![\"Workbench](\"http://mojotone.com/workbench-locations.jpg\")
Fender’s Tweed Era amplifiers are considered by many to be the holy grail of amp circuitry. Simple design, clear and versatile tone, classic aesthetics, and portability were all major selling points for these amplifiers.
“Tweed Era,” typically refers to those amps designed and produced by Fender between the years of 1948 and 1960, with the first amp covered in the “tweed” material being the Dual Professional in 1948. The Tweed Era also ushered in the use of the Wide Panel front design as well as finger-jointed cabinets. At this point in time, the amps were being made to facilitate the amplification of sound for any and all instruments. They were being used for harmonicas, public address, guitars, and whatever else people decided to run through them. This is why the Tweed Era amps have such a distinctive sound. They almost appear to be “unfocused” and wide open in regards to the way they resonate and the way the frequency spectrum is represented therein. And being that they were typically used in small clubs and studio settings, they were made with lower power handling capabilities, giving them their now-famed early breakup.
Throughout the fifties, Tweed amps were perpetually evolving, which not only makes them a mystery to many, but also makes them a broad subject for those who wish to become experts. Some of those “evolutionary” qualities included the migration from the original TV front design, to the wide-panel design, and finally through to the most sought-after design, the narrow-panel front. The preamps saw a changeover from grid-leak biasing to a cathode bias system, and some amps featured simple (single-knob) tone controls while others featured two and three band EQ. Some had interactive volume controls wherein the sound of the amp was affected by a volume control potentiometer on an unoccupied channel, etc. We saw the use of single 8” speakers, single 12” speakers, dual 10” speakers and more. From the outside, it almost looked as if Fender were finding itself during this time period, but what was really happening is that Fender was finding it’s place in history; producing and selling some of the most versatile and well-revered amplifiers ever made.
Some things that were staples in Tweed Amp design included speakers, cabinet joinery, and rectification. All Tweed amps used AlNiCo speakers, typically Jensen-made, which offered their own fantastic flavor and gave the Tweed Era amps their unique compression and break-up. The amps also featured finger-jointed cabinets, as mentioned earlier, as well as tube-rectified circuitry to give them a nice sag at slightly higher volumes.
In short, there is a ton of learning to be done when it comes to the history of Fender amps. We hope that this article, as well as our articles on Blackface and Brownface Era amps will serve as good starting points for those who wish to dive deeper. For an even closer look, please visit ampwares.com.
","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"3","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"4422846","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"4422847","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/18/2021 3:32:37 pm"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"Chicago School Of Guitar Making : Amps","page_header":"Chicago School Of Guitar Making : Amps","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"6","name":"Chicago School Of Guitar Making : Amps","urlPath":"blog/chicago-school-of-guitar-making-amps","url":"chicago-school-of-guitar-making-amps","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"Mojotone has been supplying amp kits for the team at the Chicago School Of Guitar Making for years. Their world renown Tube amp Building Class is well worth knowing about.","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"For a number of years, Mojotone has been working with the world renown techs and programs and The Chicago School of Guitar Making, in an effort to provide quality amplifier kits for their Tube Amp Building Class.
Instructed by Ian Schneller, owner of Specimen products and Chief Instructor/Founder of the Chicago School of Guitar Making, the class aims to provide its students with an experience that will lay the foundation for hopefully many years of tweaking, building, and modding. A beginner course is even offered, wherein students will build a recreation of the classic Fender Tweed Champ circuit over the course of two days. Each student is given a workbench stocked with all of the tools and supplies necessary to successfully complete the build. Not only this, but Schneller is an amp veteran whose expertise is practically unparalleled in the world of tube amp building instruction.
“...we use Mojotone kits because they are simply the most faithful to the original designs,” says Schneller.
This, of course, is a point we are very proud of here at Mojotone. The simple fact that someone as seasoned as Schneller has chosen to rely on us for a number of years is extremely rewarding and motivates us to continue our mission of providing quality parts and accurate circuit reproductions of some of the most iconic guitar amplifiers in history. Being able to see eye to eye with someone like Ian Schneller on a philosophical level has allowed us to build a reliable business relationship with one another and to help one another continue to improve over the years.
If you are looking to improve your tech skills, or even if you are looking to start from scratch on building or repairing amps, the courses at the Chicago School of Guitar Making are a must. We highly recommend working with Ian and his team as they will undoubtedly give you the tools you need to hone this new or improved skill set.
","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"3","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"4422739","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"4422738","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/18/2021 3:33:32 pm"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"How To Choose A New Speaker","page_header":"How To Choose A New Speaker","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"5","name":"How To Choose A New Speaker","urlPath":"blog/how-to-choose-a-new-speaker","url":"how-to-choose-a-new-speaker","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"Taking just a few things into consideration can go a long way when it comes to choosing your next speaker. Let’s go over the finer points of speaker construction and what it means...","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"Alright\neveryone, are you ready to open up a giant can of worms?Of course I’m only joking, but this is going\nto be a somewhat touchy subject as speakers have a HUGE impact on the overall\nsound of a circuit.Please remember as\nwe are going forward that this is absolutely not an attempt to tell you what\nspeakers are going to sound best in your setup, and that all matters of sound\nquality are completely subjective.Over the years,\ncertain electronic components have become not only renown, but sought-after for\ntheir contribution to the sound of guitar amplifiers; the all-powerful Philips\nMullard Mustard capacitors are no exception.\n“Mustard” caps, as they are commonly called, were well known for their\nuse in Marshall circuits and for their mustard-yellow color. Many guitarists and builders swear by these\ncaps and even still seek out true vintage mustard caps by salvaging them from\nold amps, scouring eBay, and utilizing whatever other sources they can\nidentify.
Being familiar with\nthe esteem of these caps, Mojotone wanted to develop a reproduction that would\ndo the mustard caps justice. After\nconsulting with a number of manufacturers, we finally found someone who told us\nthey could accurately recreate the manufacturing methods of the original\nmustard caps, but unfortunately they could not 100% nail the aesthetic. The manufacturer was extremely thorough and\ndetail-oriented and even informed us that the reason more people do not make\ncapacitors like this anymore, is that part of the manufacturing process still\nrequires the use of human hands -- which means someone has to personally touch\nand inspect each and every one of these caps before they make it out the door.
Once the manufacturer\ncompleted their first run of samples, we sent a few capacitors out to our most\ntrusted OEMs to have them assessed by professionals. Every single review came back positive. Our customers told us how “musical” these\ncapacitors were, and even remarked on how consistent and reliable their sound\nwas. As soon as we received these rave\nreviews, we told our manufacturer to put the caps into full production, and so\nwere born the Mojotone Dijon Capacitors; faithful recreations of the famous film\nand foil Philips Mullard Mustard Caps.
Our Dijon caps are\nfilm and foil type capacitors who undergo the same manufacturing and inspection\nprocess as the original mustard caps.\nUpon dissecting one of our Dijon caps, we found neatly wrapped alternating\nlayers of plastic dielectric material and metal foil. These materials were the same thickness and\nwrapped around one another perfectly for a smooth and clean construction with\nthe same quality of sound. We are not\nout to say that our Dijon caps are any better than mustard caps, or that they\nare any better than the other reproductions that can be found on the market; we\nare simply saying, that with such a high quality of build and an accessible\nprice point, we believe they are at\nleast worth trying. Many manufacturers\nnow rely on our Dijon caps in their circuits and swear by them the same way\nthey swear by the original mustard caps.\nWe promise that once you try them, you’ll come back for more.
","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"5","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"4422744","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"4422745","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/18/2021 3:53:46 pm"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"A Brief History Of Blackface Era Amplifiers","page_header":"A Brief History Of Blackface Era Amplifiers","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"9","name":"A Brief History Of Blackface Era Amplifiers","urlPath":"blog/a-brief-history-of-blackface-era-amplifiers","url":"a-brief-history-of-blackface-era-amplifiers","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"The evolution of Fender amps is long and winding. This quick glance at Blackface Era Amps aims to give you a solid start.","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"Probably the most commonly seen of the Fender\namps (in both original and reproduction form) are those of the Blackface\nEra.Production of these amps started in\n1963 and carried on until around 1967, with a few amps still being produced\nthis way into 1968.The first of the\npiggyback amps of this era were actually covered in white tolex but still\nfeatured the other Blackface staples such as the additional back control panel\nfeatures, the skirted hat-shaped knobs (with numbers), and even bright\nswitches.It wasn’t until 1964 that the\nBlackface circuit designs were actually covered in black tolex.
Many people believe that the standard\nBlackface Era cosmetics imply that the amps were produced in the pre-CBS era\n(this is the era prior to which the CBS company bought out Fender).The CBS takeover actually happened in 1965\nand the Blackface amps were still produced in full until 1967, so it is quite\npossible that your Blackface amp could be either pre or post-CBS.One way to know is by taking a quick look at your\nfront panel.If it features the words\n“Fender Electric Instrument Co.,” you should have a pre-CBS model on your\nhands.Conversely, if your front panel\nfeatures the words “Fender Musical Instruments,” you have an amp made after the\nbuyout.Luckily, no real changes were\nmade to the circuits after the buyout...until the Silverface line was\nintroduced...but that’s a topic for another time.
Blackface Era amps maintained that faithful\nquality of build Fender had become famous for over the years, with a more\npointed intention of creating high fidelity tone.These created headway for a midrange control\nin their tone stacks although some circuits still replaced the potential\nmidrange control with a fixed resistor, like the Deluxe Reverb.The bridging of channels on these amps was\nsomething that was compromised as the channels were designed to output opposite\npolarity which essentially causes interference when bridged.While still mostly employing the use of\nfixed-bias circuits, Fender made great use of Schumacher output transformers\nduring this time, and the presence control disappeared almost entirely.While the Champ during this Era retained its\nuse of an AlNiCo speakers, almost all others featured a ceramic magnet speaker,\nand Fender’s choice of speaker manufacturers further broadened.The Blackface Era speaker cabinets are said\nto be some of the least resonant construction types of all Fender amps.Some players consider this a good thing as\nthe cabinet does not color the overall sound of the amps and the user can\nreliably dial in the sound they are looking for without the external factor of\nthe cabinet sound interfering; this, of course, is for you to decide.
As always, there is a world of knowledge out\nthere regarding the Blackface Era of Fender amps.Some of it will get rather controversial,\nsome of it will just be cold hard facts. \nOur goal, again, is to provide you with unbiased knowledge (no pun\nintended) that will lay the foundation for you and help you understand why\ncertain amps sound the way they do, and how things evolved over time.For a closer look at some of the Fender\nBlackface Era amps, please visit ampwares.com. \n
","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"3","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"4423055","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"4423056","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/18/2021 4:22:13 pm"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"A Brief History Of Brownface Era Amplifiers","page_header":"A Brief History Of Brownface Era Amplifiers","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"8","name":"A Brief History Of Brownface Era Amplifiers","urlPath":"blog/a-brief-history-of-brownface-era-amplifiers","url":"a-brief-history-of-brownface-era-amplifiers","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"After the Tweeds came the Brown and Blonde amps from Fender. Take a quick look at these lesser-come-by relics.","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"Introduced in 1959 and discontinued in 1963,\nthe Brown/Blonde Era of Fender amps was short-lived, but acquainted the\nAmerican amp world with a number of new design features and prepared us all for\nthe Blackface Era (but we’ll get to that a little later).
First we should note that this Era marked the\nbeginning of Fender’s use of tolex in their amp covering. Brown and Blonde tolex was now being applied\nto their amps, typically with the Blonde amps being the piggyback style amps\nsuch as Tremolux, Bassman, Showman, etc., and the Brown amps being used for the\ncombo amps. Now, this is all to be taken\nwith the tiniest grain of salt as Fender was famous for throwing curve balls\nhere and there with the occasional Brown-covered bassman and Blonde-covered\nexperimental amp.
These Brown/Blonde Era amps also introduced\ntwo-channel circuitry with separate tone stacks being used for each channel and\ncombining at the phase inverter. Even\nmore, after the introduction of the stand-alone reverb unit in 1961, Fender\nbegan incorporating reverb circuits into their combo amps with the Vibroverb in\n1963. Brown and Blonde amps were known\nfor being a bit more hi-fi and even more versatile than their Tweed\npredecessors (as far as functionality goes) but still retained some of that\nsweet Tweed character everyone had come to love so much. Fixed-bias output sections were also seen\nalmost exclusively during this era as well as a bit more negative\nfeedback. As a result, these amps\nfeatured a more linear response and a more usable presence control.
During this time, Fender also incorporated\ndifferent brands and types of speakers. \nThis is when we see brands like Utah and Oxford pop up here and there;\nwe also begin to see the use of ceramic magnet speakers. Fender even started using JBL speakers in\nShowman cabs and sometimes offering JBL as an upgrade in other models. This sort of catalog allowed all kinds of\ndifferent guitarists to find an amp that made more sense to them. Rock and Jazz players had different needs and they were now able to\nstart playing through amps that were specifically geared towards their\nmusicianship.
Larger Brown and Blonde amps also employed a\ntremolo feature known as “Harmonic Tremolo” that was unique to this era, and\nconsidered by many to be the best of all Fender tremolo sounds. Being that these amps were made for such a\nshort period of time, many players hold them in high regard and they can be\nrather difficult to find, especially in good condition. If you do get lucky enough to find one, they\nare worth holding onto, repairing, and playing. \nThey sing in the studio and on stage and they will turn heads among\nwell-read players. For a closer look at\na few brownface amps, please visit ampwares.com.
Today I want to touch on the subject of pickup\nmagnets and address how they affect tone and what kinds of pickups each magnet\nhas been used in historically, without getting too controversial in regards to\ncharacteristics.So, let’s just briefly\ngo over a few kinds of magnets typically used in guitar pickup production:\nAlNiCo II, III, IV, and V, as well as ceramic.
AlNiCo\nII:
While all manufacturers will produce an alloy\nof slightly different composition, as a general rule you can count on AlNiCo II\nmagnets to be softer and sweeter than other magnet strengths.These magnets have been widely used\nthroughout history in tons of vintage-voiced pickups.AlNiCo II magnets are associated with classic\nPAF style pickups and are actually surprisingly versatile for a lower strength\nmagnet type.Tones will be clear and\nchimey while rolling off some of the more harsh and brittle high end\nfrequencies, giving their pickups the aforementioned “sweet” flavor when\nplaying with clean tones, and an equally clear and chimey tone when playing\nwith overdrive.AlNiCo II pickups are\noften described as “vocal” or “singing,” and remain clear when using complex\nchord voicings, providing excellent string separation and overall articulation.
AlNiCo\nIII:
With no cobalt in its alloy, AlNiCo III is\nactually considered the weakest of the AlNiCo magnet types we will be\ndiscussing today.These pickups have\nbeen a hot choice for neck pickups over the years and pair well next to an\nAlNiCo II pickup in the bridge.One\nmight notice they still have the same sweet quality as AlNiCo II magnets but\nwith a bit more of a bold flavor and some extra richness.Being a lower output pickup does not mean\nthey cannot grit up like some higher output pickups, and many players actually\nprefer them even in louder rock music as they remain bold and clear when pushed\nand do not have the same frequency spikes that some stronger magnets tend to\ndisplay.AlNiCo III pickups can be heard\nin all their glory in Fender’s ‘54 Strat pickups.
AlNiCo IV:
One will likely notice a little more punch\nhere and even a more defined high end than with AlNiCo II or III.These magnets are used much less often than\nthe typical AlNiCo II and V, as many manufacturers argue than a slightly demagnetized\nV will sound the same while others say it’s all about how the pickup is wound\nin this case.Those who dare to\nexperiment with the AlNiCo IV may find that it is beautiful in the neck\nposition of just about any type of guitar, as it still has that commanding pop\nof an AlNiCo V but does a slightly better job of opening up the high end and\nnot allowing the neck pickup to get too boomy and lose definition.I personally prefer AlNiCo IV magnets in my\nPAF style pickups as they are slightly hotter than IIs but still have that\nglassy articulation and dynamic sweep when using your volume knob to control\nintensity of sound.Currently a number\nof manufacturers use AlNiCo IV magnets in some of their pickups including\nMojotone, Tonerider, and Fralin.
AlNiCo V:
The AlNiCo V is likely to be considered as\nwidely used as the AlNiCo II.Still bold\nand clear, it is the most aggressive of the commonly used AlNiCo strengths and\nis great when playing thick chords through heavy distortion.Like any AlNiCo magnet, it is going to be\narticulate and great for both lead and rhythm players.Expect a bit more bite and edge and even some\nexaggerated midrange.Pickups made with\nthese magnets can help boost a lame amp into a more bright and aggressive\nterritory and can take an already beautiful amp to the next level.Again, these can be extremely dynamic for\nthose players who use their volume knob to shape sound.
Ceramic:
Considered to be the most aggressive-sounding\nmagnet, think of ceramic magnets as a more modern-voiced pickup build.These have often been overlooked by many\nplayers since ceramics are cheaper than AlNiCos, but over the years pickup\ndesign has come a long way and ceramic magnets have really come into their\nown.These have a higher output and more\n“cut” than AlNiCo magnets.They also\ntend to exhibit more low end thump and bold sounding midrange frequencies.Ceramic magnets will often have a higher\noutput or higher DC resistance rating and are typically used in heavier music;\nalthough, some will find that ceramic magnets do have their place elsewhere and\ncan be extremely versatile with their compressed highs, strong midrange, and\nbeautiful harmonics.
I know I say it a lot, but the only way to\nreally figure out what is best for you is to use the information at hand and\ntake a leap.Experiment with as many\npickup types as you can so you can figure out what works best for your style,\nyour attack, your amp, etc.Hopefully\nthis primer will get you comfortable with making the first move!
","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"6","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"4423061","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"4423062","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/18/2021 4:30:56 pm"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"Speaker Cabinet Construction","page_header":"Speaker Cabinet Construction","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"10","name":"Speaker Cabinet Construction","urlPath":"blog/speaker-cabinet-construction","url":"speaker-cabinet-construction","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"In this article we delve into a few key elements of cabinet construction. Explore some of the things that make your cabinet sound the way it does, and get a better idea of what might be the best cab for you.","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"CABINET\nCONSTRUCTION
At Mojotone we get calls from customers in\nneed of a new extension cabinet, or just a replacement for an older worn out\ncab -- obvious, yes I know.But in all\nof these calls, there seem to be a few questions that come up more than others,\nso we wanted to put together a quick overview that aims to concisely break down\ncertain bullet points regarding cab construction and hopefully will give you an\nidea of what your own preferences are.
Are\nYour Cabinets Finger Jointed?
Valid question.Yes, our cabinets utilize ¼” finger joints\nfor a number of reasons.For one, we are\nin the business of producing true-to-form vintage reproduction speaker\ncabinets.In an effort to maintain historical\nintegrity, we use ¼” finger joints since that’s what the big dogs were using\neven back in the 50s and 60s.For two,\nwe are also in the business of making the finest speaker enclosures in the\nworld, and with that comes a large degree of responsibility.¼” finger joints create a solid bond between\nthe wood panels used in constructing a speaker cabinet.Carefully and consistently cut, and with the\nright amount of wood glue, this type of joinery increasing the overall\nfoundational stability of your cab and thus increases the life of a cabinet by\nyears.
I have used a number of cabs over the years,\nand when I first started out I was even building my own cabs and using a basic\nlap joint.Not to knock lap joints in\ngeneral, they are perfectly suited for certain applications but definitely not\nthe right choice for a speaker cabinet. \nBy nature, speaker cabinets tend to find themselves in abusive\nrelationships.They are moved around\nconstantly, thrown into trailers, hauled by random stagehands, dragged here,\npushed there, dropped, bumped….burned alive….alright perhaps not the last one,\nbut you get the idea.In any case, I\nhave watched lap-jointed cabinets crumble from nothing more than everyday wear\nand tear within 6 months of their construction, whereas I have literally tested\nthe absolute limits of a finger-jointed cabinet by throwing it as high as I\ncould on repeat for about 20 minutes and letting it crash to the ground over\nand over...and in all honesty, the finger joints never separated no matter what\nother damage came to the cabinet.
Baltic\nBirch Ply or Solid Pine?
Glad you asked!Unfortunately, this is where things get a\nlittle more subjective, so I’m going to outline some of the basic sound\ncharacteristics of these woods and then let you decide.
Our Baltic Birch Plywood is voidless and very\nhigh quality.But as a general rule,\nthere is not a lot of “movement” with the birch ply.What I mean by this is that a baltic birch\nply cab will not necessarily become a big part of your overall sound as it does\na lot of dampening/isolating and tends not to be able to color your sound.The plywood is stronger and heavier than\nsolid pine but almost completely non-resonant. \nHistorically birch ply has more often been used for larger closed back\ncabinets (Marshall and Mesa) if this helps establish a frame of reference.
Solid pine is a much different beast.Tone geeks often consider pine to be a more\n“musical” wood in that it adds to the vibrational whole of the sound and can\neven color your tone.It is a lively\nsounding wood that is lighter than birch, making it easier to haul around to\ngigs.There seem to be a lot of players\nwho enjoy experimenting with their favorite (and least favorite) speakers in\npine cabs to see how the wood itself affects their final sound.On the other hand, a lot of players find a\nspeaker that they are happy with and use a baltic birch ply cab under the\nnotion that the cabinet won’t change the sound of the speaker they love so\nmuch.Historically speaking, pine has\nmost often been used in smaller openback cabinet like all the old Fender Tweed\nand Blackface models.
Both woods are extremely high quality and have\ntheir unique benefits.But like anything\nelse, this is an extremely subjective topic so we recommend testing out as much\nas you can.If you have a pine cabinet\nbut you know a buddy with a birch extension, mosey on over and plug your amp\ninto their cab and see what you think!
Open\nBack or Closed Back?
If you have a cabinet built with a 3-piece\nremovable back panel, you may have already noticed that going from open to\nclosed back can drastically change how your amp sounds and interacts with any\ngiven room/stage.In fact, if you are in\nthe market for a speaker cabinet, it is worth checking out our 3-piece\nremovable back panel option as it will allow you to shift from open to closed\nback in a heartbeat with nothing more than a screwdriver.
Open back cabs are typically only partially\nopen, with an upper and lower back panel still in place.This allows some of the speaker’s sound to\nemanate from the back of the cabinet and out into the room.Often this provides a more open and\n“breathing” sound that many guitar players consider to be a more natural/true\nrepresentation of sound as the speaker’s voice is not being compressed. When using an open back cabinet, one may\nnotice the representation of high end in their sound is a bit more brilliant\nwhere the low end is more loose. \nDepending upon the room you are in and the sound system being used, this\ncan help fill the listening area and/or the stage.
Closed back cabs do not utilize the\nmulti-directional projection of sound, but rather only move your sound\nforward.If you think about the physics\nhere, moving the sound in a more narrow direction may give the player a harder\ntime hearing themselves on stage, causing them to rely heavily, if not solely,\non their monitors.However, most sound\ntechnicians would likely be grateful for the use of a more compressed sound\nthat doesn’t “wash” the stage as much. \nClosed back cab users will likely also experience a more defined attack\nin the midrange and low end of their amp/speakers giving them a more direct\npunch in the end.
Again, as with anything, these two build\nstyles each have their own pros and cons. \nRest assured that if you order any variety of Mojotone cabinet you will\nbe receiving the highest quality piece of gear you can buy.We do not skimp on materials or joinery, and\nwe have done the research to know exactly how to faithfully reproduce your\nfavorite vintage cabs as well as how to build a proper sounding modern\nenclosure.We even provide our customers\nwho want a fully custom build that same peace of mind.Call today to start building your dream cab.
","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"4","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"4423065","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"4423066","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/18/2021 4:36:33 pm"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"The Importance Of Impedance","page_header":"The Importance Of Impedance","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"17","name":"The Importance Of Impedance","urlPath":"blog/the-importance-of-impedance","url":"the-importance-of-impedance","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"Electrical impedance can be a tricky thing to wrap your head around at first, but this article will put it into simple terms to help you get started.","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"Electrical\nimpedance can be a tricky subject to understand if a) you are not very tech\nsavvy or b) it is explained in too technical a fashion.The following article will attempt to put an\neasy spin on electrical impedance and help you understand why it is important\nwhen it comes to selecting certain components for your setup.
In\norder to avoid confusion, we are only going to go so deep here.So, in simplest terms, you can think of\nimpedance as resistance.Where a\nresistor creates “resistance” to the flow of a current, it is not the only\nelectrical component that causes resistance to happen.Think of “impedance” as the overall\nresistance of ALL the components in a given circuit.
One\nother thing to remember is that impedance is measured in a time-varying and\nvoltage-varying audio signal.If you\nhave ever hooked up a multimeter to your speaker leads to confirm the impedance\nof the speaker and seen a funny looking number, the above is the reason why.Your multimeter is applying a fixed voltage\nto the lead in an effort to measure it, which is why your reading doesn’t\nsimply come across as a straightforward “8 ohms.”
In the amp world,\nmost people are typically concerned with impedance as it pertains to\nspeaker/amp pairings.This is a valid\nconcern as a mismatch could mean certain detriment to your amplifier over\ntime.In general, it is always best to\nensure that your amp’s impedance matches that of your speaker : 8 ohms with 8\nohms, 16 ohms with 16 ohms, so on and so forth. \nIn the short term, if for any reason you have to have a mismatched load,\nthis is okay and it may simply drive your tubes harder.In the long run however, it is highly\nrecommended that you have a matched pairing, otherwise you could cause legitimate\ndamage to your output section in one way or another.
There are a ton of\ninformative articles out there regarding impedance, what it is, how it works,\nand the every little detail you may need to know about it.For those who, want to dig deeper, the world\nis your oyster.But for those who simply\nneed to know what is safe and what is not, you’re a seasoned veteran now!
One topic that seems\nto be an ongoing battle in the gear community is that of guitar tone\ncapacitors.Some seem to think tone cap\nselection has next-to-nothing to do with the overall sound of one’s guitar,\nwhile others believe the tone cap is the holy grail of guitar sound\nquality.The following article will aim\nto shed some light on this subject without confusing or making the issue too\ncomplicated. First, let’s just talk about some of the things we know…
Capacitors are\ncommonly used as electrical “energy storage devices.”When it comes to guitars, we use capacitors\nin passive tone circuits to filter out high frequencies and shape our\nsound.With that said, we come to our\nfirst major bullet point in the realm of tone capacitor selection, and that is\nthe “value” of our capacitors.The value\nof a tone cap defines the amount of “capacitance,” and as a general rule, the\nhigher the capacitance, the darker the overall tone.For example a .047uF cap (uF = Microfarad)\nwould be darker sounding than a .022uF cap.\nThis is why many guitarists will choose a .047uF capacitor to pair with\ntheir brighter single coil pickups, and a .022uF to go with their slightly\ndarker humbuckers.
The next bullet point\nin our tone cap selection is “voltage.”\nLucky for all of us, voltage only plays into the physical size of a\ncapacitor and has little to no effect on the actual sound of a cap.Typically, a cap with a voltage rating of .5V\nor higher will work in a guitar but the user will likely not notice any tonal\ndifference between a cap rated at .5V and another rated at 600V.So all we need to keep in mind here is the\namount of physical space we are working with inside the control cavity of our\nguitars.
Lastly, we come to\nthe most controversial of our bullet points: capacitor types.There are tons of\ndifferent types of capacitors out there and they have all been used in a\nvariety of different applications over the years, including everything from\nradio to hi-fi to amp circuits and beyond.\nCeramic, film in foil, polyester, and paper in oil are just a few kinds\nof caps that one will commonly see in the amp and guitar world.So let’s get to the tricky, controversial\npart and make it into something very simple…
It is inevitable that\nif you were to take 3 different types of capacitors, all of the same value\n(capacitance), and carefully measure their output frequencies you would find\nthat there are some very real differences between them.However, most of us will not possess the\nequipment or the desire necessary to conduct this sort of experiment.The good news is that all of this information is completely subjective and the best tone\ncap selection for each user comes down to HOW IT SOUNDS to each user.
At Mojotone, we use\n.047uF caps on brighter guitars like strats and teles, and .022uF caps for\nhumbucker guitars.We also stick with\nour Mojotone Vitamin T oil-filled capacitors, as years of customer feedback\nhave proven them to be long-lasting, smooth, versatile, and reliable.If you are looking to experiment, we\nrecommend starting with .047uF and .022uF caps first. Once you have had your\nfun with these traditional and bona fide specs, feel free to try lower and\nhigher values to reflect what you ultimately perceive as the best sound for\neach of your guitars.Similarly, experimenting\nwith different types of capacitors is\njust as important and, as always, let your ears do the decision-making.
","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"5","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"4424817","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"4424818","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/19/2021 12:25:02 pm"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"Make It Monday : Setting Up A Workbench","page_header":"Make It Monday : Setting Up A Workbench","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"16","name":"Make It Monday : Setting Up A Workbench","urlPath":"blog/make-it-monday-setting-up-a-workbench","url":"make-it-monday-setting-up-a-workbench","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"1","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"There are a number of things to consider when preparing a workspace for yourself. In this article, we will go over a few of the basics to have you up and running in no time.","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"Here we are; our very first Make It Monday! How incredibly excited we are to launch this series of tutorials and information articles. This is one project that we here at Mojotone have long desired to undertake, and now it’s finally time.
What better way to kick off this series than to start from the very top? That’s right, today we are going to walk through how to set up a proper workbench. Your work space is the centerpiece of your creativity; without it you won’t get far at all. As we are going through these steps, please remember to give your workbench all the personal touches you see fit. This is your easel, if you will, and everyone’s easel should be unique to their needs and personality. Alright, that’s enough jibber jabber...let’s do this!
\n\nStep 1: Determining the right place and right size
Determining the proper location for your workbench should come easily since you are likely already aware of the areas you are and aren’t “allowed” to have one of these. You want to work in a place you can concentrate and feel comfortable. Garages and sheds are typically the best places to start -- this way you can make all the noise you want, howl the occasional swear word, and make whatever kind of mess you want. Here are a couple examples of prime locations for your workbench...
\n\n
Next, consider whether you’ll be purchasing a premade workbench or building your own. Consider that the typical premade bench can run you anywhere from $100-$500 (and I’m sure you can spend plenty more if you want) and will usually be about 38-inches tall. Having a work area at this height is appropriate for many of us, but there is always the option to lower or raise the bench a few inches to reach the best height for you. A 24-inch deep bench will likely suffice for most workers but if you are buying custom or building your own, you may want to give yourself more depth. A couple examples of solid premade benches...
\n![\"Premade](\"http://mojotone.com/workbenches-premade.jpg\")
It is likely that your workbench will be used for more than just basic electronics, but in the spirit of amp and guitar work, we are going to aim this tutorial towards a workbench that is adequate for electronic builds and repairs. So, the width of our Twin Reverb style cabinet is 26+⅛”. You won’t typically run into a cabinet or chassis wider than this that you’ll need to work on, so let’s plan to give ourselves at least 8 inches on either side of this 26+⅛” work area for comfort and tool placement. This gives us a minimum desired table length of 42+⅛” but let’s round up to 43” for posterity’s sake.
Other factors we want to look out for are proximity to power and ventilation. We will be working with lead solder fumes that should be properly ventilated and you will definitely need access to good clean power, so make sure your location choice accommodates both of these bullet points.
Step 2: Power and Lighting
Having adequate lighting will be paramount in how well your work flows. It is important to have both static and adjustable lights in your setup so that your area is constantly well-lit and easy to work in, and so you can manipulate the lighting around small electronic components, tight areas, dark corners in chassis, and whatever else inevitably pops up along the way. For static overhead lighting, the classic ceiling-mounted fluorescent lights will forever be appropriate. They are cost effective, easy to install, and do a great job filling a room with light. For adjustable lighting, consider an LED light source with a gooseneck mount that can cast light exactly where you need it.
An important thing to note here is this: when shopping for lights, the crucial specification is “lumens” rather than “watts.” The lumen is the actual measurement of lighting brightness, which is what we want. Try to give yourself around 150 lumens per square foot of work area that needs to be lit.
And where would we be without power? We certainly wouldn’t get too far in the electronics repair department without a little AC power, so let’s get your workbench powered up! In the end, a clean and safe workshop is desirable -- this leads to increased productivity AND creativity...and also hopefully leads to fewer accidents and injuries. That said, please try to avoid running extension cords all over the place. Not only is this a tripping hazard, but it looks sloppy and takes away from all the hard work you’ve put into this beautiful workshop.
\n![\"Good](\"http://mojotone.com/good-bad-power-comp.jpg\")
If you are starting from scratch, make sure you place outlets nearby. If you are placing your bench in an existing space, make sure you choose a location that has plenty of outlets and run power strips with reliable surge protectors. And don’t be afraid of hiring a professional electrician to install new power if need be. These guys tend to work fast and usually only charge $75-$100 per hour for this kind of work. An efficient electrician can likely install shop lights (up to code) in just a matter of a few short hours, and having clean quality power is well worth the money.
\n\nStep 3: Giving Yourself Adequate Storage
\nThis is a very important step, and I promise you’ll thank me for encouraging you to be thorough in your storage setup. You can drop the money on a big sturdy tool chest with tons of compartments for small, medium, and large tools; these things are usually expensive but worth the money to not have nuts and bolts scattered in every direction with no way to tell what is what. But even something as simple as a well-labeled tackle box is sufficient for storing small pieces of hardware like screws and nails. You could even use a system like this to store and organize your capacitors and resistors by value and type. Many DIYers will find old kitchen cabinets and mount them where they need them in their workshop. Even buying large plastic bins to store bigger tools and items that are used less often will save tons of space and provide for a clean and productive workspace. Storage devices being used to their full potential...
\n\n![\"Great](\"http://mojotone.com/storage-examples.jpg\")
Peg board is practically a requirement for any workbench. It is inexpensive, easy to work with, and a very quick setup. Mount a large panel of peg board on the wall behind your bench and use an assortment of hooks and pegs to arrange it so that it can hold all of your most frequently used tools. This will turn your workbench into a well-oiled DIY machine and bring an easy flow to your process. I know I’m being a little particular here but again, you’ll thank me. Here is a neatly organized pegboard in action...\n\n
![\"Pegboard\"](\"http://mojotone.com/pegboard.jpg\")
Step 4: Stocking The Right Tools
\nOnly you know exactly what tools your workbench requires in order to accomplish the tasks at hand; nonetheless, let’s go over the tools you’ll need to get started as a basic electronics DIY hero.
Some tools that apply to electronics as well as just about ANY job are pliers (flat nose, needle nose, and vice grips), a good hammer, wire strippers, wire cutters, a set of screwdrivers (phillips head and flat head), a set of nut drivers, a set of hex keys/allen wrenches, an adjustable wrench, a socket wrench, and an x-acto knife.
Here are a few things you’ll need that are more specific to the electronics world:
Soldering Iron Holder (if your iron did not come with one)
\n\nAlligator Clips
\n\n\n\n\nWhile there are plenty of other items out there for electronics work or otherwise, the above lists should give you a great start.
\n![\"Tools\"](\"http://mojotone.com/tools.jpg\")
Note : It is important to keep a clean work area, as having too much clutter can lead to unforeseen accidents on your bench (dropping smaller parts, dinging guitars and amps, etc.). Additionally, a lot of techs like to pad their bench surface with carpet to help make their work area softer and reduce the possibility of dinging priceless instruments.
\n\nAnd remember, make your workshop personal. Let is say something about you, and let it also speak to you. You’re the one who has to go in there and be productive so it should be an area that makes you feel comfortable and ready to get stuff done!
\nNow that you’ve set up your workbench, make sure you check back with us each month for a new Make It Monday article so you can have a steady stream of exciting projects to undertake. You won’t be disappointed!
![\"Master](\"http://mojotone.com/steve-workbench.jpg\")
This week on Fix It Friday we are going to be taking a look at my speaker cabinet (as seen below), and asking ourselves, “Why isn’t this thing working!?” For many of us, things like a speaker cabinet shorting out can be mysterious and intimidating, but they don’t have to be. Let’s take a closer look at this cabinet to find out what the issue is and see what we can do to take care of it before my gig next week!
![\"2x10](\"http://mojomusicalsupply.com/fif-jan18/Image-1.jpg\")
Before getting too deep into it, we will want to test the circuit with a different speaker cable (if you are running a piggyback type rig) to make sure it’s not something as simple as getting a new cable. Additionally, it may be best to attach your amplifier to a different speaker cabinet altogether to make sure this issue is not with the amplifier itself. Once these possibilities have been eliminated, it’s time to start testing for shorts within our speaker wiring. The first thing we want to do in this situation, because this is a closed back cabinet, is remove the back panel (Image 2A). Once this is done we can see that we are working with two 10” speakers and a simple wiring harness with a Switchcraft J11 jack (Image 2B).
![\"Remove](\"http://mojotone.com/fif-jan18/image-2-1.jpg\")
The first thing to look for would be any loose connections. Often times, especially with gigging musicians, a cabinet can rattle so much that over time a speaker connection can wiggle loose from its terminal and cause a problem with the cabinet. Look for loose wires around the terminals like the one outlined in red below (Image 3A).
![\"Loose](\"http://mojotone.com/fif-jan18/IMAGE-8-2.jpg\")
If you do see loose connections, go ahead and reconnect and then pull out your multimeter to give the circuit a test (Image 4A). The issue with my cabinet is NOT a loose connection, but for learning purposes, let’s pretend there IS a loose connection. In this case, I have two 8 ohm speakers wired in parallel for an overall 4ohm load. If my cabinet is functioning properly, I should see a reading of about 2.8 on my meter. In the picture below (Image 4B), you see a reading of 5.2 which means one of my speakers is disconnected or non-functional.
![\"Testing](\"http://mojotone.com/fif-jan18/image-5-2.jpg\")
Lucky for me, I can easily see a rogue wire, and I simply refasten it to its corresponding speaker terminal. Something to note here is that if you have a single speaker in your cabinet, a disconnected speaker wire will read on your multimeter as nothing. BUT a problem with your jack will also read as nothing. So, if you don’t see any disconnected wires, you’ll have to keep digging…
Something else that happens often to speaker cabinets is that they are moved around for practice and performance, and often they are touched by many people. Sometimes, when a speaker cabinet is plugged in (with a cable hanging out the back of it) the speaker cable will get bumped from the outside. This can lead to the contact on the jack being pushed away from the cable and no longer being able to make a proper connection. Take a look at the image below to see what it looks like when this happens (Image 5A). The issue with my cabinet IS a bent contact in my jack. I can see it and I can confirm it by using the multimeter — I’m getting no reading on my 2x10 cabinet, so at this point it’s obvious that the jack is my issue (Image 5B).
![\"Loose](\"http://mojotone.com/fif-jan18/image-7-2.jpg\")
Since I already have my cabinet open, I’m electing to go ahead and replace the portion of my speaker wiring harness that is connected to the jack. This will give me a fresh start at a low cost and it’s something any guitarist can do themselves. So once you’ve purchased the appropriate premade wiring harness, the first step is to connect your harness wires to the corresponding speaker terminals (Images 6A + 6B).
![\"New](\"http://mojotone.com/fif-jan18/image-10-2.jpg\")
Some speakers have screw down terminals (these tend to provide the most reliable and long lasting connection) but most guitar speakers will have traditional spade terminals. For these, you can either buy a harness with spade connectors already crimped onto the ends of the wires, or if you prefer, you can solder your wires directly to the speaker terminals. Note: soldering directly to the terminals will give you a solid connection but will prove to be more difficult to work with when you decide to change the speakers in your cabinet one day. Once your connection is made on that end, insert the threaded portion of the jack into the jack plate, slide a washer onto the jack (exterior side of jack plate), and lastly slide on the fastener nut and tighten it down.
In my case, I need a 4ohm load which should have a reading of about 2.8 on my multimeter (Image 7A). Looks like our repair was successful. The only thing left to do is plug my cabinet into an amp and make sure it screams!
![\"Successful](\"http://mojotone.com/fif-jan18/image-4-2.jpg\")
Thanks for hanging out with us on this lovely Fix It Friday. For more tech tips and cool project ideas, keep an eye out for the next installment of our Make It Monday and Fix It Friday series’.
