Post by skydog958 on Jan 7, 2011 5:29:27 GMT -7
Since I've been home for winter break, I've gotten reacquainted with my 45 while getting acquainted with a couple new guitars. I just wanted to share my new impressions of this wonderful amp.
To begin, the guitars I've been using are a James Trussart Steeltop w/ SD Phat Cats, a Fender Road Worn Tele, and my old Firebird w/ a GFS mini-humbucker in the bridge (neck pickup is original). Cab is an Avatar 2x12 with Weber Silver Bell ceramics (it's a closed back, but the back is off right now so it's technically open).
I fiddled with the tone controls a bit, but I always come back to 3 o'clock on both of them. Set like this, you get good rhythm crunch at pretty much any volume setting. I like the volume best at noon, but it's still lively even down to 9 o'clock.
I am LOVING the bridge P-90 on my Trussart. Big crunchy tone. The top end has that crushed glass Voxy brightness, but is still smooth and not overbearing (especially compared to the tele). A heavy right hand strum is pure Townsend. The tone control is very effective and fun to fiddle with. What is striking is how much top end I lose when I turn down the volume. Might invest in a volume kit. The best is when I add some MI Audio Crunch Box with the gain barely on (like 8 o'clock), volume at about unity (10 o'clockish), tone at 1 o'clock. It takes the natural breakup of the amp and adds some Marshally front-end gain and makes the amp sound very EVH to my ears. The harmonics are crazy. However, I do not like the neck pickup...it's too smooth/full for my taste. Middle position is just ok.
I found the tele to be much brighter, still good crunch and clarity, but I miss some of the mids from the P-90. Also could use a volume kit (the loss of highs is really dramatic). I haven't quite figured out how exactly to work with all that top end with the very open, uncompressed tone of the amp. Perhaps a compressor will make using the bridge pickup a bit easier. With the Crunch Box, it was a bit difficult to dial in the top end. The neck and middle pickup positions are cool too, but the massive amount of bass from the cab is a bit overpowering on these settings. I do have pickups and hardware that I will swap in for the stock Mexican stuff, but it's all at school so I'll have to wait until later.
The Firebird is perfect for Stonesy-Faces rhythm and slide guitar, and that's all I need to say on that. Actually, I'm finding that in all pickup settings that there are usable tones at just about any setting of the guitar's tone knobs, which was a pleasant surprise.
I gotta say, I really believe this amp shines with single coils (or brighter pickups like mini-hums or Firebirds). They best bring out the punchy dynamics and sparkle of the amp. I do think that a Mid control would've made this amp a touch more versatile with different guitars, but that's a minor quibble.
Sorry this was long-winded, but I just had to lavish some more praise for this amp. Now I'm really conflicted about selling her...I may keep her after all.
P.S., the thread title would've been much cleverer for a Route 66, but whatever
To begin, the guitars I've been using are a James Trussart Steeltop w/ SD Phat Cats, a Fender Road Worn Tele, and my old Firebird w/ a GFS mini-humbucker in the bridge (neck pickup is original). Cab is an Avatar 2x12 with Weber Silver Bell ceramics (it's a closed back, but the back is off right now so it's technically open).
I fiddled with the tone controls a bit, but I always come back to 3 o'clock on both of them. Set like this, you get good rhythm crunch at pretty much any volume setting. I like the volume best at noon, but it's still lively even down to 9 o'clock.
I am LOVING the bridge P-90 on my Trussart. Big crunchy tone. The top end has that crushed glass Voxy brightness, but is still smooth and not overbearing (especially compared to the tele). A heavy right hand strum is pure Townsend. The tone control is very effective and fun to fiddle with. What is striking is how much top end I lose when I turn down the volume. Might invest in a volume kit. The best is when I add some MI Audio Crunch Box with the gain barely on (like 8 o'clock), volume at about unity (10 o'clockish), tone at 1 o'clock. It takes the natural breakup of the amp and adds some Marshally front-end gain and makes the amp sound very EVH to my ears. The harmonics are crazy. However, I do not like the neck pickup...it's too smooth/full for my taste. Middle position is just ok.
I found the tele to be much brighter, still good crunch and clarity, but I miss some of the mids from the P-90. Also could use a volume kit (the loss of highs is really dramatic). I haven't quite figured out how exactly to work with all that top end with the very open, uncompressed tone of the amp. Perhaps a compressor will make using the bridge pickup a bit easier. With the Crunch Box, it was a bit difficult to dial in the top end. The neck and middle pickup positions are cool too, but the massive amount of bass from the cab is a bit overpowering on these settings. I do have pickups and hardware that I will swap in for the stock Mexican stuff, but it's all at school so I'll have to wait until later.
The Firebird is perfect for Stonesy-Faces rhythm and slide guitar, and that's all I need to say on that. Actually, I'm finding that in all pickup settings that there are usable tones at just about any setting of the guitar's tone knobs, which was a pleasant surprise.
I gotta say, I really believe this amp shines with single coils (or brighter pickups like mini-hums or Firebirds). They best bring out the punchy dynamics and sparkle of the amp. I do think that a Mid control would've made this amp a touch more versatile with different guitars, but that's a minor quibble.
Sorry this was long-winded, but I just had to lavish some more praise for this amp. Now I'm really conflicted about selling her...I may keep her after all.
P.S., the thread title would've been much cleverer for a Route 66, but whatever