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Post by Rich (fbb90) on Sept 13, 2008 19:32:01 GMT -7
Hi guys,
I'm not an Rx owner (although I just got a Jr.), but I'm wondering what would cause an older Rx (non ES) to not have any dirt when it is cranked? I know where an older Rx head is for sale, and I keep going back to play it, but it gets no dirt or grit even when dimed. It's loud as all h*ll, and it sounds great clean. It's just that I've read here that the older non ES models got pretty gritty pretty quickly as you came up on the volume. This one can be dimed, and it stays just about completely clean even with 'buckers.
Would it be a tube issue? Perhaps the previous owner changed out some preamp tube to keep it clean? I didn't check the tubes yet. I've been tossing around buying it, but it doesn't seem typical from what I've read here.
Any thoughts or suggestions?
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Post by stuey222 on Sept 13, 2008 20:56:17 GMT -7
My guess would be a really low gain pre-amp tube, like a 12AU7 or something like that.
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Post by telejas on Sept 14, 2008 16:39:55 GMT -7
Yeah, I'm not sure..... maybe a low gain preamp tube, but even then you should get some power tube dirt. On the Rx head I had, I would get noticable dirt around 11:00 and around 3:00 was classic rock dirt. I'd ask if they had some tubes you could swap around with (pre and power), even if out of another amp just to see?
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Post by anacephalic on Sept 15, 2008 8:45:43 GMT -7
I'd have to see it to believe it. Even with 5751's in mine, which gives a killer natural woody tone to hollow bodies by the way, it would get nasty. Speakers??
If you're thinking about one go buy it regardless of current tube configuration. I keep getting all gassed up and wanting to buy another amp and then i turn on the Rx, twiddle the knobs to somewhere they ain't been before and find a whole new level of paradise. Gas is gone. I think the original Rx is way under appreciated
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Post by Rich (fbb90) on Sept 15, 2008 17:41:34 GMT -7
I'm going to see if they'll let me open up the back for a tube check. I doubt it, but I'll try. If they really wanna sell the thing,... The head was run through an Avatar 2X12 open-back w/ 2 G1230H speakers. 8 ohm cab into the 8 ohm jack. I'm remembering the head to be a '97. I thought it was pretty weird to not be getting much breakup w/ the thing cranked. I usually play single coils, and not getting any dirt w/ them, I switched to buckers. It gave me a little, and I do mean little, breakup w/ the Vol, Treb, Bass, Mid all dimed. I had the "expand" switch on "expand." And I couldn't remember what all the other switch did, so I tried all positions (doesn't it have something to do w/ pickup choice?). Listed at $1299, I thought it was a little pricey(it has some light scuffs, but it also has a wood valence). They told me they'd work w/ me if I really wanted it. But w/ it not getting any grit, I shied away from it. Then I started thinking that maybe it could be something simple which brought me to posing my questions to you. Any other thoughts or suggestions? What could be a good deal on this? Worst case scenario, if I bought it, I could send it back to the Good Dr.
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Post by Dustin on Sept 16, 2008 8:53:59 GMT -7
FWIW, I've played that same Rx a few times myself. The first time I played it it sounded awesome with a '52 Hot Rod Tele and some variety of Strat. A week or so later, I happened to be at the store again but when I went to play around with it a bit; no sound at all. I told one of the sales lackey's about it and pretty much forgot about it. Then this past Thursday I was back picking up some strings and low & behold there's the Rx back on the floor. Plugged a Tele into it and heard the same thing: clean all the way up the volume knob.
I'm inclined to go with stuey222 in saying that a preamp tube went, and they just grabbed whatever tube they happened to have laying around just to get it back up and making noise again.
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Post by anacephalic on Sept 16, 2008 9:30:44 GMT -7
$1300 for a head is a bunch. I paid about $1550 for my 2x12 new...so apply inflation and that's probab $1800 but still. I've seen the combos going for that price or less depending on the day. I'm cheap so $900 - $1000 would be my ballpark for just a head.
Ask them if they monkeyed with the tranny. My brother works at a music store and he says they have yahoos coming in all the time turning on amps without a speaker load. oops no output tranny. It probably ain't the case because the Docs trannies are stout ( i did the same oops with mine before to no detriment...sigh of relief there) and they are so massive that i doubt you could put a bigger one in for additional headroom but it's worth asking.
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Post by billygoat on Sept 17, 2008 10:37:13 GMT -7
Yeah, that's real steep. I paid 950 Canadian for my transitional RX on ebay about 2 months ago.
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Post by Rich (fbb90) on Sept 17, 2008 14:30:46 GMT -7
Thanks again guys. I appreciate the suggestions and information. I haven't had a chance to get back up there yet, and I'm not all that optimistic that they'll deal, or even let me prod around the tubes, for that matter. It's a typical GC. I guess if it sits long enough they'll be more motivated to deal or allow someone to experiment w/ tubes.
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Post by BW on Sept 19, 2008 11:18:30 GMT -7
Hi guys, I'm not an Rx owner (although I just got a Jr.), but I'm wondering what would cause an older Rx (non ES) to not have any dirt when it is cranked? ? Check the soundclip here... www.drzamps.com/prescription.htmlThat's a '58 Les Paul, straight into an original Rx thru a Carvin 4X12. I must say I still enjoy my playing my Rx, what a GREAT amp. Probably best to install a new set of 84's before deciding whether you like it or not.
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Post by taswegian on Sept 25, 2008 6:29:46 GMT -7
That's a great tone BW. Hearing that (again) makes me wonder how different the MazGT and original prescription are in tone. Obviously the GT has more gain but there must be some tone similarities.
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