![\"Tools\"](\"http://mojotone.com/mim-feb18/image-1A.jpg\")
![\"Jack](\"http://mojotone.com/mim-feb18/IMAGE-2A.jpg\")
![\"Soldering](\"http://mojotone.com/mim-feb18/IMAGE-3AB.jpg\")
![\"Applying](\"http://mojotone.com/mim-feb18/IMAGE-4AB.jpg\")
![\"Wiring](\"http://mojotone.com/mim-feb18/IMAGE-5AB.jpg\")
![\"Wiring](\"http://mojotone.com/mim-feb18/IMAGE-6AB.jpg\")
![\"Wiring](\"http://mojotone.com/mim-feb18/IMAGE-7A.jpg\")
![\"Wiring](\"http://mojotone.com/mim-feb18/image-8A.jpg\")
![\"Wiring](\"http://mojotone.com/mim-feb18/wiring-diagram.jpg\")
","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"4","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"4424825","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"4424827","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/19/2021 12:35:48 pm"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"FIF : Replacing A Reverb Tank","page_header":"FIF : Replacing A Reverb Tank","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"15","name":"FIF : Replacing A Reverb Tank","urlPath":"blog/fif-replacing-a-reverb-tank","url":"fif-replacing-a-reverb-tank","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"1","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"Replacing a reverb tank can be a fairly easy repair to make, but there are a few other things we need to troubleshoot first. Take a look at a few best practices for diagnosing and repairing a malfunctioning reverb circuit.","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"So you're having trouble getting the reverb to work properly in your amp? Maybe it works intermittently, or maybe the reverb is totally gone. In any case, you're in luck! Today we are going to cover the steps involved in diagnosing a bad reverb tank, as well as replacing your tank with a working unit. ![\"Removing](\"http://mojotone.com/fif-feb-2018/image-1a.jpg\")
![\"Troubleshooting](\"http://mojotone.com/fif-feb-2018/image-2ab.jpg\")
![\"Troubleshooting](\"http://mojotone.com/fif-feb-2018/image-3ab.jpg\")
![\"Transducer](\"http://mojotone.com/fif-feb-2018/image-4a.jpg\")
![\"Unscrewing](\"http://mojotone.com/fif-feb-2018/image-5a.jpg\")
![\"Connecting](\"http://mojotone.com/fif-feb-2018/image-6a.jpg\")
![\"Rene](\"http://mojotone.com/mim-march2018/image-1a.jpg\")
![\"All](\"http://mojotone.com/mim-march2018/image-2a.jpg\")
![\"Install](\"http://mojotone.com/mim-march2018/image-3ab.jpg\")
![\"Stuffing](\"http://mojotone.com/mim-march2018/image-4ab.jpg\")
![\"Diode](\"http://mojotone.com/mim-march2018/image-5a.jpg\")
![\"Soldering](\"http://mojotone.com/mim-march2018/image-6a.jpg\")
![\"Polarized](\"http://mojotone.com/mim-march2018/image-7ab.jpg\")
![\"Ground](\"http://mojotone.com/mim-march2018/image-8a.jpg\")
![\"Potentiometer](\"http://mojotone.com/mim-march2018/image-9a.jpg\")
![\"Setting](\"http://mojotone.com/mim-march2018/image-10ab.jpg\")
![\"Switch](\"http://mojotone.com/mim-march2018/image-11a.jpg\")
![\"Complete](\"http://mojotone.com/mim-march2018/image-12a.jpg\")
![\"Finished](\"http://mojotone.com/mim-march2018/image-13a.jpg\")
\n\nAt some point or another, we have all had an issue with unwanted noise coming through our gear. Whether the source is a bad cable, or crackly pot, or even just the inherent 60 cycle of hum of a single coil pickup, it is typically undesirable -- luckily, this sort of thing is manageable more often than not.
The fact is, there are so many elements bombarding our signal chain at all times, and they change from venue to venue, guitar to guitar, pedal to pedal, etc. Today we will discuss a few of the more common sources of noise and ways to help eliminate said noise -- serendipitously, this article should double as a general best practices outline for maintaining an efficient and healthy rig.
Penny was our guide for the day...
\"Perhaps there's room for a Logan Tabor,\" I thought. \"Nah, I need a cooler-sounding name...\"
ready for it?...
\"Yo!\"\n\n ...someone shouted back from beyond the shadowy doorway....my most formal of greetings
\n \"Hey, come on in!\"
............
\n.............
\n.............
\nAlright, brief moment is up!
\nYep. You nailed it. They are a company whose constitution is that of the three most powerful points of view in the industry. A perfect storm of awesome. The amount of unique and relevant experience held between the three of these dudes is completely ridiculous...in a good way, obviously.\n\n\n\"Turn that dreadful thing off,\" I said.
\n
\"Get you into the groove and keep you there.\"\nThis guy was alright in my book. One day he just up and decided to join all the builders forums, gather up every schematic within reach and immerse himself in a skill and a lifestyle. He danced the devil's dance...and now he is an expert with an elegant product line. But there was just one more question...\n
\"Star trek or Star Wars?\"\n
how many more shark people will approach us? what time is it? if i go to the bathroom...will i make it back?\nPressing questions. The darkness had returned. All the suits had been swapped out three times over. The bar tendress was preparing the leave her shift by briefing her supplanter...I'm certain a warning was issued regarding my associate and I. How long had we been here? How much longer would this madness last?\n
\"Giggins, the time has come,\" I said to my associate, just as all four of him rose from the bar and wavered in the direction of the elevator.\nI was in poor shape myself and trying to follow a drunk is like driving behind someone having trouble staying in their lane...bad form is contagious. By now there were at least twenty people eating and every one of them took nest between us and the golden elevator doors. We must have looked like puppets...tired ones...and we were just that. The real issue is that our puppet master was out sick and his apprentice was a bumbling idiot...a God forsaken amateur.\n
\"We're safe Giggins,\" I said.\n
...looks like we have ahhhh mostly clear skies today for our flight to Nashville. Just want to let everyone know ahhhh, this is a pretty old plane and sometimes she makes some loud and strange noises throughout the flight but ahhhh no need to worry...\"\n
\"Are you f@!#$%& kidding me?\"The man let out a toothy laugh, gave his eyebrows a raise and pushed a ten-dollar pair of ear buds into his head. This was it. I was all alone. My only associate had disappeared into his music box and left me to wilt in the sun. No book, no music, no previously downloaded gaming app of the avian variety...just a copy of SkyMall and my own morbid imagination.\n\nAndrew Simmons was the sales manager and events coordinator at Mojotone-- he would harpoon this expedition with grace and precision no doubt. Simmons and I had been sent to make a presence at the 2015 Summer NAMM show in Nashville, TN. Normally we would have been working a booth, but this year we had been sent to shake hands. A presence was to be made. Meetings were to be held. An article was to be written. As a seasoned veteran, my associate would guide us through the madness...I would follow and observe.\n
\"This is ahhhh your captain speaking, ahhhh looks like we are gonna have a pretty rad trip to Nashville today ahhhh...occasionally I like to fly this sucker right into a mountain but ahhhh no need to worry cause I'm pretty sure you can use your ahhhh seat cushion as a floatation device.\"
\n \n\n
\"Hey guys I'm Janice. I'll be taking care of you today...\"\n
\"Is that your real name? I wasn't sure if you were giving us your Twitter handle or what...\"\n\"This will be an entertaining fellow,\" I thought. It was time to order drinks...\n
\"Yes, I'll uhh...I'll have a water,\" I said as I surveyed my cohorts. This was, in part, my way of making sure these animals were confident in their decisions...I had to be certain there would be no beer.\nThe restaurant was proud of it's oyster offerings and both Goodsell and Blumenthal were oyster enthusiasts. Goodsell spent some time narrowing down the logical oyster selection by explaining the geographical regions from which these oysters were being transported in conjunction with the corresponding maritime conditions this time of year. At first it seemed trivial, but as he carried on it became clear to us that years of thought had gone into his monologue. As a result, his selection was impeccable. Before placing the order, he needed to be reassured that the oysters' origins, as denoted by the menu, were genuine; their freshness was likewise drawn into question. After prodding the waitress a bit, we were assured the oysters were sincere; the salty bastards were even flown in daily. RELIEF.\n
\"It's Friday in Nashville guys. It's gonna be hot out there.\"\nMy associate and I needed sleep. An early flight mixed with the stimulation from the show had dimmed our senses. It so happens it was time for check-in at the Hampton Inn. We made our way and promptly took an intermission in hopes of having our spirits lifted in time for the Little Walter Endorsee Jam.\n\n6:30 pm - We paced 3rd Avenue towards Lindsley...our destination was the intersection and homonymous establishment of \"3rd and Lindsley\". Our names sat at the top of the guest list. We received our passes and entered the venue. There was time to kill before the entertainment began...and there was beer. I'll try any product of any kind whose title contains the word \"goose.\" Two beers in, we stepped into the green room to meet with Phil and Carol Bradbury -- the owners of Little Walter Tube Amps.\n
\"Man I'll bet you could really kill it without the governor on this thing!\"\nOur red-eyed motorist turned his head and shouted...\n
\"Nahhh bro, no governor on here!\"\nThis was the exact moment I realized the vehicle was missing its seat belts. It was also the exact moment we turned violently from a quiet back road onto the main strip. We were a tiny worm in a school of red fluorescent fish. The driver answered his cell phone...\n
\"Hey...oh, where are you...yeah I can grab you...\"\n
\"We'd better just let the tide take us, Giggins,\" I said to my comrade.\nWe entered our first bar after letting a loathsome ogre draw a star on the back of our hands. \"Rubbish!\" I shouted, moving inside. The live entertainment was supreme, and the scenery was a fine complement. After one drink we moved on. Bar after bar the music continued to dazzle us. The players were unparalleled by anyone we had seen in our hometown. People of all ages, shapes, sizes, colors and dispositions were able to execute their craft with a masterful swagger. These people knew how to talk to a crowd...a room full of drunks could never resist their charm. Again, the senses would descend. We searched for the place they call \"Roberts,\" but to no avail...it seems the moment we began our search was also the very same moment our search was forgotten. At one point the strange gentleman standing next to me began having a fit...it appeared he had lost the use of his legs and was struggling to locate his center. In the end, the beast took him...he lost his dinner nearby and promptly shuffled himself into a cab. A sick dog knows his limits.\n
\"...in the mining business, we were a very successful Non-Union coal mine, but every 3 years during the United Mine Workers Union contract renegotiations, our mines were picketed by West Virginia union miners. It got a bit ugly at times and every now and then there would be some gun play...so I carried a 45 caliber Thompson to work for protection. Following a rather harry close encounter, I was interviewed by a Lexington, KY TV station. The report was picked up and shown nationally. One of my foremen saw it and said he was going to start calling me 'Little Walter' in reference to Walter Cronkite. This nick name stuck and people in the mining industry started calling me 'Little Walter.' Years later, when I was thinking of a name for my amp line, I saw my old Motorcycle helmet sitting in my office with 'Little Walter' painted on the back of it...and that had to be it...\"\nPhil went on to tell me a number of fascinating stories about his experiences working as a mining consultant in South America and even more about his experiences in India working as a consultant on the Coal India Project. He seemed to be one of those magical people who history has run into around every corner. When I asked him about his philosophy on amp design, he gave me this:\n
\"I believe that the U.S. amp industry has gotten away from the most important aspects of why you use an amp, in the interest of making amps cheaper, easier and quicker. I wanted to go back to the original design methods and utilize the best components available.\"\nHe also made note of 3 distinct rules he set out to follow when he began building:\n
\"If you want to hear what your guitar sounds like, play it through a Little Walter.\"
\n-Vince Gill
\n\"The difference between the Little Walter and other amps is that this amp is an instrument.\"
\n- Paul Franklin
\n\"My Little Walter Twin 80 was in the heat of Mexico to the cold of Canada, taken in and out of the semis day after day and it never failed to give me the best tone I have ever had...show after show.\"
\n- Travis Toy
\"I value having a direct connection to the artists that use our products. I feel it is important to know the venues, styles and equipment used by a player in order to select the perfect amp that suits their needs.\"\n","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"11","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"4426376","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"4426377","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/19/2021 2:43:34 pm"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"A Silent Goodbye","page_header":"A Silent Goodbye","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"24","name":"A Silent Goodbye","urlPath":"blog/a-silent-goodbye","url":"a-silent-goodbye","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"A quick blog entry summarizing the first ever Tone Movement trip. This article contains no actual technical data or editorial content, but is merely a recap of the month long adventure of gathering material for our articles.","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"Published On April 23, 2015 by Logan Tabor-Phil Bradbury
\n
\"how appropriate...\"\n...I thought to myself. These thirty days of too little sleep and too much nicotine had found me ten pounds lighter and three years wiser...or maybe it was the other way around. I was too tired to tell.\n
None of these people went about their work in nearly the same way. No two people I interviewed had the same methods, the same rituals or the same philosophy. No two people built or designed at the same pace. No two workshops looked anything alike. Levels of organization varied greatly from shop to shop. Inventory, tools, test equipment and cleanliness were all unique to the builder. The things they looked for when working with a customer, the questions they asked, the obsessions afflicting them as they built -- all of these things were different. It became very clear to me that these individuals were just that...individuals. The finished products showcased their own aesthetic and tonal qualities. Packaging and imagery were different with every maker. Attitudes and concerns were distinct. There were, however, certain traits these individuals had in common. A fierce passion for their craft was shared by all. An extreme attention to detail and an unparalleled level of proficiency were present throughout. These were the names and faces that make up this wonderful community -- each one rare and imperative. Their contributions are not lost in the great bustle that is this industry.
\n\n\"...how appropriate.\"\nHow appropriate that I would be emerging from this mess of gray and black, and barreling towards a vibrant new scene. How appropriate that I would be passing under such a magnificent crack in the sky just as I shed all of these foolish presumptions. There is never a reason to overlook anyone in this industry. We are all gifted and determined. We all have a vision and a goal. And we are all equally insane. But the important thing to remember is this:\n
Are you rare and imperative?\n\nDo you have the makings of a tone hero?\n\nCan you stand apart from the crowd?\nThink it over. Become a part of the movement. It needs you.","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"4426378","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"4426379","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/19/2021 2:46:29 pm"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"Trust Your Ears, But Be Aware...","page_header":"Trust Your Ears, But Be Aware...","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"22","name":"Trust Your Ears, But Be Aware...","urlPath":"blog/trust-your-ears-but-be-aware","url":"trust-your-ears-but-be-aware","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"1","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"Read along as Pete Cage of Cage Amplifiers (based in Demascus, Maryland) takes us through his workshop. We will learn about his early inspirations for electronics, projects he has completed, philosophies, and more.","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"Given the amount of equipment and product in the shop at Cage Amplifiers, the environment was surprisingly clean. There were racks and shelves stocked with an encyclopedic selection of tubes, capacitors, resistors, brackets, nuts, screws and anything else one might need for a build.\n
\"I still have it, and it still works fine.\"\nIt was not until 1998 that Pete formed The Audio Cage and began building as a business, but we'll get to that a little later. Right now, we are going to take a brief trip back in time to February 9th, 1964 where Pete recalls seeing The Beatles on Ed Sullivan and being particularly moved.\n
\"Even then, at the tender age of six, I knew that music would be a big part of my life.\"\nWhen he was 7, Pete began doing what many of us did at that delightfully curious age...taking all of his parents' things apart. Years of tinkering found him at age 11 with a \"50-IN-1\" electronics kit from RadioShack.\n
\"My parents bought me one and I started building various things. Soon I was building effects pedals from Popular Electronics Magazine.\"\nPete obtained his amateur radio license in 1972 and began digging deeper into electronic theory. Later, he would major in Electrical Engineering Technology at Virginia Tech where he would learn a great deal about the difference between theory and practice.\n\nHis first production amp, which would eventually become known as the Corsa, started out as a learning exercise. Pete spent a year playing the parts swapping game with a simple circuit he'd built onto an old DuKane P.A. chassis. He wanted to see how the different values and types of components affected the sound. When he finally arrived at a sound he liked, he dragged the amp down to a local music store to show a friend. His friend played the amp for no more than 5 minutes before requesting that Pete build him one...and so was born the Corsa. \n
\"As a builder, I want to create amps that make a definitive contribution to the marketplace.\"\nWhich, of course, brings me back to the idea that Pete's Corsa is not based on any other circuit. This, again, is nothing to scoff at...and personally I think it's pretty rad. Way to go Pete. \n
\"Vertical Horizon was probably my first big client. I built amps and did service work for all four of the guys. They were kind enough to send me my own RIAA Double-Platinum award for my work with them on the 'Everything You Want' CD.\"\nVertical Horizon is just the first name on a long and \"Tone Hero-worthy\" list of big names that Pete has built or worked with or for.\n
\"You guys ready for some sushi?\"\nHe asked, with both hands on his stomach. While Hanan is handling the order for round one, let's take a look at some more pictures...
\n\n\"Well let's go ahead and get started. You gonna write any of this down?\" asked Hanan\nI raised my hand slowly, index finger poised, and double-tapped the side of my head. We both shot a smile across the table and leaned in to spare our speaking voices.\n
\"Alright guys, what are we getting for round two?\"\n...he asked. Again, with both hands on his stomach. Round one had found me quite content...\n
\"I had seen a book by Jason Lollar and I kept putting off buying it until around 2005 or '06. One day I finally decided to get it.\"\nArnsparger decided to build his own pickup winder based loosely upon the one he had seen in the Lollar book.\n
\"I had used that winder for years going through different motors and a multitude of mechanical counters. I was always wanting to update it but not quite sure how to go about it.\"\nAfter years of making his own parts out of necessity, since parts for pickups were not as easy to come by as they are these days, Arnsparger finally decided to upgrade his winding machine to better suit his needs. Presently, he is using the Mojotone Pickup Winding Machine in conjunction with his own apparatus for tension control.
Glassy THICK\n
\"...you can imagine it being pretty tough to find technicians you can trust and identify with. We feel incredibly lucky to have found all of these guys. They are great at what they do and everyone is always on the same page.\"\nYou see, in addition to the fact that Chicago Fretworks is a one-stop shop for ANY service one might need (fractured headstocks, cracks in your finish, mystery amp diagnosis and treatment, general instrument setups....the list goes on) they also take in a very high volume of work from players of all kinds. In fact, while I was in the shop Steve actually pointed out to me a couple of fiddles that were being worked on for Wilco. One of these was an acoustic for Mr. Jeff Tweedy who is, coincidentally, one of my favorite song-writers...I'm not going to nerd out right now but I mean, come on...that kinda rules.
\"a big part of why we are able to do what we do is because of the Old Town School of Folk Music.\"\nSo, what is the Old Town School of Folk Music? Well...I'LL TELL YOU! In a nutshell, Old Town is a school that offers a variety of classes and opportunities to people of all ages and all skill levels. They offer kid's classes, adult classes, beginner's classes, ensembles of all kinds, dance classes, song-writing classes, etc. BUT, this is not a traditional school wherein you are tested/graded/passing/failing or any of that stuff we all love to deal with when trying to improve ourselves. This is a huge community of people who just want to experience new things, jam with new people, learn new skills and have a good time. It is a completely unique concept and according to Steve it has really shaped the entire neighborhood into what it is today. If you get a moment, go read about the history of the school, it's really interesting.\n
\"we knew woodwork and we really liked the idea of a rustic 'northwest-y' kind of look, so that led to the branded wood idea. The white ink screen-printed at home onto a black chassis had the feel of a cut-and-paste punk show flyer...which is our roots.\"\nNow, if we can all take a moment to browse the Verellen Custom Shop, I think we will all agree that the \"cool factor\" knob on these amps goes to eleven.\n\nI'm getting off subject, please accept my apologies. The true focal point here is that Ben builds all of these amplifiers on a circuit-to-circuit basis. I'm not exaggerating. He builds these amps for rock MONSTERS like Scott Shriner (Weezer), Nate Mendel (Foo Fighters), Dave Knudson and Cory Murchy (Minus the Bear), and many others, to 100% custom spec.\n
\"No one else is doing that as far as I know. No one else is foolish enough, haha.\"\nAnd while that may be a daring enterprise, Ben is able to pull it off with an excess of style and still manages to upkeep a healthy social life.\n
\"I like to throw big parties where I make everyone eat gourmet homemade corn dogs.\"\nWe like that too Ben, we like that too.\n
\"two insanely talented and creative women who all throw ideas in a pot and sincerely enjoy what we get out of it.\"\nCheck out Helms Alee on Bandcamp and give them some love. They rock way hard and really deserve your love...or your like...I'm not sure how it works.\n
\"want some coffee and then we can get started?\"\nI graciously accepted and Matthew pressed the coffee frenchly into a strong white mug. A man's mug. \"Good vibes now,\" I thought. We made our way down a narrow set of stairs and into the lower level of his house. Matthew had laid out a beautiful set of amps for us to photograph.
\"I spend a fair amount of time visualizing the sound and design in my head beforehand. Often times, I have it all thought out pretty complete, then I just have to make it.\"\nYou see, while Matthew does have his own standard production models under Miller Ampwerks (such as The Columbia, The Freemont, The Vortex, and The Pine Street) he also does quite a few custom builds. And when a customer comes to him with an idea of the sound and features they are looking for in their new custom-built amp...Matthew begins the design process not on paper, but in his head. He sees the circuit, component by component. And then once the mental circuit is complete, it is time to begin building.\n
\"Coffee and guitar amps are the original American dream...\"\n...so I mean...this makes sense. A hot cup of pressed bean juice and a solid conversation with a man who makes a beautiful line of amplifiers will surely keep us moving in the right direction.\n
\"I don't know who you are. I don't know what you want. If you are looking for ransom, I can tell you I don't have money. But what I do have are a very particular set of skills; skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you. If you let my daughter go now, that will be the end of it. I will not look for you, I will not pursue you. But if you don't, I will look for you, I will find you, and I will write a really killer article about you and the great things you do for the world.\"\n
\"Just set up your stuff wherever you think you can and uhh...yeah...take some pictures...\"\nSo I did. As I was unpacking all of my gear and scoping out the right shots, he began telling me how all of this got started...\n\nSwart began building amps about 16 years ago when he finally worked up the nerve to build a schematic he'd found online. He was fascinated by the way it came together and by how much one could learn simply by following a wiring diagram. From then on, he was hooked. In an effort to create something he could use in his band at the time, he began experimenting with larger, more powerful circuits.\n
\"I had never really thought about building for other people. It was just a hobby. People started noticing and asking questions, and it was always a proud moment to say I'd built it.\"\nSo how did this hobby take the sharp turn from quirky pastime to world-renown boutique amp company? I'm glad you asked...\n\nSwart told me that the push he needed to take his skills to the next level came when he was hunting down an old Tweed Champ on Ebay. Like so many others, he quickly learned how much people were willing to pay for these little firecrackers. A few short weeks later he found himself at a flea market biting his nails over a vintage Supro amp. I'm sure it would have been hard to just walk away from a gem like that.\n
\"I took a chance and added the Supro to my collection...\"\nGood move, Swart...good move.\n\nAt this point I had taken a break to scroll through my camera roll...so here you go, we've all earned a break:
\"I put it on Ebay and it sold within a week. I was hooked. I was going to get paid to do what I loved to do.\"\nToday Michael Swart has grown his business into something that holds incredible weight in the industry. Anyone who knows boutique, knows Swart. And for good reason; he has put his product into the hands of numerous iconic artists such as Jeff Tweedy, Trey Anastasio, John Oates, Vince Gill, Keith Urban and countless others.\n\nHe uses a Mojotone BV-25M speaker in his Atomic Space Tone. He had been using Jensen speakers in this amp for a while when a friend suggested the Mojotone British Vintage Series (thank you, Dr. Friend).\n
\"I was blown away. It sounded just right in this amp, so I kept using it and I still use it today.\"\nIt was a pleasure for me to be invited into such a laid back and warm atmosphere. Swart himself is a witty little wizard person who makes you feel right at home...regardless of the fact that you're in his shop taking pictures at 10pm on a Tuesday...\n
![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/fif-april/image-1.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/MIM-Tweed-Deluxe-Part-1/Image-1A.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/MIM-Tweed-Deluxe-Part-1/Image-2AB.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/MIM-Tweed-Deluxe-Part-1/Image-3AB.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/MIM-Tweed-Deluxe-Part-1/Image-4A.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/MIM-Tweed-Deluxe-Part-1/Image-5A.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/MIM-Tweed-Deluxe-Part-1/Image-6A.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/MIM-Tweed-Deluxe-Part-1/Image-7A.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/MIM-Tweed-Deluxe-Part-1/Image-8A.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/MIM-Tweed-Deluxe-Part-1/Image-9A.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/MIM-Tweed-Deluxe-Part-1/Image-10A.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/MIM-Tweed-Deluxe-Part-1/Image-11A.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/MIM-Tweed-Deluxe-Part-1/Image-12AB.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/mim-tweed-deluxe-part-2/workbench.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/mim-tweed-deluxe-part-2/image-2ab.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/mim-tweed-deluxe-part-2/image-3ab.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/mim-tweed-deluxe-part-2/image-4ab.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/mim-tweed-deluxe-part-2/image-5a.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/mim-tweed-deluxe-part-2/image-6a.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/mim-tweed-deluxe-part-2/image-7a.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/mim-tweed-deluxe-part-2/image-8a.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/mim-tweed-deluxe-part-2/image-9a.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/mim-tweed-deluxe-part-2/image-10a.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/mim-tweed-deluxe-part-2/image-11b.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/mim-tweed-deluxe-part-2/image12.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/FIF-MAY/image-1A.jpg\")
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/FIF-MAY/image-2AB.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/FIF-MAY/image-3ab.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/FIF-MAY/image-4a.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/FIF-MAY/image-5a.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/FIF-MAY/image-6a.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/fif-test-points/image-1a.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/fif-test-points/image-2a.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/fif-test-points/image-3a.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/fif-test-points/image-4a.jpg\")
\n\nBefore installing tubes on a new fresh build: Test pins 3 and 4 of the \noutput tube sockets (a standby switch would be closed at this point) for\n high voltage, reading on pin 4 should be a bit lower than on pin 3. \nThen, verify a negative voltage reading on pin 5 of both sockets. The \nreading should be -30V to -55V depending on the tube type. Taking this \nreading insures the output tubes will not immediately \"red plate\".
Take the same measurements again, and then take readings at all of the test points in the diagram.
![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/fif-test-points/image-5a.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/fif-test-points/image-end.jpg\")
","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"3","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"4432238","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"4432239","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/21/2021 11:00:43 am"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"MIM : 5E3 Style Amp Kit Build Part 3","page_header":"MIM : 5E3 Style Amp Kit Build Part 3","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"37","name":"MIM : 5E3 Style Amp Kit Build Part 3","urlPath":"blog/mim-5e3-style-amp-kit-build-part-3","url":"mim-5e3-style-amp-kit-build-part-3","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"1","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"The third and final installment of our 5E3 build is finally here! To complete our kits we will assemble the wiring harness, install the speaker, and install the chassis in the cabinet.","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"Welcome back to the final installment of our 5E3 Style Amp Kit Build. In this episode we will go over how to wire up the speaker wiring harness, install the 12\" speaker, and mount the chassis into the cabinet. So let's get to it! ![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/fif-aug-2018/image-1ab.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/fif-aug-2018/image-2a.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/fif-aug-2018/image-3a.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/fif-aug-2018/image-4a.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/fif-aug-2018/images-5ab.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/fif-aug-2018/final.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/mim-bigcrunch/image-1a.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/mim-bigcrunch/image-2a.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/mim-bigcrunch/image-3a.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/fif-5-tools-every-guitarist-needs/duster.jpg\")
![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/fif-5-tools-every-guitarist-needs/cutter.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/fif-5-tools-every-guitarist-needs/conditioner.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/fif-5-tools-every-guitarist-needs/iron.jpg\")
![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/fif-5-tools-every-guitarist-needs/rene-multi.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/site/TT_SB2_Files/img/MainTube.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/site/TT_SB2_Files/img/PreampTubes.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/site/TT_SB2_Files/img/OutputTubes.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/site/TT_SB2_Files/img/Rectifier.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/FIF-7-Ways-Tweak-Your-Tone/speaker.jpg\")
![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/FIF-7-Ways-Tweak-Your-Tone/pickups.jpg\")
![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/FIF-7-Ways-Tweak-Your-Tone/tubes.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/FIF-7-Ways-Tweak-Your-Tone/harness.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/FIF-7-Ways-Tweak-Your-Tone/volume-mod.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/FIF-7-Ways-Tweak-Your-Tone/picks.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/FIF-7-Ways-Tweak-Your-Tone/strings.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/MIM-Amp-Output-Ratings/AmpFam.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/MIM-Amp-Output-Ratings/FullStack.jpg\")
![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/MIM-Amp-Output-Ratings/Low_HighOutput.jpg\")
![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/MIM-Amp-Output-Ratings/WallStack.jpg\")
![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/fif-5-les-paul-mods/top-wrap.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/fif-5-les-paul-mods/aluminum-tailpiece.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/fif-5-les-paul-mods/decouple-diagram-final.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/fif-5-les-paul-mods/peter-switch.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/fif-5-les-paul-mods/jimmy-diagram.jpg\")
\n ![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/export-transformers/image-1.jpg\")
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/export-transformers/image-2.jpg\")
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/export-transformers/image-3.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/export-transformers/image-4.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/export-transformers/image-5.jpg\")
\n\n\nHere is a list of the tools you’ll need to get through this job:
Electric drill or Screwdriver with Phillips head
Alligator Clips
Solder
And here are the caps and the resistor you’ll need:
0.022uf Mojotone Dijon Capacitors
33K Carbon Comp ResistorBefore we dive in, check out the sound clip below of what my normal channel sounds like before I make the mod. I am plugged into input 1 with the volume on 3, the treble on 6, and the bass on 4.
Let’s get started! First thing’s first, we need to use our drill or screwdriver to remove the top back panel from our cabinet. Once this is done, use the drill or driver to loosen the chassis screws and remove the chassis so you can access the tone stack on your normal channel.
Next, before we get too excited we have to drain the filter caps so that we can safely work with them. There are a couple of ways to do this, but the way we’ll do it today will involve using those alligator clips we talked about earlier. Connect one of the alligator clips directly to the chassis, and connect the other to the highlighted point in Image 1A below.
![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/MIM-BFDR-Normal-Channel-Mod/Image-1a-final.jpg\")
\n\n\nNote : Either of the highlighted leads or the actual solder point will work for this, but it is easier to get the alligator clips to bite onto one of the leads.
Before we go further, just to show exactly what we are doing, let’s use our multimeters to see what kind of voltage is in our caps before we drain them, and then verify that they have been properly drained; then we can begin tinkering around with the circuit. Grab your multimeter and place the ground pin on the chassis. Then place the hot pin on the point circled in red in Image 2A below (this is essentially the same place your alligator clip should have been placed).
![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/MIM-BFDR-Normal-Channel-Mod/Image-2a-final.jpg\")
\n\nNote : While working on your chassis, orient it so that the front panel is facing away from you. This will put all the caps and resistors we will be working on, on the far right of the chassis. Now you should have your bearings straight, so take a look at the image below…
My initial test shows around 80V on the multimeter...we will definitely want to drain these caps before digging in. First, in order to safely drain the caps, we must make sure the amp is NOT plugged into the wall. Next, we need to flip the STANDBY switch to the ‘on’ position (do not flip the POWER switch, this is very important). Wait about 30 seconds with the STANDBY switch flipped ‘on’ and then reapply your multimeter to the ground and hot points discussed above. You should notice a significant drain in the caps at this point. Once it gets down to zero (as you can see in Image 3A below), the circuit is safe to work on.
![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/MIM-BFDR-Normal-Channel-Mod/Image-3a-final.jpg\")
\n\nNote : It is best to leave the alligator clips in place and the standby switch flipped on throughout the duration of this modification, so that the caps are constantly being drained and there is no risk of them recharging themselves.
Now we can start with our serious tinkering. Let’s begin with the .1uF cap highlighted in Image 4A below.
![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/MIM-BFDR-Normal-Channel-Mod/Image-4a-final.jpg\")
\n\nHeat the eyelet closest to the front panel of the amp, and use a pair of needle nose pliers to pull the lead out of the eyelet (Image 5A).
![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/MIM-BFDR-Normal-Channel-Mod/Image-5a-final.jpg\")
\n\nOnce this is done, do the same thing with the .047uF and the 250pF caps highlighted in Image 6A below. For now we are only removing the leads in the eyelets closest to the front panel of the amp.
![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/MIM-BFDR-Normal-Channel-Mod/Image-6a-final.jpg\")
\n\nNow let’s do the same thing where the .047uF, .1uF, and 100k resistor meet. This point is highlighted in Image 7A below. This time we will be removing all three leads from the eyelet. The result is pictured in Image 8A below. (Both caps should be completely freed and removed from the circuit, while the resistor is still connected by its other lead).
![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/MIM-BFDR-Normal-Channel-Mod/Image-7a-final.jpg\")
![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/MIM-BFDR-Normal-Channel-Mod/Image-8a-final.jpg\")
\n\nAt this point we are free to finish removing the 250 pF silver mica cap, as well as the 100k resistor. After you’ve done this, your circuit should look something like the one in Image 9A.
![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/MIM-BFDR-Normal-Channel-Mod/Image-9a-final.jpg\")
\n\nNow it’s time to use our desolder pump to remove the old solder from the eyelets. We do this for a couple of reasons : One, this makes it easier to insert the leads of our new components into the eyelets, and two, it's best to have a nice fresh solder joint...for posterity’s sake.
To “arm” your desolder pump, press the top trigger down (this may not apply to all desoldering devices, so please refer to the literature that accompanied yours). Then we will heat the solder in one of our eyelets. Once the solder is hot and fluid, push the button to release the pump and suck the solder away from the eyelet (Image 10A). Repeat this process on all the eyelets from which you removed a component.
![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/MIM-BFDR-Normal-Channel-Mod/Image-10a-final.jpg\")
\n\nNow it’s time to start replacing those components we removed with our new ones! Start by replacing that 250pF cap with our 500 pF silver mica. To do this, you’ll want to hold the cap over the eyelets and bend the leads accordingly. Once they are bent, you can eyeball the length you’ll need for a good connection, and trim them to length with a pair of wire cutters (Image 11A). Once you have a good length, insert the leads into their respective eyelet holes and solder them in (Image 11B).
![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/MIM-BFDR-Normal-Channel-Mod/Image-11ab-final.jpg\")
\n\nContinue doing this with the rest of the caps and the resistor. The .047uF and .1uF caps will be replaced with our Mojotone Dijon .022uF caps, and the 100k resistor will be replaced with the 33k resistor. Be mindful to insert all of the necessary components into each eyelet before soldering, so that a solder joint is only made one time per eyelet.
You should now have a circuit that looks something like Image 12A…
![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/MIM-BFDR-Normal-Channel-Mod/Image-12a-final.jpg\")
\n\n\nBefore testing out your new normal channel, make sure you remove the alligator clip you applied before the start, and flip the standby switch back to the 'off' position. Now you can plug the amp into the wall, flip on the power switch and let it warm up for a second. Then, as you know, flip the standby switch and start to rock.
Below are two sound clips: the first is a standalone clip of what my amp sounds like after the mod, and the second is a comparison clip beginning with 'before' the mod, and ending with 'after' the mod (the same amp settings are used in both clips -- volume 3, treble 6, bass 4).
I can already tell a difference in the treble response even with the same settings. It also has a little more break up than it did prior to the mod. And once I started messing with the tone controls I can really tell how differently they interact with one another.
We hope this mod makes for a nice couple hours of electronics work and many many hours of tweakable playability! As always, thanks for tuning in and we’ll see you next time!
![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/DH-Mojotone-Cabinets/openback.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/Dave-Hunter-Speaker-Cabinet-Construction/image-2.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/Dave-Hunter-Speaker-Cabinet-Construction/image-3.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/Dave-Hunter-Speaker-Cabinet-Construction/image-4.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/DH-Mojotone-Cabinets/otherparameters.jpeg\")
\n\n\nIn addition to the materials it’s made from, other aspects of any speaker cabinet’s design will influence its sound… although as often as not, the results of this might be semi-random at best. Jim Marshall created the most emulated template for the closed-back 4x12 cab when he crammed and unprecedented four Celestion G12 speakers into one chunky box. The resultant Model 1960 speaker cabinet was devised simply as the most logical container for the number of Celestion G12 speakers required to handle the JTM45’s power (these speakers were rated at only 15W originally). Marshall himself said on several occasions that the design was largely random. ![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/FIF-Replacing-Broken-Fuse-Holder/Image-1a.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/FIF-Replacing-Broken-Fuse-Holder/Image-2ab.jpg\")
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/FIF-Replacing-Broken-Fuse-Holder/Image-3A.jpg\")
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/FIF-Replacing-Broken-Fuse-Holder/Image-4a.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/MIM-Speaker-Instrument-RCA-Cables/image-1a.jpg\")
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/MIM-Speaker-Instrument-RCA-Cables/image-2a.jpg\")
\n\nAfter we’ve applied just a little bit of solder to our wires and plug, we are ready to solder everything together. However, before soldering, let’s go ahead and slide the plug’s metal housing over the wires and onto the cable, and then do the same with the included plastic insulation sleeve (See Image 3A Below). If we fail to get these items onto the cable first, we will soon realize that we are unable to slide the metal housing on from the opposite direction...and then we might start using bad words.
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/MIM-Speaker-Instrument-RCA-Cables/image-3a.jpg\")
\n\n\n
Alright, you know what to do now. Make sure your soldering iron is nice and warm and then go ahead and seat the cable into the strain relief on the plug and orient the wires accordingly. The white wire will go to the plug’s hot pin, and the black wire will go to the shield (Image 4A).
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/MIM-Speaker-Instrument-RCA-Cables/image-4a.jpg\")
\n\n\n
Since we’ve tinned our components, we will need to use just the slightest bit of solder. So heat the wire and the contact, drop a touch of solder on, and then remove from heat to allow the joint to cool briefly…
![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/MIM-Speaker-Instrument-RCA-Cables/image-5a.jpg\")
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/MIM-Speaker-Instrument-RCA-Cables/image-6a.jpg\")
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/MIM-Speaker-Instrument-RCA-Cables/image-7a.jpg\")
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/MIM-Speaker-Instrument-RCA-Cables/image-8a.jpg\")
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/MIM-Speaker-Instrument-RCA-Cables/image-9a.jpg\")
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/MIM-Speaker-Instrument-RCA-Cables/image-10ab.jpg\")
![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/fif-custom-blues-junior-cabinet-swap/Image-1a.jpg\")
![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/fif-custom-blues-junior-cabinet-swap/Image-2A.jpg\")
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/fif-custom-blues-junior-cabinet-swap/Image-3a.jpg\")
\n\n \n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/fif-custom-blues-junior-cabinet-swap/image-4a.jpg\")
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/fif-custom-blues-junior-cabinet-swap/image-5a.jpg\")
\n\nNote : It is important to make sure these screws remain separate from the screws you removed from your old cabinet. ![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/fif-custom-blues-junior-cabinet-swap/Image-6AB.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/fif-custom-blues-junior-cabinet-swap/image-7a.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/fif-custom-blues-junior-cabinet-swap/image-8a.jpg\")
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/fif-custom-blues-junior-cabinet-swap/image-9a.jpg\")
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/fif-custom-blues-junior-cabinet-swap/image-10a.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/fif-custom-blues-junior-cabinet-swap/Image-11AB.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/fif-custom-blues-junior-cabinet-swap/image-12a.jpg\")
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/fif-custom-blues-junior-cabinet-swap/image-13a.jpg\")
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/fif-custom-blues-junior-cabinet-swap/image-14a.jpg\")
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/fif-custom-blues-junior-cabinet-swap/image-15a.jpg\")
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/fif-custom-blues-junior-cabinet-swap/final.jpg\")
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/fif-blues-junior-power-transformer-swap/Image-1A.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/fif-blues-junior-power-transformer-swap/Image-2A.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/fif-blues-junior-power-transformer-swap/Image-3AB.jpg\")
\n\nNote : The screws removed from the side panels and top panel should be notably longer than those removed from the back panel. Make a mental note of this and be sure to reinstall these screws properly at the end of the project.![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/fif-blues-junior-power-transformer-swap/Image-4A.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/fif-blues-junior-power-transformer-swap/Image-5A.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/fif-blues-junior-power-transformer-swap/Image-6A.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/fif-blues-junior-power-transformer-swap/Image-7A.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/fif-blues-junior-power-transformer-swap/Image-8A.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/fif-blues-junior-power-transformer-swap/Image-9A.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/fif-blues-junior-power-transformer-swap/Image-10A.jpg\")
\n\nNote : Some may prefer to twist certain groups of wires together before cutting them. I will be twisting together all wires of the same color, just to clean things up a bit. ![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/fif-blues-junior-power-transformer-swap/Image-11A.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/fif-blues-junior-power-transformer-swap/final.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/mim-classic-humbucker-installation/Image-1a.jpg\")
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/mim-classic-humbucker-installation/image-2a.jpg\")
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/mim-classic-humbucker-installation/image-3a.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/mim-classic-humbucker-installation/image-4a.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/mim-classic-humbucker-installation/image-5a.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/mim-classic-humbucker-installation/image-6a.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/mim-classic-humbucker-installation/image-7a.jpg\")
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/mim-classic-humbucker-installation/image-8a.jpg\")
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/mim-classic-humbucker-installation/image-9a.jpg\")
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/mim-hotter-not-always-better/image-1.jpg\")
\n\nThe replacement-pickup market has boomed in the past two decades, and more guitarists than ever are swapping these components themselves in what can become a never-ending quest for that perfect tone. The thing is, if you aren’t forewarned of a few important points regarding pickup specifications and performance it’s easy to misinterpret what you’re trying to achieve, and to end up disappointed as a result. We see this occur with players who go around and around swapping one make and model of pickup for another, then another, and another still, before giving up in frustration because each misses the mark. But it’s easy to cut out a big part of this blind-alley-style chase by understanding one simple thing up front: when it comes to pickups, hotter does not always mean better.
