joeblast Posted November 14, 2011 You know what's good Or you went to someone that knows what's good, heh! Funny, for a bass, the tubes that make a guitar sound like rizzy garbage actually sound better for a distorted sound, e.g. something like a sovtek...or imo, anything produced in the last 20, 30 years. In one of my MB-1s I have a mullard 12at7, totally clean fat fat fat sound, turn on the distortion and it only gets fat instead since the T doesnt let the voltage run up enough for breakup. I swiped it out of an old CB In my buddy's coreblade he experimented with that T in the phase inverter but wound up finding an ol 60s rca aY that does it right - definitely a step down in loudness from having an X there but the quality is perfect. (The auto-bias feature on that coreblade...just awesome, allows for a lot of quick experimentation!) Good on the tung sol - I may have to pick up some 6L6s for that dusty ol harmon kardon chorale that came tumbling down from yeti mountain...that I have to do a total cap overhaul on, when I get around to it That was mainly why I asked. Got an old set of RCAs for it but the values differ a bunch among them. Gain's a funny thing, its all in how you step it up! Sounds like a fantastic amp you've got there! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
deci belle Posted November 14, 2011 (edited) I'm learning the hard way— that's the cool thing about a big old classic amp to learn from! I've been getting new and NOS tubes from Tube Depot. I think they are in Memphis. My dad is an old HAM, so sometimes that is a help— but there isn't much of an overlap on that account! But you seem to have a real audiophile background, blasto! I have a schematic for building an adjustable bias (uses 5 pots and, like, 12 caps), but what a hassle just to use some old, but killer, disparate tubes. I have a stash of RCA 6v6s— I told the person who found those tubes that he's gonna have to find a properly bent-up old single-ended amp we can fix, just to put them to good use! Shows you how much I know~ just cuz I see Harmon Kardon, I label you as …an …audiophile!! Eeeeeww!! (ed note: add last line) Edited November 14, 2011 by deci belle Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joeblast Posted November 15, 2011 audiophile well, I like good sound, but I'm not so stuck up as to be willing to pay any amount of money for it - if that item wasnt a gift, my buddy and I simply would not be in possession of it I have a super old school resource in my buddy's dad, so amazingly knowledgeable on stuff like this it boggles the mind...I swear you could give that guy a schematic to the space shuttle and he'd be able to point to things and talk about them I'd have to had gone to some significant schooling to have learned many of the things he's casually expounded on, often, and giving in depth "training" when asked. Awesome on the adjustable bias, I'd be curious to see that schematic! I wonder if its like the old tube tester I'll sometimes utilize...although that thing is so simple it basically tells you good or not and the value. Something that can be modded into an amp? I do love acoustics and such, whereas some people walk into a room and notice the lovely floor, half the time I'm thinking about room modes or something when I look at a room Tubes are "true analog" whereas solid state is still a 1/0 at a small enough resolution, the difference is most easily heard when teh amp's cranked! They do get expensive though... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joeblast Posted November 16, 2011 (edited) thanks! I'll copy these down and try to draw 'em out. if you want to get a pic up, best way is to use a pic hosting site, I use photobucket but there's a bunch of 'em out there. you should also be able to attach a file to a post if you do the full reply. you do realize there's another forum member that actually has the name blasto, yes? although I dont recall seeing him lately. Edited November 16, 2011 by joeblast Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
deci belle Posted November 16, 2011 (edited) Oh!!❤❤ Thanks joeblast!! haha!!❤ Now I know! Ya— photo bucket! Let me know if you can draw it out ok. I have another schematic with independent bias adjustment for two power tubes too. I have an old Navy TV-7A/U tube tester— I don't know anything about modding those. (ed note: add last line) Edited November 16, 2011 by deci belle Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Enishi Posted November 16, 2011 RIP Cory Smoot, that dude made gwar's riffs and solos interesting again. Indeed. I was quite shocked when I learned he had passed only a couple days after the concert I went to. It was the first and LAST time I saw him. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Adj Posted November 16, 2011 All music is beautiful. People do not make music to sound bad. They make it to have fun, relax, inspire, motivate, etc... No one makes music to sound bad. All music is a very natural form of expression and there is nothing to suggest that certain kinds of music offend Taoist teachings. There may be many lyrics that do, but in terms types of music, no way. In the days of taoism they had flutes, and leather drums, and simple instruments. They did best with what they had. If they had electric guitars with distortion pedals they would be rockin' it and you know it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mYTHmAKER Posted November 16, 2011 Taoism and heavy metal music = oxymoron Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Protector Posted November 16, 2011 It is time to start the most metal Taoist metal band ever! We will sit in front of the instruments and not play them or maybe make Confucians play Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
