too. I can't get either of my amps to keep that tight, wound up tone on 10. About 7 is all mine goes before it starts to feel shaky or unstable. 8)
________________________________
I SEE THINGS BETTER, WHEN I LISTEN

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default ... ID=1214336" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Top
User avatar
Jeremy1283
Senior Member
Posts: 384
Joined: Fri Aug 01, 2014 6:16 pm
Just the numbers in order: 13492
Location: Los Angeles California

Re: Variac a Super Lead instead of attenuating

Post by Jeremy1283 » Sat Jan 10, 2015 8:50 pm

Any gutshots? :what:
Top
User avatar
rgalpin
Senior Member
Posts: 3668
Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2005 10:08 am
Location: Washington, DC

Re: Variac a Super Lead instead of attenuating

Post by rgalpin » Sat Jan 10, 2015 8:59 pm

da guts
Attachments
20150106_130649.jpg
20150106_130649.jpg (307.64 KiB) Viewed 4314 times
Top
User avatar
Jeremy1283
Senior Member
Posts: 384
Joined: Fri Aug 01, 2014 6:16 pm
Just the numbers in order: 13492
Location: Los Angeles California

Re: Variac a Super Lead instead of attenuating

Post by Jeremy1283 » Sat Jan 10, 2015 9:22 pm

Im perplexed as to why you can dimed your amp and i cant. :scratch:
Top
User avatar
Jeremy1283
Senior Member
Posts: 384
Joined: Fri Aug 01, 2014 6:16 pm
Just the numbers in order: 13492
Location: Los Angeles California

Re: Variac a Super Lead instead of attenuating

Post by Jeremy1283 » Sat Jan 10, 2015 9:22 pm

rgalpin wrote:da guts
Same spec i have.
Hmmm.
Top
User avatar
rgalpin
Senior Member
Posts: 3668
Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2005 10:08 am
Location: Washington, DC

Re: Variac a Super Lead instead of attenuating

Post by rgalpin » Sat Jan 10, 2015 10:18 pm

EDIT:

do you have a grid resistor on v3 pin 2?
Last edited by rgalpin on Sat Jan 10, 2015 10:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Top
User avatar
Jeremy1283
Senior Member
Posts: 384
Joined: Fri Aug 01, 2014 6:16 pm
Just the numbers in order: 13492
Location: Los Angeles California

Re: Variac a Super Lead instead of attenuating

Post by Jeremy1283 » Sat Jan 10, 2015 10:25 pm

Here is my current spec
Image
100k on the nfb with a 4 ohm tap
Top
User avatar
rgalpin
Senior Member
Posts: 3668
Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2005 10:08 am
Location: Washington, DC

Re: Variac a Super Lead instead of attenuating

Post by rgalpin » Sat Jan 10, 2015 10:32 pm

i have 32+32 filter cap in the pre amp. also - the grid resistor on v3.
Top
User avatar
Jeremy1283
Senior Member
Posts: 384
Joined: Fri Aug 01, 2014 6:16 pm
Just the numbers in order: 13492
Location: Los Angeles California

Re: Variac a Super Lead instead of attenuating

Post by Jeremy1283 » Sat Jan 10, 2015 10:57 pm

I see that now.. I tried the grid stopper over james house. It didnt do much to my head.
Top
mapat
Senior Member
Posts: 219
Joined: Mon Aug 30, 2010 2:01 am
Just the numbers in order: 7

Re: Variac a Super Lead instead of attenuating

Post by mapat » Sat Jan 10, 2015 11:06 pm

Man that sounds really really good!

What's the guitar like? Wood, pickup, trem, etc?
Top
User avatar
rgalpin
Senior Member
Posts: 3668
Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2005 10:08 am
Location: Washington, DC

Re: Variac a Super Lead instead of attenuating

Post by rgalpin » Sun Jan 11, 2015 12:00 am

As far as I know - the guitar is:
Basswood
Wolfgang humbucker screwed to the wood
Floyd Rose 1000 Series trem
Top
Post Reply

Return to “Eddie Van Halen Amp Builders”