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Post by echoecho on Jul 4, 2006 22:18:28 GMT -7
I can not find anyone in the Cincinnati area to bias my 66. Any suggestions?
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Post by James on Jul 5, 2006 14:46:41 GMT -7
I bought a weber bias rite tool............its super easy to use..........seems pricey at first, but, after 3 or 4 times you use it, it pays for itself. A real convenient tool.
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Post by John on Jul 6, 2006 7:17:35 GMT -7
I purchased the bias rite tool, but I've never sat down and figured out how to use it. I purchased mine without the meter.
Did you purchase yours with or without the meter? If without, what scale are you looking for on your meter?
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Post by James on Jul 6, 2006 8:00:31 GMT -7
I bought this one...... I have the one with the meter built in.......you can switch between both tubes..........pricey, but, worth it in the long run. I can do my z 28 with it as well. weberspeakerscom.secure.powweb.com/biasrite/br_page.htmI have noticed that my bias drifts a little..in the 66.......so its nice to be able to tweek things any time I want to. Definately keeps the amp sounding tight. Every so often I feel like things don't sound as snappy and punchy............sure enough, when I check the bias, its out a little. I am not sure if this is normal, but mine does it. Its also cool because you can try different settings between 34 and 38 ma or whatever...........everytime I took my 66 to a tech, he would set the bias and that was it. I never got a chance to see how different adjustments would sound because he did not have the time to sit there with me and experiment.
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Post by jb on Jul 6, 2006 9:14:27 GMT -7
Which one did you get, the BR2 octal, BR2 nine pin or the Br 2+2? Not near my amp to check the KT 66 tubes. Thanks.
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Post by James on Jul 6, 2006 10:19:04 GMT -7
The BR-2 (nine pin)............
its all I need since the maz is self biasing and the z28 and 66 only have 2 out tubes each........
It's really great tool..........keeps your tone sweet all the time!
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Post by jb on Jul 6, 2006 10:22:07 GMT -7
what bias setting do you like for the 66
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Post by James on Jul 6, 2006 10:34:20 GMT -7
35 mA sounds good to me..........
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Post by jb on Jul 6, 2006 10:53:03 GMT -7
Thanks, I just placed my order. Anything I should know about locating or adjusting the bias trim pot? John
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Post by Curt on Jul 6, 2006 11:40:36 GMT -7
35 mA sounds good to me.......... James, What power tubes are you running? Thx, Curt
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Post by James on Jul 6, 2006 15:14:05 GMT -7
Hey Curt,
I actually use the Grove Tubes , but with a power rating of 4.........earlier break-up. Pretty nice!
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Post by James on Jul 6, 2006 15:16:55 GMT -7
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Post by jb on Jul 6, 2006 16:33:28 GMT -7
Thanks again!
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Post by James on Jul 6, 2006 16:47:02 GMT -7
No problem............the trim pot is easy to find. Just turn it and look at the meter. A very very smal turn is all you need to change the bias. I am a complete newbie with electronics..............I don't really undersatnd whats going on inside the amp.........I just turn the trim pot 'till it says between 34 and 38 mA...........and away I go. If I can do it, anyone can!
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Post by jb on Jul 13, 2006 17:49:45 GMT -7
Hey James, I just got the BR2 nine pin as we discussed and the sockets don't fit my kt66. The are too small. Did they send me the wrong one or should I have specified kt66 tubes when I ordered it? Thanks. John
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Post by James on Jul 13, 2006 20:17:31 GMT -7
John, I screwed up and am sorry. The kT 66 uses the 8 pin model. Will they let you exchange it? Probably will with no hassle. Just for my piece of mind, tell them you need the one for biasing a KT66. ( I just checked mine and counted 8 pins.) Really sorry my friend
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Post by jb on Jul 14, 2006 9:30:10 GMT -7
No sweat, they are going to exchange it for me. In the meantime, I was interested how took your bias setting down to 29-30 from 35 and really liked the change in the tone. I may have to try that as well, since with my main guitars the amp sounds a little dark to me as well. The RC Booster I just got gave me the ability to brighten it up a bit. On my alder strat set on full treble for example, my amp settings are 12 for the treble 9 for the base, with the RC at 2 for the treble and 9 for the base. That now gets me close to the tone I am looking for. Perhaps if I lower the bias the way you did, this won't be such a battle for this guitar and my Les Paul. My telecaster sounds fine the way the amp was voiced when shipped.
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Post by James on Jul 14, 2006 10:39:41 GMT -7
Hey John......+1 Karma for you for NOT smiting me You should pose youe question to Myles.........I am not sure if raising the bias # gives you more or less headroom. The lower bias # seemed to make my 66 hold on longer before giving up the "goods" ( compression), which is what I wanted. Now , I also changed my tubes to 66's with a higher powwer rating so that probably had an effect. Like you, I was experiencing a "dark" sounding amp to the point where I decided this was only a good amp for "cranked" humbucker tone.......... But Curtis (Tele62) has been raving about his 66/ Tele setup which made me think the 66 must be able to get pretty twangy. It made me look into my bias and choice of tubes. Sure enough after the adjustments, I was playing SRV and sweet home alabama with all the richness and twang I had when I got the amp. I was quite relieved to say the least ;D I don't think I even need the RC booster now for brightness and instead I can use it for simply boosting my leads. Its such a great amp and way versatile! I think it just needs to be tweaked and when its not "tuned up" it can sound kinda bad. For me now I have memorized the potential tone in my head and will always make sure it dialed in..........big sign for me will be when it gets dark sounding Good luck Brother!
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Post by James on Jul 14, 2006 10:42:18 GMT -7
oh, my ef 86 also went bad........got all noisy when I tapped it with my finger. I replaced with a new Dario miniwatt ef86.........so that is the only other change I made. Not sure if that affected things? ??