It’s easy to get this one wrong because in many ways it seems counterintuitive, particularly when you tell yourself you want a “hotter” or more distorted tone, and figure a more powerful pickup should be the ticket. In many cases a little more oomph from a replacement pickup choice will do the trick, but it’s easy to succumb to the “the hotter the better” mythology, and more often than not that just leads to disappointment—usually in the form of a mushy, muddy, indistinct tone.
For Those About to Rock
Sure, hot pickups have their place in some styles of music, otherwise there wouldn’t be such a healthy market in high-gain classics such as DiMarzio’s Super Distortion line or Gibson’s Dirty Fingers humbucker, and Mojotone’s own Black Magic and DW Tomahawk humbuckers and Knockout Strat pickups—to name but a few—have made plenty of guitarists very happy. For pure nu-metal fury, thrash-chunk power chording, or eviscerating shred lead playing, a super-charged pickup often does the trick. Even so, it’s worth considering other ways of getting there—while retaining a more open, versatile, and dynamic guitar tone to boot—than by chasing the maxed-out resistance readings for whatever type of pickup fits your guitar. (For a discussion of resistance and power, see the sidebar Understanding Pickup Resistance Readings.)
Here’s the rub: while high-gain pickups give you heavy overdrive tones and largely nothing but, lower-gain pickups better translate the nuances of your attack, style, and dynamics, with firm lows, sweeter highs, and less aggressive midrange that is nevertheless punchy and tight. In short, they are more touch sensitive, and they’re better at expressing the full range of your playing style. They also overload the preamp stage of your amplifier, or effects, less than high-gain pickups, and thereby help to take a full, round guitar sound along to further stages of the amp’s circuit, where some players feel the more delectable tones are generated, rather than clipping early and leaving you with nothing but heat and grunge.
When you want heat and grunge from a lower-output pickup, just crank it up—you can still get there via your amp’s volume or gain controls, or a good booster or overdrive pedals. And when you do get there, you’ll retain the superior articulation, dynamics, and tonal sweetness that these pickups deliver.
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/mim-hotter-not-always-better/image-2.jpg\")
\n\n
Sometimes it helps to gain a little perspective on how a pickup functions by taking a look at what it really is: a voltage generator. When your strummed guitar strings disturb the magnetic field above and around the pickup, the coil generates a low-level AC signal which represents the frequencies of those particular notes. This AC voltage is presented to the first preamp tube in your amplifier, where it is ramped up and passed along to subsequent stages within the circuit until it hits the airwaves via the speaker. It makes sense, then, that the varying strengths of that low-voltage AC signal will interact differently with your amp’s first gain stage, and will play a big part in determining the dynamics, clarity, and distortion content passed along by that crucial first amplification stage.
Let’s look at it this again from the playing perspective: if you’re slamming your guitar signal right from the very source—the pickup—it’s difficult to achieve anything less, anything more nuanced, than that fully slammed result via the early preamp stages within your amplifier. And the “more nuanced” is where your subtleties of playing style lie, such as the ability to ease up on your pick attack to get a cleaner tone, then dig in hard to drive the amp; or to finesse pinched harmonics or subtle left-hand vibrato out of your strings. If, on the other hand, you retain clarity and articulation and a broad and musical frequency spectrum right from that source—a lower output pickup, in this case—you can still get all the heat and sizzle you need from gain stages further up the signal chain that do it better. With this approach, you haven’t already cut off a huge proportion of your expressive potential before hitting your amp’s input, and it’s still there to work for you when you dial back the gain.
There are countless examples of how non-over-wound pickups work great in the hands of legendary players who still rock plenty hard with them. Eric Clapton set the guitar world on fire via relatively low-output vintage PAF humbuckers in his Les Paul while recording the seminal Blues Breakers With Eric Clapton album with John Mayall and the Blues Breakers, and slammed his Marshalls even harder with Cream afterward, using similarly low-wind mid ’60s humbuckers in his ES-335 and SG. We don’t need to be reminded of what the likes of Jimi Hendrix and Richie Blackmore achieved using standard Fender Stratocaster pickups, and even Eddie Van Halen virtually reinvented rock guitar in the mid to late ’70s with a relatively low-output Gibson PAF humbucker cobbled into his Frankenstrat.
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/mim-hotter-not-always-better/image-3.jpg\")
\n\n\n
If your motivation to move toward more high-output, rock-intended pickups comes from the fact that you’re getting squealing, howling feedback (i.e. not the good kind) from your current pickups, you might need to shop for pickups of different specifications that aren’t necessarily hotter, but which possess other constructional qualities.
Vintage-style Fender single coils are only lightly potted (that is, dipped in paraffin), while vintage-style Gibson PAF humbuckers were not potted at all. Purists feel that the slight microphony and acoustic-like resonance that these un-potted or lightly-potted coils induce into the guitar tone is a big part of their vintage character, adding harmonic complexity and “edge”, yet that’s often what makes these pickups squeal when used with high-gain amps. If this sounds like a problem you’re having, look for pickups that are advertised as potted, or request that service from the pickup maker as part of a custom-build.
If you’re in love with a set of pickups that you already own but would like to fight the microphonic feedback, often these can be sent back to their maker for re-potting, or to a different pickup manufacturer or repair person for that service. With some pickups, such as humbuckers or gold-foil types that have thin metal covers over them, the vibration of the cover itself can cause this microphony (rather than anything happening within the coil). This can be combated by having a pickup maker or repairperson dampen the cover’s resonance by dripping in a little paraffin or hot wax before resealing the pickup.
These more heavily potted pickups can still be lower-output (a.k.a. “low-wind” or “vintage-wind”) types, and will still offer many of the benefits regarding dynamics, clarity, and bell-like clean tones that you’d hope to get from such units, while also combatting microphonic feedback howl at higher volumes or under high-gain situations. They might, arguably, loose a few of the vintage-certified sonic nuances that authentic un-potted or lightly potted types boast of, but often that’s a fair trade-off if a substantial proportion of your playing involves high-gain lead tones.
\n\nUnderstanding Pickup Resistance
Readings\n“Resistance” is the measurement of a coil’s opposition (or “resistance power”) to a DC current, and it is given in units called “Ohms” (the symbol Ω). The same measurement of an AC component is called “impedance”, and it is also recorded in Ohms. Most pickup makers publish any model of pickup’s resistance as a specification intended to give some indication of how “powerful” that pickup might be. This can be misleading, however, because this raw number tells you nothing about how any given pickup might sound, although it is some indication of how hard it will drive your amp, relative to other pickups of the same style, which are constructed the same and made from the same materials. And that’s important: without comparing like for like, resistance readings are often more misleading than useful. \n\tResistance specifications are generally in the “thousands of ohms” range, and makers therefore tend to use the symbol “k” for the “thousands”, so you will see numbers like 6.2k ohms for a Stratocaster pickup, for example, or 8.5k ohms for a humbucker. Essentially, any pickup’s resistance measurement just tells you how big the coil is—that is, how much wire is wound around it—or how big the two coils combined in series are if it’s a humbucker. The trouble with using this as a set standard, however, is that different gauges of wire yield different resistance readings for the same given length. Thinner wire gives higher resistance readings, so you can be fooled into thinking such pickups are hotter. The most common pickups today such as Fender Stratocaster, Telecaster bridge pickups, and Gibson humbuckers and P-90s are all made with 42-gauge, but early Fender Broadcaster bridge pickups were made with 43-gauge wire, and might give resistance readings of 10k ohms, for example, even though they don’t present a stronger signal to the amplifier than a later Telecaster bridge pickup made with 42-gauge wire that reads 7.2k ohms (I’m speaking only in approximates here, but you get the idea).\n\tSo, generalizing broadly about a wide range of pickups’ power, or so-called “output”, by using DC resistance as a yardstick can be misleading. A pickup’s resistance doesn’t measure anything being “put out” at all, but is a static measure of its coil at rest, taken with a specially designed meter, and simply reads the number of turns of X-gauge of wire that have been wrapped around the coil. More or less turns of wire in a coil of a specific design will yield a more or less powerful result, respectively, but comparing the resistance readings of a Strat pickup, a Tele pickup, a Gibson P-90, a full-size humbucker, and a Gretsch Filter’Tron will get you nowhere. Even if all read exactly 6.5k ohms they would sound very different, and even exhibit distinctly different so-called output levels, driving your amp to varying degrees.\n\n\n
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","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"2","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"4433398","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"4433399","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/21/2021 1:45:00 pm"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"EL34 Taste Testing","page_header":"EL34 Taste Testing","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"59","name":"EL34 Taste Testing","urlPath":"blog/el34-taste-testing","url":"el34-taste-testing","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"2","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"Dave Hunter explores the sonic characteristics of three current-production EL34 Power Tubes; the Mullard EL34 Reissue, the Electro Harmonix EL34, and the JJ EL34. Tune in for some great insight on how these tubes can influence your sound.","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"Several ingredients contribute to the sonic signature of any guitar amplifier, and in many designs the output tubes are the major characterizing component that defines the core nature of the amp itself. With smaller American amps, we think 6V6; smaller British amps EL84. Larger American amps are, in part, defined by their larger 6L6 output tubes, while the big British classics like the Marshall Plexi and its brethren, Hiwatt, Orange and others are archetypes of that mighty EL34 tone.Known for they’re use in amps displaying an aggressive midrange, thumping low-end, and sizzling highs, EL34s are particularly dynamic and succulent when pushed into distortion, but can also deliver bold, characterful clean (and semi-clean) tones.Let’s dig into the characteristics and capabilities of three newly manufactured makes of this iconic output tube, all of which are currently available from Mojotone: the Electro-Harmonix EL34, Mullard EL34 Reissue, and JJ E34L. In addition to my own “live” impressions gleaned from playing each set of matched EL34s in the same amp over a prolonged period, I’ve recorded several sample clips for the purposes of easy A/B/C comparisons. Please note, too, that the notes below were taken without any previous reference to the manufacturers’ or sellers’ promotional info, but are provided as an objective impression of these tubes’ individual strengths.An Eastern-European tube Manufactured by JJ Electronic in Cadca, Slovakia. Designed by New Sensor to high standards and manufactured at the Xpo-Pul factory (aka Reflektor) in Saratov, Russia. So, you’re thinking about building one of Mojotone’s many amplifier kits but you aren’t certain where to begin, or maybe all of the small components and technical jargon is a little overwhelming. That’s why we’ve put together this comprehensive amp kit primer. In today’s article we will talk about a few parts that are common amongst most tube amplifiers to give you a basic understanding of the major components and their functions. Then we will discuss what the “difficulty ratings” mean on Mojotone’s amplifier kits. Finally, we will go over a few things one should always keep in mind when building an amplifier, no matter the difficulty rating. Amps have both power and output transformers. Both have a “primary” and a “secondary.” Both have laminated cores and both handle high voltage. Power transformer primary and secondary coils are generally as follows: Primary: This is the power coming in from the wall. Some transformers have multiple primaries that can take different wall voltages like 100v, 120v, 230v and 240v. Secondary: high voltage secondary for the rectifier, 6.3v secondary for filaments and 5v for rectifier filaments (if the circuit has a tube rectifier). Output transformer primary and secondary coils are as follows: Primary: can be 2 or 3 wires. These feed B+ to the plate of the output tubes and carry high voltage. Secondary: This is the speaker output section. These can have 2 or more wires, usually 3 or 4 wires for a push-pull, and 2 wires for a single ended amp. Rectifier: This can be solid state or tube. Either way, this takes high AC voltage and turns it into DC voltage. Tube rectifiers will need the 5v or 6v filament winding on the power transformer. Turret, fiber board, or point to point. Turret and fiber boards are the main “spine” of the amp. Turret boards were usually used by British amp companies and are heavier duty than Fender’s vulcanized paper fiberboard. Point to point wiring is just that: No boards, just components soldered directly to the tube sockets or a tag/terminal strip. This is common among older, smaller amps to save on cost. Power supply. This is important! Every amp has a power supply. This involves the power transformer, filter caps, rectifier and other components, depending on the amp. This supplies voltage to different parts of the amp for the different circuits. What the voltage is depends on the type of amp it is. Is it a cathode bias or fixed bias amp? Does it have 2,3, or 4 stages of filtering? Does it have a reverb driver? Etc. You’ll need to know this information for ease of troubleshooting and keeping yourself safe. Preamp section: this is where your signal is amplified and sent to the various stages for amplification as well as modifying the tone via various potentiometers. Phase Inverter: some amps have them and some don’t. There are also different types of phase inverter circuits. It may be best to research phase inverters separately as this is a topic that encompasses a ton of information. Output section: this is what does the heavy lifting for the amp. It takes the preamp signal and boosts it via the output transformer, tube plates, negative feedback loop, etc. Bias circuits: this is what regulates the idle of the output tubes so the amp can run efficiently. This voltage is negative on fixed-bias amps. There are fixed-bias amps, cathode-biased amps and fixed-bias amps with a bias balance. Know what all three are and note the differences. Preamp tubes: these are most commonly 9 pin (noval) tubes that can have 2 triodes in the same glass envelope. Examples are 12AY7, 12AT7, 12AX7, 7025, 5751, etc. Output or power tubes: these are larger than preamp tubes and have various methods of operation. They are commonly 8 pin (octal) pentodes, power beam tubes, and tetrodes. These are limited to one amplification circuit per tube. Examples are 6V6, 6L6, EL34, EL84, KT88’s etc. Rectifiers: tube rectifiers have various socket requirements but, they are usually require octal or noval sockets and are very simple in design. These are generally diode tubes. Research the function of these tubes as a lot of them are interchangeable. Same tubes can have different designators. Example: An EL84 is a 6BQ5. A 12AX7 is the same as a ECC83 and so on. These are generally interchangeable. Tube anatomy: tubes can be called a diode, a triode, a pentode, or a tetrode, depending on the construction of the tube itself. Even though they may have the same base that fits your socket, this doesn’t mean it will work. All tubes will have a cathode and a plate. This makes up a diode. When you add components like a control grid, screen and suppressor, the tube type changes. Filament wiring: this is usually to pins 2 and 7 on the octals and 4+5 and 9 on 9-pin sockets and 2 and 8 on common rectifiers. Potentiometers: these have many different values and do various things. Think of them as variable resistors. Tone and volume controls are usually pots. Bias supplies also have these, but they are not the same as regular signal/tone pots. Capacitors: these also have different value and voltage ratings in addition to different types of construction. These include Orange Drops (polyester film), Mojo KingCap and Sprague Atom (electrolytic polarized), ceramic disk, Dijon (film and foil) and Mica type caps. These tend to look very different by design. A polarized cap means it needs to go into the circuit in a particular orientation, usually denoted by a ‘+’ or a ‘–’ on the side of the cap in most cases. Resistors: like capacitors, these have different values, types, and voltage ratings. Different types are carbon comp, metal oxide, metal film, and carbon film. Carbon comps usually look different than carbon film and metal film. Also, generally speaking, the larger the resistor, the greater the power it can tolerate. Common values in tube amps are 220k, 1Meg, 68K, 100K etc. These can be anywhere from 1/2w to 10w, depending on the application. Carbon comps are generally used in Fender amps and Carbon film are used in British style amps historically. All of Mojotone’s Amplifier kits are rated for difficulty with a number 1 through 5, with 1 being the easiest and 5 being the most difficult. Let’s break down what makes an amp build easy or difficult: Level 1 Requires basic soldering skills and basic knowledge of AC and DC power circuits. You should have a good, if minimal ability to read and understand basic wiring and schematic diagrams. Know the parts by looking at them (not the value, just the difference between a resistor and a capacitor). Know not to work on an energized amp and what (and where) not to touch inside the amp before the caps have discharged. For ease of learning, the design has all the basic necessary systems for an amp: power supply, preamp, and SE output section. Level 2 Includes the skills above and adds a little more knowledge, generally speaking, of what the different circuits in the amps are. Level 2 also requires better, more consistent soldering skills to eliminate cold solder joints and not damaging a component when removed and re-installed. More consistent lead dress and maintaining a clean chassis appearance will be crucial. You should know when and how an amp should be bled of voltage before working on it and should also be able to perform basic modifications and repairs. Knowledge of the function of different cabinet types, general construction, and materials used for different types of amps. This level of design incorporates push pull output section as well as more complex preamp tone controls. Level 3 Requires all the skills of levels 1 and 2 but adds more complexity in circuits, a better understanding of the interaction of the parts involved, and the ability to isolate issues by looking at individual circuits versus the entire amp to find them. Your soldering should be at the peak of your ability by now, and you should be able to identify more common resistors via their color coding. Your safety levels at this point should be at their peak by, as well and your knowledge of when and where to look at an energized amp without harming yourself, people around you, or the amp. Example: being able to work by yourself with energized amps with meters and oscilloscopes to determine an issue with no supervision. You should also be able to do more advanced modifications to an amp circuit. You should, by now, have a good understanding of tube function and the difference between more popular tubes in use. You are more advanced in understanding cab and speaker interaction and understanding basic speaker info and what it means to the amp and player. This level of design incorporates additional preamp channels and higher output. Level 4 All the skills of levels 1, 2 and 3 with the addition of building efficiency, proper lead dress of transformers, and all physical wiring inside the amp. An in-depth understanding of how transformers work as well as issues that arise from transformer-related issues throughout an amp. Also, a full understanding of how different tubes work as well as the electronic support different tubes require (i.e.- 6L6 and EL34 swaps/modifications). You are also designing intermediate amps by now and should be able to identify and modify basically any amp you come across. You are also repairing, restoring, and rebuilding vintage equipment with little difficulty. At this level, you know the history behind the larger vintage amp companies and you are able to talk fluently about the ins and outs of many different popular models. Building an amp is easy now and you seldom get things wrong while doing it. This level of design incorporates effects and high gain. Level 5 All skills of levels 1 through 4 and an understanding of tube amp theory, most aspects of design, and development of all things tube-amp related. This level seldom ever finds flaws in amp self-designs and is an encyclopedia of the evolution of guitar amp design and layout. This level of build design incorporates additional skills like advanced lead dress, board assembly/layout, and ability to work on and build high-power amps, with a large amount of parts, confidently. This person is ready to take on a challenge, has an understanding of advanced amp functions. Planning It all starts with a thought. Think about the amp you want to build. It could be an existing design, a completely new custom build, or a mixture of the two. You want to be absolutely sure of what you are going to make and what you want the outcome to be. Do you need it to have a lot of power? Do you need it to be light and portable? Do you want it to have reverb or tremolo? Is it going to be a head or a combo? These are the questions you need to determine in the beginning stages of building an amp. Research Do research on the style of amp you would like to build. Sure, it may be a custom amp, but it more than likely uses parts and/or circuits from existing designs. Read all you can about the basics of tube amp design, nomenclature, basic theories and construction methods, and build techniques. Many principles carry across most guitar amp design and manufacture. Preparation Sit down and write out what you are going to need to build the amp. You don’t need to buy everything up front, just get what you need to get started and acquire the rest as you go along. It’s advisable that you get the fitted parts such as chassis, faceplates, transformers, tube sockets, etc., from one place as you could run into fitment issues down the road. This will avoid having issues like having to drill out the chassis (if not custom) if certain components do not fit another vendor’s chassis. This goes for cabinets as well. If you are unsure about something fitting, talk to a sales person, they can save you a lot of headaches down the road. Adequate Workspace While you are waiting on parts, before you get started on the actual build, find a place you can work with plenty of room, necessary power requirements, and ventilation. Keep in mind you could potentially be in this area for days, weeks, or even months (for us slow builders), and you want to limit the traffic around the area. There are going to be a lot of small parts that can get lost, so you want the area to stay as organized as possible. There is nothing worse than being two hours into a build when you have laser-focus, and suddenly you can’t find your needle-nose pliers. Organization Organize your parts so that you have easy access to everything, and do a count of the small parts you will need to ensure you have everything before you start any build. You don’t want to get through half of your chassis build and realize you’re missing hardware or a tube socket. Keep all of your resistors, caps, and other small parts segregated so that they are easy to locate. Compartmentalize Try not to look at the amp as a whole while you build. This can be overwhelming and could derail the project before you even get started. As you assemble your amp, imagine the build as a series of sub-assemblies. A good way of looking at things is to break them down into 4 parts: Mechanical: all your hardware, chassis, transformers, tube sockets, potentiometers, face/backplates, jacks, etc. Board Assembly (if applicable): your fiberboard or turret board, resistors, caps, diodes, wiring leads etc. Wired Assembly: this is the point where you mate the board and chassis together, wire up your filaments, transformers, tube socket, and pot leads, etc. Final Assembly: this will be the complete build which includes the final testing, QC work, final cab prep such as speaker installation (if a combo cab is used), speaker harness fabrication, drilling of cab to mount the chassis, etc. Be Methodical and Pace Yourself Take your time, and methodically develop an assembly regimine. This creates stopping points in your build if need be, and gives the ease of knowing exactly where you left off when you come back to it. Keep your area as clean as possible to facilitate the ease of finding dropped or misplaced parts and prevent from scratching the chassis. Take breaks to reset your mind, clean your workspace, and grab a cup of coffee. Go Easy On Yourself Accept the fact that you may make mistakes. This is part of the learning process. The issue comes in where you get it all together, it looks great and you’re 100% positive you’ve assembled it correctly and....wait for it….it doesn’t work. We have a hard time trying to believe we have done something wrong, but 9 times out of 10, we have. This is where step 2 comes into play and will save you hours in troubleshooting the amp. If you have a good foundation of the basics, most problems are solved in less than 15 minutes. Remember, there is a reason you wanted to build an amp. The journey is just as important as the destination. Testing Learn basic test procedures. This will include voltage measuring (both AC and DC), measuring resistances, measuring continuity, bias current, etc. It always helps to have another set of eyes on your build as you go along. This could be a friend, a local tech, somebody at work etc. Sometimes we miss the obvious. ...and this concludes our Amp Kit Primer. Hopefully you now have a little better perspective on what you’ll need (both literally and mentally) to complete a project, as well as an idea of which difficulty level you match up with. As always, thanks for tuning in to Mojotone’s Make It Monday -- see you next time! Note : In order to complete the final phase of testing, you will need to connect the speaker to the amp’s speaker jack. This means you need to assemble your speaker wiring harness in the process. If you are unfamiliar with this process please refer to our article on CABLE WIRING. It is generally believed, in the world of guitar amps, that any products whose descriptions contain the words ‘solid state’ will ultimately be inferior to those who contain the word ‘tube.’ And while there is no doubt that the tube amplifier is a beautiful thing which has withstood the tests of both time and technology, many of us seem to make big buying decisions based solely upon whether or not an amp is ‘tube’ or ‘solid state’ rectified. So much to the point that amp manufacturers have based entire product lines and marketing campaigns around the word ‘rectifier.’ But what is a rectifier? What is a rectifier’s job inside our guitar amps? And is tube really better than solid state? Today we aim to address all of these questions, and to give a side by side comparison of tube vs. solid state rectification by replacing the rectifier tubes in a number of well-known amps with Mojotone’s Solid State Rectifier. In simplest terms, a rectifier is what converts AC power into DC power. Power will enter an amplifier from the wall plug in AC voltage, it will then work its way through the amp’s power transformer, and eventually to the rectifier where it’s converted to DC voltage. This is necessary because the rest of the guitar amp’s circuitry requires DC voltage to operate. To be even more specific, a rectifier is simply a diode (whether tube or solid state). And a diode is a small ‘valve’ or ‘gateway’ that forces electricity to flow in only one direction. In guitar amps, this process typically also involves the voltage being bumped up to the amount demanded by the other tubes in the circuit. In the USA for instance, power comes from the wall and into the amp at 120VAC. The power transformer will then bump the power up to around 330VAC. Finally, the rectifier will convert the power from AC to DC and often bump the voltage up to around or above 400VDC. The rectifier itself is not actually in the amplifier’s signal chain, meaning your guitar’s signal does not pass through the rectifier at any point. So what’s this big debate over solid state vs. tube rectifiers? If the guitar signal doesn’t even pass through this part of the amp, how could it even affect the amp’s tone? To reiterate, a rectifier (whether tube or solid state) is simply a diode. The tube diode was the very first diode ever invented; this was also the very first vacuum tube ever invented. And while it is true that tube rectifiers and solid state rectifiers both perform the same task, it is also true that the amount of DC these different devices can make and the speed at which they can do so, is very different. This is actually the biggest part of why many players live by the idea that tube rectifiers are superior to solid state rectifiers (sonically speaking). You see, tube rectifiers are essentially slower at converting AC to DC. When an amp is being pushed and a player is hitting big chords, a lot is demanded in regards to rectified current. The tube rectifier can’t keep up with demand as well as the solid state rectifier, and when this happens the tube rectifier experiences a voltage drop for a few milliseconds while it catches back up. To the ears, this is what we refer to as “sag.” Sag is really what gives players the classic compression that defines the traditional tube amplifier sound. When sag is heard (and felt), players often start to use words like “bloom,” and “spongy,” to describe the sound and playing feel. Many amps have become famous from this sound; Fender’s Deluxe Reverb and Super Reverb, the Marshall JTM 45, Vox AC30, etc. Sag isn’t only determined by whether or not an amp utilizes a tube rectifier or solid state rectifier, however. Different tube-rectified amps have different voltage requirements, and thus use different values of tube rectifiers. The 5Y3 rectifier tube, used in a Fender Tweed Deluxe, is a small rectifier tube that produces less DC voltage and thus exhibits more sag/compression. Heavier-duty tube rectifiers include the GZ34 (5AR4) and the 5U4G; these tend to have a quicker response and supply more voltage which means they will exhibit a tighter sound with less sag. Solid State Rectifiers Solid state technology came about in the 50s -- in the case of rectifiers, it was in the form of a small silicon diode. These quickly became less expensive than tube rectifiers and were thus used more often. They also have no internal compression, and are said to work more ‘perfectly’ in the world of engineering. Solid state rectifiers have much less, if any, voltage drop and can deliver more current more quickly (which is why they are used in higher wattage amplifiers, where tube rectifiers are rarely seen in amps over 40 Watts). Sonically, this yields a tighter sound with much less sag. A more solid low end with lots of headroom is typical (which is great for metal players/fast pickers). The drawback here is obviously that with little to no sag, many players miss that vintage compression and spongy playing feel. Preamp and power tubes will also exhibit some sag of their own when hit hard enough, so even solid state-rectified amps containing preamp and power tubes will have some sag if pushed pretty hard, but it will typically not be to the extent of a tube-rectified amplifier. Here again, many famous and popular amps were designed to use a good solid state rectifier: Fender Twin Reverb, Carr Rambler, etc. Even Mesa Boogie’s ever-revered Dual Rectifier allows the user to switch between tube and solid state rectifiers. Like with many aspects of personal guitar rigs, this all has to do with taste. Some players will require the tight and quick response of solid state rectifiers, where other players want the heavy sag and blooming compression of a tube rectifier. There is no right or wrong answer here. It is always best to take your primary guitar into a shop and play as many amps, first hand, as possible. You might be shocked to learn that out of five amps, your three favorites all contained a solid state rectifier. Who knows!? One important thing to note is this: While on rare occasion, some tube-rectified amps do allow for the use of different types/values of rectifier tubes, please be aware this is not typical practice. If you are looking to experiment with different values of rectifier tubes, it is best to contact the amp’s manufacturer or a certified technician prior to making this kind of change. For today’s experiment, we will actually be replacing the rectifier TUBES in three fairly well-known amps with this Solid State Rectifier from Mojotone. I’m really curious to hear the difference these guys make. They are plug-and-play, so no further adjustments will be required here; I’m just going to carefully wiggle my rectifier tube out of its socket and replace it with the solid state rectifier (see video below). I’m expecting this to give me less sag at higher volumes on all of the amps, and I’m really interested to find out if I enjoy this new responsiveness. I am also expecting this change to be subtle at best, but isn’t that what all of this tweaking is about? Alright here goes nothing… I found that the Tweed Deluxe (which was using a 5Y3 rectifier tube) showed a marked difference when I inserted the Solid State Rectifier. I always love this amp, but I think I actually enjoyed it more with the SS rectifier plug implemented; it had less sag and a strong immediate attack which sounded great to my ears. This was interesting as I found that the GA5 did not necessarily exhibit less sag with the SS rectifier plug inserted. In fact, at certain times I felt like the SS plug had a little more sag, or at least a more dramatically squishy playing feel. This could potentially be attributed to the sag of the preamp and power tubes rather than the sag of the rectifier itself. This was the only amp utilizing a GZ34 in the rectifier tube socket. With that in mind, I actually heard the least amount of change here, which makes sense considering the GZ34 is capable of supplying more voltage more quickly than a 5Y3 rectifier tube. While I did notice some change in attack and clarity here, the difference was minimal. In this week's installment of 'Make It Monday' we are journeying to the other side of the stage to meet up with Hoogie Donias, guitar tech for Shinedown. Hoogie takes us through the ins and outs of his day to day as a professional guitar tech. How did you get into being a guitar tech and how long have you been doing it? I started doing this around 1997; I fell into it. I had a friend who was in a band, and they started touring and what not. Out of high school I thought that’d be a cool thing to do, and so they brought me on the road. I didn’t really know much about anything at the time. I started helping him set up his amp, I learned how to restring guitars, and from there it snowballed over 22 years. Do you do any amp tech'ing as well? I do minor amp tech work. I can change tubes, and bias an amp. If it was diving into a rebuild situation, that’s when I would leave it to the pros at Mojotone to help me. How does a guitar tech go from doing repairs in a shop to tech'ing for a touring artist? I never did the shop thing or anything like that. I literally just had a good friend who signed a record deal. Not gonna lie, I thought it was great to be underage and get into a bar and all the cliches, when i was young. I stumbled into this world by accident. Networking is key in this business. Taking the time to shake hands and kiss babies, so to speak. If you’re outta sight you’re outta mind in this business. It’s always good to make yourself and your presence known. Do you tech during recording sessions as well? You know what, to be honest with you, in all of my career I’d never done a recording session until the latest Shinedown record, “Attention Attention.” Honestly it was one of the highlights of my career. Watching them create and, you know, basically seeing those songs formed from nothing was quite the experience. It was amazing. They even gave me credit on the record. I feel more a part of it than I have ever before. The biggest reason I got pulled into the studio was the guy I tech for, Eric Bass, produced the record. He owns a studio in Charleston, South Carolina. He asked me to come for 2 weeks and I ended up coming down for three months. How many months are you on the road each year? Man, we’re on the road quite a bit. I would say in the last year we were probably out eight months. Any favorite guitar shops that you like to visit when you can? There’s always the cool cliche ones like House of Guitars in Rochester, Chicago Music Exchange, etc. There’s always those places you go, and drool, and look at the instruments that are far too much money. When I’m home In Chatham ON Canada I love to visit The mom-and-pop shops local, Franks Music & Tony’s one stop! Can you tell us about what an average day is like for a tech before, during, and after a show? Well, I would say for backline we load in around 11ish. I’ll set up my rigs, get everything wired up, make sure the rig is in a working fashion. Then I’ll usually go step away and have a quick lunch. After lunch I’ll start working my way through all the instruments; I’ll go through them and check the string heights, check the necks, check any moving parts, make sure everything is tight what not. Usually around 3 o’clock we’ll do a line check; depending on the day, maybe we’ll have a band, maybe we won’t. From there, I’ll usually grab dinner, and then after dinner I’ll head back to my world and start re-tuning instruments and getting ready for the show. When it comes to show time, it’s non-stop. With Eric, I have a bass change every song. I’ll run an acoustic out on a stand, or he even plays keys for parts of the song. He can focus on playing whatever instruments while I can mute the bass rig when he’s on another instrument. When the show is done, it takes us about 40 minutes to break down with backline. Then we load it out into our truck and that’s a wrap for the night. We’ll do that about five nights a week. What challenges do guitar players face with their rig while on the road? Does traveling to different climates present any problems? Climates usually mess with the instruments. Wood is always moving, so just making sure the guitars are in tip-top shape every night; to Eric’s liking. With all the traveling and the rig bouncing around in trucks, sometimes maybe a tube will come loose. I have to always go through the rig and make sure the connections are well-made. Like I said, we are doing five shows a week, so we cover a lot of miles out here. What’s the biggest guitar emergency you've had to handle during a show? During a show, nothing crazy maybe like an amp going down or anything. It’s been a while since a string popped...knock on wood. I always have a back-up of everything; back-ups are key in this world, especially in new bands. I always say that. These are the tools to your craft. If you were a mechanic you would have the right tools for the job. If you don’t have something important to your rig or your sound, it’s hard to get through a show, so back-ups are key. When an artist introduces a new pedal to his rig I’ll always buy two. Especially with the amount of traveling, you don’t always find everything in the shop. I can’t always walk into the store and find a Mojotone Deacon. What’s your most important tool while traveling? Man there’s so many. Jeez. I mean like, I enjoy my work box with everything in it. Right now, I’m really digging the new Peterson tuner that just came out StroboStomp HD. MusicNomad makes a lot of great products these days. There’s just so many different things that I utilize, to pick just one would be hard. Tell us about your set up - your bench. Are there any signature elements that you take with you on every gig? A mascot that you travel with? All my cases are made by Mental Case. I’ve got an ‘A-rig,’ a ‘B-rig,’ and a fly kit. All my cases are outfitted with the same stuff; the Peterson tuner, etc. I also utilize a Boss TU-3W. I always run two tuners at the same time so if one goes wrong, I can look at both. MusicNomad; a lot of their products, cleaners, some of their specialty tools they keep coming out with, they are all amazing. They’ve really been a company that has come to the forefront as of late. Obviously StewMac is something you find in a work bench, but their products are a little more money compared to the MusicNomad stuff; you’ve really gotta invest into their [StewMac’s] stuff. Can you share a classic guitar tech moment that all guitar techs will experience? I mean there’s always the weird things your artists throw at you, like weird requests on stage; beverages and stuff like that. For me, I guess it’s all about consistency in giving him [Eric] the same thing every night. I want him to be able to go to the same spot every night and his water is there so he doesn’t have to think about it while he’s up there. He can just think about performing. Making it as easy as possible for him to do his job. Are you an artist as well? Anything you’d like to share about the projects that you work on personally? I’ve never been an artist, in all this time. However, I do have a company called WBGear and I do artist relations and outside sales. I work with 10 different companies right now. My biggest is SIT Strings; I do AR with them, InTune Guitar Picks, Mental Case, BTPA, Prestige Guitars, Neat Audio and a couple other companies. You can find everything at WBGear.com. It’s been great, over time, to help the artists I tour with build their gear arsenal with a signature string from SIT, or getting custom picks, or wiring up their entire rig with BTPA Cables and stuff like that. I’ve been doing WBGear since about 2006; just trying to make a one-stop shop for artists and their needs. Artists can sign up at WBGear.com; there’s a spot at the top with an application. Fill out the form and, from there, we work on taking care of you. Who are you out with next and when do you go out? To be honest, I’ve been basically with Shinedown, or back with Shinedown, for the last five years. I went out with Lamb Of God for about five years and I’ve been back with these guys [Shinedown] now and haven’t found the need to go work for another band. We got about three months off coming up; I’m gonna go home and be a dad, and catch up with things. Then April and May we head out on the Deep Dive Tour. I could foresee them recording a new record or writing a new record in the next year and then in 2021 doing it all over again for another two years. TEST PAGE UPDATE Welcome back DIYers! Just about any time we write an amp-related tech article, we find ourselves discussing filter cap discharge. This is an important topic because it’s something that keeps us safe while working on an amplifier’s internal components, and it’s something every DIYer should know how to do. Yes, amplifiers do carry lethal voltages. As an example, a Music Man amp can carry as much as 700vdc! Keep in mind that, even though it is considered low current, it still has several times the amount of current needed to kill a polar bear. The good news is, if you know the proper steps to drain your filter caps, you can prevent such a deadly (at the very least, embarrassing) occurrence. Oh, and it’s important to note that many amps can hold their high voltage DC for a couple of days after their last use! Any time you perform this procedure, you will need a good multimeter that reads DC voltage up to 100v, just to be safe. You’ll also need a couple of parts (which you may have laying around your shop) to build a voltage-shunt stick or \"safety pen\" (patent applied for), but we’ll touch more on that in a bit. Before we even look at the amp yet, you’re going to want to locate the following: (1) 100k 1w resistorOr(2) 56K resistors run in seriesOr(2) 220k resistors run in parallel… What’s important is that you have around 100k final resistance. You’ll also need a small, hollow, non-conductive tube (optional), an alligator clip with some wire for a long lead (preferably 20” to 24\"), and an old banana plug or screw that will fit snugly into whatever non-conductive tube you are using. Once you’ve gathered all of these materials, you’ll start by connecting the resistor(s) to the piece of wire above and soldering the resistor to the end of the wire. Now insert this entire assembly into your non-conductive tube. You’ll want the tip to fit into the tube tightly so it does not come off when testing. Next, connect your alligator clip to the exposed wire coming out of the top of the tube. It should look something like the images below… If you notice, a Bic pen sleeve works excellently with most banana plug tips, hence the name “safety pen.” Cool, huh? Now that we have a way to discharge the amp, we need to know where to discharge it. In almost all vintage guitar amps, there is something called a power supply. This is where the main high DC (B+) voltage goes through and is distributed by the filter supply in different stages. This is usually near the power transformer. If it's not as obvious as a Vintage Fender or Marshall amp, follow the DC supply from the rectifier to the main board. It usually goes through the filter stage first. This will have large capacitors, either axial (Fender) or large can caps (Marshall). Below is a pic of the Deluxe Reverb voltage points just for reference. The red arrows point out different high voltages in this amp. These leads come from the filter cap board underneath the chassis… Now, set your multimeter to its highest DC reading and apply the black lead to ground (the metal chassis). Affix this in place since you will need to use your hands for holding the safety pen and the red voltmeter probe. Then ground the end of the safety pen to the ground as well. For the following instructions on discharging, please refer to the 5F1 Wiring Diagram and Schematic below, as the crucial discharge points will be marked in red on each… For the first discharge, you’ll need to make sure the amp is off and unplugged. Next, apply the red probe of the multimeter to the solder joint on the first filter cap positive side (refer to point A on the diagram and schematic below); once you have a voltage reading, touch the tip of the safety pen to that connection. At this point, you will see the voltage reading begin to drop down. This may take a minute or so, depending on the amp. When you see the reading settle at less than a couple of volts, move on down the line to the next cap’s solder joint (Point B) and repeat the above procedure down the line to Point C. Depending upon your amp, you may have more filter cap drainage points to address. After you have drained and checked all of the caps, check your voltage at various points around the amp to make sure there are no lingering voltages present. If you do notice lingering voltages, just touch the circuit with the pen again. As you can see, it's actually quite simple once you know where to look. If you are uncertain as to where these points are in your amplifier, please consult your amp’s user manual or contact the manufacturer before beginning this procedure. Stay safe and always treat an amp like it has live voltage on it. The moment you start getting comfortable with it, that's when the danger starts! Thanks for tuning in -- we’ll see you next time! Welcome back to another exciting episode of Fix It Friday! A lot of our tech-savvy customers have asked about experimenting with alternative output transformers in some of our kits, so we decided to outline the procedure and capture the sonic changes that would occur with a modification like this. In today’s example we’ll be experimenting on our NC3015 kit, which is a spin on a Vox AC15 style amplifier. This kit typically utilizes our 18 Watt output transformer, but today we will be implementing our Supro S6424 output transformer. There is one more thing we need to note here, however. Although our NC3015 kit does come stock with our British Style 18 Watt Output Transformer, the kit we're using in today's experiment had already been modified to include our Vox Style AC15 Output Transformer. Once we demonstrate the process of swapping the Vox Style transformer for our Supro S6424 Transformer, we will feature sound clips of our NC3015 Amp Kit utilizing the stock 18 Watt OT, the Vox Style AC15 OT, and the new Supro S6424 OT, so you can see how each version affects the overall tone of the amp. For those following along at home, here’s a list of tools and parts you’ll need: Before we dive in, as always, we need to drain our filter caps for the sake of safety. If you are unfamiliar with this procedure please read our article on Filter Cap Discharge Procedures before moving on to the next part. If you ARE familiar with this process, please drain your filter caps now and then meet us at the next paragraph! Let's get started! First thing to do, is to unsolder the existing leads from the primary and secondary wires on the output transformer. In this case, there are three primary wires and four secondary wires. Take a look at Image 1A below for reference… Now, one at a time, heat up these solder joints with your soldering iron and use your needle nose pliers to remove the wire from the joint (Image 2A). Once our leads are disconnected, we can now remove the transformer from the chassis. Use your Phillips head screwdriver to remove the mounting screws from the outside of the chassis (Image 3A). After the mounting screws have been removed, carefully pull the transformer away from the chassis, but be mindful of how those lead wires are moving on the inside of the chassis; we don’t want to damage any other internal connections by pulling the transformer out too quickly and aggressively. As you’re removing the old transformer, you’ll notice there are two holes in the chassis through which the wires have been routed. One side is for the primaries, the other for the secondaries. Make note of which side is which, so that upon inserting the new transformer, you’ll be able to route the proper wires through the proper holes. Image 4A below shows the similarity in wire orientation between the two transformers. Now we need to install the new Supro output transformer. To start, route the lead wires through their respective holes in the chassis. From the inside of the chassis, you’ll need to guide the wires to their approximate final locations. This can be frustrating as these wires are coming up from under the component board inside the chassis. Just take your time and be mindful of the other delicate components in the amp circuit. Once everything has been carefully routed to its approximate final location, the output transformer should be able to sit fairly flush with the outside of the chassis. You’ll notice that, if you align one of the mounting holes from the transformer with one of the mounting holes on the chassis, the other set of mounting holes does not align (Image 5A). This is where our sharpie, electric drill, and drill bit come into play. We need to drill a new mounting hole, but just ONE. On the side of the chassis closest to the amp’s front panel, align the mounting hole on the transformer with the mounting hole on the chassis. On the other mounting hole (the one that does not align with the chassis), use your sharpie to mark where your new mounting hole needs to be drilled (Image 6A). Now that you’ve marked the location of the new hole, you just need to drill it. Using your electric drill and your drill bit (we are using a step bit in this example but you can also use a standard 3/16” bit) drill the new hole through the chassis (Image 7A). Now we can mount our new transformer. Using the screws you removed from the original transformer, insert one screw into one mounting hole. Then tip the chassis on its side while holding said screw in place. With a pair of needle nose pliers in your free hand, grab one of the locking nuts you removed from the old transformer and affix it to the threaded side of the mounting screw on the inside of the chassis, and tighten it down. Refer to images 8A and 9A below… Repeat this process with the second mounting screw and locking nut. It’s a tricky process and can also be frustrating, but just take your time. You’ll get it. Phew! We’ve removed the old transformer, inserted, drilled for, and mounted the new transformer...you know what that means? We’re on the home stretch! Time to wire in the new transformer leads. In this case, the color coding of the wires on both of these transformers matches, so we can just reference our photo from the beginning (10A below) to see which wires need to go where. If for any reason, in your particular project, the color coding doesn’t match up, you’ll need to reference your transformer diagram and amplifier diagram to make sure your primary and secondary leads are going to the correct places. As we do with so many of our projects, we need to cut these leads to length before we strip back the wire insulation and solder them in. So pick the lead you want to start with and route it all the way the point at which it will be soldered. Then, if there is any excess wire, trim the wire to length using your wire cutters. Now you can strip back a small length of insulation with your wire strippers, and solder the connection in place… Now repeat this procedure with each of the leads until everything is soldered in properly. You should have something that looks similar to this… You’re ready to put this bad boy back in its cabinet and let it rip! We had fun jamming around with our amp (before and after the swap), but we also noticed some tonal and tactile changes. The amp felt different to play (hopefully that makes sense), but it also did have some new tonal characteristics brought out by the Supro transformer; which makes sense considering this transformer has a different output impedance and different construction than the original. Here are some sound clips of our amp. The first is with the old Vox Style AC15 Output Transformer, and the second is with the new Supro S6424 Output Transformer after we made this switch. The final clip is of the NC3015 Amp Kit with our British Style 18 Watt Output Transformer (the transformer that comes with the NC3015 Kit) Hopefully you had as much fun with this as we did. And maybe you learned something too. At any rate, we were happy to have had you join us on this wild adventure and we can’t wait to see you next time! Welcome back tech heads! For this week’s Fix It Friday, we’re going to demonstrate how to check the phase of your pickups. It’s quick, it’s easy, and it only requires two tools. Before we get started, some of you may be wondering: What does phase mean as it pertains to guitar and bass pickups? Without getting into the confusing textbook definition, phase is simply the direction of the electrical current through the pickup coil. This is determined by the pickup’s wind direction, magnetic polarity, and which end of the coil is connected to ground or hot. Why is this important? When pickups are out of phase with each other, you will notice a very thin and weak sound. The typical notion is that you want your pickups to be in phase with one another, as this allows for the intended tone of the pickups to shine through. Some people wire pickups out of phase intentionally in an effort to achieve a specific sound, but generally you want the pickups to be in phase with each other. Have you ever installed a pickup only to find out after all of the time you’ve wasted it’s out of phase with the other pickup? This can be very frustrating especially on guitars where swapping pickups isn’t easy. Not to mention it can be a major loss of revenue for a busy shop to uninstall and reinstall more than once! This, of course, can be prevented by quickly testing the phase of each pickup before installing them, saving you a ton of time and a monster headache. At Mojotone we test the phase of every pickup we build to ensure they are all built to the exact same phase; a practice of quality control. I promised this procedure would only require two tools, and I meant it. Here’s what you’ll need: Let’s get started! First, set the multimeter to ohms and hook the multimeter’s probes to the pickup leads. Be sure to hook the red probe from the meter to the positive pickup lead, and hook the black probe to the negative lead. You should be getting a reading (this will vary from pickup to pickup). See Image 2A below. Now we are ready to perform the phase test. To check the phase of the pickup, you will place the steel shank of the screwdriver across all of the polepieces on one coil. The shank of the screwdriver should magnetize itself to the poles (Image 3A). Now we need to pull the screwdriver away from the polepieces very quickly. You should notice that the ohms reading on your multimeter either jumps up or down quickly. Repeat this process if need be to make certain of whether the reading jumps up or down, and make note of it (Images 4A and 5A). Once you’ve done the first pickup, you’ll need to repeat this process with the next pickup and make note of whether the ohms reading on your multimeter jumps up or down when you pull the screwdriver way from the polepieces. If all of the pickups meter up or if they all meter down, your pickups are in phase with each other. If one meters up and the other meters down, then they are out of phase with each other. The meter going up or down signifies which direction the current is flowing through the coil, and pulling the screwdriver away generates the electrical current through the coil so we can “see” which direction it is flowing. That’s it! Can you believe how easy that was? I told you it was quick, and I wasn’t lying! Now that you know how to test the phase of a pickup, you can use this for quality control when building pickups, or when determining if any pickup being installed will “play nice” with the other pickup. If you are lucky, you can reverse the phase of one of the pickups; if the leads are reversible or if you have multi conductor leads. Knowing before you install can help you plan your attack and optimize your time and effort. We hope you enjoyed today’s lesson. See you next time! Welcome back! Today, we’ll be picking up where we left off on our NC3015 amp kit build. Last time, we were able to get all the hardware installed, so today we’ll be installing and stuffing the turret board, as well as wiring everything up. This is really the fun part, and I’m definitely looking forward to it so I hope you are too. One thing we didn’t touch on last week was the installation of our ground tabs, so we’ll talk about that now. There are three ground tabs that come with the NC3015 kit and they’ll allow us to have reliable ground connections located in strategic places within our chassis. You can see these ground tabs on your wiring diagram as well as in Image 1A below. As you can see, you’ll need to loosen a few mounting screws from other pieces of hardware to get these ground tabs situated, but it should just take a couple seconds and then we’ll be ready to embark. Here is a quick list of tools you’ll need for today: As we’re preparing to move on to the next step in the build, we need to consider a few things. If you’ll notice, your turret board has the longer end of the turrets sticking out of the top. However, there are also little metal eyelets on the bottom side of the board. This means you have a choice in how to wire the leads coming off of the board: you can either stuff the components up top, and solder all of your leads from the bottom side, or you can put everything up top. For this build, I’m choosing to do everything up top, which means I can go ahead and mount the board in the chassis before I stuff it. As I mentioned, my first step is going to be to mount the board in the chassis. We’ve already mounted our metal inserts in the chassis, so all we need to do now is make sure our turret board is oriented properly and then use our remaining 4-40 screws to fasten the board down. Refer to your wiring diagram for proper turret board orientation and then get it mounted. Once you’re done, you should be looking like the chassis in Image 2A below… Now we’re ready to stuff the turret board with components. One thing I like to do with these turrets boards is get all of my jumper wires in place first before stuffing all of the capacitors and resistors. Jumper wires are illustrated on your wiring diagram as red, silver, and black wires that connect two turrets on the board. Take a look at Image 3A for a few highlighted examples of jumper wires… We can use the red and black PVC-coated wire that came with our kit to make these jumper connections. We’ll simply need to measure out the length of wire needed for each jumper, strip a bit of insulation off of each end, bend the wire ends down at a 90 degree angle, and insert them in the corresponding turrets. Or, as an alternative, you could strip more insulation off the ends of the jumpers than you normally would, and then wrap the leads around the middle of the turrets as opposed to placing the leads into the turret holes. Once you’re done with the red jumpers, you should be looking similar to Image 4A below… Then you can finish up the black and silver jumpers and you’ll be ready to move on. The next step is to stuff all of our capacitors and resistors in the board. This is a part that will require heavy use of our wiring diagrams. It’s basically like putting a puzzle together, so just follow the diagram, locate the proper value of each part and put it where it needs to go. One big thing to watch out for is this: on this board, we have 5 polarized capacitors. This means they have to have their negative and positive ends facing in the right direction in order to work properly. Take a look at Image 5A below and notice the highlighted capacitors… Those circled in red are the ones you’ll need to watch out for. As you move forward, just reference your diagram for proper orientation and you should be in good shape. Alright, let’s get to it! Take your time and follow the diagram, and let’s meet back when our boards look like the board in Image 6A below… Now we have our boards stuffed with the necessary components, but before we start wiring everything up, there’s another preparatory step we need to take. If you look at your wiring diagram, you’ll notice that many of your potentiometers, jacks, tube sockets, etc., have a component or jumper wire running between solder points. Now would be a good time to go ahead and get these components in place so that when we move on to the final wiring, there will be far fewer “surprises.” A good way to go about this is to identify one of these components or jumper wires, and wrap their leads through and around whatever lug they need to connect with. Then you can use your needle nose pliers to pinch the leads down and hold the component in place until it’s time to solder. Let’s spend some time with our wiring diagrams, pay close attention, and get all of these parts into place. We’ll meet back once our chassis looks similar to the one in Image 7A below… Okay, this seems like the right time to embark on a magical journey called “wiring everything up!” This is going to require patience and focus, among many other qualities. Here are some things to keep in mind throughout this process: 1) Make sure ALL components are installed in any given solder point before soldering (we only want to solder one time per joint if we can help it). 2) Try to route your wires as close to the chassis as possible to avoid clutter and to make future maintenance/repair work easier. 3) Your wiring diagram uses different color wire for different connections; follow this color coding as best you can so your wiring diagram will be as relevant as possible next time you open up the amp. 4) Take as much time as you need and try to have fun; you’re giving life to supreme tone here! Alright let’s dive in. A nice tip here is to go ahead and look at the potentiometers on your wiring diagram. You should notice that two of them need to have a bus wire running from one of their lugs to their metal casing. You'll definitely want to go ahead and knock this out before you start wiring up the pots, that way no wires are in the way when you go to do it. It is also good to use a flathead screw driver to scrape off some of the coating that's on the pot's metal casing; this will help the solder adhere more readily. After that, I like to continue to the soldering phase by identifying those solder points on my wiring diagram which do NOT need to have a lead running out to other components in the circuit. These points can go ahead and be soldered without having to measure and route wires. Once I’ve got those lead-less connection points soldered in, THEN I’ll move on to measuring and routing lead wires for the rest of the circuit. At this point, I'll begin working with my power transformer leads as well as my output transformer leads. This not only helps clear up your work area and get those long wires out of the way, but a lot of your transformer connections are single component connections which make for a nice easy start. Another thing I like to do is keep my wiring diagram in front of me and use a pen or pencil to mark off connection points as I solder them. This helps me stay organized and acts as a quality control method as well. Well folks, this is one of those parts where we pretty much have to set you loose with your wiring diagram and meet back when you feel like you’ve got everything in place. So let’s take out time and get all of our internal connections soldered in! See you back here when you’re looking like Image 8A below… Well that was really something special. In retrospect, I think next time I would prefer attaching my lead wires to the eyelets on the bottom of the turret board prior to even installing the board within the chassis. Some of the turrets which had more components stuffed into them became difficult to get my leads into which made for a little more work; going with leads on the bottom would also probably make for a cleaner look altogether. Hopefully everyone was able to make it to this point, which is a really great stopping point! Stay tuned for Part 3 wherein we'll clean up all of our solder joints and begin testing voltages throughout the amp to see if everything is looking good. Thanks again and we'll see you next time! This week on Fix It Friday we are going to be taking a look at my speaker cabinet (as seen below), and asking ourselves, “Why isn’t this thing working!?” For many of us, things like a speaker cabinet shorting out can be mysterious and intimidating, but they don’t have to be. Let’s take a closer look at this cabinet to find out what the issue is and see what we can do to take care of it before my gig next week! Before getting too deep into it, we will want to test the circuit with a different speaker cable (if you are running a piggyback type rig) to make sure it’s not something as simple as getting a new cable. Additionally, it may be best to attach your amplifier to a different speaker cabinet altogether to make sure this issue is not with the amplifier itself. Once these possibilities have been eliminated, it’s time to start testing for shorts within our speaker wiring. The first thing we want to do in this situation, because this is a closed back cabinet, is remove the back panel (Image 2A). Once this is done we can see that we are working with two 10” speakers and a simple wiring harness with a Switchcraft J11 jack (Image 2B). The first thing to look for would be any loose connections. Often times, especially with gigging musicians, a cabinet can rattle so much that over time a speaker connection can wiggle loose from its terminal and cause a problem with the cabinet. Look for loose wires around the terminals like the one outlined in red below (Image 3A). If you do see loose connections, go ahead and reconnect and then pull out your multimeter to give the circuit a test (Image 4A). The issue with my cabinet is NOT a loose connection, but for learning purposes, let’s pretend there IS a loose connection. In this case, I have two 8 ohm speakers wired in parallel for an overall 4ohm load. If my cabinet is functioning properly, I should see a reading of about 2.8 on my meter. In the picture below (Image 4B), you see a reading of 5.2 which means one of my speakers is disconnected or non-functional. Lucky for me, I can easily see a rogue wire, and I simply refasten it to its corresponding speaker terminal. Something to note here is that if you have a single speaker in your cabinet, a disconnected speaker wire will read on your multimeter as nothing. BUT a problem with your jack will also read as nothing. So, if you don’t see any disconnected wires, you’ll have to keep digging… Something else that happens often to speaker cabinets is that they are moved around for practice and performance, and often they are touched by many people. Sometimes, when a speaker cabinet is plugged in (with a cable hanging out the back of it) the speaker cable will get bumped from the outside. This can lead to the contact on the jack being pushed away from the cable and no longer being able to make a proper connection. Take a look at the image below to see what it looks like when this happens (Image 5A). The issue with my cabinet IS a bent contact in my jack. I can see it and I can confirm it by using the multimeter — I’m getting no reading on my 2x10 cabinet, so at this point it’s obvious that the jack is my issue (Image 5B). Since I already have my cabinet open, I’m electing to go ahead and replace the portion of my speaker wiring harness that is connected to the jack. This will give me a fresh start at a low cost and it’s something any guitarist can do themselves. So once you’ve purchased the appropriate premade wiring harness, the first step is to connect your harness wires to the corresponding speaker terminals (Images 6A + 6B). Some speakers have screw down terminals (these tend to provide the most reliable and long lasting connection) but most guitar speakers will have traditional spade terminals. For these, you can either buy a harness with spade connectors already crimped onto the ends of the wires, or if you prefer, you can solder your wires directly to the speaker terminals. Note: soldering directly to the terminals will give you a solid connection but will prove to be more difficult to work with when you decide to change the speakers in your cabinet one day. Once your connection is made on that end, insert the threaded portion of the jack into the jack plate, slide a washer onto the jack (exterior side of jack plate), and lastly slide on the fastener nut and tighten it down. In my case, I need a 4ohm load which should have a reading of about 2.8 on my multimeter (Image 7A). Looks like our repair was successful. The only thing left to do is plug my cabinet into an amp and make sure it screams! Thanks for hanging out with us on this lovely Fix It Friday. For more tech tips and cool project ideas, keep an eye out for the next installment of our Make It Monday and Fix It Friday series’. Article by Logan Tabor -- Nov. 3rd, 2020 Welcome back to another episode of Fix it Friday. Today we are going to take a look at one of Mojotone’s pedal kits - the A/B Switcher Pedal. These pedals often get overlooked, but they can be quite useful in a number of situations. Players who find themselves needing to switch between two guitars or two effects setups, change amps or switch between an amp and tuner, will all benefit from having one of these in their rig. Best of all, it’s a simple circuit that anyone can build! There is no internal PCB for the builder to stuff with components and/or solder components to, and the pedal box itself is not so packed with parts that one would have a hard time working in there. Before we get started, let’s take a look at the tools you’ll need: Okay here we go! First thing we have to do is mount our hardware onto the pedal chassis (this includes our jacks, footswitch, LEDs, and power inlet). This is a pretty straightforward process that will require the use of your nut driver(s) or adjustable wrench. Refer to the pedal’s Wiring Diagram as a reference for where each part should go. Some helpful things to keep in mind while you’re installing the hardware are the following: First, make sure you apply the faceplate to the pedal before installing the footswitch and LED components otherwise you’ll have to remove these components and start all over again (Image 1A). When installing the jacks, make sure the two J11 jacks go side by side at the top of the pedal, while the J12 jack goes by itself on the side panel. Make sure all jack lugs are facing up as this will make it easier for you to wire everything when the time comes. Also, make sure you orient the footswitch component so that the holes in the lugs are pointing towards the top and bottom of the pedal chassis (Image 2A). Once you’ve installed all of the necessary pieces of hardware, you should have something that resembles the pedal chassis in Image 3A below… Now it’s time to start wiring everything up. It’s best to start with the power inlet and LEDs, so that’s where we’ll begin today. To make things as easy as possible, grab the resistor that came with your kit and wrap it through and around the positive terminal on your power inlet (refer to wiring diagram). We are going to be soldering the red leads from each of our LEDs to the lead of this one resistor. So now we need to cut those red LED leads to length and strip back the ends to prepare them to be soldered (Image 4A). Once everything is cut to length, you can wrap the red LED leads around the resistor lead and simply apply solder. Then apply solder to the positive lug on the power inlet. Now you can trim off the excess lead material from your solder joints. Once you’re done, you should have something that looks like Image 5A… At this point, we can take a look at our wiring diagram and begin identifying which connections to solder next. These should include any connection points that only have one component connection to solder. If you’ll notice on your diagram, there is a yellow wire running from the positive lug (or tip) on our left J11 jack to one of the lugs on our footswitch. Notice also, that there is a yellow jumper wire running between that footswitch lug and another footswitch lug. This is an example of a connection we do NOT want to make right now. Let’s wait until the end to solder in these types of joints. For now, let’s find the single component joints and solder them in. We’ll meet back here in a few… Okay so you’ve made the single-component connections and trimmed the excess lead material off of the ends of your solder joints. Now you should be looking something like the chassis in Image 6A below… Now we need to complete our final solder connections. This will require us to run jumper wires as they are shown on the diagram. There are only three instances where a jumper is required in this particular pedal circuit. Those would be (in reference to the diagram): the yellow wire coming from your J11 jack, the blue wire coming from the other J11 jack, and the black wire coming from the J12 jack. All of these will need a jumper to a second lug on your footswitch. It’s no sweat, just follow your diagram and meet us back here in no time! Now you should have something that resembles the chassis in Image 7A below… At this point, you can choose to put some silicone adhesive on the back of your metal battery clip to adhere it to the inside of the pedal chassis. This, of course, is optional but is certainly recommended if you plan to power your pedal via a 9V battery. Otherwise, that’s about it! Just use the included screws to fasten the pedal's backplate to the main pedal chassis and voila. I told you it was easy. Very few components, no PCB...piece of cake. Thanks so much for joining us for another Fix It Friday. We’ll see you next time! Welcome back everyone. Today we’ll be picking up, once again, where we last left off with our NC3015 Amp Kit build. Last time, we finished the wiring portion of our build, which was incredibly exciting and rewarding! Now it’s time to clean up all of those solder joints and test out our amp. Here’s a short list of tools you’ll need today: We want to begin by going back with our little wire cutters and trimming the excess lead material off of all of our solder joints (if you haven't already). This is extremely important, as often times if there is too much lead material coming out of a solder joint it can actually make contact with another joint and cause a short. This is especially important around tight areas like your tube sockets. Check Image 1A below for an example of how crowded those areas can get… Once everything has been trimmed down (and you may well have done this while you were wiring, so you get bonus points), we’re ready to move on to the testing phase. We will conduct a series of tests that will increasingly engage the circuit and tell us just how close or far we are from being ready to fire this bad boy up for real. To begin, make sure you insert your fuse into the fuse holder, and re-insert the loaded fuse holder back into its fixture on the chassis. Now, bust out your multimeter and turn it to the AC Volts setting. Next, insert the rectifier tube (EZ81) into its proper tube socket (this will be the tube socket closest to the power transformer). Then, turn the amp on (power switch only). This first step is to test for filament voltage. This will tell us whether there are any shorts or opens in the filament. We’re going to be running this test on our first output tube, which is located directly under the impedance selector switch. Place one multimeter probe on pin 4, and one probe on pin 5; you’re looking for a reading of around 7 Volts. Take a look at Image 2A below… If you’re getting the proper reading at this point, you can flip the standby switch and change your multimeter to DC Volts. We now want to test for voltage on the plates of the tubes. This will need to be tested on pin 7 of your output tube sockets, and pins 1 and 6 of your preamp tube sockets. We are looking for high voltage here, so if you aren’t getting a higher DC voltage reading (somewhere around 400V), there could be an issue. Place the ground probe of your multimeter somewhere on the chassis surface, and place the positive probe on the above mentioned tube pins one at a time to check for voltage (Image 3A). Once you’ve done this, you can test for high voltage on the screen of each output tube socket (pin 9). Again, ground probe on the chassis, and positive probe on the test point. If you get good readings here, you now know that your power supply is operating and your tubes will turn on. You can now test the voltage on the grid of each output tube, which will be on pin 2. Here, instead of high voltage, you want to see a reading of 0V. If you get a reading of more than 2V on your grids, you have an issue (Image 4A). A proper reading here suggests that you will not have an issue with tubes red-plating. Once you’re good, you can power the amp down and let it sit for a few minutes. Next, you can install the rest of the tubes, and connect the amp to an 8ohm load that can handle 15W or more. Turn the amp on, let it warm, and then take the amp out of standby. Now you can re-test all of the previously tested DC Voltage points. When testing now, the voltage reading should be lower than you were seeing when the tubes were out and no load was connected (roughly a 100V difference). Once these voltages are confirmed, we’re going to test both the output and preamp cathodes. The output cathode should read between 10V and 20V, while the preamp cathode should read around 2V with the exception of the one closest to the output section (it should be around 60V here). For the output section you’ll test pin 3 on each output tube socket (with your multimeter’s ground probe placed on the chassis). For the preamp section you’ll test pins 3 and 8 on each of the preamp tube sockets. Below is a breakdown of how each preamp tube socket should read... Note: the \"1st\" preamp tube is farthest away from the output tubes, where the \"3rd\" is closest to the output tubes. 1st preamp tube socket = around 2V for pins 3 and 8 2nd preamp tube socket = around 2V for pin 3 and around 100V for pin 8 3rd preamp tube socket = around 60V for pins 3 and 8 If all of the above readings are correct, this tells us all of our tubes are working properly and operating at a safe level. You can now move on to audio testing...which we all know is the absolute best part. Connect the amp to a speaker, if you haven’t already, and make sure the impedance of the amp and speaker match. Turn on the amp, let it warm, take it out of standby, and let her rip! Here’s a clip of what ours sounded like… Now typically this is the part where I would walk through installing the chassis in its cabinet. However, we are currently waiting on a custom cabinet for this particular amp and once we have the cabinet, we will be sending the amp out to our good friend Hanan Rubinstein to be used in his studio at Daxxit Music in Fort Lee, NJ. In previous articles we have covered the installation of chassis within amps, so I have every bit of confidence that if you've been following along this far, you'll be able to finish this up in no time! Thanks again for tuning in and building with us. We hope to see you next time! Although North Carolina has produced its fair share of noteworthy musical acts throughout history, few have been as remarkable as Raleigh-founded Between The Buried And Me. BTBAM has evolved brilliantly over the years, proving both their relevance and adaptability as a band. Not only are they some of the most technically proficient musicians in the game, but their breadth of style has made them both delightfully unpredictable and supremely entertaining. Today, we’ll have a quick chat with BTBAM’s guitarist Dustie Waring, an official member of the Mojotone Artist Roster. Dustie is a rock-solid musician and human being whose technical and stylistic understanding of the craft that is GUITAR has made him an absolute force in the industry. I know we’re all tired of referencing the COVID-19 pandemic but the harsh reality is that, for most of the music industry, the end of the tunnel is only just now catching a bit of light. With that in mind, what were Dustie and the gang up to all this time… Okay so it looks like the crew not only stayed sharp musically, but found a way to put their “downtime” to proper use. Dustie also noted that he’s been pushing hard to stay in top physical shape, which has its obvious merits when it comes time to hit the road again… But BTBAM isn’t just a plug-and-play sort of act. I’ve seen Dustie’s rig and, to me, it looks pretty intimidating. There’s more to keep up with than just PLAYING the guitar; any touring musician responsible for producing and manipulating a healthy palette of sounds in one set will tell you that the entire “dance” has to be rehearsed and maintained… Dustie noted that his at-home practice routine varied from day to day. Sometimes he would sit on his couch with a small digital Yamaha amp and his laptop just getting through the set with his hands. Other times he’d hook up his Kemper and pedalboard so he could align his hands with the infamous “dance.” In the latter half of 2020 Dustie and Mojotone released the GEN2 version of Dustie’s Signature Pickup, the DW Tomahawk. This pickup is available at Mojotone.com but it also comes stock in every one of Dustie’s Signature CE24 Guitars by PRS. It’s an understatement, but his signature guitars haunt my dreams in a rather pleasant way. They’re sleek, versatile, and masterfully-built. Check out the whole rig in action via the video below… BTBAM can be seen live this summer on their “An Evening With” tour. Dates are posted below but, for posterity, here is a link to their official site where you can find details and purchase options: https://www.betweentheburiedandme.com/ When attending a BTBAM show, expect the unexpected. You will be watching top-tier artists perform some of the most advanced and mind-shattering music imaginable. You will also likely see a large portion of the crowd observing in silence and stillness; this is not for a lack of enthusiasm, but rather the simple fact that many of BTBAM’s followers are fellow musicians and have come to witness a spectacle. They have come to learn. To take notes. To find inspiration. AUG 3 - ATLANTA, GA AUG 4 - RICHMOND, VA AUG 5 - PHILADELPHIA, PA AUG 6 - WASHINGTON, DC AUG 8 - NYC, NY AUG 9 - NYC, NY AUG 10 - WORCESTER, MA AUG 11 - MONTREAL, QC AUG 13 - OTTAWA, ON AUG 14 - TORONTO, ON AUG 15 - PITTSBURGH, PA ...AND VERY MANY MORE... ...many of which remain mysterious even to hobbyists who have built a DIY project or two. In the first part of Mojotone’s new series What Does This Thing Do? we’re taking a look at the filter capacitors, those chunky, cylindrical things that either lie bunked in a row inside the chassis near the power transformer, under a “cap can” on the underside of the chassis of larger Fender black- and silver-panel amps, or protruding from the top side of many Marshall-style amp chassis like stubby, permanent metal tubes. The name is derived from the fact that they are filled with an electrolyte—often in the form of paper soaked in electrolytic gel or liquid—which separates the component’s positive and negative plates. In simple terms, electrolytic capacitors filter excess electronic noise from your guitar amp’s electrical supply (hence the “filter cap” nickname) to reduce noise in its output. At the same time, this task also helps to determine the firmness of the amp’s low-end, and to influence the overall tightness and immediacy of its playing response. It’s worth noting that filter caps do these things even though they are placed in the amp’s power supply, and your guitar signal never passes through them on its journey from input to output. The micro of “what it does”: this capacitor takes noise-inducing ripple out of a DC electrical current that passes through it from positive to negative via that electrolytic layer mentioned above, and stores it for safekeeping, while passing the “cleaner” DC current along to the next component in line. The macro of that results not only in a quieter amp, but more efficient performance from the output tubes in particular, which enhances the muscularity of the amp’s bass reproduction. Guitar amps use several large filter capacitors to get this power-conditioning job done properly. Even smaller amps tend to use at least three, arrayed side-by-side in stages to filter the supply at points where the DC is passed along to the output transformer, the output tubes, and the preamp tubes, respectively. Larger amps might have twice as many filter caps, or more. In the case of individual filter caps, size does matter. Those of larger value (which usually means larger size, too) are not only more efficient at reducing electrical noise, but usually serve to tighten up low-end performance proportionally, too. That being said, you can’t simply load the largest filter caps available into any given amplifier. Some smaller tube amps, and particularly those using lower-rated 5Y3 rectifier tubes, don’t perform well with electrolytic caps beyond a certain value (most data sheets indicate a maximum of 20µF, though different conditions can sometimes work with slightly higher values). Smaller electrolytics might also contribute to the traditional feel of some vintage-style amps, so it’s usually best to stick with the specs and/or schematics for any amp you’re building or working on. One thing you’ll probably have noticed if you’ve built any amp kits already, checked out common schematics, or even observed these filter capacitors up close, is that they have a polarity, with a “+” indicated at one end and a “–“ at the other. This is because they are directional in the way they’re connected in the circuit: the positive terminal (anode) connects to the power supply, and the negative terminal (cathode) connects to ground. They might keep functioning just fine after this point, but also might fail at any time. Indications of one or more failing caps are often hears as excessive noise or a softer and “flubbier” low end than an amp of that type should produce, and proper diagnosis of this component failure—and safe replacement—is usually a job for an experienced tech. The way in which they do their job also means that electrolytic capacitors retain a static electric charge, which can result in several hundred volts being stored within them for extended periods of time, even when the amp is switched off and unplugged. For that reason, you should never work inside the chassis of a tube amp—even one that is switched off and unplugged from the wall’s AC receptacle—without fully understanding how to safely discharge these components before contacting anything inside the amp (be aware that they are often passing this high-voltage charge along to other points within the circuit, too, so simply “not touching the caps” won’t keep you safe). Before concluding, it’s also worth mentioning that you’ll find electrolytic capacitors doing other jobs within a tube-amp’s circuit, most commonly as smaller 25µF/25V (on average) units being used as cathode-bypass capacitors connected around the resistors used to bias preamp tubes, and occasionally output tubes in cathode-bypassed circuits. These filter caps are not being used for their noise reducing capabilities, but are found in these positions because polarized electrolytic capacitors are physically smaller than coupling capacitors (aka tone caps) of the same value, making them an easier fit in those parts of the circuit. The biggest inspiration for our team here at Mojotone is the DIY community we’ve been so lucky to be a part of all these years. We learn as much from our customers as they learn from us, so it’s only fitting for us to honor some of the creative minds who spend so much time honoring their craft. Today we’ll be talking with Dan Petrzelka -- husband, father of three sons, creative director, and deeply-driven DIYer of all things “guitar”. Like many of us, Dan’s father was always rockin the “oldies” station, and his grandmother would even play her favorite albums for him… He recalls his grade school band class experience; starting out on clarinet, then moving to saxophone, and finally over to trumpet. But those instruments didn’t resonate with Dan in a way that made him feel he’d found his musical voice… Now, we all have those special moments buried in our memories where we heard and felt something moving and inspiring for the first time. Those all too palpable recollections that led us down the path of pursuing music as a passion in any capacity. Dan was able to recall some of those critical moments, and they were nothing short of spectacular… It’s easy to see how Dan was captivated by music. But how does this translate into a love for electronics? Some musicians just stick to playing their instrument, right? Well it seems Dan had a similar early-life experience in the world of electronics as he did in the world of music itself.... Put this foundation in electronics work together in a bubbling cauldron with a love for music, and what do you get? Yep, an absolute guitar and amp wizard. One of Dan’s earliest projects that still gives him a sense of accomplishment was his first attempt at winding his own single-coil pickup. This was in the early 90s, so the only places to read about guitars and amps were print magazines, the Angela Catalog, and by getting lucky to find a schematic somewhere in the world of 14.4k dial-up internet… This was obviously when things really seemed to click for Dan. From there, he was always the guy who was pumped to work on a friend’s guitar; intonation, filing nut slots, etc. He eventually discovered Dan Earlewine’s early instructional material as well as the “old soft-back Groove Tubes book with all the schematics,” and his journey deepened. Fast forward to today and Dan is able to attribute further growth to social media platforms, as I’m sure many of us can with such great proliferation of knowledge and easy-to-find resources out there… Now, he gave me a number of bullet-pointed philosophies by which he carries out his work, and under each of those bullet points he gave a truly insightful description of them. For now, I’m going to highlight just the bullet points, but for those who want more detail on Dan’s philosophies, I’ll include his full description of each at the bottom of this article… I’ve been following Dan on Instagram for a while now and I can say without a doubt that he is one of the most meticulous and detail-oriented techs I have ever witnessed. Everything he builds, repairs, or modifies is handled with the utmost care. Dan believes it’s his responsibility to listen to what any given client is excited about and to help them get what they want out of their gear. He notes that… Do yourself a favor and follow Dan on Instagram. He has two accounts: @dpetrzelka AND @harrowedstrings. You’ll get the benefit of seeing some killer gear, top-notch tech work, and beautiful photography. And if you happen to be in the Mount Vernon, WA area, you might just want to hit Dan up for some tech work; you’ll definitely be in good hands. For those of you who want to read more, please do check out Dan’s full descriptions of the bullet points from above; they’re well-worth the read. We want to thank Dan for taking the time to talk with us and for pulling together these great images for the article. Builders, repair shops, and curious minds are the lifeblood of Mojotone, and we are forever grateful for those in pursuit of pristine tone. Thanks for reading and we’ll see you all next time. Take care of people. People of all means, and all aspirations will come by your bench. No two of them are on the same journey, have come by the same path, or have the same dreams—respect that, and do whatever you can to do right by them. This is big “world view” kind of stuff, but also as simple as respecting the instrument they came in with. My job isn’t to tell a kid how much better it would be “if we…” or if they “upgrade to…” My goal is to help that musician feel inspired, and excited to play, and to follow their lead in helping find that mojo. Leave it better than you found it. This is true of the trail and the turret board, and in both cases that means leaving as little of a footprint as you can, making sure that what you’ve done can be undone, and that you clean up after yourself. With my acoustic instrument repair, it’s a simple thing like using hide glue whenever possible, so that if a tech down the line can do it better, they have a clean way to undo my work. With amplifiers it means working with what is there, respecting and preserving vintage components and parts whenever it’s reasonable to do so, and always returning removed/replaced parts to the owner. Much of this was here before us, and with care it will be here long after we’re gone—leave it better than you found it, or leave it alone. Know when to say “No” It’s sometimes hard to pass up on a project you really want to tackle, but that you know is outside your expertise—respect your client by respecting your own limits and know when to pass on a project. In that same spirit, you must also have the confidence to push yourself, and embrace opportunities to learn. I think it was Luke Single who pointed out what a mistake it can be to start learning to refret on a cheap, bogus neck or fretboard. Just like repairing amps that are true basket cases, those repairs are fraught with challenges that do nothing to help you grow. I love taking on projects that are going to challenge me, but I always work to be honest with a client before starting, and have an exit strategy or a friend you can call. Keep a secret, and give everything else away. There are very few things that have been shared with me in confidence over the years, and those things I keep in the vault—everything else I try to share as freely and widely as possible. Guys like Dan Erlewine and Erick Coleman were key in my instrument repair learning (and still are), techs like Skip Simmons, Colleen Fazio and Lyle Caldwell have been instrumental influences in my amp work. Ian Davlin, that guy knows how to knock out a repair. They are excellent role models for the idea that we all get better the more we share our knowledge and skills. I don’t know anything when it really comes down to it, but I’m happy to share whenever I can. Stay curious. I just love sound—yes, music, but also sound. The tones that wood and metal, electrons and paper can make. The perception of it all, what we expect to hear, what we think we actually hear and how it makes us feel. There is no perfect amp, nor perfect guitar, no final pedal that will make the board complete. There’s just the possibility of discovering new tones, new ways of making sound, and new ways to get people excited to play. There are a lot of mysterious components within any guitar amp, many of which remain puzzling even to hobbyists who have built a DIY project or two. In the second part of Mojotone’s new series What Does This Thing Do? we’re taking a look at rectifiers, those essential and often misunderstood components within the high-voltage power supply of any tube amp. The rectifier, which can comprise either a tube or solid-state diodes, is one of the more enigmatic parts of any tube amplifier, and they all have them. This component—which is responsible for converting AC voltage from your receptacle to the DC voltage that the tubes use in their amplification duties—isn’t in contact with the guitar signal that flows through other parts of the amp’s circuit, yet the way in which it does its job can impact the playing feel of any amplifier, and therefore will also influence certain elements of its sound. That being said, there’s really no good/better/best relationship between different types of rectifiers; it’s all a matter of using one that’s appropriate to the design of the amplifier itself, and which enhances the type of performance the maker seeks to achieve from that amp. Not that many of today’s amp makers would admit that, of course. Many promote the inclusion of a tube rectifier as if it’s inherently superior to solid-state, which—as hinted at above—it is not. A tube rectifier is better if you’re trying to build an amplifier that benefits from aspects of that component’s properties, and if that’s the kind of amplifier that’s best for your music and playing style. In other cases, though, a tube rectifier will work against what you’re hoping to achieve from a guitar amp, which makes it inferior in that circumstance, by definition. Let’s cover the rectifier’s function in a little more detail, while still keeping it simple. Normally located relatively close to the amp’s power transformer (PT), the rectifier converts the positive and negative lines of AC current from the PT into a single line of DC current that enables the preamp and output tubes to do their thing. Tube and solid-state rectifiers in guitar amps are all diodes, just of different types. In the course of this AC-to-DC conversion, a rectifier usually increases the resultant DC voltage level. In fact, the voltage levels are increased twice on their way to the big output tubes: using a Fender Deluxe Reverb as an example, the AC comes into the amp from your wall socket at around 120V, is ramped up by the PT to around 330V AC, and converted by the tube rectifier to more than 400V DC to feed a pair of 6V6GT output tubes. (Big power resistors reduce this voltage by roughly half by the time it gets to the preamp tubes.) The rectifier’s affect upon the feel, and therefore to some extent the sound, of an amp comes into play according to how quickly and efficiently it performs this voltage-conversion task, and that differs somewhat from rectifier to rectifier, and amp to amp. As tube rectifiers run from larger and more powerful to smaller and less so, they tend by and large to both produce a little less DC from the AC voltage that is input, and to also do the job a little more slowly. For example, the GZ34 (or functionally near-equivalent 5AR4) in a pre-CBS Fender Super Reverb or a JMI Vox AC30 is one of the more robust tube rectifiers in use for guitar amps. It will produce higher levels of DC when asked to, and will recover more quickly to full efficiency when hit for a demand for power while working hard. One of the smaller tube rectifiers in common use, the 5Y3—original equipment to tweed Deluxes and Princetons and many other small to medium-sized amps—is not only incapable of producing the same amount of DC voltage from any given AC supply, but it also struggles a little to get back up to full efficiency when demand is high. There are other factors involved here, and other tube types in between, but this gives us a good comparison, at least. In use, with both amps working similarly hard (say, at 2 o’clock on their respective volume controls), the difference between these two examples will be a tighter, punchier, more articulate and more immediately responsive feel from the amps with the GZ34 rectifier, with a relatively softer, more compressed, and slightly more sluggish response from the 5Y3-equipped amps, and the impression of some “bloom” and swell as their power stages recover. Either might be perfectly appealing, it just depends on what you’re after, and the type of dynamics, touch responsiveness and compression best suit your playing style. Compared to these, solid-state rectification is the most efficient of all, yielding maximum DC from the AC input, and also recovering quickly. This makes it the choice of many high-powered amps where a bold response and high-volume performance are key, and solid-state diodes have been the rectifiers of choice for amps like the Fender Twin Reverb, Marshall 50- and 100-watt Plexi types, Hiwatts, and