SFDR - What a NAD

[Heady Jam Fan]

Got an SFRD today: Tremolo Disconnect, Midrange Knob!



Tossed my Eminence Red Fang in it, messed around with the channels and with / without V1 and V2 if I were using the Vibrato or Normal channel, respectively.

I found the Vibrato channel sounded best, but was too bright, so I clipped the bright cap. With V1 pulled, it was to gainy, so I put it back in. Might try a lower gain tube in V2 like a 12AT7 or 12AU7. The amp has Ruby 6L6's, GE 12AT7 PI, I forget what rectifier tube is in there, and Mesa 12AX7A's, which are higher quality, low-noise preamp tubes; the amp is completely silent unless I crank the reverb. On that note, the reverb sounds incredible. I have the bass and treble knobs at 0 and the mid knob cranked, which ought to get me a fairly flat EQ I believe - I could use a little more mids (or less bass and treble), but it sounds awesome.

Since I like the vibrato channel so much more, I think I am going to leave the tone stack stock rather than doing the modified James I posted on another thread; I will just use (or try) an MXR 6 Band EQ for a mid-boost for leads.

Definitely nice to have an amp half the weight of the Mesa Boogie MKIII. The DR is more expressive; more treble and less compressed, but not as fat and smooth. A blend between the two would be amazing (and I might try running my El Cap stereo outputs into the two of them ). With less compression, I turned my comp up a little, but gets a different effect - any changes in volume knobs on my pedals makes a noticeable effect on the amplitude coming from the amp, whereas that made absolutely no difference on the Mesa.

Ok, enough writing, time to try both amps in stereo

[fulltone1989]

Nice!!! If it has 6L6's, wouldn't the rectifier be SS?

Got an SFRD today: Tremolo Disconnect, Midrange Knob!



Tossed my Eminence Red Fang in it, messed around with the channels and with / without V1 and V2 if I were using the Vibrato or Normal channel, respectively.

I found the Vibrato channel sounded best, but was too bright, so I clipped the bright cap. With V1 pulled, it was to gainy, so I put it back in. Might try a lower gain tube in V2 like a 12AT7 or 12AU7. The amp has Ruby 6L6's, GE 12AT7 PI, I forget what rectifier tube is in there, and Mesa 12AX7A's, which are higher quality, low-noise preamp tubes; the amp is completely silent unless I crank the reverb. On that note, the reverb sounds incredible. I have the bass and treble knobs at 0 and the mid knob cranked, which ought to get me a fairly flat EQ I believe - I could use a little more mids (or less bass and treble), but it sounds awesome.

Since I like the vibrato channel so much more, I think I am going to leave the tone stack stock rather than doing the modified James I posted on another thread; I will just use (or try) an MXR 6 Band EQ for a mid-boost for leads.

Definitely nice to have an amp half the weight of the Mesa Boogie MKIII. The DR is more expressive; more treble and less compressed, but not as fat and smooth. A blend between the two would be amazing (and I might try running my El Cap stereo outputs into the two of them ). With less compression, I turned my comp up a little, but gets a different effect - any changes in volume knobs on my pedals makes a noticeable effect on the amplitude coming from the amp, whereas that made absolutely no difference on the Mesa.

Ok, enough writing, time to try both amps in stereo

[Heady Jam Fan]

Sorry, it has 6V6's, typo. Not sure if I would need a solidstate rectifier or not for that, I remember reading about it on Fender Guru.

After playing some more, I think I am going to pick up a 12AT7 this week and toss it in V2 and try pulling V1 again.

The amp sounds great though and it was awesome in stereo with the Mesa, the El Cap produces a very 3D delay, where each repeat seemed to have a subtle panning from one amp to the other. I was just sitting indian style on my floor with the delay level cranked zoning out between the amps for a good 40 minutes this afternoon, just pluckin' away and listening to repeats swirl around my head.

[ColForbin]

I'm going to go ahead and be stupid and ask a stupid question for a second....hope you don't mind indulging me.

I thought clipping the bright cap was something people did to DRRI's?  If it sounded too bright for you, couldn't you just turn the bass on the amp up some?  Or adjust the tone knobs on the guitar?  Again, I'm not questioning you, but I am curious.  I have a SFDR as well, love that amp.  Congrats man!!

[Heady Jam Fan]

I'm going to go ahead and be stupid and ask a stupid question for a second....hope you don't mind indulging me.

I thought clipping the bright cap was something people did to DRRI's?  If it sounded too bright for you, couldn't you just turn the bass on the amp up some?  Or adjust the tone knobs on the guitar?  Again, I'm not questioning you, but I am curious.  I have a SFDR as well, love that amp.  Congrats man!!

Thats not a stupid question!

Clipping the bright cap has been common since BFDR's - it literally took me under 5 minutes including removing and replacing the chasis in the cabinet.

I think clipping it is a better solution than trying to undo that treble by changing the eq or your tone knob - why not fix the source of the problem? Plus, turning up the bass on the amp really doesn't help, at least for me, I have plenty of bass as well and want more mids - turning up the bass is just submitting to the scooped nature of the amp. I also tried playing with my tone knob, but it has a different effect compared to removing the bright cap; I found it made my signal darker on cleaner stuff, but didn't make a noticeable difference when my signal was dirtier, thus the dirtier I played, the harsher it sounded.

On that note, I only clipped one leg of the cap off, I could solder it back on easily if needed or get a replacement for less than a buck. I also think mods that remove components can sometimes add the most to an amp - Fender's sound great because they are simple; all the best mods to a DR include removing extraneous stuff, such as V1 tube (and in turn, the whole normal channel circuit), disconnecting the tremolo, removing the bright cap, and removing (and replacing) the speaker. Though this amp also has an added midrange knob, which, in my understanding, allows you to bring the volume back up (minus just a bit of bass and treble) after turning the treble and bass all the way down - it helps avoid the volume loss of removing the scoop.

Here, check this site out: http://fenderguru.com/amps/deluxe-reverb

[ShockedAndPersuaded]

Here's an interesting read that I frequent a lot.  
http://www.tone-lizard.com/Mods_and_Odds.htm

Keep in mind that while there is a LOT of educated info there is also some opinionated comments as well.

Congrats on the amp!

[Heady Jam Fan]

Here's an interesting read that I frequent a lot.  
http://www.tone-lizard.com/Mods_and_Odds.htm

Keep in mind that while there is a LOT of educated info there is also some opinionated comments as well.

Congrats on the amp!

Thanks man - thats interesting; most of those mods are a little beyond what I am comfortable with on a 35-year-old amp, but it would be cool to see what they do, especially the tone stack mods.

[Happyorange27]

Congrats buddy!

[Heady Jam Fan]

Thanks!

Volume wise, it keeps up with the Mesa surprisingly well - I am sure the Emi Red Fang contributes a bit. F'in loud when the Trem (vibrato) and V1 are out of the circuit.

I pulled the V1 again; not sure if it is just the added volume I like or other changes to tone or general ballsiness.

I am still considering switching V2 to a 12AT7 or 5751 (or something similar). I don't need to drive the later preamp tubes anymore than I am and some of the lower gain tubes have a softer top-end I think.

Also deciding if I want to modify the tone stack for more mids; I love the tone, bold and expressive, but I could use a little more fatness and smoothness (maybe I am just used to my Mesa, but I can't imagine turning up the treble or bass - they are on 0).

[Happyorange27]

Even though I don't have your amp, I think I know what you are experiencing.  My BJ isn't too different than your Fender and the circuit is similar.  I just had to go with 12AT7 in V1 and I like one in V3 (phase inverter) as well.  Heck a 12AU7 is even quieter in V1. 
If I were you I would get at least a couple of the aforementioned tubes and just start trying combinations.

With all 12AX7 my amp just got too dirty too quick.  Now with lower gain tubes, it's pretty darn clean unless you crank the volume or if you push the guitar signal to much.

Also, do you have any idea what your B+ voltage or the voltage on your preamp tubes?  Makes a big difference in headroom and distortion.

Also I'm assuming it's been biased as far as the output tubes right?  Is there a bias pot in there, which would have to have been added.  Look into that. 

[Heady Jam Fan]

I don't know what the B+ is on this amp, not really sure how to check it and definitely don't have the equipment. It was just biased before I got the amp, I am assuming within the typical range for a Fender. I am 99% sure there is no bias pot - would have noticed it between changing tubes in and out, putting in the speaker and pulling the chasis to cut the bright cap, but I can check again.

[Stecks]

This thread is reminding me of how much I don't know.   

[Heady Jam Fan]

Just grabbed 2 12AT7s, one for my V2 and one for my reverb driver (V3).

[Happyorange27]

I don't know what the B+ is on this amp, not really sure how to check it and definitely don't have the equipment. It was just biased before I got the amp, I am assuming within the typical range for a Fender. I am 99% sure there is no bias pot - would have noticed it between changing tubes in and out, putting in the speaker and pulling the chassis to cut the bright cap, but I can check again.

Dude if there is no bias pot, then your tubes have not been biased!  They are dependent on the values of the grid resistors you have.  These need to be swapped with new resistors and a bias pot so that you can change the bias.  If someone told you this amp has been biased, I think they didn't know what they were saying.  Once you have adjustable bias, you can cool down those output tubes or make them a bit hotter.  Sheesh!!!   I'm just being dramatic.

[Heady Jam Fan]

Oh yea, I see the bias pot, never mind. Not that I know how to set the bias or have a bias probe, though I suppose I could do it by ear, but the seller said the bias was set already. Any reason you think it might be off? Or just suggesting things worth checking?