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Post by jb on Jul 26, 2006 9:23:34 GMT -7
Hey Kurt, What power rating KT 66's are you using. Mine came with 4's. If you have used different ones, can you comment on the difference they made in the tone. Thanks.
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Post by Curt on Jul 26, 2006 9:50:21 GMT -7
I have #7's biased @ 28mA with one of the mismarked rec tubes from Mike @ KCNOS through a 30 watt Alnico Weber Blue Dog. I am quite pleased with my tone
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Post by jb on Jul 26, 2006 10:51:33 GMT -7
Thanks Curt, (sorry I mispelled your name before). When I was re-biasing my amp last night, I found that I had to set the bias up to 38 to get a brighter tone out of the 4's. Would switching to 6's or 7's result in a brighter sound so one could lower the bias back to the 28-34 range? Thanks. John
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Post by Telemanic on Jul 26, 2006 12:12:45 GMT -7
Sorry to high jack, ... JB, if you like the sound and it's not breaking up too much, or harsh, You can just leave the bias there. Your still in the upper range of being O.K. I think you did exactly what i'd do, and thats play test it as your tweaking. Start with the limits of acceptable bias range low to high, and adjust from one range to the other, and note where you like the sound AND feel. I've found that bias settings are as personal and subjective as say, choosing an overdrive! I have found as well that a higher rated tube ie. #7, will have a "harder" feel to it, and be a little tighter and brighter, and an perhaps just a tad louder. Remember that as the signal is amplified in say the #4's, the frequencies that peak and push the tube into clipping (compression) are kind of rounded off at the top, softly rolled off. So the lower rated tube will reach this sooner on the volume knob, thus kinda rounding off the highs, earlier in knob travel, hence giving the impression of less highs at the volume settings you'll most often be using. The # 7's will do the same thing, but not until you set the volume higher. So, it's not really that the Higher # tubes are brighter per say, its more that they resist the tendecy to clip longer, thus giving the impression of being brighter in your most often used volume settings.
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Post by jb on Jul 26, 2006 13:33:03 GMT -7
Thanks, that helps. I notice that you have a stable of Z's there. I am looking to add another one to go with my 66 and am looking for one that sounds noticeably different and complement the tone of the 66. Thinking of either a Ghia, Maz, Prescription ES or any other one. Any thoughts based on the amps you have played? Thanks again. John
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Post by Telemanic on Jul 27, 2006 0:14:22 GMT -7
Hi John, ....Man, those are all great picks, I think it would come down to a personal subjective choice, hopefuly you can try a couple somewhere before ya buy. Also i'd choose the right tool for the job. If your planning on giging, and are pairing with the 66, i'd go with the Maz 38, or Prescription, just to have the flexability of having the extra volume/headroom if you need it. Otherwise just get the one that puts the biggest smile on your face
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Post by Telemanic on Jul 27, 2006 0:35:56 GMT -7
BTW, ya know what i think would be a killer stage rig ? A 66 AND a 45, runnin together with an a/b/y ! Get the 66 breakin up thick and early, with all it's compression, and layer it with the brighter, tighter,cleaner, Kt45 shimmering on top !!! Nice ! Uh- oh, i think i just gave myself an idea i dont wanna spend on right now!
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Post by jb on Jul 27, 2006 7:01:25 GMT -7
Careful now, you will be adding another amp to your team before you know it. The more I thought about this the more I think I should get a lower wattage amp since the 66 is so loud. I really like the tone of the Ghia and I should not need to use the airbrake with it.
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Post by James on Jul 27, 2006 7:38:49 GMT -7
Hey Lou, how's it going my friend? Really enjoyed your mini lecture on tube power rating. I am amazed at how much I have learned from all you "CatZ" on the "Z"
Regarding the Companion for the Rt 66, I love the Maz senior..........you have all the tones covered with this 1-2 punch. I bought a Tonebone amp switcher and I am running both the 66 and the Maz through the z best. Its so much fun to gig with 2 heads at once as I feel like I have a world of tone instantly available................
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Post by Telemanic on Jul 27, 2006 11:27:11 GMT -7
I hear ya JB !! gotta watch it right now. I think the Gia would be awesome, In fact its on my list of amps to own!
James !! thank you, Like wise, my friend! That is a mutha of a rig ya got with those two on stage. What style could you not cover with them!! thats cool ya got a tone bone, i went the slightly different route and got the switchbone, cause i would often be using my vibrolux rvb combo and 66. But to be honest ive kinda been on just the fender kick lately, ........Oops! , shhhhh, my bad! Naw, really what can you say, why not play a 65' v-lux, right ? If nothing else its a classic, and nothin beats an old fender for that sound! I got my Eternity from sean, .... wow!! what a unique and amazing pedal. I must say tho it favors the fender over the 66 IMO, thru it, it absolutely smokes, like it was made for a blackface amp. I find i like the switchbone even if i'm not using a second amp, it has that mid boost feature that i can step on to fill in the blackface mids a little on solo's or thicker rythym parts. The Eternity is Mid perfect for the fender tho, just the right thickness to give it a hendrix-plexi vibe and a touch of dumble in there too !! Whoa, got off track, sorry, take care guy's, Lou
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Post by James on Jul 28, 2006 9:31:24 GMT -7
Hey Lou, You should TOTALLY play the P%ss out of your Vibrolux. I went through this phase of utter madness where I was feelin' like I had to sell my 66DR. But why should I sell it just so someone will end up putting it in a museum? Only paid $300 for it.... With all the vintage stuff goin' to collectors for show and tell purposes, us "players" need to hold on tight........and play the heck out of all the old stuff. (mini RAnt)
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