deci belle Posted November 17, 2011 Yayyyy!!❤❤ haha!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
konchog uma Posted November 17, 2011 It is time to start the most metal Taoist metal band ever! We will sit in front of the instruments and not play them or maybe make Confucians play hahahahah our mudra will be the horns we will only drink tsing tao beer the thrash that can be thrashed is not the eternal thrash Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cat Pillar Posted November 17, 2011 It is time to start the most metal Taoist metal band ever! We will sit in front of the instruments and not play them or maybe make Confucians play The first album will consist entirely of a recording of a 40-minute silent meditation. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NeiChuan Posted November 17, 2011 (edited) That music died over 2 decades ago, and hasn't been relevant since ah well you're just the worst kind of person LOL Edited November 17, 2011 by NeiChuan Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joeblast Posted November 17, 2011 Ahhhh now that makes sense - I remember my buddy mentioning looking into picking up some of those as a spare solo practice oriented config combining that with a 50w config in the power tubes. Good homework you have done The headroom mod sounds like one of the many ridiculously esoteric off the cuff mod-ideas our relative guru expounds Did a first mock up of my cabinet - it is beeeastly. Still need to buzz ten or so notches, holes etc with the jigsaw and select a glue before the holes are piloted and screwed And go to the stove shop and see what they have got for steel grill material. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cat Pillar Posted November 18, 2011 Is it weird that I can't understand half of what y'all are talking about...but it still sounds sexy? I ought to ask y'all for recommendations, since I'll be in the market for a tube amp soon. Need something I can gig with - I run through either one or two B-52 4x12 cabs depending on transportation (can't remember if it's the LS-412 or the AT-412 off the top of my head; they handle 480W). Durability is definitely a factor. Looking for high gain - I like some decent buzz, but tone is super important to me too. I can't stand the completely-scooped mids that a lot of extreme metal guitarists use, especially when they peg the treble. Frickin' bees in a jar. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joeblast Posted November 18, 2011 hahahaha bees in a jar, I love it. First thing is, decide what your price range is, because that's going to be the biggest determining factor. The tubes are another consideration, because the right tubes will remove the jar of bees and still leave you with the core tone. Even a 5150 will sound great with a good set of tubes in it. The mid scoop is really more applicable when you're recording, but when you're playing live you dont want to scoop them too much, they'll disappear and be too muddy. Recording and playing live are so vastly different in application! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cat Pillar Posted November 24, 2011 hahahaha bees in a jar, I love it. First thing is, decide what your price range is, because that's going to be the biggest determining factor. The tubes are another consideration, because the right tubes will remove the jar of bees and still leave you with the core tone. Even a 5150 will sound great with a good set of tubes in it. The mid scoop is really more applicable when you're recording, but when you're playing live you dont want to scoop them too much, they'll disappear and be too muddy. Recording and playing live are so vastly different in application! Yeah, the only recording I've done was in our practice room. We actually managed to get a surprisingly decent sound, but nothing like what a professional studio could have got us. My price range is probably going to be around $1000 to $1200...gotta keep it cheap for now cuz I have a lot of other expenses to be worrying about. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joeblast Posted November 24, 2011 Personally, I'd spend 3, 4 of those bills on good tubes, if you are in fact going for a tube amp. Perhaps check out a mesa dual rec if you can find one cheap...or, even a 5150 will put out good sound when you put good stuff in it - as a general rule of thumb, "the older the better"...the best tubes I've heard were made in the 1950s. I'd even go cheaper on the amp for now and then upgrade later, moving the tubes along, if you wind up with a good enough set of them. Changing tubes is changing the voicing/timbre - the preamp tubes you can change out with no other considerations, its just going to change how the preamp signal sounds, but your power tubes wont last long if the bias isnt sett correctly. (One of the things I love about that coreblade, auto bias for the pwr tubes!) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
julianlaboy Posted November 25, 2011 I enjoy a lot Rhapsody of Fire. For example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oH4HIn5Pfvg That kind of metal I call "Viking Metal" because I always imagine vikings sailing on ships, drinking beer and being all viking-y like... Some types of metal make me smile or even calm my thinking. I think that alone is worth something. And good luck with the taoist band and the 40 minute album of silent meditation, Hahaha. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites