The quest for clean volume continues..
Moderated By: mods
- honeyiscool
- .
- Posts: 2072
- Joined: Tue Feb 01, 2011 11:36 pm
- Location: San Diego, California
Yeah, I end up reducing the volume a ton going into the 44 caliber because even at 2 or 3, it's face meltingly loud. He must be decreasing the volume going into it. If it's at 12 o'clock with your guitar plugged in straight, it will be shaking everything in the room.
I don't have any 4 ohm cabs. I only have 16 ohm and 8 ohm cabs.
I don't have any 4 ohm cabs. I only have 16 ohm and 8 ohm cabs.
Kicking and squealing Gucci little piggy.
- hotrodperlmutter
- crescent fresh
- Posts: 16665
- Joined: Sat Apr 04, 2009 10:29 pm
- Location: Overland Park, KS, USA
Yeah I did for many years - in 3 or 4 piece bands. 90% of our gigs were in small/medium sized pubs and mainly un-mic'd. I guess I used to run the clean channel at around 6 for the bigger (medium) pubs and it used to be just breaking up if I dug in. I used the amp distortion so it never bothered me and I like a bit of hair in my clean sound. That used to be pretty loud. At what point is yours breaking up?Doog wrote:I'm just beginning to wonder if this Marshall I have just needs a service..? LOADS of people have gigged with these (Thom, you used to, right?) and no-one has really complained about a lack of headroom. I mean, IT'S LOUD, but it shouldn't struggle in a power trio, right??
This has been my rig for a few years now. The cab was from a AC4TVH stack. I sold the speaker and put in a Celestion provox and reinforced the cab some. I play guitar and some bass thru it and it really sounds great. I also have a pair of 15" Fender cabs I run with it occassionally if I want to see the cops.
Bottom line Ampeg Mikro is the shizzle fo sho.

Uploaded with ImageShack.us
Bottom line Ampeg Mikro is the shizzle fo sho.

Uploaded with ImageShack.us
- honeyiscool
- .
- Posts: 2072
- Joined: Tue Feb 01, 2011 11:36 pm
- Location: San Diego, California
- Fran
- The Curmudgeon
- Posts: 22219
- Joined: Thu Apr 20, 2006 5:53 am
- Location: Nottingham, Englandshire.
How cool does this amp need to look Doog?
Because seriously, you could pick up an older PA head or Power Amp that will give you more volume than you could ever need and clean headroom for around £100. Even rack mount stuff, i know you ruled it out (why?), a nice flight case on the tube and you are away.
There is better stuff than that Ampeg out there is all im saying. It is pretty though.
P.S. I've gigged with a H|H PA head and a 70s Laney valve PA head, both sounded great, both cost under £100.
Because seriously, you could pick up an older PA head or Power Amp that will give you more volume than you could ever need and clean headroom for around £100. Even rack mount stuff, i know you ruled it out (why?), a nice flight case on the tube and you are away.
There is better stuff than that Ampeg out there is all im saying. It is pretty though.
P.S. I've gigged with a H|H PA head and a 70s Laney valve PA head, both sounded great, both cost under £100.
- honeyiscool
- .
- Posts: 2072
- Joined: Tue Feb 01, 2011 11:36 pm
- Location: San Diego, California
Sounds like you pretty much had the same experience I am then! 6-7 on the volume dial starts to break-up, even with single coils.Thom wrote:Yeah I did for many years - in 3 or 4 piece bands. 90% of our gigs were in small/medium sized pubs and mainly un-mic'd. I guess I used to run the clean channel at around 6 for the bigger (medium) pubs and it used to be just breaking up if I dug in. I used the amp distortion so it never bothered me and I like a bit of hair in my clean sound. That used to be pretty loud. At what point is yours breaking up?
Maaate, I don't give a fook about looks ultimately, but portability is key, I gotta be able to lug this shit across London with a guitar and pedalboard in tow also, and ALSO a cab if it's just a head. I've still got the Marshall DSL50 head, so it'd make no sense to just pick up another head unless it is REALLY portable.Fran wrote:How cool does this amp need to look Doog?
Because seriously, you could pick up an older PA head or Power Amp that will give you more volume than you could ever need and clean headroom for around £100. Even rack mount stuff, i know you ruled it out (why?), a nice flight case on the tube and you are away.
There is better stuff than that Ampeg out there is all im saying. It is pretty though.
P.S. I've gigged with a H|H PA head and a 70s Laney valve PA head, both sounded great, both cost under £100.
I didn't really rule out rackmount stuff at all; it's just having to buy a preamp AND a poweramp, resulting in something not much lighter or portable than the average head.
-
- .
- Posts: 3998
- Joined: Sun Jun 03, 2007 2:42 pm
- Location: London, England
I played one of the Marshalls that you have at practice last week and I thought that it was seriously loud. I don't know what kind of volume you need but I had to turn it down to about 11 o'clock on the volume dial as it was overpowering the band (including a very loud drummer) at about 1 o'clock. as far as I could tell it retained its cleanliness at these volumes.
It's good enough in a practise space situation, but when you're playing a bigger room with a beefier PA (perhaps miking some of the drums) and the drums set up alongside it, it starts to get buried.
Bear in mind I'm using this in a duo- there's no second guitarist or bassist to add volume. Plus I don't have my second (bass) amp turned up very loud as it's mainly taking care of the lower mids and low end; too loud and my guitar turns to muddy poop. Add to this the fact that I'm using an octaver for 80% of the time, it can really push an amp.
Regardless of all of those factors, it's still struggled with trios who have used my amp. It's feasible that the openback-nature of the combo isn't helping in the 'projection' stakes.
Bear in mind I'm using this in a duo- there's no second guitarist or bassist to add volume. Plus I don't have my second (bass) amp turned up very loud as it's mainly taking care of the lower mids and low end; too loud and my guitar turns to muddy poop. Add to this the fact that I'm using an octaver for 80% of the time, it can really push an amp.
Regardless of all of those factors, it's still struggled with trios who have used my amp. It's feasible that the openback-nature of the combo isn't helping in the 'projection' stakes.
- Fran
- The Curmudgeon
- Posts: 22219
- Joined: Thu Apr 20, 2006 5:53 am
- Location: Nottingham, Englandshire.
Our singer has a HH IC100 2x12, i used it for a bit, sounds great. Apparently the BBC used a lot of HH audio equipment back in the 70s/80s. Great quality for the monies.Doog wrote:Ooh, have found a HH L100 combo on Ebay, collection only an hour's train ride away. Have offered the guy cash if he pulls the auction, let's seeeeee!
-
- .
- Posts: 3998
- Joined: Sun Jun 03, 2007 2:42 pm
- Location: London, England
I just thought I remembered you saying that you thought there may have been a problem with yours which is why it wasn't loud enough, just thought i'd advise of my experience which may or may not have helped you diagnose if there was actually a problem or not with yours - I didn't realise the full extent of the issue.
I thought that might be the case, but Thom said his would break-up at gig volumes somewhat too. That was enough for me to forgo the 40+ quid worth of transport and amp tech fees to possibly not even rectify the situation.
This HH looks to be smaller and lighter (a big boon here) alternative and it's not gonna cost me much in the grand scheme o' things. The Marshall is totally usable so I've got no qualms about selling it on, but it's just not working for me. I'm gonna plop it on Ebay once my new debit card is fully linked to my Paypal account.
Worst case scenario, I just resell the HH and have a big rethink. At this stage, I'm prepared to put the effort in to avoid a huge, awkward setup that makes gigging a nightmare.
This HH looks to be smaller and lighter (a big boon here) alternative and it's not gonna cost me much in the grand scheme o' things. The Marshall is totally usable so I've got no qualms about selling it on, but it's just not working for me. I'm gonna plop it on Ebay once my new debit card is fully linked to my Paypal account.
Worst case scenario, I just resell the HH and have a big rethink. At this stage, I'm prepared to put the effort in to avoid a huge, awkward setup that makes gigging a nightmare.
-
- .
- Posts: 3998
- Joined: Sun Jun 03, 2007 2:42 pm
- Location: London, England
Haha, just won the HH for £41! Praying the guy doesn't pull the auction with "the item is no longer available" or some shit..
I actually said to the guy I'd pay a little more to try and keep him sweet and keep my karma in check.
£41 is a fucking NUTS price, I guess that's what you get for selling slightly "niché" gear as Collection Only.
I actually said to the guy I'd pay a little more to try and keep him sweet and keep my karma in check.
£41 is a fucking NUTS price, I guess that's what you get for selling slightly "niché" gear as Collection Only.
Last edited by Doog on Sun Jan 29, 2012 7:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- hotrodperlmutter
- crescent fresh
- Posts: 16665
- Joined: Sat Apr 04, 2009 10:29 pm
- Location: Overland Park, KS, USA