many others as a result. But does this mean that amps with solid-state rectifiers don’t sag and compress? No, not at all, because the preamp and output tubes themselves will also sag and compress and bloom in response to their workload when you’re playing hard and pretty loud—more in some designs, less in others—and that also contributes to the touch-sensitivity element of any given guitar amp. Indeed, some very talented designers of smaller high-quality amps have occasionally found tube rectifiers unnecessary even when a slightly softer, more touchy-feely playing response was desired, because when used right the output tubes in their designs will do that job for them. Given a good amp designer and builder’s ability to manipulate many factors regarding playing feel and response, and the broad range of rectifier performance discussed above, chances are that in many cases most guitarists wouldn’t immediately notice the effect of one type of rectifier or another, unless it’s drastically underrated for the task at hand. In others, the change from a rectifier type favorable to the amp’s overall design to one that is less so might be readily apparent. Overall, though, makers of higher-quality tube amps generally aren’t selecting their rectifier type according to cost savings or promotional considerations, but purely because the choice is correct for the intended sonic goal. On the other hand, many of the more affordable, mass-manufactured tube amplifiers available today do use solid-state rectifiers in favor of tube largely because that approach is more affordable. The change-up involves not only replacing the tube itself, the socket, and related wiring with a few pennies’ worth of silicon diodes, but also enables the use of a somewhat simpler and therefore less-expensive power transformer, which doesn’t need the extra windings used to produce the specific current that heats the rectifier tube’s filament (and which is different from that which heats the filaments of standard preamp and output tubes). In general, though, it’s worth learning to see an amp’s rectifier type not as an “upgrade” or “deluxe feature,” but as something that should be appropriate to the design, and which helps make the amp as a whole suitable to your playing needs. DIGIT #1 - REVERB TYPE 8 = short tank, three springs 4 = long tank, two springs 9 = long tank, three springs DIGIT #2 - INPUT IMPEDANCE A = 8 Ohm B = 150 Ohm C = 200 Ohm D = 250 Ohm E = 600 Ohm F = 1475 Ohm DIGIT #3 - OUTPUT IMPEDANCE A = 500 Ohm B = 2250 Ohm C = 10000 Ohm DIGIT #4 - DECAY TIME 1 = Short (1.2 to 2.0 sec) 2 = Medium (1.75 to 3.0 sec) 3 = Long (2.75 to 4.0 sec) DIGIT #5 - CONNECTORS A = Input Grounded / Output Grounded B = Input Grounded / Output Insulated C = Input Insulated / Output Grounded D = Input Insulated / Output Insulated E = No Outer Channel DIGIT #6 - LOCKING DEVICES 1 = No Lock DIGIT #7 - MOUNTING PLANE A = Horizontal Open Side Up B = Horizontal Open Side Down C = Vertical Connectors Up D = Vertical Connectors Down E = On End Input Up F = On End Output Up The best way to find out what reverb tank fits your amp, is to locate the manufacturer number stamped on the top or side. This may require you to remove the tank. Locate the 7-digit alphanumeric code on your tank; e.g., 4AB3C1B. Once you have this code, simply browse our reverb tank selection until you find a match. There are a lot of mysterious components within any guitar amp, many of which remain puzzling even to hobbyists who have built a DIY project or two. In the third part of Mojotone’s new series What Does This Thing Do? we’re taking a look at preamp tubes, the smaller tubes whose essential function enables the rest of the amp to crank up the volume. We’re here because we love the sound of tubes in guitar amplifiers, right? But even if you feel that’s something you know inherently, which tubes are you actually listening to when you’re enjoying that “great tube tone?” Several different types of tubes perform different duties within any all-tube amp—with more types and a greater variety of duties existing within the more complex and feature-lade amps available—so it’s worth isolating the job of each somewhat in order to better understand how they’re all working together to make the amp function. First off, it’s worth emphasizing that none of the tubes within any guitar amp should be considered to have “a tone” all on their own, irrespective of the circuit in which they are being used. Other components such as capacitors and resistors help to voice an amp by determining the general frequency range in which it operates, and the range and function of its tone controls and so forth. That aside, different tubes do also present different sonic characteristics, and this means that even different types used to perform the same function can sometimes slightly alter the overall feel and sound of an amp. As a rule, the preamp tubes are the smaller tubes in most types of guitar amplifiers. They’re generally found positioned nearer the input, usually arrayed between the input and the larger output tubes. So-called preamp tubes might be used in different stages of the amp, however, which can include the preamp proper (the first gain stages of the amp, or extra gain stages which follow other stages); EQ stages; any built-in tube-driven effects such as reverb and tremolo; and the phase inverter which feeds directly into the output tubes. The vast majority of preamp tubes are of the nine-pin variety (sometimes call noval), which became popular in the mid 1950s as a so-called “miniaturized” tube type to replace the somewhat larger eight-pin (octal) preamp tubes that are still found in some vintage amps and retro designs. The 12AX7 is far and away the most common nine-pin type, which you’ll often see listed as its British designation ECC83, though some equivalents and similar-looking, though differently-functioning, nine-pin preamp tubes are also in use. 12AX7s and their equivalents are dual-triode tubes, which means they contain two small amplification units in one bottle, each made up of one element, plus a shared filament, or “heater”. Some other nine-pin preamp tubes still in use today such as the EF86 or the 5879 are pentode tubes that contain only one amplification unit, but made up of five elements. (For that reason, don’t try to swap one for the other, and always check equivalency and compatibility before swapping any tube types.) In short, the job of the preamp tube—when used in an actual preamp stage rather than an effects or phase-inverter stage—is to take a low-voltage audio signal that comes into it and ramp that up to a higher-voltage signal that is sent along to the next stage of the amplifier. In most common guitar amplifiers, the first significant thing the very low-voltage signal from your guitar pickups hits after it goes through the amp’s input is a preamp tube that comprises that amp’s first gain stage (usually via just a single resistor and a short length of wire). The preamp tube or tubes that do this job don’t transform the signal into one that can drive a speaker, but they quite literally amplify it to a point where the amp’s output tubes can receive it, amplify it even further, and send it on to an output transformer, which can indeed drive a speaker. A preamp tube doesn’t physically “shape” or “voice” the guitar signal in and of itself, but each time the signal hits a gain stage all along the signal chain from input to output stage the entirety of it is amplified by that tube, so the way the tube performs this amplification task has a significant impact upon the resultant sound and feel of the signal. And different makes and types of preamp tubes do their thing a little differently—less or more efficiently, cleanly vs grittily, tightly vs more compressed, and so on. Some preamp tubes distort earlier or later, react relatively quickly or slowly, are predisposed to enhancing the highs or lows or midrange, or whatever. However slight these differences might be, they can add up to noticeable variations in tone from different tubes plugged into the exact same circuit. When driven hard, preamp tubes can also distort, and will particularly distort when one preamp tube is driven hard into another, and perhaps yet another, along several chained-up gain stages in some high-gain amps in particular. As much as some players like to rave about “output-tube distortion” (something we’ll cover more in a future installment) the majority of distortion you hear from most tube amps is either largely or at least partly the result of preamp-tube distortion. All of this adds up to tell you that, as far as altering the overall tone of any guitar amp via tube swaps goes, a change of preamp tube often has the biggest effect. And of those swaps, a change of tube in the first gain stage—what’s often referred to as “V1” (for “valve one,” using the British term for “tube”)—makes the most significant impact on tube-induced tonal tweaks. Fortunately, you can almost always change preamp tubes within your guitar amps without making any internal adjustments to the amplifier. Let them cool down before swapping, wiggle them gently on the way out, line up the pins accurately for replacement (you’ll see there’s a gap in the array to help you fit it into the socket), and push gently but firmly into place. Hopefully understanding a little bit more about what preamp tubes do enables you to better fathom how they may—or may not—help fine-tune your amp’s tone, and get you a little closer to sonic bliss as a result. When it comes to being gainfully employed in the music industry, there are so many paths down which one may wander. At Mojotone, we’re obviously miles down the manufacturing and supply path which puts us in close contact with techs, builders, rock stars, producers, and a slew of highly-competent hired guns. One hired gun who has continually impressed us with his dedication to the craft and knowledge of gear is Mr. Eddie Haddad. You’ve probably seen Eddie featured in a number of videos on our YouTube channel, and perhaps you’ve even run into him at the Mojotone booth at a trade show or two. We wanted to take a closer look at how Eddie found himself standing right where he is, so we sat down to have a little chat and, as with any great story, we started at the beginning… Having spent plenty of time with Eddie over the years, I was aware that he was what one might call a “gear nerd.” Eddie has always had a great ear for tone and a zest for discovering new gear, so I wanted to know how he started down this particular path. ...that, like many of us, tone was not on his radar for the first few years of his guitar playing; he was much more focused on learning technique and becoming a well-rounded player. But eventually the tone demons find us all… We’ll take the unsolicited flattery any day. That Eddie is one heck of a guy. It’s safe to say Eddie is a true working musician and is evidently a trusted and valued asset in the professional music community. But how did he get to this point in his career? That’s a lot of drive, risk-taking, and networking; which I’m sure almost any successful musician would agree are the keys to actually getting somewhere in the music industry. And even though Eddie, as I’m sure we can all agree, is obviously some sort of alien-programmed robot genius guitarist machine, he must reach those frustrating moments of demotivation like the rest of us. Well said, Eddie. Well said. This essentially concludes our time with Eddie, for now. But rest assured Eddie will be back very soon for another feature in our Warehouse Jams Series, to help us with gear demo videos, and to just hang out at the shop and be an all-around rad guy. We feel privileged to have Eddie on our team as an ambassador of Mojotone products, and we’re all super proud to call this guy our friend. Keep an eye out for Eddie on tour with Martin McDaniel (martinmcdaniel.com) and Craig Campbell (craigcampbell.tv). Eddie also has a ton of course material on guitarmasterymethod.com already and will be publishing more content regularly. He’s a great player to learn from so we definitely recommend seeing what he has to offer. As always, we appreciate you tuning in and we’ll catch you next time! There are a lot of mysterious components within any guitar amp, many of which remain puzzling even to hobbyists who have built a DIY project or two. In the fourth part of Mojotone’s series What Does This Thing Do? we’re taking a look at coupling capacitors and their very real affect on the voice of any amplifier. Although tube-amp fans often like to think of the tubes as the most significant components in the circuit, it’s easy to overlook another small part that usually plays a more direct role in voicing any amplifier: the coupling capacitor (aka signal cap, or tone cap, or just cap for short). Coupling caps are different from the electrolytic caps (aka filter caps) that we looked at in Part One of this series, in that rather than filtering electronic noise from the DC power supply, they connect signal-carrying components within the main part of the circuit. As such, they pass the guitar signal along in the direction it needs to go while, in many cases, simultaneously blocking DC voltage from heading where it doesn’t belong. If you look at the schematic for a simple 5E3 tweed Deluxe, for example, you’ll see that the power supply is delivering high voltage to the plates of the first 12AY7 preamp tube via a 100k-ohm resistor feeding each half of the tube—resulting in around 150VDC on each of those pins—but none of that DC voltage is present at the volume potentiometer for each channel. That’s because the .1µF coupling cap that connects that tube’s output to the input of each volume pot is blocking the DC voltage, while passing along the AC voltage that carries your guitar signal. Follow any tube guitar-amp circuit along from start to finish, and you’ll see other coupling caps performing similar duties all along the way. In other places, you’ll see similar capacitors—though often much smaller—acting as “bright caps”, where they’re not asked to block any DC voltage, but simply to pass a certain high-frequency portion of the signal along to the next stage for voicing purposes. As such, these caps are working like bypass caps—the bright cap on a volume potentiometer, for example, which lets more highs into the signal when the knob is in its lower range (as you turn up that knob, the bright cap has less of an effect because more of the full signal is passing through the potentiometer anyway). Such bright caps can be connected directly between the input tab and wiper tab on a volume pot, as with the 47pF cap on the volume control in the Vibrato channel of a Deluxe Reverb, or on a switch that lets you take it in and out of the circuit, as with the 120pF bright caps in a Super Reverb and the like. Coupling caps in general are often referred to as “tone caps” because they also play a big part in shaping the frequency content of the signal as it passes from stage to stage, and therefore in determining your tone. A lower-value cap passes less low-frequency content in the signal, while a higher-value cap passes more bass. Note that this “low vs. high value” thing can get a little confusing when you start looking at a variety of capacitors: for example, a .01µF cap has a higher value (often referred to as “larger”) than a .005µF cap. Because we’re often working with decimal-point values, you have to remember to take that “.” into consideration. When dealing with caps of the same manufacturer’s make and model, size usually follows value, so it’s usually easy to note that a .047µF cap is smaller than a .1µF cap, and so on. In any case, any thoughtfully designed amp will be voiced by the consideration its maker has taken in which coupling caps are used at which stages, according to the frequencies that they accentuate or attenuate, in combination with the frequency response of the tubes affecting that stage, as determined by its plate and cathode resistors, any cathode-bypass caps used (as discussed in Part One), and so forth. The final sonic result of any chain of signal-influence components always depends, however, on the cumulative effects of those several different parts. Swapping a tweed Deluxe’s .1µF coupling caps in the preamp for lower-value .022µF caps will certainly help to make that classic combo a little less bassy (a mod that many players undertake with great results), but it won’t immediately make a 5E3 sound like a Plexi, simply because the classic Marshall prominently uses .022µF caps in its preamp too. Some aficionados also pursue specific makes of caps for their perceived sonic characteristics, and the consideration of the “sound” of caps of different compositions opens up an entirely different can of worms. Most thoughtful makers will tell you that the primary consideration is selecting the right value cap for the stage in which it is used; after that, however, many do agree that different makes and compositions of signal caps can influence fine points in the amp’s overall sound. Different types and makes might enhance warmth or brightness, perceived depth and richness, or very slightly alter the speed at which the amp reacts to your pick attack, and so forth. A cap that sounds great in one circuit, however, might sound wrong in another—whether it’s too dull, too bright, too gritty, too brittle, or what have you—so it’s rarely a case of being able to say, “this is the best tone cap there is, end of story!” The best plan for approaching coupling capacitors for the DIY builder or modder is to follow your schematics for cap values, perhaps try a change or two of value to voice a stage if you’re getting a little too much or too little of something in the final results, and not worry too much about the “make and composition” variables if you’re using parts of good quality in the first place. Understand your caps and their role in shaping the amp’s frequency response, and you’re a long way toward dialing in your ideal tone! Oftentimes, whenever we get enthusiastic about an artform (say…”playing guitar,” or something crazy like that) we eventually find ourselves diving deeper into the craft than we ever thought we might. This was definitely the case for Donnie Scearce, the founder/creator of Sugar Guitars. \n which he has managed to put into the hands of some equally incredible musicians. I knew Donnie was something of a virtuoso in the guitar realm, but I wanted to find out how he got from point A to point B, so recently, we sat down and had a nice chat. \n Well said, once again. I like this guy! Sometimes you’ve just got to dive in and get your hands dirty; I feel like the best techs I’ve met over the years were all self-motivated and took the initiative to just learn the craft out of necessity. Sounds about right to me. So after all of this inspiration, after all of the jamming, producing, tech’ing, etc., where have his guitars landed? I did mention he had managed to get his guitars into the hands of some pretty great players. So let’s talk about it… Pretty darn cool. So what does Sugar guitars bring to the table? My curiosity has officially been piqued. I’m ready to get my hands on one of these axes and get to shedding. What about you? I really enjoyed my time with Donnie and want to thank him for sitting down with me. We sure hope this article has given you some further inspiration for your playing and tinkering. Make sure you keep with us for more insight into the builders and players that make this the best industry in the world. Thanks for dropping by! many of which remain puzzling even to hobbyists who have built a DIY project or two. In the fifth part of Mojotone’s series What Does This Thing Do? we’re examining negative-feedback loops and their impact on any guitar amplifier’s sound. An extremely simple network that can have a tremendous effect on any guitar amplifier’s ultimate sound, the negative-feedback loop remains a rather mysterious thing to many new and novice amp builders and modders. Consider that the entire loop usually consists of just two pieces of wire going from point A to point B with a single resistor in between, and it’s incredible that this can be one of the major defining characteristics of some breeds of amp, yet such is the impact of this so-called negative feedback. Many kinds of negative-feedback loops are used in audio amplification, but where tube-powered guitar amps are concerned a loop positioned around the output stage is far and away the most common, so that’s what we’ll focus on here. It’s important to note that several classic amps have no negative-feedback loop whatsoever, and that in itself plays a big part in their sound and playing feel. but it’s where that happens and the resulting affect it has on the signal that really matter. Look at an original schematic for Fender’s 5F6A tweed Bassman of the late ’50s, and in the top-right corner of the drawing you’ll see a connection that approximates three-quarters of a rectangle, comprising a line running upward from the output transformer’s positive connection to the speaker output jacks, leftward toward the rest of the circuit via a 27k resistor, and downward to connect with a 10k resistor that’s part of the long-tailed-pair phase inverter. What this simple loop does is connect the final output signal to an element of the input of the output stage (which is essentially the phase inverter). Within this connection, however, is a resistor that reins in the amount of signal that is fed back. Presenting this output signal back to the input of the stage generally results in dampening the stage’s propensity to distort, which tightens up the overall performance, enhances the low end somewhat, and tips the sound toward clarity and articulation, rather than rawness and harmonic distortion. When you’re looking to produce volume and power, as designers of larger amps were striving to do in the late ’50s and ’60s, all of these might be perceived as good things. And they remain good things according to many design goals today. When a lower-powered, looser, and more complex-sounding amplifier is acceptable, however, amp designers often want to adjust this negative-feedback loop, or eliminate it entirely. Consider, anecdotally, that the lack of a negative-feedback loop is about 50% of the equation behind the marketing spiel when the majority of amp manufacturers promote a model as being “Class A.” Since a genuine Class-A amplifier requires a lot more technical analysis and qualification than most such guitar amps actually allow for, the industry has tended to use this label with any amp that has cathode-biased output tubes, with no negative feedback loop. Whatever you call it, those are two of the main factors behind the sounds of the Vox AC15 and AC30, Fender’s tweed Deluxe, and the countless amps that emulate those designs today. then of course the lack of one accentuates characteristics in the other direction. This means that building an amp without a loop enhances a degree of looseness, harmonic saturation, and an early onset of distortion, at the sacrifice of some fullness in the lows and the addition of perhaps a little more rawness in the tone overall. Be aware that good designers and manufacturers can also taper these characteristics with other elements of the circuit architecture and component selection, so those these are usually degrees of difference, rather than extremes. For the hobby builder, all of this means you can further temper the personality of your amp by altering the amount of negative feedback in one direction or the other, or eliminating it entirely. Be aware that the selection of an appropriate negative-feedback resistor can be confusing: a resistor of higher value means less negative feedback, since it’s blocking more of that signal, and a lower-value resistor means more. it also matters where you connect that resistor. Consider that Marshall copied the 5F6A Bassman to build their first amp, the JTM45, and used the Bassman’s 27k feedback resistor as a result. Marshall, however, used an output transformer with speaker outputs for 4, 8 and 16 ohms, and connected the loop to the latter. The result was almost three times as much negative feedback on the JTM45, which is one of the reasons those amps sound different from the Bassman that inspired them. All of this talk of varying the amount of negative feedback to alter the sound of your guitar amp is probably putting an idea in the head of some DIY’ers already: as simple as this loop is, and given the fact that it only requires changing one resistor to alter its performance, it’s easy in most amps to install a three-way switch to give you on-the-fly changes. We don’t have room here to provide full instruction—and these mods are pretty easily found on the web—but whether you’re modifying or building from scratch, it’s pretty easy to install a simple three-way switch that offers two different levels of negative feedback, plus none at all. Even without such a switch, you can easily experiment with resistor values (observing all safety protocols while working inside any amp, of course) to find what works best for your own sound, then either stick with that as a one-and-done scenario, or make it switchable. Either way, it’s worth understanding the surprisingly significant impact the negative-feedback loop, or lack thereof, can have on your amp’s sound. The music industry is full of big names, bright lights, and massive crowds waiting with baited breath to be blown away by the power of live music. And with all of those big household names out there, we tend to forget that there are tons of astonishingly talented musicians on stage making those big names sound even bigger. Today, we’ll be sitting down with our good friend John Souki. John is a versatile and intimidatingly-talented industry professional -- a hired gun, if you will -- who has been seen on stage with such acts as Chase Rice, Breland, Gavin DeGraw, and Colbie Caillat. I’ve always had a deep interest in these highly sought-after musicians who have spent years working as hard as they can to master their craft, make connections, and find high-profile gigs. Naturally, I was excited to speak with John and find out just how he reached this point in his career. A vast majority of players were exposed to music in their own homes at an early age where the captivation instantly ensued. In our younger years we practice constantly and learn as much as we can on our own, and then we begin playing with other musicians. I believe it’s around this time that we start to consider our sound. You get in a room with other players and realize that tone, dynamics, adaptability, and knowledge of your gear are just as important as technical skill. I think that last line really says it all: “The tone-seeking journey never ends!” That’s why we’re all here right? There is no limit to gear configurations, amp mods, guitar mods, etc., and while this can get overwhelming at times, it’s important to remember that these options exist to help us do our jobs BETTER. Now that we know John is something of a gear head, and has a pretty intricate and particular way of routing all his equipment together to produce his final sound... I must say, I’m glad some of our Mojotone gear made the cut...sounds like John is a very smart guy! Speaking of which, John also works in a recording studio called Round Table Recording Company, where he produces and engineers all kinds of recording projects... Sounds like a busy dude with a rad life. When he’s not performing incredible music in front of giant crowds, he’s in a recording studio surrounded by creativity and rooted in diverse collaboration. But with all that time on the road and in the studio, how does one find time to practice their instruments? That’s a really good point. Just being exposed to and involved in all these different styles and working with so many different musicians in various settings has to open literally every door creatively-speaking. It’s easy to get stuck in patterns and develop stylistic habits that are hard to break, but if you’re constantly challenged with the task of adapting to new ideas and new musicians, you’ve essentially found the musical fountain of youth. We definitely want to thank John Souki for taking the time to chat with us. He has been a steadfast ally in our effort to showcase our gear and find new talent to work with. Check out John on instagram via @johnsouki and also take a look at @roundtablerecording to keep up with all of his work. Thanks again for stopping by and please subscribe to our newsletter for more of these insightful interviews! There are a lot of mysterious components within any guitar amp, many of which remain puzzling even to hobbyists who have built a DIY project or two. In the sixth part of Mojotone’s series 'What Does This Thing Do?'... We’ve already discussed filter capacitors and coupling capacitors in parts 1 and 4 of “What Does This Thing Do?” so this brings us to the third significant role that capacitors et al have in shaping the sound of your guitar amp. Cathode-bypass capacitors (“caps” for short) are found connected in parallel to the cathode-bias resistors in many preamp stages and some output stages, and to many beginner and novice amp enthusiasts they may well be the most mysterious of all three capacitor usages within the guitar-amp circuit. Even so, at times they can have the most dramatic effect on your overall tone, making a significant impact both on gain and voicing. Cathode-bypass duties are usually performed by filter (aka “electrolytic”) capacitors, albeit usually much smaller ones than you’ll find in an amp’s power supply because these don’t need to handle as high a voltage, and like those larger filter caps no actual signal passes through them from one point to another. Which is to say, they aren’t “coupling together” signal-treating stages of the amplifier—gain stages or tone stages—the way coupling capacitors are. They’re not working like conventional filter caps either, however, and these parts are used because the same value of filter capacitor is usually available in a much smaller physical size than would be obtainable in a coupling capacitor, which otherwise could perform the same task (more of which below). ...cathode-bypass caps are used to counteract some of the frequency and gain-dampening tendencies induced by the cathode-bias resistors they are coupled with. Both preamp and output tubes need to be biased, and while a resistor is used for the technique in the output stages of only a specific class of amplifier (the eponymous cathode-biased amps, often colloquially referred to as “Class A”), almost all preamp tubes in amps from the late ’50s onward are cathode-biased. This biasing is achieved by connecting a resistor of a specific value between the preamp tube’s cathode and a ground point (the value of that resistor is determined according to how “hot” the circuit designer wants that tube to run in that stage, relative to operating voltages and in terms of gain factors and so forth). Connecting a resistor to the tube’s cathode, however, also induces a form of negative feedback in that tube, which tamps down the gain and flattens the frequency response. The way to achieve satisfactory biasing while avoiding those tone-dulling side effects is to also connect a capacitor to that cathode, which runs to ground in parallel with the resistor, essentially bypassing the resistor’s own cathode-to-ground connection and emphasizing certain frequencies in the process. ...while also revoicing the stage according to their value (which is to say, the “size” of their capacitance capabilities). The rule of thumb regarding the latter—when considered on a gradient of sorts—is that caps of a larger value emphasize bass response more, while those of a lesser value emphasize treble. They don’t constrict frequencies as completely as coupling capacitors of different values do, but help to emphasize certain bands within the overall response, while enhancing the gain in the process. For example, the standard guitar-amp preamp gain stage today usually uses a 25µF bypass cap connected to the cathode of one half of a 12AX7. The legendary tweed Bassman used a 250µF cap in that position, and that’s what Marshall copied to build its JTM45. But as the Marshall design evolved toward the Plexi models of the mid to late ’60s, they split the first two gain stages to create independent Normal (bassier) and High Treble (brighter) channels, using a 320µF cathode-bypass cap in the former and a 0.68µF cap in the latter. That crispy, sizzly, crackly high-frequency breakup that is a big part of the cranked-Plexi tone is due in large part to that bypass cap, which is of a significantly lower value than the one in the other channel, or in most other amps’ preamp stages for that matter. The difference in capacitor values across the bassier-to-brighter spectrum doesn’t have to be quite as dramatic as the difference displayed in that example, although small changes (say, swapping for a cap that’s only double or half the current value) often don’t produce a noticeable change in voicing. ...while amp-speak sometimes refers to them in terms of “smaller or larger,” that can also be misleading. Often the physical sizes of these components—especially when we’re not comparing like for like, or parts of the same make—have no direct bearing on their capacitance rating. For one thing, a capacitor’s physical size is partly a function of the amount of voltage it needs to handle, and the 25µF filter caps commonly used in this way in preamp stages are generally rated at just 50v or even 25v. That’s why they’re a lot smaller than the 400v to 600v filter caps used in your power supply, which might also be in the 22µf to 30µf range as regards capacitance. Look at photos of the circuit of a late-’60s or early-’70s Marshall 50W Lead or 100W Super Lead, and you’ll see the disparity in sizes of capacitors used in cathode-bypass positions for the Normal and High Treble channel, which are located at the far-right end of the circuit board when the rear of the chassis is facing downward. The 320µF cap in the bassier channel has a value 470.6 times higher than the 0.68µf cap in the brighter channel, but the latter part is generally two or three times the physical size of the former. That’s because a non-directional (non-polarized) 0.68µF coupling capacitor is used for cathode-bypass duties in the High Treble channel, and coupling capacitors are physically a lot larger than electrolytic capacitors in the first place, when comparing parts of the same voltage rating. In theory, we could also use coupling capacitors when a bassier voicing is required, but such a part would likely be too large to fit into position on the circuit board (and high-quality coupling capacitors of that size and value are also expensive, and hard to come by). ...but cathode-bypass caps are also used in—unsurprisingly—amps with cathode-biased output stages. In the general sense, they perform similar voicing duties there, but swapping from one value to another in this position usually has a less audible effect overall, and the tonal difference might be negligible under most operating conditions. When considering preamp stages, however, you can use your understanding of cathode-bypass caps to better voice a DIY project or amp mod to your own tastes, to produce differences between two otherwise similar channels, or to create gain-boost options through extremely simple changes in the circuit. That’s a lot of variation available from changing just one relatively small component! There are a lot of mysterious components within any guitar amp, many of which remain puzzling even to hobbyists who have built a DIY project or two. In the seventh part of Mojotone’s series What Does This Thing Do? we’re examining output transformers and their impact on any guitar amplifier’s sound. Most tube-amp enthusiasts who at least know their way around the major components will recognize an output transformer (OT), and many might have a basic understanding of the role it plays at the end of the signal chain. Few, however, are likely to have thought through the significance of this chunk of iron, wire and paper in shaping your amp’s overall voice. Many amps—a traditional tweed Deluxe, for example—will only have two transformers, making the OT the smaller of the two. In others that carry a choke and/or a reverb transformer, the OT will be next down in size from the power (aka mains) transformer. In many amps (though not all), the OT will be mounted close to the output tubes and output jacks; it functions right between these two links in the chain and it makes sense to keep their connections relatively short. In simple terms, the OT converts the output tube or tubes’ high-voltage, low-current output signal to a low-voltage, high-current signal, which also makes the tubes’ high-impedance output into a low-impedance signal that can drive a speaker. In short, this is where your guitar signal becomes wattage, and wattage of the sort that can become sound in air through a traditional speaker. The OT’s input, known as the primary, will be designed to receive a signal in the general range of 2,000 to 10,000 ohms—depending on the number and type of output tubes it is designed to work with—and will convert that to a signal of a certain strength (again, depending on the tubes and the OT’s own maximum wattage capabilities) that’s also in the very low 2-ohm to 16-ohm range, as desired to suit the amp’s speaker complement. After all, this is the “transforming” that an output transformer does. As with almost everything else inside a tube amp, though, the way different makes and designs of OTs perform this transformation can have a major impact on any amp’s overall sound. In very general terms, and in most cases, the size of an OT correlates fairly directly with its wattage-generating potential and therefore the volume it helps to produce, in conjunction with a set of output tubes with which it was designed to work. The rule of thumb is “more iron = more volume and better low-end reproduction,” but clever designers can use that equation to tweak their results in either direction. If a large, weighty OT might be able to help a pair of 6L6 output tubes reach their maximum potential of about 50 watts (in push-pull, class A/B), that might be something a designer will take advantage of in a large amp intended for big-stage use, but the same might work against an effort to produce the best-sounding mid-sized amp, or one with smaller speakers that can’t take the power or the bass content. Fender, for example, did exactly this in selecting its OTs for several classic models: the black-panel Super Reverb, Tremolux, and Vibrolux Reverb of the mid ’60s all used a pair of 6L6s in the output stage, but these were configured with a larger OT in the Super Reverb to generate 45 watts through a 4x10\" speaker cab, and a relatively smaller OT in the latter two to generate around 30 to 35 watts through a smaller 2x10\" speaker complement. Why produce all that power and low-end rumble if the speakers can’t handle it and the end user doesn’t need it? Leo Fender and his team clearly saw they could make the OT selection work to the design’s favor in either direction, and they used that potential wisely. So if size does matter in OT selection, that’s not to say that bigger is always better. A big, heavy OT will roar with a lot of volume and, eventually, thick, meaty overdrive when you get a large amp cranked up to where it can deliver the goods. But if you’re hoping to achieve amp-based overdrive at relatively lower volumes—even from the same types of tubes—you might want a smaller OT that will saturate more quickly, at a volume level where the heftier OT remains sharp and clean. (Obviously, the reverse of this applies if you’re sound requires maximum headroom at loud volumes.) In addition to these considerations regarding OT selection, it’s worth noting that—all else being equal—larger OTs generally cost more than smaller, so this might be a factor in the parts chosen by more economical manufacturers. If the OT in a lower-budget or bargain-basement tube amp with a pair of 6L6s or EL34s in the output stage appears to be significantly smaller than that in a more expensive hand-wired make carrying the same tubes, chances are it was selected partly out of cost… and even if they both advertise putting out “50 watts,” you can probably guess which one will be louder. Note that output transformers are designed to work with specific output tubes, so you should check the manufacturer’s specs carefully when selecting and OT for a new amp build or a replacement for an existing amp. Most guitar-amp transformer manufacturers and suppliers will understand the points discussed above, and many can be great resources when you’re looking for a part to help dial in the overall sound of your amp. In any case, arming yourself with a little more knowledge of what an output transformer does and how it’s composition will affect your sound can certainly help you achieve your sonic ends more successfully, and adds a potentially powerful new dimension to your tone quest. No doubt these companies offer quality products and have for many years, but what about those of us who want to own a guitar that is truly one-of-a-kind? A guitar that was built, by hand, just for us? This is where Billy Rowe of Rock N’ Roll Relics comes in strong! Billy doesn’t only specialize in building guitars from the ground up using top-shelf parts, he has also mastered the art of a truly convincing relic. Relic guitars are gorgeous and chaotic beasts, and are found desirable by many players all across the world. Last week we sat down to learn a little about Billy Rowe and how he came to be the relic’d guitar sorcerer he is today… Without question, this is a story we can all relate to. Billy went on to name other bands that inspired him to pursue music as a career, and I eventually learned that he had been in a California-based rock band in the 80s called ‘Jetboy.’ Well Billy pretty much gave us a perfect segue there. It was time to dig a little deeper into his journey as a craftsman; how did he get started down the path of tech work and building? Yep, gotta start ‘em early! Okay so now we know how Billy got started, but the one thing I really wanted to dig into was how Billy found his niche in the guitar realm. His guitars are extremely unique, and his relics are extremely convincing. Billy is, without a shadow of a doubt, a much braver man than I am. It takes some serious daring to dive into this type of work, and some serious tenacity to not get discouraged along the way, I’m certain. We see a ton of social media posts of Billy’s guitars that house Mojotone Pickups, and we’re always extremely proud to be a part of his gorgeous builds. Aside from utilizing his incredible guitar-building skills, Billy recently scored a gig as the touring guitarist for Buckcherry, so he has actually been able to play some killer shows over the past year and a half. How rewarding it must be to build your own guitars and be able to take them on the road with you for some serious stage time! We want to thank Billy for donating some of his time to us for this article. If you don’t already, you’ll want to follow him and his work on Instagram (@rnrrelics) and check out his full line of offerings at www.rocknrollrelics.net. You certainly won’t regret it. Thanks again for tuning in folks, and we’ll catch you next time! Being in the gear industry for as long as we have has enabled us to cross paths with some really incredible players. No matter how long we do this, we are always amazed by the musicians who can go from the practice room, to the studio, to the stage without missing a beat. Those virtuosic jacks-of-all who can rip a monster guitar solo just as masterfully as they can write and sing a perfectly-crafted song. Today we’ll be sitting down with one of the above types of well-rounded players, Martin McDaniel. We’ve known Martin for a while now and he’s always been a big advocate for Mojotone, and we want to be able to advocate for him in return. So let’s check out what Martin had to say about his early inspirations, ongoing motivations, and goals for the future. Having family members and family friends introduce us to the musician’s life at an early age almost always yields a fiercely passionate future musician. Seeing musicians work together right in front of you can be so very moving; definitely fuel for dreams! Definitely an elite crew from which to draw inspiration; great picking, and even better song-writing for sure! Now we have the gear, and we have the motivation. So what did all of this lead to? Martin has been pursuing his own original music for a long time, with ambitions of being a successful song-writer and performer. Getting to tour alongside artists of this caliber is no small feat and definitely helps get your name out there. Also, if we’re being honest, it’s just extremely cool in every regard to play in front of those big crowds and get to stand on the same level as some of your heroes. Martin works extremely hard, especially for a musician with a wife, a 2-year-old, and another baby on the way! He has been heavily focused, in recent years, on writing the best songs and making the best records he possibly can. He even has a new record coming out later this year that he says is his favorite stuff he’s ever done. But with all that hard work going on, I wanted to know if he ever hits any creative snags or lulls in his guitar-playing. And if so, how does he break through that sort of thing? Not a bad method at all. Oh, and Martin’s home setup is extremely conducive to creativity and productivity… Ahh, the spoils of the home-studio; this is truly the stuff of dreams and I can imagine it keeps a working musician moving forward through pretty much anything. Well folks, that’s all the time we have today, but we want to thank Martin McDaniel for taking the time to share all of this with us. Be on the lookout for new music from Martin this year, you seriously won’t want to miss it. Maybe we’ll even talk him into coming down to NC to have a Warehouse Jam Session with us in the meantime…you’ll have to wait and see! There are a lot of mysterious components within any guitar amp, many of which remain puzzling even to hobbyists who have built a DIY project or two. In the eighth part of Mojotone’s new series What Does This Thing Do? we’re taking a look at the phase inverter, the gateway to the output stage. ...many novice builders will display a decent understanding of the big output tubes and output transformer, but some might take a while to grasp the component that kicks it all off: the phase inverter (or PI for short). The very nature of push-pull tube amps with two or more output tubes feeding an output transformer requires that the signal entering that stage be split into two, each reverse-phase of the other. That’s how the “push and pull” of the thing happens at all, and the phase inverter—as the name implies—does precisely that job. Any amp other than a single-ended design carrying only one output tube (or two running in series in the occasional dual-single-ended type) will use at least one triode—half of a traditional preamp tube—in its phase inverter, and most use two triodes, a full tube, in one way or another. ...the phase inverter’s job is to take the AC signal from the preamp and split it into two different AC signals of equal strength (current) but in opposite phase to each other. And while this is more of a functional operation than a tone-shaping one, the way in which different phase-inverter designs perform their duties has a significant impact on the overall sound of any amp, and on its distortion content and character in particular. Phase-inverter circuits evolved through the years as amp designers and manufacturers sought greater efficiency and that long-desired marriage of optimum headroom and increased output power. Some of the earlier topologies have continued to be in use nonetheless, either in amps intending to emulate a more vintage-correct sound, or in smaller or simpler designs that simply work well enough with those more archaic circuits in place. Many guitar amps of the 1940s and ’50s—what we might call the earlier phase of the “tweed era”—used what’s called a paraphase (aka self-balancing) phase inverter. This PI, which comes in a range of varied but related forms, splits and inverts the signal just fine, but has difficulty delivering a very clean, linear load to the output tubes. Also, it tends to distort within itself at levels far short of what a larger set of output tubes, 6L6s for example, would otherwise be capable of achieving. As such, the use of a paraphase PI kind of self-limits the potential of any amp in which it appears. Sonically, it contributes to a vintage-leaning blues and rock ‘n’ roll tone, characterized by a smooth, early distortion with lots of compression, and some attenuation of both highs and lows, making it sound rather thick and midrangey. It can be a cool sound, for sure, but perhaps not for players demanding a broader vocabulary from their amps. This one will be far more familiar to players today than the earlier paraphase inverter, since the split-load network appeared in the legendary Fender 5E3 tweed Deluxe of the mid ’50s and onward, as well as its next-step-up siblings like the Pro, Super, Bandmaster, and low-powered Twin. Although the phase inverter in the split-load design uses one triode to do this splitting and inverting—sending one leg of the signal from the plate and the other leg from the cathode—it is often coupled with a driver stage in front of it, and as such usually requires a full preamp tube. The split-load PI is capable of producing a sharper signal with a little better fidelity than the earlier paraphase PI, but when pushed hard it still folds into some distortion of its own, and therefore is still unable to push the output tubes to their own maximum potential before, and during, distortion. The distortion heard from the split-load PI is generally considered a little sweeter and richer than the paraphase’s distortion, and is a big part of the mid-sized tweed Fender sound. Even so, it doesn’t enable the full output tube crunch and roar we might be seeking. This phase inverter requires the use of a full traditional preamp tube, two complete triodes. This provides one triode to deliver each half of the split signal, with a more complex network ahead of the tube to help achieve that splitting in the first place. This PI gets its name from the “tail” formed by the two-into-one resistors coming from the linked cathodes, as is visually evident on most schematic diagrams. In any case, the long-tailed-pair PI finally satisfied that quest for fidelity and power that obsessed so many amp designers in the late ’50s—when guitar-driven music was finding its way into bigger and bigger venues—and since then it has generally been considered the most efficient, linear, and balanced-sounding circuit for delivering a healthy signal to the output tubes. ...after using the split-load PI on the previous 5E6 Bassman of 1956, and before. It was also used when the Twin upped its game to the so-called “high-powered” version, delivering about 85 watts from a quartet of output tubes, and somewhat counter-intuitively was adopted for later iterations of the dual-6V6 tweed Tremolux combo. Similarly seeking the most their output stages could deliver, Dick Denney and the folks at Jennings Musical Instruments used the long-tailed pair in all the most legendary early Vox designs of the late ’50s and ’60s. Of course, it also made its way to the Marshall JTM45 a few years later, and the renditions of the plexi that followed, via their emulation of the 5F6-A Bassman circuit. Following these classics, from the early ’60s onward the long-tailed-pair PI has been used in the majority of guitar-amp designs (other than, as before, those intentionally emulating specific vintage models that used other PI types), and is one of the most common elements connecting otherwise vastly different types of amps—found equally in the Mesa/Boogie Mark Series and Matchless Lightning, for example. For the most part, hobby builders don’t need to understand the minutiae of how every part of a phase-inverter functions. By and large, these days you can simply follow the schematic of the design you seek to emulate, copy what’s there, and run with it. But knowing a little something about the characteristics, degrees of distortion, and general efficiency levels of these main PI topologies can really help you select an amp type that will suit your needs in the first place, and avoid frustrations that just can’t be dialed out once a particular phase inverter is locked into place. Here at Mojotone, as many of you know, we aim to celebrate hard-working techs, DIYers, and musicians as best we can. Today we’re spending some time with a very hard-working guitarist who has been supporting Mojotone on social media and at gigs by rocking some serious speaker-cabinetry. Sarah Sheriff is a rippin’ young guitar player based primarily out of Pennsylvania; she knows her tone, knows her gear, and knows her fretboard! Before we dive in, feel encouraged to take a look at her newly revamped website: www.sarahsheriff.com Those are some serious stages to share, no doubt. I think we need to get Sarah down to the Mojotone headquarters for one of our warehouse jam sessions…yes, this is absolutely imperative. So much good insight was packed into that one. Sometimes I’m intimidated by how much gear exists out there so my hat really goes off to those brave souls who have the patience and determination to really experiment with all those options to find the exact right sound for their style. Like any player, I’m sure Sarah runs into her share of walls as far as creativity and motivation are concerned. Rad. Rad. Rad. Okay so we’ve covered a lot in terms of Sarah’s backstory, her gigging history, her gear and tone preferences, and now even her processes for breaking through walls. We want to thank Sarah for taking the time to talk with us, and for actively supporting our business over the years. Make sure you check out her Instagram account and give her a follow: @sarah_sheriff on Instagram. There are a lot of mysterious components within any guitar amp, many of which remain puzzling even to hobbyists who have built a DIY project or two. In the ninth part of Mojotone’s new series What Does This Thing Do? we’re examining bright caps, those enigmatic little chunks of dielectric that have such a big impact on your tone’s top end. ...(short for capacitor) in responses to queries about how to make an amp sound less bright. These are often blamed for the icepick trebles experienced in anything from a Marshall 2204 to a Matchless Lighting to a reissue Vox AC30CC, and in many cases the advised cure is “clip it out!” The fact is, though, that a bright cap can be a powerful tone-tweaker as part of any well-thought-out amp design, which is why un-tweaking it from the picture makes a surprisingly dramatic effect for the removal of just one small part. A bright cap can take all kinds of configurations, but the most common—and the one we’re discussing here—takes the form of a small, low-value capacitor that is either connected between the input terminal and wiper terminal on an amp’s volume potentiometer, or on a switch that makes such a connection between those points when in the “on” position. Rather than the entire signal flowing through this capacitor as it does with a coupling cap (discussed in What Does This Thing Do #4), the bright cap is used such that it passes only a frequency-determined portion of the signal around a particular stage. Which is to say, it sneaks more of the highs from the input of the potentiometer to its output. In many classic amplifiers that carry two channels labeled Normal and Bright (or similar), the only real difference between them is a bright cap attached to the Bright channel’s volume potentiometer. Those highs are all there in the signal in the first place, it’s just that they wouldn’t arrive at the other end of the potentiometer in their full sparkling glory when that pot is turned down from full. When the pot is turned up high, on the other hand, all of the frequencies coming in should be headed out the other side (other than a small proportion that is lost on the way through the component), and the bright cap itself is redundant. In basic terms, the high-frequency content passed from the potentiometer’s input to its output is determined by the value of the capacitor, which is to say its rating on the scale used to determine the functional “size” of these electrical components. The lower the cap’s value—within the range of acceptable bright-cap values in general—the lower the proportion of highs it will bypass into the signal the other side of the pot. The legendary tweed Fender Bassman, for example, has a 100pF (aka .0001µF) bright cap on the volume pot of its Bright channel, which is the only difference between that and the Normal channel. A cap of that value generally provides a noticeable but subtle lift in highs, and few players ever object to its inclusion. The bright cap on Marshall Master Model 2204 and 2203 Lead amps, on the other hand, are a whopping 500pF (.0005µF), which introduces a lot of highs into the signal at the lower end of the potentiometer’s range. Experienced Marshall-o-files will tell you that these amps are designed to be turned up anyway, and when you get that first volume control wound up high the frequency content will be more balanced. If you traditionally play yours at lower/cleaner settings, however, the advice is often simply to clip that cap from the pot and remove it from the circuit entirely. ...many makers have attached it to a switch that will take it out of circuit as desired. Such was the case with all of Fender’s larger blackface and silverface amps, which used a bright cap of a slightly higher value, but made it switchable so you weren’t stuck with it. \t Vox did things somewhat differently, and also changed up circuit designs so often during the early years of production that the early JMI classics tend to make for confusing examples (consider the classic Top Boost AC30 of the mid ’60s had three channels, and each achieved a desirable level of brightness using different means, the eponymous Top Boost channel itself being chief among them). The Vox AC30CC reissue, however, to name but one, has a 180pF bright cap permanently fixed across the Top Boost channel’s volume pot, which induces too much high end into these amps for many players’ tastes. For that reason, the “clip it out!” mod is a popular option with these amps. Whether you’re looking to mod an existing amp or to carefully voice a scratch build to suit your tastes, the bright cap is a component worth considering carefully. It’s usually easy to test a number of different cap values, too, to see which one works best in your particular circuit, and in a ground-up build there’s often a place to put a mini-toggle switch to make the bright cap optional. Either way, it’s a tool you can use to dial in your own tone to something closer to perfection. It’s no secret that we here at Mojotone absolutely adore our customers, their work ethic, and their creativity. In fact, it’s that very work ethic and creativity that keeps pushing us to do what we do year after year. We love seeing people take an interest in something, learn as much as they can about it, problem solve, and persevere. Today we’re talking to a seriously gifted craftsman by the name of James Gregg (IG Handle @greggguitars). James is one of those people who was self-taught, and became a tech guru out of necessity. He took an interest in guitar early on and learned how to get what he needed out of his sound by figuring out how to modify his gear. Now he is what I can only describe as an all-around guitar tech wizard whose power knows no limits. Hold up real fast, somewhere in there he mentions having been a touring guitar tech; I need to know more about this… You all seriously need to check out James’ social media. He posts some really great content that can be extremely helpful to all of our fellow DIY-ers out there. You truly will not regret checking him out – I’m going to post some links and handles at the end of the article so please stick around until the end. James has had the honor of building guitars for some of his biggest musical idols; Vince Gill and Brad Paisley to name a couple. He noted that it was pretty hard to beat watching Vince Gill play something that he had built for him on the Opry Stage…and I believe that’s probably a modest way to describe that feeling! Some of you may know by now that I always like to ask our subjects how they break through periods of subdued creativity. You’re darn right, man. I feel like we’ve covered a lot of good ground here, so let’s figure out what James has in store for 2022 before we say “tata for now!” As I said further up the page, James is a seriously gifted craftsman and I promise it behooves you all to go give him a follow on social media. I guarantee you’ll learn something on day 1! He posts lots of great videos, photos, quick tutorials, you name it. Thanks for stopping in and don’t forget to check out these links: There are a lot of mysterious components within any guitar amp, many of which remain puzzling even to hobbyists who have built a DIY project or two. In the tenth part of Mojotone’s new series What Does This Thing Do? we’re examining output tubes, the big bottles that do the heavy lifting near the end of the signal chain. Despite all the technological advances made in the eight decades since guitar amplifiers first brought players out from the shadows of the rhythm section and into the spotlight, that archaic component the tube continues to rule the roost for optimal sonic splendor. Even ultra-modern digital modeling amps achieve their binary magic by emulating or replicating the sound and function of tubes in one way or another, so they remain at the heart of our sound even when we’re not actually using them in our rig. For those interested in probing the workings of the real deal, however, and possibly building such tone tools for themselves, a little knowledge of these miraculous glowing bottles is essential. Preamp tubes, which we covered in “What Does This Thing Do? Pt3,” and output tubes, which we’ll discuss here. (In Pt2 we covered the third type of tube that is found in many amps, the rectifier tube.) The vacuum tube—tube for short, or “thermionic valve” (valve for short) in the UK—is itself technically known as an “amplifying device,” and indeed the output tubes are the part of the guitar amp that really performs the duty of making your guitar signal louder. Everything else in there—the resistors, capacitors, transformers, and the wire that connects them all—is responsible for shaping the tone of the signal and providing the correct voltages to the tubes. In short, the guitar signal that has been amplified to a slightly higher voltage by the amp’s preamp stages enters the input of the output tubes, where it is amplified much further and sent along to the output transformer. The output transformer (discussed in Pt7) translates the high-impedance amplified signal from the output tubes to a low-impedance one that will drive a speaker. Tubes handle the signal peaks (the surges) in a way that is musical to the ear, with a natural roundness and degrees of compression and frequency attenuation that flatter the amplified electric guitar. Where solid-state amplification devices, or at least ones without a lot of added circuitry designed to make them sound “tube-like”, rise smoothly up toward the peaks but clip hard and harshly when pushed into distortion, tubes—used in an amp that is designed and built well—smooth out the transition into distortion, and offer a distortion that is relatively more musical and harmonically appealing as a result. That’s the basic 101 on the functional characteristics that all output tubes share, but there is an enormous variation in the sound that different tubes make in the course of doing their job, so let’s also explore some of the archetypal tones associated with specific types of output tubes. To be clear, no output tube will result in “a tone” all on its own, and the sound it helps to put out is just part of a bigger overall system. But classic and common varieties are generally associated with certain known styles and sounds, and these do help us to form a base level of what to expect from any specific type of output tube The larger of the output tubes traditionally seen in American-made amplifiers, it has a bold, solid voice with firm lows and prominent highs, which can be strident in loud, clean amps, or more silky and rounded in softer, “tweed” style amps. A pair of these will generate around 40 to 50 watts in an efficient class AB amp, and a quartet (with two pairs working in teams on each side of the phase-inverted signal) can put out up to 100 watts. This is the tube of anything from the Fender tweed Bassman and blackface Twin and Super Reverbs, to early Marshall JTM45 heads and “Bluesbreaker” combos, to the Mesa/Boogie Mark Series and beyond. Amps designed for 6L6GCs can usually also use 5881 output tubes and the European KT66 is also swappable for either type, and is a little bolder, fatter and louder. This is the classic big-amp tube from the other side of the pond, commonly found in larger British amplification from the mid 1960s onward (and occasionally before). The EL34 can be driven to produce a little more output than the 6L6GC, and it sounds somewhat different, too, characterized by a fat and juicy but softer low end, sizzling highs, and a midrange that exhibits a classic crispy-crunchy tone when pushed into distortion. This is the tube of post-1966 Marshalls like the JMP50 “plexi” and “metal” panel amps, the JCM800, and the majority of modern models; they also appear in the classic Hiwatt models, and plenty of modern amps seeking a big Brit-rock sound. (Note that some Marshalls distributed in the USA years ago carried 6550 output tubes instead of EL34s. The 6550 is probably best described, in brief, as a “bolder, louder 6L6”). Smaller and mid-sized American-made amps of the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s most often carried 6V6 tubes, which are known for their juicy, well-rounded tone and smooth, rich distortion, which occasionally exhibits an element of grittiness that is not necessarily unappealing. They produce about half the output of their big brother, the 6L6, and are therefore more easily driven into distortion. The 6V6 was used in all versions of the Fender Deluxe, Princeton and Champ, the Gibson GA-40 Les Paul amp of the 1950s and early ’60s and others, and countless great American-made amps besides. Best known for its appearance in classic Vox amps such as the AC15 and AC30, this tall, narrow, 9-pin output tube is most often used in nominally “Class-A” circuits. More correctly termed “cathode-biased,” these seek to achieve a sweeter, more harmonically saturated sound at the expense of a little output efficiency. The EL84 can still exhibit a pretty firm, chunky low end in the right amp, but is most known for its chimy, sparkling highs and a midrange that is crunchy and aggressive when pushed. A pair in a cathode-biased output stage (a la Vox) will put out around 15 to 18 watts, and a quartet double that. These tubes also appear in many modern amps that emulate the “Class-A tone”, including models from Matchless, TopHat, Dr Z and others. Gibson’s unusual, wedge-shaped GA-79T stereo amp of the early 1960s also utilized these output tubes, as did Fender’s later Blues Junior and Pro Junior. In addition to having their own sonic characteristics according to type, different makes of the same types of output tubes will also sound slightly different. Once you have pinned down the right genre of tube amp for your style, it pays to experiment with a few different sets of quality output tubes to see which will work best for you. You’ll be amazed to hear how simply swapping output tubes can take an amp, in some cases, from soft, fuzzy and bluesy to bold, punchy and twangy. As with all things tonal, there isn’t necessarily any better or best here—whatever suits your sound is best for you. There are a lot of mysterious components within any guitar amp, many of which remain puzzling even to hobbyists who have built a DIY project or two. In the eleventh part of Mojotone’s series What Does This Thing Do? we’re examining the output-tube bias circuit and its essential function within any amplifier. Most guitarists who have played tube amps for any length of time will understand that their output tubes need to be biased to function properly, and all contain an output-tube bias circuit of one type or another to get the job done. It’s a lesson you tend to learn well before you decide to build an amp for yourself, and one that’s a necessity to understand the importance of—even if you don’t know how to do it yourself—any time you change tubes. Many amps on the market are cathode biased and don’t require any adjustment when you change your output tubes, but these still have a simple bias circuit (“simple” perhaps being an understatement, since it generally consists of just one large resistor). The rest are usually fixed bias, a system which uses a more involved but still relatively simple circuit to enable the user (or his or her amp tech) to tailor the bias to each individual set of output tubes. So, before looking at the circuit that achieves this in any amp and why we need it, what is bias in the first place? Put simply, bias is the means by which the output tubes are set to function optimally according to the DC voltage level that is being supplied to them by the power stage. Inevitable variables in tubes’ manufacturing process mean they operate at slightly different levels of efficiency, performing slightly differently according to the voltage delivered to them by different amplifiers. At the same time, different amplifiers’ power supplies can deliver considerably different voltage levels to the tubes used within them, further necessitating some means of adjusting how the output tubes handle that voltage. Reputable tube dealers will usually match these output tubes into pairs and quads that at least operate together at something very close to the same efficiency and performance levels, but the inevitable differences between different new sets of output tubes means that for fixed-bias, Class AB amps it’s impossible to set a one-time operating level that will work optimally with all possible tubes that might be used throughout its lifetime. For this reason, most such amps include an adjustable bias circuit that enables the user—or their tech—to dial in each new set of tubes after a swap to ensure they are functioning their best according to the high levels of DC voltage they are seeing. (Some vintage amps were indeed made with a set, non-adjustable bias network that gave a “good enough” performance with different sets of tubes, and the quality of tubes used in the 1950s when these amps proliferated meant they often didn’t vary too widely within acceptable parameters, either. Mesa/Boogie has also traditionally used non-adjustable fixed-bias circuits, preferring users purchase replacement tubes within a specific operating range to suit their amps.) Fixed-Bias Circuits The term “fixed bias” can be somewhat confusing, because this is the type of bias circuit that is actually adjustable in most cases. The “fixed” part indicates that the circuit is providing a set negative voltage to the grids of the output tubes, which determines their operating level relative to the much higher DC voltage that powers them and the incoming AC voltage—the guitar signal—which they will amplify. That is, it’s not something you constantly adjust like a volume or tone control; it’s more set-and-forget. Most bias circuits of this type consist of a couple of resistors, an electrolytic (filter) capacitor or two, an adjustable potentiometer, and—crucially—a single diode (usually a 1N4007 in modern amps). Put in relatively simple terms: \t Fully understanding how to use this adjustment is a matter for another article. In many amps, it’s also a job that should be assigned to a qualified repairperson if you’re not experienced in working safely with the high voltages that are present within tube amp circuits, even when they are unplugged from the wall outlet. (This article also doesn’t intend to explain all the differences in sound between fixed-biased and cathode-biased circuits, either, which is another installment’s worth of amp exploring.) Cathode-Bias Circuits As simple as the fixed-bias circuit above is shown to be, the cathode-bias circuit is considerably simpler still. In essence, it consists of just one component: a large, high-powered resistor connected between the cathodes of the output tubes and ground. As the voltage flows through the tube during normal amplification duties, the way in which it is drawn through this resistor to ground via the cathode determines its bias voltage. As most readers with at least a little bit of experience with cathode-biased amps will realize, this is a less-efficient and somewhat less-stable biasing method than the fixed-bias circuit, and isn’t particularly suitable to very high-powered amps either. But it’s also a very easy means of biasing a set of output tubes, it requires no adjustment during tube replacement, and it enhances particular tonal characteristics that are a big part of several classic types of amplifiers—the Vox AC30 and AC15 and Fender tweed Deluxe among them, alongside many other classics and modern reproductions thereof. The cathode-bias resistor is usually partnered with another component, a relatively small electrolytic (filter) capacitor that is wired parallel to it between cathode and ground. This is a cathode-bypass capacitor (discussed in detail in What Does This Thing Do? Part 6), and strictly speaking it isn’t participating in biasing the output tubes, but is instead helping to voice them while the resistor alongside it covers the task of biasing. Hopefully this installment of the series has helped you recognize the two major types of output-tube bias circuits in use in guitars amps today, and at the very least, enables you to point to the small network of components in the fixed-bias circuit or single large resistor with bypass capacitor in a cathode-bias circuit and say, “Hey, I know what that thing does!” In our ongoing search for DIYers, artists, craftspeople, and tone connoisseurs of all kinds, it occurs to us that – although there is no shortage of talented and deserving individuals out there in the world – we happen to have quite a few tech wizards right here under this very Mojotone roof! With that in mind, it only seems fit for us to sit down and have a little chat with one of our very own master engineers, Mr. John Manning. John has been at Mojotone for twelve years now; he started out in our CADS department creating new parts such as chassis, faceplates (custom and stock), logos, eyelet boards, etc. He has since moved into a role where he is able to manage the ‘amplifier parts’ and ‘amplifier kits’ portions of our business. John is an extremely valuable asset to our company and he has a ton of experience all across the board when it comes to electronics, so why not have a quick chat, right? I can attest to this story’s legitimacy…John is a Stratified lefty, and a rocker through-and-through. But how did he go from rockin’ the stage to rockin’ the tech bench? What got him interested in the inner-working of tube amps to begin with? An honest fellow it seems. Let’s see just how honest he is. If you’ve been following along with this series, you likely know that I like to find out how these deeply creative and skilled people overcome the dreaded lapses in creativity and motivation. I think that probably rings true for many of us in this industry. It seems we constantly inspire one another, even when that wasn’t our goal. But hey, maybe any one of you reading this article has created something that helped get John’s mojo going again when he was feeling depleted. So we are starting to get to know John and figure out what his journey has been like thus far. Now let’s talk about some of the projects for which John has been responsible here at the Mojotone headquarters. …and a much-needed move that would be. John has really done a ton of great things for the company over the years, and I’m positive he’s being modest even in that giant list above. You can’t really argue with that…definitely solid advice. I suppose after this round we can get back to interviewing those followers of ours who do not operate within the Mojotone shop, but I feel like we can all gain something from John’s experience in the meantime. Check out John’s band ‘Mountain Thrower’ and show him some love. And if you happen to have dealings with John after reading this article, let him know you enjoyed hearing what he had to say. And as always, we appreciate you stopping by! There are a lot of mysterious components within any guitar amp, many of which remain puzzling even to hobbyists who have built a DIY project or two. In the 12th part of Mojotone’s series What Does This Thing Do? we’re examining the cascading gain stages and their effect on the sound of any amplifier in which they’re found. ...while others have occasionally examined a portion of the circuit that helps to make up the whole. This time out we are firmly in the latter camp, checking out a portion of the preamp circuit in many amps—and one that might be slightly different each time you encounter it, as used variously by different manufacturers, but which generally aims to achieve the same thing wherever it’s used. The term cascading gain refers to a method of using multiple gain stages within the preamp stage as a whole to ramp up the gain of the signal higher and higher by passing it along to one preamp-tube stage after another, ultimately creating the singing, sustainful, saturated lead tone that is popular in many forms of modern rock. The result is a lot more preamp-generated distortion than traditional preamp stages are capable of generating, and an easy route to cranked-up lead tones when used in partnership with a master-volume control, which these circuits almost always include. ...cascading gain is achieved by feeding the signal into a triode from one half of a conventional preamp tube (usually a 12AX7/ECC83), then from there to another triode, and possibly another, and even another, usually with a potentiometer (commonly labeled Volume, Gain, Drive or the like) between each stage to rein in the gain levels as desired. While most amps other than the simplest designs use multiple gain stages anyway to help preserve signal levels through potentially gain-draining extras such as multiple EQ controls, the cascading gain stages do it purely to ramp up the signal level to ultra-high levels, providing such gain or drive controls between them so the player can govern how “hot”—and therefore, how distorted—the end result is, rather than having the signal depleted by another fixed network such as a tone stack. If you’re already familiar with the term cascading gain, there’s a good chance you heard it in relation to Mesa/Boogie amps, which feature it as a cornerstone of their designs and are generally considered a pioneer of the technique. They were not the first maker to chain several gain stages one into the other, however, and some others employed their versions of cascading in the mid to late ’60s to increase preamp gain in an age when heavier distortion was becoming a major feature of popular music. Hiwatt’s cornerstone circuits of the late ’60s, for example, included three gain stages before the phase inverter. These included a Volume control after the first gain stage, and a Master Volume after the tone pots (which followed the second gain stage) as the signal headed into the third full gain stage. ...cascading-gain circuits are kind of what separates modern amps from vintage: their arrival delineates the effort to generate overdrive within the amp itself and to rein it in at usable volume levels, rather than merely to make the guitar louder. With the Boogie’s popularity ascending in a big way in the early ’70s, Marshall adopted a form of cascading gain in the 100-watt 2203 JMP Master Model of 1975, and the design was made hotter for both the 100-watter and the 50-watt 2204 in 1977. Countless makers joined suit, and later makers like Soldano and Bogner—to name just two of many—would make their names on their own variations of cascading-gain circuits. Some of the more legendary amps to have used cascading gain are those created by Alexander Dumble. While they obviously have a lot more going on besides, Dumble’s best-known designs, like the Overdrive Special, essentially add a footswitchable two-gain-stage cascading lead circuit between a vaguely Fender-like preamp stage and the phase inverter. ...a cascading-gain circuit within any amp’s preamp can be identified by the chaining of the individual halves of a preamp tube (or several) one into the other, generally using coupling capacitors but without any intervening tone controls to lessen the gain (though those will also come before or after their own gain-make-up stages). Cascading-gain stages will almost certainly have a volume potentiometer between each stage or two, however, as a means of controlling gain levels from one stage to the next. Frequently, they will also have a resistor coupled from some point in the signal (often attached to such a potentiometer) to tap part of it to ground, as a means of reining in the signal strength to a fixed level at that point to avoid overwhelming the next stage, which could result in harsh, fizzy distortion. Brian Gerhardt of TopHat amplifiers, for one, uses this trick in his Emplexador, which has a lead channel based roughly on the Marshall 2203/2204 platform. A resistor going to ground off the output of the master volume tames the signal a little on its way to the phase inverter, without really reducing the volume noticeably, resulting in a smoother overdrive with less harshness when the amp is cranked up. If you want to try adding cascading gain to your own existing or DIY amp build of a design that doesn’t usually carry it, it’s usually best to check out the circuits of a few known commercial amp that already us it and see what might be adapted to suit your own design. It’s not the kind of thing that can be walked through in a sentence or two, but if your amp has a spare gain stage and you’d like to try creating a hot lead channel it usually isn’t difficult to fold that into your own design by taking a page out of the approach used by some of the major names discussed above. In today’s Mojozine interview, we’re sitting down with Adam Palow of Tungsten Amplification to talk about his journey through the world of tube amps. Adam is a self-taught, highly-skilled builder, designer, and tinkerer of all sorts. We’re pumped to have him as a Mojotone customer, and even more excited to be able to have a chat with him. Naturally, I’m sure this hits home with plenty of us. So now that we know how Adam got into music in the first place, let’s dive into his gear journey. My understanding is that once Adam bought his first ever tube amp, he dove in head first and never looked back. We know SO many DIYers who got their start almost exactly like this; their interest was piqued by an epic piece of gear and then they just started reading everything they possibly could and tinkering away at all hours of the day. We love hearing this kind of story. That is an intensely rad story to all of us here in the shop; what a cool mentorship. By now you all know I like to ask our subjects how they overcome stress and periods of time where they find themselves lacking inspiration; so, let’s find out how Adam breaks through the walls… Sometimes it does get hard to see, but we are all very lucky to be in this field and to help others find the sound they’ve been seeking out. And we all have different philosophies on how to go about helping others find their sound. Love it. This is the way. Alright, we have to wrap this up soon but I wanted to share some of Adam’s plans for the rest of the year because it sounds like he has some really cool ones in mind… Yeah that sounds like a nice way to live, folks. Definitely make sure you check out Tungsten Amplification online here: instagram: @tungstenamplification And if you’re looking for some new tunes, go check out Adam’s old band ‘Black Android,’ on Bandcamp. We want to thank Adam for sitting down with us and taking time out of his day to share all of this great information. And thanks to all of you for tuning in – we’ll see you again soon! In the first of a four-part series for Mojotone’s tech-savvy readers, we take a deep dive into the basics of how guitar pickups work, and what helps them do their thing. In following parts we’ll look at the individual components and construction techniques in greater detail. Guitarists today know more about pickups than ever before, yet there are still so many variables in the world of these passive electronic devices that the details can sometimes make your head spin. Pickups are broadly akin to other electromagnetic devices employed in music electronics, and are really among the simpler of such things. Like a dynamic microphone, they translate sound waves (in this case, in the form of a vibrating steel string) into an electronic signal, but while even the simplest mic—think Shure SM58—has a moving diaphragm, they use no moving parts to do so. As simple as they may be, however, any handful of pickups you test will sound anywhere from subtly to dramatically different, and that’s all down to the materials they’re made from, and the way those are put together. This issue we’ll look at some of the basics that influence these alterations in tone and response, then move on to a deeper dive into individual specifications in further installments. Let’s kick it off with a quick look at how these things work in the first place. Most musicians understand that a speaker produces sound when the electrical signal hits an electromagnetic coil that’s attached to a flexible paper cone and suspended in proximity to a fixed magnet, causing the coil to move and the cone to vibrate along with it. Pickups work somewhat in the reverse, but without the moving-part element of the equation. A pickup is an electromagnetic device that produces a magnetic field above the position where it’s mounted. And we all know, of course, that our guitar strings pass through this field. When you pick a string, its disruption of this magnetic field translates that motion into an electrical signal in a coil of thin wire wound within the pickup, which then travels down further lengths of wire to your amplifier. In short, electromagnets can translate an electrical signal into motion by exerting magnetic force, or do the reverse and translate motion into an electrical signal; pickups do the latter. There are two primary parts required to make any traditional electromagnetic pickup function: a source of magnetism, and a coil of wire. Some are as simple as a coil wrapped around a magnet, usually with some inert fiber or plastic base or bobbin to hold everything in place. Fender Stratocaster and Telecaster pickups, for example, use six individual magnets—one for each string—with a coil wound around them. Gibson’s Firebird Mini-Humbuckers or original Melody Maker single-coil pickups similarly have a bar magnet within a coil (or two, in the humbucker’s case). The other and more common Gibson types, though, the P-90 and the full-sized PAF-style humbucker, have steel pole pieces within the coils themselves rather than magnets. These screw-like poles are threaded through the bobbin around which the coil of wire is wound, and into a base structure that puts them in contact with magnet(s) mounted below the coil. Almost all pickup designs merge these components in ways similar to these. Which is to say, the topologies outlined in the above paragraph—pickups made with magnets within the coils vs. those made with steel pole pieces within the coils in contact with magnets mounted below—describe virtually every type of pickup made for electric guitar, while also defining two of the most significant variables in pickup making, whether you’re talking humbuckers or single-coils. Gretch Filter’Trons or Charlie Christians? Magets below, with steel poles or blades threaded through the coils. Gretsch Dynasonics (aka DeArmond Model 200) or the popular DeArmond “S-cover” gold foils? Magnets within the coils. Furthermore, each of these two basic topologies has what we might call a “core sound,” and these simple differences in construction help to define how they sound different as a result. Obviously, there will be enormous differences between pickups depending on a wide range of other factors—more of which below—but here are the broad characteristics identifiable in these two main approaches to pickup making: Magnet within coil: Articulate, bright, clear, with enhanced treble. With individual magnet pole pieces single-string definition is improved further; with bar magnets it’s often slightly “blurrier”. Steel within coil, magnet below: Round, thick, a touch gritty at times, a little snarlier and gnarlier, and often with more aggressive midrange. Note that these aren’t absolutes, but they are pretty consistent starting points for defining the core sound of differently constructed pickups. Consider types of pickups that you might already hear in your “mind’s ear,” and you’re likely to see how they follow suit. Also consider, for example, that when Gibson wanted more clarity out of the gnarly, thick, slightly gritty sounding P-90 in 1954 engineers Seth Lover and Walter Fuller simply replaced the threaded steel screws with individual bar-magnet sections within the coil of what was otherwise essentially a P-90 to create the Alnico (aka “staple top”) pickup. Voila! Improved clarity and enhanced treble content—exactly what Gibson president Ted McCarty was asking for. Naturally, humbucking and single-coil pickups of each kind sound a little different, but they still share these basic characteristics. Once you understand these basic templates, it’s important to be aware that there are many variables at play which can make even pickups that are seemingly of the same type sound quite different. Examine the number of different mix-and-match combinations of all of the following, for starters, and you begin to see how many nuanced alternatives there are in the world of pickup making. Different types of magnet structures (or magnet-and-pole piece structures in many designs, as above) will respond differently, because they are creating different types and shapes of magnetic fields. Differently sized or differently structured pickups will create different magnetic fields and will “read” string vibration differently, which leads to different translations of the strings’ vibrations within the coil. Different coil designs—pickup wound in different shapes, in different patterns, with different gauges of wire, or with more or less wire—will translate the disrupted magnetic field differently, and therefore differently shape the signal sent to the amp. Different formulations of steel components such as pole pieces, slugs, or base plates will contribute to subtle differences in different pickups’ sound and performance. And lest we forget… different string types will affect the magnetic field differently, according to the type of steel they are made from, any coating or plating on the wound strings, their condition, their gauge, and other factors, resulting in a different performance from any given pickup. Considering all the potential variables, it’s easy to see why makers’ efforts to chase the “Hole Grail” of various vintage pickups has proved a major endeavor even for the most skilled practitioners. Alter one variable, and another begins to behave differently. Tweak that one, and still further variables alter their impact upon the design. I’ll go deeper into related categories in future installments, hoping to build a reference base that helps you determine in advance what types and variations of pickup might be best suited to any sound you seek. In the meantime, be aware that these variables exist, and that the slightest little tweak in the outwardly simple recipe of any given electromagnetic pickup might leave you wailing the blues rather than twanging out honky-tonk. In the second of a four-part series for Mojotone’s tech-savvy readers, we explore the many variables in the design, materials, and construction of a pickup’s coil that can lead to differences in response and sound. Part one, last month, offered a basic introduction to pickup essentials, and further parts we’ll look at other components and construction techniques in greater detail. One of the biggest determining factors in any pickup coil’s performance is found in the amount of wire wound onto the coil; that is, the overall length of the wire used, and the amount of wraps around the bobbin or coil former that it takes to complete the coil. Considering pickups that are otherwise similar in all other ways, the more wire you have in any given coil, the stronger the signal it will produce when you pick a note, and the more powerful it will sound. More wire doesn’t just mean a more powerful pickup to drive the amp harder, though, it also brings a change to the pickup’s frequency spectrum, and players who feel they want a “hotter” pickup might not also want tonal changes that come hand in hand with it. Increasing the amount of wire wrapped around a coil increases midrange response but attenuates treble and bass along with it; the reverse applies for removing turns of wire from a “standard” number of turns in any given design, in relative turns (and keep in mind, this stuff is all relative!). Up to a point, increasing a pickup’s midrange emphasis by adding more wire can work to the advantage of a weak pickup with a harsh, brittle treble response, as the high strings will sound smoother and fuller with an increase in output coupled to a decrease in pure highs. Coupled to this, however, the wound strings—which perhaps sounded just right as they were—will round out too, possibly becoming muddy or flabby or indistinct sounding if the increase in winds is taken to extremes. One of the main considerations in all of this is that you usually can’t have it both ways: if you love the sound of a vintage-style, lower-wind pickup but also want a hot pickup to drive your amp harder, chances are you’ll have to compromise a little somewhere… or just step on an overdrive pedal. These are all relative and “just for example,” but you get the idea: any change in spec will often alter different performance factors. The amount of wire is far from the only factor to consider here. The type of wire and the way it is wound into a coil are also of huge significance. Manufacturers in the earlier decades used different gauges of wire to achieve different ends: thinner wire to squeeze more onto a thin or compact bobbin, for example, or thicker where room allowed. These days, makers will tend to use the wire that most closely matches the type of pickup they intend to emulate—or in an entirely original design, the wire best suited to their purpose—although 42-gauge (also called 42 AWG for “American wire gauge”) is the most common. A typical vintage-spec Stratocaster pickup coil wound with wire until it’s full might accommodate, for example, get to 8,000 turns of 42-gauge wire before you run out of room. If you want even more than that for a “hotter” pickup you might be able to squeeze a little more on there, or you need to use thinner 43-gauge wire instead, which lets you increase the length of wire and to wind it on more tightly too. Alternatively, if you’re designing a pickup from the ground up and space is too tight to allow enough 42-gauge wire for an acceptable output, you might use 43- or 44-gauge instead, just to get enough signal out of it without necessarily trying to make it “hotter”. Higher gauges were used in many old DeArmond pickups for just this reason, while several high-output pickups also use it to achieve their desired ends, and Fender’s petite Telecaster neck pickup has traditionally used 43-gauge wire to get enough output from the design, which is notably smaller than a Telecaster bridge pickup or a Strat pickup. Worth noting here is the fact that a change in wire gauge doesn’t just allow you to pack on more wire; it introduces a change in sound, too. This change is likely to affect the balance of highs, mids and lows, the pickup’s relative clarity or snarl, and other factors. Exactly how it affects these depends on other aspects of the design and how the coil is constructed, but be aware it will make a difference. For one example, Fender’s very early 1950 Broadcaster bridge pickup used 43-gauge wire and had a bright, fat, somewhat gnarly-edged bite to it, whereas standard Telecaster bridge pickups that followed were otherwise largely similar in construction but used 42-gauge wire, and their flavor of twang was somewhat clearer and tighter as a result, yet still meaty and bold. What happens when you wind several thousand revolutions of uninsulated wire around something? It becomes one big electric contact, and unending short. For this reason, all pickup coil wire is insulated to keep the entire length isolated from its neighboring wraps as it coils round the bobbin. Why should the type of insulation matter? It’s just the stuff that coats the wire, and the wire’s what generates the signal, right? True, but every minute variable in the way a pickup is made can have an (often surprising) effect on how it creates a signal, so it’s conceivable that different insulation materials might introduce different characteristics to the coil. The most commonly used insulating coatings are Formvar, plain enamel, and polyurethane, and each results in a slightly different thickness of insulation, and different degrees of relative stiffness or flexibility in the wire, too. Formvar-coated wire was used in Fender Stratocaster pickups until about 1964, when the company changed to plain enamel, and this slightly thicker, heavier Formvar therefore is the coating material you will hear bragged about most in the literature of contemporary winders keen to point out how rigidly they adhere to vintage Fender Strat specs. That being said, plenty of players have discovered the sonic charms of Fender’s so-called “gray bottom” pickups (named for their gray fiber bottom plates) that came into use around 1964 and into the ’70s, so often it’s not a matter of better or worse, but of “different.\" On the other hand, Gibson used plain enamel-coated wire for both its P-90 single coils and PAF humbucking pickups, while Fender was always using plain enamel for its Telecaster pickups, so this type of wire has come to be an essential ingredient of any repro PAF or vintage-style Tele pickup. On one hand, many great pickup makers will tell you “wire is wire.” On the other, many will also expound at length on the fact that insulation will both vary in thickness according to the material it is made from and will affect the inductance and capacitance of the coil according to that thickness. Arguably, the insulating material also affects mechanical vibration, and therefore resonance within the pickup, according to how hard/brittle or absorbent it is. In these ways a change of insulation coating material can indeed change the sound of the pickup in a very real way. As for what is better or worse, that will depend on the overall design of the pickup, and the tone you seek to achieve, so it’s best to read makers’ specs and descriptions regarding their individual designs, and to trust the best pickup winders to use materials that they feel are right for the job. Even when the same coil wire and components are used to make otherwise similar pickups, the way in which the coils in those pickups are wound will have an effect on their final sound. Which is to say, the even- or unevenness, tightness or looseness, regularity or irregularity with which the wire is wound onto a pickup’s bobbin or coil former will impact the results in different ways. All of these factors are introduced into the pickup’s construction by the winding technique, which is often influenced by whether the coil is wound on an automated machine (and what type of machine), on a machine with the wire hand-guided onto the coil as it builds up, or with even more hand work (few pickups are truly “hand wound,” however, which is no surprise when you consider how much time it would take to turn a coil by hand 8,000 to 10,000 times to get all the wire on there! Instead, the hand element usually involves how the wire is fed or guided onto the coil as it spins on some motorized device). Today, many pickups are wound in a specific attempt to replicate the “happy accidents” found in the randomness or irregularity of the best sounding vintage pickups. Aficionados often attribute some of the magic of good vintage-style reproduction pickups to a degree of looseness in the wind, which translates to a slightly microphonic pickup. By “looseness” we’re not talking about wire that’s flopping around to the extent that the coil is changing shape, or producing excessive feedback howl even at moderate volumes. But a touch of microphony can contribute to a lively sounding pickup, and when a coil is acting both as a microphone that pickups up direct guitar-body resonance in addition to its electromagnetic sensing of string vibration, it’s conceivable that it is producing a richer, more complex signal.Alongside this, the neatness and consistency with which the turns of wire are laid into the coil, or layered, is also responsible for certain sonic properties. The term “scatter wound” describes a coil that has been wound with a degree of calculated randomness, if you will. Manufacturers that employ this technique site the arguably sloppy winding of some vintage pickups, where wire was not layered up wrap upon wrap, precisely, as it formed around the bobbin, but occasionally made skips and jumps up and down the coil’s vertical plane. Coils might also be built up unevenly, with the wire stacked more widely or heavily toward the bottom or the center. Sloppy or not, scatter winding is also accredited with a liveliness of tone, and many modern manufacturers seek to reproduce it. Counter to this, other makers will promote the precision and regularity of their turns, and credit this with superior sounding pickups. A more tightly, evenly wound pickup is often considered smoother and clearer sounding, less prone to feedback, and might genuinely be the preferred choice for players seeking singing contemporary high-gain lead tones, for example. And all of this goes double for humbuckers, where the effects of coil winding are compounded because two coils will interact to produce a signal. In recent years, for example, many makers have discovered that one of the keys to creating an accurate-sounding reproduction of the hallowed Gibson PAF is to combine coils with different numbers of winds—one with 3,800 turns of wire, for example, with another of 4,300 turns. Since these mismatched coils result in slightly less phase cancelation when their signals are combined, they are attributed with enhancing the bite, edge, and high-end complexity of the pickup, and lending a certain single-coil-like depth to the midrange and a clarity to the lows. Less phase cancellation also means a little less hum cancellation, however, so evenly matched coils excel in noise rejection, while also being more smooth and even sounding, where that might be desirable. Too much microphony can lead to squealing feedback, especially from guitars played via high-gain amps or pedals. To quell this, many pickups are “potted” (dipped in melted wax or paraffin) to provide an overall dampening insulation within the coil windings to subdue unwanted vibration at high volumes. Akin to what is discussed above, an un-potted pickup’s microphony can be another vintage-associated characteristic, enhancing bite, edge, complexity and harmonic content. For smoother overdrive and less squeal at high volumes, though, potting is usually desirable. While potting is essential for some pickups intended for certain playing styles, others will benefit from being left unpotted. Given the “everything makes a difference” premise that we’ve worked on thus far, it won’t surprise you to hear that the basic physical shape of the coil will also influence how it sounds. Whether the same type and amount of coil wire is stacked up in a tall, narrow, vertical oval like a Stratocaster pickup (which tends to sound brighter and more focused) or a wider, fatter, more horizontally inclined oval like a P-90 (which tends to sound thicker and warmer), this shape can make a big difference in the final tone. As we know from Part I of this series, however, Strat pickups and P-90s have differences other than mere coil shape, so let’s compare two designs that are closer to being alike in all other ways. Consider Fender’s Jazzmaster and Stratocaster pickups: both have six alnico rod-magnet pole pieces and are held together by fiber top and bottom plates. Now, wind the same amount of wire around both configurations and you will get pickups with similar output levels, but significantly different sonic signatures: the narrow, tall Strat pickup will be tighter and brighter; the wide, thin Jazzmaster pickup warmer and thicker (though, of course, still pretty bright too). Much of this goes back to the basics of the electromagnetic device: building this structure around a different framework, and thereby rendering the ultimate shape of the device differently, also changes the structure of the magnetic field and results in pickups that read string vibration slightly differently. And that is compounded by the fact that differently shaped coils also simply behave differently, even when loaded with the same type and amount of wire, because the wire is spread along a different geometrical pattern. The wider pickup shape contributes to a wider magnetic window, which samples vibrations from a wider region along the length of the strings. A longer sample of the vibrating strings means more competing frequencies which, when blended, lead to a little phase cancellation and, therefore, a slightly warmer, less defined, less brightly focused sound. I’m talking extremes here, but you get the picture—and anyone who’s played a Jazzmaster and a Stratocaster side by side has heard the sonic differences that result from very similar ingredients. Over the past couple of years, we’ve spoken to a number of tone junkies who hail from all over the world and come from all walks of life. Until now, we’ve yet to explore and share this type of insight from WITHIN Mojotone; I think it’s time we take a dive into the knowledge base that is our headquarters, and see what Mojotone’s own Justin Fox has to say about his journey through music, sound, time, and space. Sounds like the start to any good story. But with Justin being one of the most gear-obsessed people we’ve ever met, we thought it fitting to see how this fascination with music soon turned into an equal fascination with gear. Nothing like a good old-fashioned Pro Reverb to get you fired up! Now, we’ve all known and known of Justin for quite some time, but he didn’t always work with us here at the shop. Ah yes, Michael McWhorter to the rescue; a familiar story to many of us here. Like I mentioned previously, Justin is a massive gearhead. Yeah Justin really is one of those mildly insane individuals who is constantly making gear trades, upgrades, and the like. He always has something new cooking. Speaking of “something new cooking,” we’re about out of time here, so I think we should probably see what Justin has planned for the next little while. You heard it folks. I know most of you have seen Justin jam in our Warehouse Session and our gear demos, which means you’re aware that Justin is a world-class ripper. Turns out, he’s an incredible songwriter as well. So do yourselves a big favor and go check out his latest release(s). Thanks for tuning in, as always, and we’ll being see you real soon! In the third installment of a four-part series for Mojotone’s tech-savvy readers, we explore the many variables in the design, materials, and construction of the magnets used in pickup construction, and their impact upon tone and performance. Most guitarists are aware that pickups are electromagnetic devices that—as the name implies—require a source of magnetism to do their work. That magnetism can be supplied in a wide range of different ways, however, all of which will do their thing slightly differently, though toward similar ends. Here in Part 3: Mighty Magnets we’ll explore different types of magnets used in pickup construction, how they are employed, and the varying structures that influence their performance, all with regard to the sonic results. Traditionally there have been two main categories of magnets used in pickup manufacturing: Alnico and ceramic. Some pickups are also made with rare-earth magnets like neodymium and samarium cobalt. For now, think of Alnico as the “vintage-voiced” magnet and ceramic as the “modern-voiced” magnet, while the rare-earth types might be considered “ultra-modern,” but there are exceptions to the rules in all camps. While absorbing all of this, though, it’s important to remember that similar magnets of each type are used in very different ways, and in many different pickup designs, so we don’t want to make any assumptions that “Alnico pickups all sound like this,” and so forth. Although there are some caveats to the rule, vintage purists are usually most interested in Alnico magnets, which most commonly come in four different types when used in pickup manufacturing: Alnico II, III, IV and V. Alnico II and V are usually the more common of the quartet, with III and IV occasionally used by some makers. Each formulation of Alnico is differentiated by the composition of the alloy, and the numbers ascend according to the strength of the magnet, though the change in formulation counts for more than just a “weaker-to-stronger” progression. Alnico is nominally made up of aluminum (around 10 percent), nickel (around 18 percent), and cobalt (around 12 percent), usually with some copper (around 6 percent) and plenty of iron (54 percent) to complete the alloy. Some Alnico also contains a small quantity of titanium and traces of niobium. Whatever the exact ingredients—and often even two different batches of, for example, “Alnico II” will arrive with slightly different proportions of these—Alnico II, III, IV and V do tend to exhibit slightly different magnetic characteristics and, therefore, contribute to different-sounding pickups. Alnico II, the weakest of them, is a little softer and sweeter than the others. Alnico III is still rather soft but perhaps a little richer and slightly bolder. Alnico IV tends to be noticeably punchier than II and III, with more definition in the highs, while alnico V is bolder, clearer, and more aggressive still. Please keep in mind this is comparing fine points, which are also accentuated or masked by other factors in any given pickup’s design and construction, so any differences attributable to magnet type might be nuanced at best. These distinctions do, however, point the way for thoughtful makers to dial in their recipes according to the tone and feel they seek from any given type of pickup. The choice of a particular formulation of Alnico will also often be made in an effort to chase a specific vintage tone, and based on what a contemporary manufacturer believes the original maker—Gibson, Fender, DeArmond, or whoever—used to make those particular pickups in the 1950s and ’60s. In truth, you could probably plug in a guitar loaded with pickups made with alnico II, III, IV or V magnets and describe all of them using any of the characteristics I have used above. You might even elicit similar flavors from yet another pickup made with ceramic magnets. But in close comparison, all else being equal, yes, these characteristics tend to play through enough for them to be accepted in the tone industry. Ceramic magnets became all the rage when makers in the 1970s in particular sought ways of making more powerful replacement pickups. Cheaper to produce and more readily available than Alnico, ceramic (aka ferrite) magnets sometimes get a bad rap in the pickup world, but that’s largely from the way they were used in the early days of ceramic pickups, and not due to any failing in the material itself. Ceramic magnets are made from iron oxide that is molded or pressed into a solid form with other compounds. This process is able to produce magnets that are relatively strong for their given size, and which tend to remain stronger throughout their lifetime. When such magnets first became popular in pickups in the ’70s, makers often also over-wound the coils in the process, creating pickups that were made to be extremely “hot” in every regard. The power of these things impressed many players four or five decades ago, winning fans in rock circles for their ability to drive the front end of many tube amps into easy distortion. Along with that power, though, the overall tone was too often thick, muddy and flabby, too, with ragged lows and harshly clipped highs, so many players determined that some of the hotter ceramic pickups weren’t good for much other than heavy rock. This isn’t the fault of ceramic magnets as such, it’s just how they were being used. Many players today still have a use for high-output ceramic pickups, of course, but they shouldn’t be considered representative of “the ceramic pickup” as a whole, and there are dozens of other excellent designs that employ ceramic magnets effectively. A number of excellent sounding G&L pickups, for example, including many designed by Leo Fender himself, use ceramic magnets. So do highly respected “boutique” pickups from both Joe Barden and Bill Lawrence, and plenty of excellent designs from DiMarzio and Seymour Duncan too. While the latter two makers often use ceramic magnets in pickups intended for heavy rock and metal players (although they do so today with due consideration of the full range of factors associated with ceramic magnets), many pickups from G&L, Barden and Lawrence aim to attain vintage-voiced sweetness and unprecedented clarity in pickups that appeal to jazz, blues and country players as much as to rockers. The designers of more nuanced ceramic pickups achieve their success by redrawing the blueprint, to some extent at least, and conceiving their pickups from the ground up with the properties of ceramic magnets in mind. This means, among other things, adjusting the number of wire turns considerably downward, in most cases, to maintain a broad frequency response and achieve a clean, dynamic performance. Simply substituting ceramic for Alnico as a hot-rodding effort—as was often done in the early days—usually results in a big but flat voice, and works for little else than super-high-gain rocking. Redrawing all the parameters accordingly and working with ceramic’s strengths, these makers produce pickups that are nuanced, musical, and extremely well defined. Depending upon what you do with them, you can convince your ears that they are “vintage sounding”, or entirely “modern.” In the end they are simply something different. Several adventurous pickup makers have also used rare earth magnets in new designs for quite some time. Tom Anderson uses neodymium in some of his more contemporary styled pickups, Ernie Ball Music Man uses neodymium in their new HT pickup range, and Bill Lawrence employed samarium cobalt in a series of pickups designed for Fender. Magnets made from these rare materials are very expensive, but also extremely powerful—as much as seven times as powerful as ceramic magnets of a comparable size—so much less magnetic material is required in the construction. On the whole, such magnets contribute to pickups that exhibit high fidelity and a broad frequency response, but as with the discussion of ceramic magnets, pickups using rare-earth magnets can be tapered to provide a range of responses. Ultimately, what the detractors of these high-end ceramic or rare earth pickups might hold against them most is their unfamiliarity. A player’s first experience with an alternative pickup design made with ceramic or rare-earth magnets can be daunting due to their fidelity and broad frequency response. Often, guitar and amp settings and playing style all need to be adjusted to account for the clarity and resolution that high-fidelity ceramic pickups such as these will present, and sometimes the experience is just too revealing for some players to enjoy. Others very much appreciate their sensitive, hair-trigger expressiveness. This discussion of magnet type is really only part of the picture. If we examined a dozen different makes of pickups that were all made with Alnico II magnets, for example, we would find in many cases that the actual magnets themselves are different shapes, lengths, weights, densities, and strengths. For one thing, any difference in the type of magnetic material will alter the “gauss” of the magnet, that is, the strength of the magnetic field and the extent to which it reaches out beyond the pickup itself. The size of magnet used, however, the way in which this magnet is built into the pickup as a whole, and its position in or below the coil will also affect the reach of the magnetic field, so even the exact same magnet material with the same gauss will result in two different magnetic fields in differently structured pickups. For more on the latter points, refer once again to Part One of this series, which discusses at length the extremely significant differences between pickups made with their magnets within the coil vs. those made with magnets underneath and steel pole pieces running through the coil. Regarding the magnets themselves, though, it’s important to remain aware that different shapes and sizes of what is otherwise the same material will lead to differing magnetic strengths and, therefore, slightly different tonal responses. Alnico magnets are most visible as the pole pieces of Fender single coil pickups, where six are used in each of the traditional Stratocaster, Telecaster and Jazzmaster designs, one visible under each string. As used in these great golden-age pickups, the magnets are inserted right into the bobbins (or more accurately, the “flatware”, the flat fiber top and bottom plates of the pickup), and therefore are contained right within the coil itself. The other most popular pickup types, the Gibson PAF-styled humbucker and Gibson P-90, also use alnico magnets, but they are hidden beneath the pickup, or rather, between the bottom of the bobbin and a base plate that holds the entire structure together. These pickups use alnico bar magnets—one magnet in the case of the PAF, two in the P-90—which transfer their magnetic properties to steel pole pieces that run through the coil(s), so the poles you see on these pickups are not the magnets themselves, although they do react with the magnet and help to determine the magnetic field. These notable differences in the positioning of the magnet(s) and the shape of the magnetic field are significant factors in the overall design of any pickup, and they play a big part in determining a pickup’s voice. Similar to the principals discussed to some extent in Part Two in relation to the shape of the coil, a wider magnetic field—something produced, for example, by the two rows of pole pieces within the two coils in a traditional Gibson humbucker—means a wider window for sensing string vibration, and a relatively thicker, fuller, warmer sound as a result. For example, a PAF-sized humbucker will sound “fatter” than a narrower mini-humbucker wound with exactly the same amount of wire and built with the same type of magnet, largely because of its wider magnetic window. (Note that Gibson’s full-sized and mini-humbuckers are not made the same way and with exactly the same amount of wire an magnetism; but if they were, they would still sound slightly brighter.) Given the discussion above, it stands to reason that every metal component involved in the construction of a pickup can influence its magnetic field to some extent, so all such parts also play a role in shaping any pickup’s sound. Obviously the individual steel pole pieces in a PAF-style humbucker or P-90 single coil have an impact on such pickups’ performance, since they relay the magnetism from the actual magnet(s) mounted below the coil to the strings passing above it. But the shape, density and composition of any other steel parts used in those pickups’ construction will also influence the magnetic field, and the pickups’ sounds as a result. As with so many other factors these might be fine points, but they are considerations that are paid close attention by—for example—small winders seeking to crack the code on vintage PAFs, while others generally remain aware that such components will affect their results in one way or another. That old tip about removing the metal cover from a humbucker to increase high-end response is known to many guitarists (in truth, it may or may not be a good thing, depending on what you’re after—and may or may not also damage a valuable pickup in the process), but few consider that, for similar reasons, a pickup’s metal base plate or other structures will also influence its magnetic field, its microphony, and other factors related to its performance. It’s difficult to say here exactly how such parts will affect different types of pickups, and it varies from one design to another, and from material to material, but the fact is worth keeping in mind. Consider for example—regarding a pickup very different from a PAF-style humbucker—that the metal base plate stuck to the bottom of a Telecaster bridge pickup, which enables it to be mounted on the three threaded bolts that suspend it from the bridge plate, also has an impact on this type of pickup’s sound. The base plate—in conjunction, to some extent, with the steel bridge plate itself via the three metal bolts—increases the Tele pickup’s inductance and marginally thickens its midrange response, in many cases, while also playing a role in the overall resonance and “liveliness” of that pickup design, as used in that particular type of guitar. In the end, the magnets certainly matter, but the way in which they are used—and everything else they come into contact with—also play a part in seasoning the sonic stew. One night when I was about nine years old, my brothers and I were playing around after we’d finished homework. My dad was sitting and strumming his guitar, singing along, as he often did. But this time, something caught my ear. I said: Hey guys, I’m going to go listen to dad. This was the moment that turned out to be the start of everything for me. It was the start of my life with the guitar, as a musician, as a repairman, and as a tech working with everyone from Stevie Ray Vaughan to Prince – from Carlos Santana to John Mayer. One small moment can make all the difference to your life. I sat there and watched my dad, how he moved his fingers. When he finished the song, I looked at him and said: How do you do that on a guitar? He showed me three chords, C major, F major, and G major. Soon, my mom ushered us off to bed. After a while I got up, snuck out, grabbed that guitar, and went back to my bedroom. Dad’s guitar was really hard to play – the strings on it were so high. But I sat there and learned those chords. I couldn’t wait to wake up the next morning and show him what I’d done. He said: Okay, you want to learn more, we’ll call your cousin. He plays a little guitar. That afternoon, my cousin showed up with a Fender electric guitar and amplifier. He showed me the blues, the boogie-woogie. He told me he couldn’t show me any more – that was all he knew. But I didn’t want to put it down. I had to continue. From then on, I always had guitar in my head. BEATLES CHORDS I grew up in Dallas, Texas, where I was born in 1952. I’m second generation Mexican-American. My parents always wanted the best for us – my grandparents even more so. They would say: you don’t need to be a bricklayer, you don’t need to be a manual worker, you need to get a job with a suit and tie. That kind of notion. When Mexican people came over to the States, they wanted to have a better life for their family, for their children. Then in 1963, the Beatles showed up and shook radio waves across the US. I started taking guitar lessons at a YMCA, and I brought my dad’s guitar along. The teacher took one look at it and said: I think you need to get this string replaced. A string had broken, and dad had just tied it together in a knot, which meant I couldn’t play the note on that one fret. When I went back and told dad, he took me down to the drug store. I thought we were going to get medicine or something. But when we get there, my dad says we are here for guitar strings. I had no idea you could put new strings on a guitar. This was another step in my guitar education. I was getting good at moving my fingers to the next chords without looking at my hands. But I wanted more. I wanted to learn how to play ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’ and other songs besides The Beatles. But I couldn’t get that at the YMCA: I was on my own. I was determined to learn how to play the songs I heard on my transistor radio as we rode the city bus back and forth to home from school. So I worked out the chords in my head by starting on the C chord I knew. When they changed the tone, I’d say to myself: This has got to be a G, this has got be an F, this has got to be an A. And so on. I was transposing in my head a song that nobody ever taught me. Once I got home, I’d wait for the song to come back on the radio, and lo and behold, I’d learned it! I thought: Oh, this is easy. But not every song started out with a C chord, and I knew I had to go further. One day, I was going through some LPs at a store, and a little booklet caught my eye. “Play Guitar With The Ventures!” was splashed across the cover. Inside, it contained finger patterns for four tunes. It had recordings to help you play along on rhythm guitar, lead guitar, or bass guitar. There was even a guy who’d introduce each part. I bought it and took it home immediately. By now I had a cheap Maxitone guitar, which kind of looked like a Stratocaster. My father had bought it for me along with a tiny Kent amplifier. I tuned up my Maxitone and played along to ‘Walk, Don’t Run’ by The Ventures. I was so excited that I ran into the kitchen and told my mother: Look, I can do it! That was the start of discovering music through books. When I got to high school, I wanted to go to the private Jesuit College Preparatory in Dallas that all my mates attended. But private has a price tag, and at first, I didn’t think I’d be able to go. My dad was running a car repair business, and he said he would put me through this school if that’s what I wanted. I told him I’d do whatever I could to help him pay for my education. And he agreed. My dad showed me how to do body work and fender repairs, which was alright. I didn’t like hitting things with hammers. But what I really enjoyed was painting the cars. We painted with what was called straight lacquer – or nitro-cellulose lacquer – which of course is what the great old guitars used. Although I didn’t know it, this was the beginning of guitar repair for me. I got so good that my dad told me I could do all the paint jobs and he’d do the body work. While I was working for him, my dad got a contract with a General Motors company to fix up repossessed cars. I started earning good money painting after that. With the extra cash, I decided to get some real guitar lessons, and I knew exactly what I wanted to learn: ever since a neighbor showed me an album by Los Romeros, flamenco was a done deal in my head. I was about 19 when I found my teacher, Darryl Saffer, at Frets & Strings. It was the only classical-guitar shop in Dallas. Turns out that Darryl personally knew the Romeros. I remember thinking: How strange is that? Of all the shot-in-the-dark teachers I could meet, I find this one. Well, that’s how my life has unfolded. One day at a lesson, Darryl asked me what I did for a living. I told him about the car painting. A week or two later, I drove a customer’s car to Frets & Strings for my lesson so I could deliver it afterward. Darryl was impressed with my handiwork. He asked me to paint his old Mercedes-Benz, and I agreed. When I went to deliver the refinished car to Darryl, he was in a lesson. While I waited, the guy at the register asked for my name. Oh, he said, so you’re René. Let’s go take a look at the car. I took him outside to look at Darryl’s Benz, and the guy asked if I’d ever thought about refinishing guitars. I said: Well, I don’t know how to do that. What kind of paint would I need? He smiled. The same kind of paint that you put on this car. That’s when I said goodbye to cars and hello guitars. There wasn’t much refinishing work at first, so I’d just go into the store and hang out. The owner there was David Caron, who I later found out was the principal violin maker in Dallas. He’d been making fiddles forever. When there wasn’t much going on, he and the other guy working there would take me on tours around the shop. At first it was the tools. I’d learn about sharpening chisels and knives and stuff. Next we got into french polishing, then working with color and matching cosmetic work. I got really good at putting color back after a repair and making it look like nothing had happened. I had been mixing paints with cars, so it came pretty naturally. I realize now that this was where I started getting into guitar repair. I told my dad this what I wanted to do, and he said: Go right ahead. Frets & Strings changed hands, and when David Caron left, I knew it was my time too. At first I started doing guitar repairs in the little apartment I had. I wasn’t getting a lot of business. This was going to take time. One day in 1976, a guy called me and said he needed a guitar repaired. He said his name was Charley Wirz and he’d just opened a guitar shop. He came over with a 12- string Fender acoustic, said there was something wrong with it. I told him you can’t fix these necks, they’re either good or they go bad. I was already proficient in repairing from my time at Frets & Strings. I could do anything: re-fretting and refinishing, setting up, re-gluing bridges, even fixing fiddles. Charley must have realized I knew what I was doing, and he hired me to do repairs at the new shop. There was no other store in Dallas like Charley’s Guitar Shop. It was just him and me. We’d do guitar repair, we bought and sold, we traded – used instruments only. My other big dream at the time was to be a concert classical guitar player, so my days were stacked. I was moonlighting, playing the guitar and working at Charley’s. I’d be at the repair shop from 10 to 6, then go and play in a hotel lounge from 6:30 to 9. The work was hard, but I didn’t mind – I was doing what I wanted to do. I was at Charley’s for 13 years, and we met a whole lot of people during that time – people form all over Dallas, musicians who didn’t have a whole lot of money, well known stars, guitar rock’n’rollers, bands who rolled into the city from out of town like Thin Lizzy or Chuck Mangione. They’d all heard you could get a good used guitar or get yours fixed at Charley’s. We were fairly priced, and we did good work. In 1981, I met Jimmie Vaughan there. He did some business with Charley, who waved at me, said: That’s René back there, he does all the guitar repair. I got to work on Jimmie’s guitar, and he told us about his little baby brother, Stevie Ray Vaughan. One day, Stevie came into town to play at a local bar, and Charley said: Let’s go down there and check him out. This was the first time I saw Stevie Ray Vaughan play. …but that’s a story for another time. We’ve talked to a number of guitarists over the years who all come from different walks of life. Today, we’re speaking to one Robby Baca; this man is an absolute guitar monster who holds it down for a prolific act by the name of “The Contortionist.” Robby has some great insight and happens to be working with Mojotone in the prototype stages of a set of really incredible pickups at the moment. This is a thing to which I believe the vast majority of us can relate. If you listen to the greats, you ultimately aspire to become one of them. Testing the limits has always been on the tone hound’s agenda. You have to see what kind of amp can handle the abuse! So Robby has been pursuing his career in music since the early days, and it seems he has made a VERY significant amount of progress. But with all of that real-world experience, all of those rehearsals, all of those tour dates, at some point there MUST be a lack of inspiration, right? Okay this feels like some of the best possible advice for any human involved in ANY field of work. If you’re feeling blocked, just force yourself to dive in. Makes sense to me, for sure. Now we want to talk a little about this mysterious prototype pickup Robby is using on the road. Can’t blame the guy for having a good head on his shoulders. I mean, I hate to brag, but one thing Mojotone knows how to do is make a rock-solid pickup whose only goal is to complement an artist’s sound. Alright alright, enough about us.. We love hearing these stories. Everyone at Mojotone is an aspiring musician who also happens to super duper love their own family life. It’s a balancing act, but those who wish to make it work, will always make it work. Respect, no doubt. Whelp, it’s time for us to hit the old dusty trail, but for those of you who wish to dig into Robby’s work a little further, you can catch the band “The Contortionist” on tour right now. Dates can be found here: https://www.thecontortionist.net/ Check out Robby and show him some love on social media here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robbybaca/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/robbybaca It’s not often we get to sit down with a fellow North-Carolinian who has made a big splash as a recording artist, so we figured it was about time we had a go at it. MC Taylor is the mastermind behind Hiss Golden Messenger – he’s been making huge waves as a singer, songwriter, and guitarist in the folk americana world for quite a while now. We recently had the chance to squeeze in a quick chat with him, and boy were we absolutely pumped! Already loving the breadth of influences we’re seeing here. This definitely has the makings of a unique artist. Letting a great instrument work for you and with you is absolutely a great approach. As we all know, passion is a huge part of the battle in the first place. If you have something great to say, a great instrument will only help you say it. This is a great way to think about things. Knowing where you and your instrument belong in a mix is absolutely crucial, and it’s a mark that many musicians miss. Hiss Golden Messenger has released a hefty bit of music and it seems like they are constantly touring and/or working on new material. In all that hustle and bustle, there have to be some moments where one might feel a little less inspired than others, right? Well said; much respect there. Alright so, what is tour like and how does he keep a level head and positive attitude on the road? I think we could all benefit from a routine like this, especially while on the road. All that work can be taxing and if you don’t give your body back the things you take from it, you might find yourself getting spread thin. Recently Taylor started using Mojotone’s Quiet Coil NC-1 Acoustic Soundhole Pickup; naturally, we wanted to see how that was working out for him and how it might contribute to his sound/performance… Well that may have just put a small….or large smile on all of our faces here at Mojotone. We worked hard on that pickup and we’re elated to hear about other hard-working folks getting some good use out of it. Alright, that’s about all the time we have. Before we go, why don’t we find out what Taylor and Hiss Golden Messenger are up to for the next little while… I don’t think anyone would blame the guy for that! That’s it for us today everyone; we’re so glad you stopped by to check us out and we’re extremely grateful to MC Taylor for joining us. Everyone go show Hiss Golden Messenger some love and make sure you tune in next time! In the final installment of a four-part series for Mojotone’s tech-savvy readers, we explore the many enigmatic specifications that play a part in any pickup’s sound and performance. Sometimes these can come together to provide some indication of how a piece of gear will perform—and in this case, a given type of pickup—but there is almost always more to it than the numbers can fully relate. Purchasing a set of pickups and installing them in your guitar with hopes of achieving a desired sound requires a massive leap of faith, so it’s totally understandable that many players hope to achieve some measure of advanced assurance by applying known specs, materials and construction techniques to the quest. To get anywhere with such efforts, however, we need to understand what the specifications really mean (and perhaps more importantly, what they don’t). The most important stats relating to pickups can often help us paint a rough picture of how they will sound, relative to others of the same type at least, but misapplying these same numbers will too often lead to disappointment in our tone-tweaking efforts. Part 4: Spec Check seeks to provide an in-a-nutshell view of why different pickups sound and perform the way they do, but only when considered alongside the many significant factors explored in the first three parts of the series. So, consider this one the icing on the cake, providing a real-world means of handling the specs that you will often see attached to these devices. Please note, also, that there is simply no scope in an article of this length (or that of any articles in this mini-series) to provide a comprehensive “tone guide” to all the individual pickups out there: search the number of pickup makers working today, large and small, and multiply that by the number of different models they offer and you’ll quickly understand how futile such an exercise would be. Even the best effort to do so would only risk leaving out the specific pickup that you happen to be interested in. But that’s the very point of this four-part Introduction to Pickups series from Mojotone: learn the important factors, components, designs and specifications relevant to any type of pickup, and you’ll go in with a decent understanding of how it is likely to sound. One of the most often-quoted specs for any pickup is “Resistance,” which is the measurement of a coil’s opposition (or “resistance power”) to a DC current, measured in Ohms. The same measurement of an AC component is called “impedance”, and it is also recorded in Ohms. As quoted in the specs sheet of most commercial pickups, the stated resistance implies that it tells us something about how “powerful” the pickup might be, although there’s more to it than that. For a Stratocaster pickup, for example, it might say 6.2k Ohms for a somewhat vintage-voiced product (where “k” means “times a thousand”, or 6,200). The conundrum in all of this is that standard electromagnetic guitar pickups create an AC signal, but we tend to measure only their DC resistance, simply because this is easier to do. As such, these specs that proliferate pickup-makers’ web sites don’t do the full job of telling you how hot or powerful any pickup is; they do, however, go some way toward helping you build up a picture of the pickup’s characteristics, once you know some other details and have several relative factors with which to compare it. Essentially, any pickup’s resistance measurement just tells you how big the coil is—that is, how much wire is wound around it—or how big the two coils combined in series are if it’s a humbucker. The trouble with using this as a set standard, however, is that different gauges of wire yield different resistance readings for the same given length. Thinner wire gives higher resistance readings in most instances because you can wind more around it than the thinner gauges of wire. The resultant pickup might not produce a greater perceived output despite the higher spec, but you can be fooled into thinking such pickups are “hotter”. The fact is, two otherwise similarly constructed pickups will not only sound different because of the different wire used—say, 43 AWG vs 42 AWG—they will give very different resistance readings as well. To give one example, this contrast applies to many replacement Telecaster bridge pickups that makers produce as “Broadcaster pickups,” using 43-AWG wire like that which Fender used in some of its earliest guitars. These can often yield DC resistance readings upwards of 10k ohms, which makes them appear particularly hot on paper when viewed alongside Telecaster bridge pickups otherwise wound with 42-AWG wire to a vintage-correct spec of around 6.5k to 7.5k ohms. But these Broadcaster pickups usually don’t sound dramatically more powerful than the 42-AWG pickups. They do, however, sound a little different in other ways. when trying to gauge the sound of any pickup, and for the most part they’re right. They do mean something, however, if you know all the other factors in a pickup’s design and construction and are using specs for resistance merely as a gauge to judge likely nuances between one pickup and others that are constructed identically in everything other than coil size (ie length of wire used). To that end, any weight given to resistance readings should be considered in light of all of the other things we have examined in the previous three installments of Introduction to Pickups. With that in mind, this spec might help to get you somewhere. For example, consider six similarly designed PAF-style humbuckers, made with the same materials. Attach six different DC resistance readings to these, and you can guess that the 6.85k-Ohm pickup might sound a little thin, bright and under-gunned in the bridge, but snappy and round in the neck; the 9.2k ohm pickup is likely to sound a little too fat and muddy in the neck, but will be meaty and thick in the bridge, and so on, with all sorts of gradations in between. But generalizing more broadly about a wide range of pickups’ power, or so-called “output”, by using DC resistance as a yardstick can be misleading. A pickup’s resistance doesn’t measure anything being “put out” at all, but is a static measure of its coil at rest, taken with a specially designed meter, and simply reads the length of X gauge of wire that has been wrapped around the coil. Greater or fewer turns of wire in a coil of a specific design will yield a more or less powerful result, respectively, but comparing the resistance readings of a Strat pickup, a Tele pickup, a Gibson P-90, and a Gretsch Filter’Tron will get you nowhere. Even if all read exactly 6.5k ohms you can guarantee they will all sound very different, and even exhibit distinctly different output levels, driving your amp to varying degrees. To get a fuller specs-based picture of how any given type of pickup might sound relative to others of the same breed, we can consider resistance on conjunction with “inductance”. The Concise Oxford English Dictionary tells us that inductance is “the property of an electric circuit that causes an electromotive force to be generated by a change in the current flowing.” So much for the pure science—what does that mean in terms of tone? Inductance is measured in a unit called “Henries”, and to put it in perhaps overly simplified terms, such a reading tells us how “fat” a pickup will sound. As a general rule, the higher the inductance, the more restrained the high end, and the thicker the mids and lows. Unusual or irregular winding patterns, metal components in contact with the magnet and coil structure, and other factors can all raise a pickup’s inductance above what the raw coil might read on its own. To provide some examples, the average Stratocaster pickup will have an inductance of between 2 and 2.5 Henries, while the average traditional PAF-style humbucker will register something above 4 Henries. The average Telecaster bridge pickup, on the other hand, will read a little over 3 Henries. Fewer pickup makers provide specs for inductance than for resistance, but it’s something that more and more people are aware of, and you can usually find it if you poke around, or simply ask. As with all other specifications, though, shopping according to inductance readings is only likely to disappoint or confuse your efforts to achieve the pickup that’s right for you. In conjunction with all of the other factors we have discussed, however—coil type and wire gauge, magnet type and position, general pickup design and construction, and resistance—it gets you further toward an understanding “on paper” of how that pickup might perform relative to others that are similarly made. The only real way to know how any pickup sounds, of course, is to put it in your guitar and play it. Hopefully these four installments of Introduction to Pickups, taken together, will get you somewhat closer to identifying and finding the ideal pickups for your own personal tone. Happy hunting! In the last episode, I talked about the time in the 80s when I was working as the repairman at Charley’s Guitar Shop in my home town of Dallas, Texas. One special day, Stevie Ray Vaughan came into town to play at a local bar and Charley Wirz, the shop’s owner, suggested we should go down and check him out. Now, everybody thinks Jimmie and Stevie were from Austin, Texas, because that’s where they wound up residing later in life, but that’s not actually where they came from. They were born, and grew up in, a part of Dallas called Oak Cliff, which is perhaps the reason they may have been inclined to visit Charley’s. Jimmie had walked into Charley’s one day in 1981, along with his bass player, Keith Ferguson, and Jimmie wanted me to do some work on his Stratocaster. He asked me to fix some problems with the frets, and he needed it done quickly because he and The Fabulous Thunderbirds were performing in Dallas. As it happens, Charley’s was just the right kind of store—one that would cater to the traveling musician who needed some work done, usually in a hurry, so they could perform and then move on. Jimmie told his baby brother, Stevie, that he liked what I’d done to his guitar and that he should check out Charley’s Guitar Shop when he had the chance. Stevie called the shop and said he was playing in town at a local bar—as far as I recall, this was probably 1982, and the bar was likely the New Bamboo in Dallas. So naturally, we all went down to see Stevie and Double Trouble play. ...with just enough room for Chris Layton’s drum set; Stevie in the front, and bass player, Tommy Shannon, off to his right. I remember there was a small Fender combo and a Marshall combo up there. The club had a little dance floor, a few tables, a bar — and that was it. This was my introduction to hearing Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble play. It was amazing. Here was this young man, younger than me, playing electric guitar and having this huge sound come out. I’d gone along simply to see some band perform, as you do, just going to a bar with some friends; I didn’t know anything about them or what they did. It wasn’t “hey, here’s this fantastic Jimi Hendrix-guitar-playing-guy.” It was just “Jimmie Vaughan’s younger brother.” And it was awesome. During the break, Stevie came up to Charley and spoke with him, and this was like meeting any other band in a club—a quick “Hi, how you doing?” But we got to meet properly the next day when Stevie came into the shop. That was a better way to meet; a much calmer situation than trying to speak in a bar. ...or the band’s tech, Byron Barr, would come over and buy some strings and other supplies; this is how we all got to know each other. They were always traveling with everybody together in a van—the band, the equipment, the tour manager, the tech—and they would drive from city to city doing their shows. Byron did everything; the all-around man. He handled the equipment, he did the driving, he did all the technical stuff. One day, Stevie came into the shop and had a guitar with him. He was talking with Charley – I was in the back repairing – and Charley called out, “Hey René, Stevie needs some help with his guitar, can you help him out?” Stevie brought his guitar back to me, so I put down what I was doing and talked with him. He opened up the case and took out a sunburst Stratocaster with a rosewood neck, the guitar later known as Number One. I asked what seemed to be the problem, and he said he needed to get this thing to play better. I said, “OK —you want me to set this up for you?” And Stevie said yes. I asked my normal questions. What tuning do you have? He told me he tuned his guitars to E-flat, and I asked him why. He said it was because he had a hard time singing in regular E. What gauge strings do you use? He pulled out some sets of strings from the little box inside the case to show me. You have to remember what we had to work with in this era. We didn’t have the intricate gauges of strings that we’re used to now. As far as I recall, Stevie had a .013 on his Stratocaster as the first string, then for the second he would have maybe a 16 or 17. His third string was plain, not wound, and that would have been a 20 or 22. And then it was wound strings, with the increments something like a 24 or even a 28 for the G, a 36 or 38, maybe, for the A, and then the biggest one, the low E, he used a 58 or 60. It’s hard to remember exactly what he had then, but if I said from 13 to 60, I imagine that would be about right. Then he passed me the guitar. I tuned it up, took measurements, looked at the neck—all the things I’d normally do before I start working on a guitar. Then I handed it back and said: “You hold it, play it. Tell me what it’s doing, what it’s not doing, what you like, what you don’t like.” ...right there in my space at the back of the shop. And it was like any other guitar player that would bring in a guitar to have it set up. He told me that it just didn’t feel right and didn’t play right. Being a player as well, I understood what he was looking for. I asked Stevie if he’d ever taken it to anybody to get it to do what he wanted it to do. He goes, “Oh yeah, I’ve taken it to a lot of places.” I asked what they did to it at these places. He tells me, “Well, they would do this and that, I’d play it, and I’d tell them it still doesn’t feel right.” He said they would get a little frustrated because they’d been working on it for more than two or three minutes! He said they just told him that’s it, that’s all they can do, and it should be fine. But he wasn’t satisfied. He was still unhappy, but he just had to leave with his Stratocaster the way it was; with whatever they had done to it. I figured he was trying to tell me they just couldn’t give him what he wanted. I carried on making my checks. I had a six-inch ruler to gauge height and give me information about a guitar so I can do what I do. Stevie looked at me with this ruler and asked what I was doing. I told him I was taking measurements so that if I made any changes and there was anything he didn’t like, I could put it back the way it was. That way, at least he’d be able to pick it up again and play it the way it was. I guess he thought it was cool that I would take measurements of a guitar first, and not just dive in and start turning buttons and screws and pitches and all that. And I noticed some things on it that weren’t quite right, so I said to give me a few minutes and then I’d bring it out to him. I noticed that the neck wasn’t straight, so I straightened it out. Then I tuned it back to E flat. Next, I took a look at the measurements of the strings, and they had lowered down – when you straighten the neck out, the strings come down a little bit because it’s not bowed. So when I gave it back to him, the action was a little bit lower. I said try this. He goes, “Can you raise the action up?” So I started raising it up, little by little, tuned it up with my strobe, and gave it back to him. And that’s how we started to set up this guitar. He was still asking me to take the action up, more and more, and I knew I would have to change something else to keep going up without running out of room. You only have so much height on the screws to raise up the saddles at the bridge to bring the strings up. So I had to get some taller saddle-height screws, and I had to change the neck angle. But I thought to myself “ah, so this is what the other techs didn’t want to do.” They didn’t want to change the angle of the neck. It was just a presumption on my part, but I figured they didn’t want to do that. I told Stevie again that this was going to take me a little bit longer, to bear with me; he was fine with that. “I’ve got all day,” he said. So I took the neck off, put a shim underneath it—Fender also does this, it’s not unusual. I simply wanted to give him what he wanted. A couple of hours later, I was able to get the height where he liked it. Finally, I said to try it out. When he played it, he said, “Ahhh, that’s it. How did you do that?” I said well, I’m just doing what I need to do, that’s all. And he was so pleased. I said to let me put on a new set of strings now, because it’s important to start fresh. So I went back and put new strings on it, and then I strobed it again to make sure everything was in tune. This was the final part of the setup of a guitar that I would do with every customer—new strings. ...out in the shop, and he started playing it, going, “Ah man, sounds good!” I told him I was going to take care of some things in my space. “You go ahead, take your time and play with it some,” I said. I went back, and I could hear him and Charley talking as he was playing. Charley asked what he thought, and he said, “Oh man, I didn’t think this could be done.” Stevie came back over to me. He had the guitar in his left hand, and he put out his shaking hand, his right hand, and he said, “René, thank you so much for taking the time.” I said you’re welcome, no problem. “Everybody else,” he said, “I guess they didn’t know what they were doing.” That’s how Stevie and I began our guitar relationship with each other, our working relationship. It didn’t take long before we were working much more closely together; but that’s a story that will have to wait for next time. As things went on, we got to know each other much better; we became closer, we became friends, all the time right through to his death. And Stevie didn’t care about how I looked, the color of my skin, or anything like that. He respected my mind. And I was a Texan! Stevie really liked his fellow Texans. ...when he brought a Stratocaster into Charley’s Guitar Shop in Dallas, where I worked repairing guitars. I set up his Strat and he was pleased with my work. By the start of ’85, Stevie and I, along with Charley Wirz who owned the shop, were getting to know each other. Stevie would often stop by the shop to say hello when he was in town. I sure was busy back then! I worked from 10 in the morning until 6 in the evening, Tuesday through Saturday, and then I’d leave and go to a local hotel where I performed on solo guitar in the lounge until 9 at night. I had a pretty full day. But I was young, it was no problem—I got plenty of rest, and I’d wake up ready for the new day. We got a call to say that Charley had died suddenly while visiting the NAMM instruments trade show in Anaheim. It was a terrible time, but somehow we got through it. Stevie Ray and his brother Jimmie played ‘Amazing Grace’ on electric guitars at Charley’s funeral. Right after that, I was the only one at the shop, with a friend or two helping us out. Carol, Charley’s widow, wasn’t sure if she would keep the business going. One time, Stevie Ray was doing a recording out at the Dallas Sound Labs studio in a local area called Las Colinas. He began showing up more, and I thought maybe he was missing Charley and wanted to be a part of the store. Once, as he was buying a guitar we had in the shop, he took me aside and said, “Let me talk to you real quick. Are you still playing over there?” I said, “If you mean at the lounge, then yes, I am.” He said, “OK, I just might pop in, say hello, come up for a drink.” ...looked up at one point, and there he was at a table, just part of the audience. I did a very short set, put my guitar down, and went over to sit with him. I said, “Man, what are you doing here?” He said, “I wanted to come up and see you play. I want to talk to you about something. Can you come by the studio tonight after you get done?” I said, “sure.” Later on, I went over to the studio. He didn’t ask me anything right away. Ten’o’clock rolled around, then 11, and as midnight was popping up, I told him I had to go, that I had to go to work tomorrow, then play tomorrow night, and I’m tired. He goes: “Hold on a second, just give me a few minutes.” I asked, “to do what?” He goes, “For guitars. To help fix guitars.” I said, “nah, why would I want to do that?” He goes, “I’m talking about with me.” Oh, right! I told him how I had a lot of customers at the guitar shop, that it had taken me 13 years to build up the clientele. But then he offered me a job, right then and there, just like that. He asked how much money I was making, I told him, and he made me an offer. I said well, I don’t know right now—but no, I don’t think so. He just said, “think about it.” I left the studio around midnight, went home, went to work the next morning, did my thing, went and played that evening. Nothing changed in my head about what I had said. I wasn’t even pondering the idea because I had pretty much made up my mind that I wasn’t going to go do it. I met a friend, we were talking about Stevie, and I told him what had happened. He says, “Why don’t you go do it?” I said, “no, I’ve got too much going on already.” And all my friend said was, “well, you can at least try it for a couple of days or a week, and you can always come back to what you’re doing anyway.” I hadn’t thought of it like that. And I guess that’s what persuaded me to go ahead and try it. Later I called Stevie, said OK, I’ll do it, but I just want to try it out to see what I think. I was honest with him. And that’s how it started. We agreed I’d try it out at a show that was going to happen in New Orleans. It wasn’t far off, it was just one night, and then I’d fly back home. That was to be my first show to see how things were going to be, to see if I liked it or not, to see if I could deal with this. ...only because he asked me to and I said I would. I said I hoped it wouldn’t hurt if she didn’t have a repairman for one day. And she said sure, you go do what you think you need to do —you’re doing everything here and working hard. I also had to tell the people at the hotel, and the manager said, “no problem.” At the start of May 1985, I flew out early one morning to New Orleans. The gig was part of the annual Jazz Fest there and it took place on a concert cruise boat, the Riverboat Princess, which would go up the Mississippi for a while and then back. Inside, the boat had a performing stage, lots of chairs and tables for the people to sit at, and there was space for them to dance if they wanted. At the hotel, I ran into Stevie Ray’s guitar tech, Byron Barr, and we talked about the time we’d need to leave for the gig. Well, it turned out to be a real experience! Everything seemed good when we turned up and boarded the boat. They set me up with a work box with a tuner and everything, and we did a soundcheck while still at the shore. That went fine. I checked over Stevie Ray’s guitars, and he was happy. ...I could sense there was something going on. Byron, I guess, felt like he was out of place with me there. He wasn’t angry or anything like that, he seemed happy to see me, but I felt something was just a little different. The new kid on the block, that kind of thing. And I was nervous, too. I was in the deep end. I had never done a real professional show before, and I wanted to make a good impression. I didn’t know how Stevie Ray was going to handle the guitar. I had to learn everything from step one all the way through. ...as far as I recall they were the guitars later known as ‘Number One’ and ‘Lenny’, and possibly also the one called ‘Yellow’. I would set up and tune the guitars, give them to Byron, and he would do all the guitar changeovers. Everything in the soundcheck when we were still docked went fine, and Stevie Ray came over and just gave me a big hug and said he was so glad I was there. Next, it was a matter of waiting until the show started. People started coming in, and then the boat took off on the water and moved away from the shore. And that’s when my problems began. ...and Stevie Ray was not too ecstatic about what was happening. I didn’t understand why, but I could see the look he had. After the first song, he turned around and grabbed the guitar and said something to Byron. Then Byron gave me the guitar and goes, “he says the guitars are not in tune.” I was puzzled, but I said OK, and I looked into it. I had the band’s strobe tuner, a Peterson-420 (I still have this tuner and still use it today), and the guitar was fine. The other guitar came back, Byron comes over, and again, “he keeps saying the guitar is out of tune.” I didn’t know what to think or what to do. The tuner could not be wrong. Stevie Ray struggled with tuning right through the first set. Their break came up, and there was time to spare because we’d stopped back at the shore to let off the first-show people and bring in the new audience. The production manager, who was also doing front-of-house, talked to Stevie Ray, and then he came over and talked to me. He said that there’s something going on with the tuning, that Stevie Ray says the guitar and the piano are not in tune. I replied that I didn’t understand, that I’d checked my strobe tuner and everything was fine. Those terms—shore power, generator power—were unfamiliar to me. But I quickly understood! I said, “Why didn’t anybody tell me?” I asked where the generator was, and we went off to find it. It had a gauge on it that showed the output in volts. I checked out the number, and it was about three points less than it should have been for regular voltage. I said OK, let me try something. I went back to the stage, and when the boat started and we were taking off, I reset the vernier control on the strobe tuner to compensate for the drop in voltage I’d seen on the generator. Then I re-tuned the guitars. When I did that, and the band went on, Stevie Ray turned around and looked at me. He mouthed slowly, “this…is… much…better.” I could read his lips. And I was feeling better too! I thought well, I’ll be damned, that worked! Where do you find this sort of information? In a book? You don’t. I hadn’t come across this in any of my prior experiences, but we got through the night. Stevie Ray came back after the show, and goes, “Oh René, that was so much better—what did you do?” It was like: Did you pull out a magic wand or something? He goes, “Well, you did it!” To be honest, I wouldn’t have cared if Stevie Ray had let me go that night, because I didn’t need to do this job. I could have gone back to my shop and fixed guitars. But no. This turned out to be the start of something really big in my life. Still to this day, I’m always looking to find out how to fix something. If there’s a problem, maybe I will go through some frustration, maybe I will beat myself up with a stick for a few minutes. But I’ll always shove right back and ask myself, well, what could I have done to fix this? I think that’s how I’ve gotten along with all the artists that I’ve ever worked with in my subsequent career. Not only Stevie Ray, but Prince, Carlos Santana, John Mayer, and many others as well. The gig on the Riverboat Princess marked the beginning of the five years I spent working with Stevie Ray Vaughan—and I’m forever grateful that I managed, on that special night, to figure out the difference between shore power and generator power. In the last episode, I was at my first gig, in 1985 with Stevie Ray Vaughan, who asked me to go on the road with him to set up and maintain his guitars. That gig on a riverboat in New Orleans marked the start of five eventful years I spent working with Stevie, right through to his tragic death in 1990. I knew nothing at the time about ohms, about amperes, and all that, because I’d never had to deal with these technical things about electronics at Charley’s Guitar Shop in Dallas, where I worked beforehand. Charley Wirz had done all the electronic stuff there. I really didn’t know what I’d gotten myself into! I thought I was just going to tune guitars, set them up, and that was it, because that’s what Stevie told me about my new job. He said, “You’ll take my guitars, make sure they’re in playing order, that they’re set up the way I like them and tuned up—I play in E-flat. Just make sure everything works on them. And that’s it—that’s your job.” And I knew those things very well from the years I’d spent repairing and maintaining guitars at Charley’s. As for electronics, though, it was a matter of adding to my knowledge – hands-on, first-time. I’d get a schematic, and talk to somebody who wired these things. I started learning the language of electronics. So my job was also to ask questions, a day-by- day learning process. It was electronics 101, and the beginning of an enjoyable learning curve for me. ...so that I could improve the instrument to make it better for a particular guitar player. Some people would say, “well, if you’ve been doing this for so long, how come you can’t do it without measurements?” I would say, “it’s like going to your automobile, opening up the hood, and just hugging your car to find out what you have inside your engine.” Just hug it, and oh, it feels like I’m a quart low, or half a quart low. No! You pull the dipstick out, look at the measurement on it to see how much oil is in there, and then fill it up if you need to. It’s the same thing with a guitar. You can’t go by feel alone. I had a set of regular string-height measurements I used—I even printed them on the back of my business card, but no one seemed to notice. They would be good for you, for me, for John Mayer, for Carlos Santana, all these guys; and that’s what I still use today. But that’s not what I used for Stevie Ray Vaughan’s guitars, because he was unique and he liked super-high action. I wouldn’t have printed those particular measurements, because they wouldn’t apply to the everyday guitarist. This applied to Number One, the Stratocaster he used mainly at this time, as well as his other Strats. First, the tremolo bridge had to be flat on the body. He had it where it was tilted a little bit, and I told him it needed to be set straight flat on the body. He asked me why, and I told him because he can have more tone. When I said that, he was all over it! I said the more mass you have coming out, the more it’s going to be reflected in your amplifier, or whatever you’re plugged into. I said we needed all five springs in the back of the tremolo, and this thing had to be tightened up really good, so it’s flat against the body—but not so tight where you can’t use the tremolo. That was a new thing for him. We tried it, because once I did things he had to try them, to see if I was correct or not. He tried the arm, and he said this isn’t hard at all, it’s great! I said sure, it comes right back, and you still have more tone. You could hear the difference without even plugging it in. I saw that by lowering the bridge down to the body, the strings had come down in height. Stevie said he didn’t like the way that felt, they were too low. So I kept raising them up to give him what he wanted. Finally he said hey, this feels great, and I knew we were at the right place. I’ve had the question many times about his left-handed Strat tremolo and why he used that. But I never probed into why people did things. It was none of my business. I felt that if Stevie wanted to tell me why he did that, well, he would. He never did, and I never asked. I just assumed, like everybody else is assuming, that he wanted to do it for the Hendrix tone. Hendrix had his tremolo bridge reversed, because he was a lefty playing right-handed guitars. You have to press down on the strings at the saddles with your thumb, because the big strings he used—he used around a .013 up to a 58 or 60— those lowest ones were fat and round, and when they came over the saddles they actually arced. They needed to be pressed down so they went straight out, perfectly, from the saddle point all the way to the nut point. He didn’t know this, and he would tell me how he kept getting this strange frequency when he hit a string, this nyeeur, nyeeur sound. So pressed down on the big strings, and once again he heard the difference and started to understand. And Stevie was no dummy, he was really smart. Using my trusty six-inch ruler marked in 32nds and 64ths, I’d set the string heights for Stevie. At the nut they were 1/64th of an inch from the top of the fret to the bottom of the string. The only one different would be that big E—which was 1/64th- plus. I gave it that name because it wasn’t 2/64ths, it was 1/64th of an inch... plus. It was just underneath, in between the 1/64ths and the 2/64ths, so I just called it a plus. At the 12th fret, the measurement for the big E was 5/32nds, same for the A and the D. Comes to the G-string, that was lower, at 4/32nds, and the same for the B and E- string. So 5/32nds for the big ones, 4/32nds for the little ones. But when you’re playing in E-flat like Stevie did, and you have those big strings it’s really not that bad. Then I’d strobe it out, put it in tune intonation-wise, because if you didn’t do that, everything that’s gone before is worthless. I’d push the saddles back toward the end of the guitar to set the intonation, so that the harmonic at the 12th fret matched the note there, using the strobe tuner. As for his frets, I can tell you that he had certain frets that came with the guitar, whatever they were, because Fender made guitars with a smaller fret and a bigger fret. But he would wear out his frets. I told him the best thing to do was to use the biggest fret we could put on there, and I had to refret Number One several times. With those bigger frets on, I told Stevie it would work for him, that it would be easier to play. The Stratocasters he used employed the later five-way switch—they were made with three-ways a long time ago, and then the five-way came into play. So I would listen, and then I’d raise the pickup on the bass side or the treble side, listen again, and I’d make sure I got five distinct tones from each setting—the middle, the bridge, the neck, the neck and middle, the middle and bridge. Then when I got that, and heard that everything seemed to be neutral as far as tone, all the way across, I knew I’d got a good starting place to get the pickup heights Stevie liked. I’d go well, it’s not more tone that you’re going to get, you’re going to get more volume. And I said but do remember those magnets are strong, and they will pull the string and not allow it to waver properly. He didn’t understand that at first, and then he said, “Ah, so I’m doing something not right—I’m making the tone go away because the magnet is so close to the string?” I told him that was right, and that when we got it as close as we could without it bothering him, that’s the right height. And I said to use his amplifier. Turn it up! Don’t mess with the guitar. Now, with the neck straight, the bridge set down properly on the body, and the guitar in tune, I’d take a look at the nut to make sure it was cut properly, that the strings were sliding back and forth there, all the way across. If they got stuck at the nut, it would go out of tune really bad. I’d already created my special lubricant before I went out on the road with him, and that was what I wound up using for Stevie. Stevie asked me, “What is it you’re putting in here?” I’d first seen the violin maker, David Caron, in Dallas putting pencil lead in the grooves of a fiddle’s nut and bridge to help the strings move back and forth. But I found pencil lead tricky to use. Then I was in an auto parts store and I saw graphite powder for sale, to help stop your car door from freezing up. So I bought some, but it still wasn’t quite right—it was so powdery that even a little breath could take it away. I mixed something in to cure that, and it stayed in and worked great for guitar nuts. That’s my GraphitALL guitar lube, which I still make and sell today. Once we had his Number One set up, he would look at me and say, “Hey, man, just keep doing what you’re doing!” He knew that whatever it was I would do, it worked for him, that the guitar worked the way he wanted it to. It was one less thing for him to worry about when he was playing. I’m not going to say I was special, because that seems like an ego thing. I don’t want to do that. I just want to say that I’m a repairman—and until I came along and he hired me, he didn’t have a repairman with him on the road. I’m not a guitar tech. To me, a guitar tech is a guy who brings the gear out, pulls the guitars out, tunes them up, changes strings if they need them, and then hands them to him. He told them my hands were too valuable and he didn’t want them getting hurt. So, I guess I’m a repairman. I’m able to fix things and make them work. Until I started working with him, Stevie didn’t know anybody who could do that. And that’s what I call my magic. These days, it seems more and more rare to find a successful band with the staying power of North Carolina-founded ‘Between the Buried and Me.’ This grammy-nominated band was formed in 2000, and has since released twelve full-length studio albums, along with a number of live albums; they continue to tour regularly and are constantly pushing the boundaries of the metal genre by infusing their music with a diverse array of influences. Paul Waggoner, guitarist and founding member of BTBAM, approached us years ago about designing a signature pickup to go along with his signature guitar and we jumped at the opportunity. The result was the ‘PW Hornet’, one of our most popular humbucker models and an absolute force to be reckoned with. We recently had a chance to catch up with Paul; BTBAM has been extremely busy over the last many years and it’s probably getting difficult to count up the victories, both big and small, but nonetheless we wanted to hear about some of Paul’s personal wins… For reference, Paul opened a roastery/cafe in Charlotte, North Carolina a while back – it was a rad joint for sure. Given the ever-changing nature of the music industry as a whole, we hoped to get some insight from a hard-working musician as to some of the challenges that have been presented by this shifting landscape… The BTBAM camp has always been well-versed when it comes to their stage and studio gear, and they’ve experimented with just about everything under the sun.. Well said, the gear gods have indeed blessed us all with intuitive and travel-ready digital rigs for touring. Speaking of gear, let’s hear a little bit about the creation and evolution of his signature Mojotone pickup, the ‘PW Hornet’. Paul’s Gen 2 PW Hornet is available on our site now, and you definitely need to have a look at his signature Ibanez PWM20 – a beautiful creation packed with all kinds of wizardry. Well folks, it’s about that time but before we go, we must surely see what Paul and the band have coming up over the next little bit… Sounds like the boys are still doing what they do best. A big thanks to Paul Waggoner for taking the time to catch up with the Mojotone team – and an equally sizable thanks to all of you fine people for tuning in! Make sure you check out the PW Hornets at Mojotone.com and go give BTBAM some streams on your platform of choice! The space-saving speaker cabinet category is nothing new. But we’ve taken the extra step of making them lighter. If you’re trying to find info on lightweight speaker cabinets, you’ve come to the right place. Whether you’re saving space or conserving energy our lite speaker cabinets serve a specific need for guitarists in the compact speaker cabinet category. We’re going to light dive into a handful of the options we’ve designed to help you save space and make it easier for you to transport your gear. This list of small speaker cabinets has both time-tested lite cabinets and new-to-market lite speaker cabinets to whet your appetite. So here's how this will work. First we're going to go through the tech that goes into our lightweight speaker cabinets, answering some common questions. Next we'll talk about the cabs themselves, and we will finish off with a comparison. By using pinewood we are able to reduce the weight of these cabs, keeping the same tone and most of the same volume that you’d pull from their bigger bodied counterparts. Of course the smaller lightweight cabinets don’t have the same volume as our bigger (still small in comparison) compact speaker cabinet. We take advantage of physics, pouring more blood sweat and tears into these lightweight speaker cabinets to deliver optimal quality in a smaller package. These aren’t just small speaker cabinets with micro parts. Our lite cabs maintain the same finger jointed internal brace that we use in all of our cabinets, which means they will hold up to moisture and humidity. The Mojotone Lite 112 is the lightest loaded 1x12 cabinet we have ever made, weighing in at 18 lbs loaded with an 8 ohm Celestion Neo Creamback Speaker. A great cabinet for small rooms, rehearsals or any stage where you will be mic'd, the Mojotone Lite 112 is easy to transport and sounds great. 3/4\" Solid pine shell with handmade 1/4\" finger joints. 1/2\" ply 100% void-free Baltic birch ply speaker baffle. Designed to pair up perfectly with a Princeton Reverb® or Tweed Deluxe®. Sounds great with an Orange Tiny Terror®, Vox Night Train®, Mesa Mini Rec®, Marshall Class 5® and many other amplifiers. This is our British version of the 1x12 Lite. Internally this is the same as the 1x12 Lite American. So if you’re playing smaller clubs or need more portability and want a British speaker cabinet this is for you. Our lite 4X12 cabinet weighs half as much as a standard 4X12 speaker cabinet. Zero compromises were made during the development of this small speaker cabinet. The shell is not full of holes, it's not \"weight relieved\". This cabinet is constructed from premium grade 3/4\" solid pine and joined with precision cut 1/4\" finger joinery. Wrapped to perfection, arriving at the gig or rehearsal in style. And even better - you won't have to ask your band mates to help you move it around. The lightest 4x12 on the market, you’ll find the shell and construction to be the same as its British counterpart. Playing a large venue with little roadie support and going for an American look? You won’t find a lighter 4x12 to play with. The Mojotone Lite 2X12 American style speaker extension cabinet is an ultra lightweight option that does not sacrifice tone. Built using 3/4\" solid pinewood, joined with precision cut 1/4\" Finger Joints for added durability and long lasting life, our Loaded lite 2X12 will get the job done at rehearsal and at the big show! Cosmetically British with the medium footprint and construction from its American equivalent. If you’re playing a 300-900 person venue and are strapped for space you’ll find all the tone and volume you need in a 28” footprint and 30 lbs. loaded cabinet. The choice really comes down to aesthetics, size, and your lifestyle; the lightweight speaker cabinet that you decide to run is yours to make. You’ll notice in our selection that we included both British and American Style cabinets, where the only difference is look and feel, but we also included different sizing depending on your venue, mode of transportation, etc. The \"American style\" is geared towards customers looking for a classic \"Fender\" vibe. They all feature a 4 panel wrap method with Chrome Glide amplifier feet. Whereas the \"British style\" is geared towards customers looking for a classic \"Marshall\" look and feel. All of our British speaker cabinets feature a 1-piece wrap method, baffle piping and large rubber amplifier feet. The 112 Lite American / British is a compact speaker, lightweight, and best suited for micro sized amplifiers. They are also recommended for small clubs (less than 200 people) and small rehearsal spaces. Starting around 2014, amplifier manufacturers started producing micro versions of their flagship products. Specific examples of products that pair well with the 112 Lite would be: Mesa Boogie Mini Rectifier, Orange Tiny Terror, Quilter Labs, Vox Night Train, etc. These sit on top of the 112 Lite without issue. The 112 Lite is a perfect grab and go cabinet, and it should fit into the front seat or rear seat of any vehicle. It can also be easily carried onto a subway. Guitarists in New York City really appreciate the 112 Lite for this very reason. Weighing in at 18 lbs. with the recommended speaker, and this cab is recommended to be paired with amplifiers that produce 1-30 watts. The 212 Lite has a medium footprint at 28\" Wide but remains easy to transport at 30 lbs. loaded with the recommended speaker. Guitarists playing medium sized venues (300-900) will be able to use it on stage without worrying over space or volume. We recommend this compact speaker cabinet to customers that will pair with amplifiers producing 25-60 watts. Most amplifier shells that meet these criteria do not exceed a 28\" width. Even though this is a 2X12, you shouldn't need a roadie or bandmate to assist you with putting the cabinet on and off the stage. The 412 Lite is the lightest 4X12 speaker cabinet on the market. Weighing in at 44 lbs. loaded with the recommended speaker, it’s possible to carry it without assistance from a roadie or bandmate. Although we equip this product with metal recessed handles so that two people can share the load easily. Our 4X12 is great for larger venues, outdoor gigs, and situations where you need to push as much air as possible. The 4X12 Lite is geared towards the guitarist that has grown accustomed to the power of a 4X12 speaker cabinet but has grown tired of the accompanying weight or possibly someone who wants to upgrade to a 4X12 but needs to be able to maneuver without breaking their back. Have you seen these speaker cabinet articles from our previous publication? I just couldn’t believe what was going on, but I knew I’d lost a very special friend. After the funeral, as I began to get over the shock, I really didn’t know if I was going to continue my touring work. I had no reason to think I would, because after Stevie passed I figured, well, that was that. And I always had my profession to rely on. I’m a repairman. That’s how I started in this business—that’s where I come from. But there is no money to be made in guitar repair, or at least not that I’ve ever figured out. So I carried on, and next I worked on a tour with Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians. Toward the end of that job, a guy turned up one night and asked if I would go work with him the next night, but I didn’t know who he was, and he didn’t say. So I told him no, explained I was still busy here, and off he went. Turned out it was Bob Dylan’s tour manager, so that could have been interesting. Anyway, I worked with Mick Jones, the ex-Foreigner guitar player, and then Clint Black’s country western band with Wynonna Judd. There have been other gigs along the way, but next I got a phone call out of the blue that led to a week’s work with Prince—more on that in the next issue—and then a long stretch with Carlos Santana—and, again, I’ll have more to say about that next time. I said no, don’t think I have, and he said he thought the two of us should meet for a talk, and gave me a phone number to call him on. I was hesitant. I didn’t know who this person was. I let it go that evening, then next morning I called the number. John Mayer answered, and we talked for a good while. After, I thought, well maybe down the road we’ll have the chance to meet properly. We finished recording Santana’s All That I Am album with Carlos, then went on tour. And I really was ready to take a break. I had thought about doing an online business with some guitar products I had started making. I figured it was time for me to stop this whole touring thing and get my online business rolling while I had a little bit of money. If it did OK, I could continue with it, or I could go back on tour with someone if I needed to. Toward the end of the tour, I told Carlos of my intentions, and I had my last show with him at the Greek Theater in LA in October 2004. Then in December, I got a phone call from John Mayer’s tour manager – asked if I’d like to come out and do a show with John at Webster Hall in New York City at the end of the month. I’d just said goodbye to the touring life, and now here I am thinking about going back to work! But it was just for two nights, no big deal. So I agreed. As we started talking about the where and the how, it started to joggle in my head: I’m sure I know this venue. And as I pulled up outside in the cab, it hit me. Of course I knew it. This was one of the places where Stevie Ray played—it was called The Ri` back then—and I remembered it especially for a particular problem we had there. Which we’ll get to. So, I found my way inside, and I didn’t know what my role was going to be. I walked toward the stage, saw a guy with a guitar, introduced myself, and he said he was Craig Baker, John’s guitar tech. He was expecting me, showed me around, showed me John’s amps on the stage, his pedals on the floor. Craig looked out front, said that’s Chad Franscoviak over there doing front-of-house. I asked if these were the amps John would play through. Far as I recall there was a Fender and a pair of Two-Rock amps. I asked to listen to them, and Craig plugged in and handed me the guitar. “Now don’t change anything,” he said, “Chad out there has it all set the way he wants it, so don’t do anything.” I thought to myself: So why am I even here if I can’t change anything or move anything? I figured either I’m gonna get fired for changing stuff, or if I don’t do anything, I may as well leave now. So, I’m still playing the guitar through the amps, and I thought: He actually likes this sound? I didn’t say anything to anybody, and I tried not to make a face. I proceeded to make some changes to the amps. I stood in front of them, played the guitar, made my changes to them and also to the pedals. With the guitar tech not looking at me! Then came the real kicker. After the soundcheck, I noticed that John had a Vibratone up there, which was Fender’s take on the Leslie effect. I said to John, “You know Stevie Ray used to use one of these?” He goes, “Yeah, but we’re having problems with it, it keeps blowing speakers.” And that’s when the déjà vu hit me in the face. I asked if he was kidding me. He goes, “No, it’s blowing speakers, can’t even use it for one song.” I said jokingly maybe it’s this joint, and he asked what I meant. I go, this place has got to be jinxed or something because I had the same problem with Stevie right here, same time of year, back in 1988 or so. And all these years later, here you are having Vibratone problems with speakers, just like Stevie and I did. I laughed about it and said, “Well, I guess it’s not a spiritual entity interfering with us or anything.” John was real calm, told me not to worry about it. And we never did figure out the speaker-blowing thing. I’m a guitar guy, not an amp guy! Because what I was hearing was so much better than what I heard originally. Then Craig asked if I wanted to do a guitar change. I said sure, took this guitar out to John, and he looks surprised, like: I’m getting a guitar change from René Martinez! No biggie to me, but a biggie to him, I guess. \tIt was a wonderful evening. The tone was really nice, and it brought back many memories of the Stevie Ray Vaughan tone. This kid had some hands, you know? And then I thought: He needs my help. That’s what was in my head and my heart. I talked to him back up in the dressing room. “Golly,” he said, “I’ve never heard… what did you do?” I told him I just do what I do. He goes, “Man, I have never heard my amps sound like this, ever.” The second show went well, too. But that was it, I figured, a one-shot thing. No more of this for René. I was wrong. A month or two later, I got a call from Ken Helie, John’s tour manager, asking if I was available. He told me John had put together The John Mayer Trio, with Pino Palladino on bass and Steve Jordan on drums, and he wanted me to work with John at the rehearsals for their performance at the Grammys early in 2005. I agreed, and off I went, working with Craig again, tuning and setting up John’s guitars. They were rehearsing ‘Daughters’, originally an acoustic song that they were trying to rearrange in an electric version. They were having some difficulty, but John was persistent. He asked Pino and Steve for their opinions, and then for some reason he does a 180 turn to me and says, “I want know what René has to say about this.” I was on the spot, like why is he asking me? I’m just a crew guy. I said I think it sounds great with electric guitar! That was it—he said let’s keep doing it, and they found it. Next thing I know, there we are at the Staples Center in Los Angeles for the Grammys, and they performed that song. Later into 2005, the new Trio were planning a tour, and I agreed to work with them. I figured it was time to show what I could really do, so off I went off to New York City. I didn’t know at the time, but this would be the start of a 14-year stretch working with John. So much for me taking a break. John’s main Stratocaster he called ‘Black One’, built at the Fender Custom Shop, plus he had some other Strats, and Martin acoustics, including his signature model. Black One was made to look worn through, very much like Stevie Ray’s Number One guitar. I guess he wanted some kind of reflection of that. Just like everybody I’ve worked with, John had his own unique setup. He’s an aggressive player, and so frets and things start to wear out. I had to maintain those, maybe replace the nut, clean some dirty pots, whatever it took. He wanted his guitars to play even easier, which means bringing the strings down lower, and you don’t want them to buzz or rattle. I had to be on my toes. I never let up doing my ritual maintenance routines through all the guitars. And John would carry a lot. I think I counted 40 guitars out there on one tour. I had met Paul Reed Smith during my time with Carlos Santana, who is an important PRS player. Paul’s a very smart man as far as making anything—guitars, pickups, amplifiers. He knows all the ins and outs. It was a PRS Super Eagle that John had on tour with Dead & Company, and one time he said to me: “Listen, what do you think?” This guitar had two humbuckers, plus a PRS Narrowfield pickup in the center, and coil-tap switches for different sounds. I said, “Wow! That single-coil sound, it’s your sound, John!” I called Paul to congratulate him and said, “Dude, you nailed it, these pickups sound great. Paul… are you there?” There was a silence at the other end, then he says, “René, I am grinning from ear to ear.” And that guitar led to the one that John and Paul worked on together, the PRS Silver Sky. By 2019, my back was playing up. I couldn’t even walk upstairs. They set up my work platform to one side and on the same level as the stage, so I could do the guitar changes without having to climb any stairs. That’s how I did it for my last year with John. But it was a lot of work for me. I had to summon all the gumption I could to go out there and do my job. My body was just saying: Enough. In fact, John called me out on stage at that show. He said he’d been with me a long time, for 14 years, and thanked me for everything. I do not like being under the spotlight, not at all. I never have. I wasn’t embarrassed, or nervous—it’s just that this sort of thing is not René. And this time it really was the end of my touring career. By Shawn Leonhardt for Guitar Tricks and 30 Day Singer Whether you play electric guitar or acoustic electric there will be knobs that will need to be tweaked and turned to adjust the sound. While there is plenty of science in the functions of an amplifier, the final shaping of the tone isn’t as clear and obvious. Every guitar, amp, and even your playing style can interact in a variety of ways, so changing texture and vibe is not straightforward. However, there are some basic guidelines to follow for amp settings of different musical styles. The first place to start in guitar tone sculpting is knowing the guitar knobs, if it is an acoustic it will have sliders, but either way they are used to control the volume and tone. Especially for people just starting to learn how to play guitar, knowing how these knobs affect the sound is important. After plucking the strings a pickup will turn the sound into an electromagnetic signal, this then moves into the amp where it is further processed. The knobs on a guitar could need different settings depending on the amplifier that you use. We always start with our buttons turned down in music to avoid any feedback or bad sounds. Usually the volume is turned nearly to the top along with the tone, but if you want less treble you can dial the ‘tone’ back. If you have multiple pickups you will need to experiment on the different settings. Once you are familiar with the guitar knobs you can start looking at the amplifier settings. Some amps are simple while others have many more features, if you have built-in effects keep them turned off during your initial tone shaping. You might also adjust your tone depending on what you play specifically. Whether it’s rhythm guitar practice with barre chords, or if you want to practice your guitar scales with some tonal spice. This works the same way as on the guitar and we always want to start with it turned at medium or below. It can always be adjusted up, but feedback and ear damage may not be so easily fixed. Sometimes an amp has multiple settings for both clean channels and other effects like distortion. Like many amp settings, rarely do we want to turn these all the way up or down as it will create a nonexistent or nasty tone. When your signal goes through an amp it passes the preamp stage which drives it onto the power amplifier that boosts it loud enough for a regular speaker. If we turn this preamp part up it causes overdrive and distortion, which is common for most genres, it just depends on how much is needed. Like the volume, rarely do we want to get excessive with the gain, it doesn’t always lead to more grit, it can just be too distorted with a bad tone. Depending on how many knobs you have there is usually an adjustment for the low, middle, and high end of the signal. Your guitar may have these also, so be sure to adjust them in both spots. The low can also be referred to as the bass and the high the treble. We usually try not to go to the extremes on these knobs also, unless you are looking for an odd or purposely hard sound. Smaller amps may just have one equalizer knob that controls just the amount of treble or bass you may want. Some amplifiers have other knobs like contour or presence, they are still frequency knobs but with finer tuning. The contour allows you to decrease mids, which can also be known as scooping. And the presence allows you to dial in the highs to get a sharper and livelier tone. Obviously the more expensive your amp, the more options for frequency adjustment you will get. For amps that have different channels for a clean or distorted signal, the genre you are playing will determine which one you choose. There can also be knobs like speed and intensity which will allow vibrato or tremolo, effects that change the volume and pitch of the signal. And there can be time-based effects like reverb that give the signal the feeling of more space. The higher you turn timing effects up the more they turn into delay and echo. There are no specific amplifiers for each genre, if you dial in the settings right you can play different tones on all of them, however some have a reputation for being used specifically in various styles. Marshal, Peavey, and Orange can be great for hard rock and heavy metal. Fenders, VOX AC30, and Roland can be suitable for cleaner sounds in rock, jazz, and pop. Mesa and Blackstar are also great for metal, blues, and indie, while Katana are popular for most modern genres. But most any amp can be set to create a variety of tones Of course none of these are set in stone and can vary based on your amp circumstances, but here are some basic settings for various genres. The master volume setting can of course be up to you and the situation you are in. If you are playing with other instruments, adjust accordingly! These settings might also change based on what you are playing within a particular style. Are you rocking some guitar chords, or shredding a solo? Your settings might be adjusted for each scenario. For rockabilly, pop, or even alternative we want a cleaner sound, as we move into classic, hard rock, and grunge we want to turn the distortion up. Classic and progressive rock also benefits from effects depending on the style. If we want to add space or sound effects we can turn up the reverb and any modulation changes. Gain- 5-7 Bass- 5 Mids- 5-7 Treble- 4-7 With the blues we want just the right amount of grit and overdrive to give the electric guitar that notable tone. But if we go too high with gain and bass we will lose that ability to have a nice crunch that cuts through the mix like many blues artists do. A little bit of reverb helps but otherwise keep the effects to a minimum. Gain- 2-5 Bass- 2-4 Mids- 5-7 Treble- 6-8 Country usually has a clean sound so we don’t want much or maybe even any distortion. If it is a more country rock vibe then we can add in some extra gain, but we still want to hear the notes well. If you can add extra shimmer to the treble and a little bit of reverb that will help get the classic country twang. Gain- 4-6 Bass- 3-5 Mids- 3-5 Treble- 6-7 The metal genre uses lots of gain and distortion to accompany its detuned strings and heavy riffs. The mids are often scooped out, but the treble needs to be higher as it needs to cut through the distortion. If you have a presence knob this can help the treble stand out. Gain- 8-10 Bass- 6-9 Mids- 2-6 Treble- 5-7 Funk is like rock with a clean sound, but we turn the gain down a little if using a wah pedal. And since we are often riffing on the higher treble strings we want to accentuate them and cut back a little on the bass. Gain- 2-4 Bass- 3-6 Mids- 3-7 Treble- 6-8 Obviously none of these are exact and at the end of the day you want to experiment to find the best amp settings for different musical styles. Start by listening to your target music and attempt to copy that sound, it helps in training your ears! You can also experiment by playing some easy guitar songs and messing with your amp settings. This way you will be focused on the sound instead of the guitar itself. Of course you can always use pedals and effects units to further shape the signal and tone. There are so many options and settings for guitar amp tones that it is best to just try different ones out until you find the best sound! Today we have the privilege of sitting down to chat with an absolute monster of a recording artist and working musician, Mr. Bill Kelliher of the famed Mastodon. Since 1999, Mastodon has been a huge player in the metal game with eight full-length studio albums, compilations, live albums, and more. Bill Kelliher also recently released his signature pickup set named Hellbender, made by MojoTone. Let’s see how things have been going in Bill’s world… Bill: \"A few years ago I helped design and build a studio called West End Sound with my partner and longtime friend Tom Tapley. I’ve been spending a lot of time there working on various projects, and it was always my intention for Mastodon to record an album there . We recorded Hushed and Grim in our studio a couple years ago and it sounded great. I just felt really proud of all the work we put into it. And another success story would be that album, Hushed and Grim. Double album, lots of music, lots of hard work, lots of odes to our late manager Nick John, and just taking a lot of emotion out and transferring it into a musical journey for other people to enjoy. It’s sort of cathartic to turn something that’s so sad, and life-changing, and depressing into this kind of masterpiece, in my mind. We put all these emotions and pieces together and turned them into this work of art. When we do an album, so much goes into it bit by bit. Something that starts out as a spark of an idea has morphed into this massive album, this is what we try to achieve.\" Bill: “The landscape of the industry is ever-evolving. When I was younger there were tapes, records, 8-tracks, CDs, and MP3s. Now everything is streaming, so it’s really kind of hard to squeeze any money out of these streaming companies and that’s probably one of the biggest hurdles: trying to figure out how to monetize your art like you used to, as far as physical album sales and percentages of those. It’s a lot trickier now, with streams, because it’s not like it’s sold by-the-song. You sign up for a subscription to a company and you can play millions of songs in your month of a subscription. It’s not as cut and dry as it used to be when you were actually selling 10,000 records and you got a percentage of that. Touring has been difficult because after the pandemic there were shortages everywhere, the price of goods had gone up, the price of gas of course, and all that stuff trickles down to the income that you bring home. The band ultimately are the last people to get paid, so that’s pretty difficult. It’s challenging, so we’re trying to think of new and creative ways to stay afloat.” Bill: “I would say, whether you’re a newer or older artist, write as much music as you possibly can, record it, and put it out. I mean, touring is really where lots of artists make their money and that’s getting harder and harder. There are so many bands out there. So much competition. There’s always someone who’s willing to work for less, so it’s a very competitive world. If you’re looking to get rich quick, being in a band or being a musician is not the answer.” Good thing most of us do it for the love of the art, huh? My man Bill is just telling it like it is. Alright, let’s shift gears and talk about…well…Guitar Gear. Bill’s new signature Hellbender guitar pickup set, is selling like hotcakes. Bill: “I really enjoy designing custom things because I’m pretty meticulous when it comes to sound, at least I think I am. I own about a thousand amps and a hundred guitars or whatever. I’ve tried all the amp modelers and all the new-fangled pedals. Whatever it is, I have to try it out. As far as pickups go, I was with another company for many years and I just felt like it was time for me to move on and design something new and fresh, because after seven or so years my tastes changed a bit, plus my rig is always changing. And I remembered that Andrew Simmons had sent me some Mojotone pickups in the past and I tried them and they really stuck out. I really liked them. So I figured, ‘I’m just gonna call him and see if they’re a big enough company to take on an endeavor like this and mass produce this pickup.’ I called Andrew up and he was totally down with it and we just started going to the drawing board and I think I might’ve sent him a couple pickups that I really liked, wound by independent pickup designers as well as companies like Seymour Duncan and Lace, that were somewhere in the range of what I was looking for. We went back and forth a few times and I would take the old pickups out and put the prototypes in, and try them out for a while. I really wanted to hone it in and get something where there wasn’t too much gain because I really wanted a good clean tone as well, which is hard out of a humbucker: to get a clean tone through the high distortion amps that I use. I just wanted it to be articulate, playable, and HEARable. We do a lot of dissonant open string chords and notes, and I really enjoy hearing every note that I hit. There are some pickups that are made more for metal and distortion, and sometimes they get muddy when you’re going to play some high strings under a power chord or something like that. Those were the things I was kind of looking for. Eventually we got there. The pickup is great. It’s not overly aggressive. It’s just right.” Bill: “We (Mastodon) do have a pickle coming out pretty soon, from Kelly’s Death Pickles. He is really the guy who makes the best pickles in the world and he’s located at the building where we rehearse. This guy pickles everything: watermelon rinds, blueberries, okra, beets. And it’s always the best damn pickle in the world. We’re about to start a US tour with Gojira and Lorna Shore and that starts April 18th, it goes for three weeks and then we have a little break; then we go back out again with them in the US and I’m looking forward to that. The Gojira dudes are some of our closest pals, they’re like family.” Pickles and Gojira? I’ll take two of each. Welp, I guess that pretty much does it for us! Thank you for tuning in and showing Bill some love. Make sure you check out his new signature guitar pickup Hellbender From the electricity in the wall, converted by your power supply and resonating in your output. F&T Mersen Capacitors are long lasting and devoted. And that’s why we use them. Power supply filter capacitors operate in the heart of your equiptmnent’s power supply to smooth and condition it for trouble and noise free operation. F & T’s Mersen capacitors offer unparalleled reliability for this job and that’s why we use them. Polarized aluminum electrolytic capacitors allow much higher capacitance voltage (CV) per unit volume than ceramic or film. In an era where other companies are in a “race to the bottom” in terms of price point F & T has maintained excellence through quality. From higher resistance to voltage spikes, to continuing to manufacture size/value options that are needed in the industry, their no-exception attitude pairs well with our high build standards here at MojoTone. F& T capacitors don’t just test well, they perform in real world applications. We’ve also found a huge amount of support in the USA by F&T for their capacitors which helps us when we have questions that need answering. You know as well as we do that electricity in a music environment can be rigorous, so we value the support and dedication that they provide stateside. Every new electrolytic capacitor has a burn in period. There’s a forming process during which the anodization layers on the electrodes reach full thickness and the electrolyte gets conditioned as well. Let’s start with the outside; on the top and bottom of a capacitor are a set of metal plates which are the conductors that attract an electric charge. Moving inward you’ll find between the two plates an insulator or material that electricity is not attracted to. The insulator is commonly referred to as a dielectric and can be made of paper, glass, rubber, pleastic, etc. Connecting it all together are two electrical terminals that connect the conductors to the rest of a circuit. One end connects to power, and the other flows to the ground. TL;DR: A capacitor is basically a rolled up sandwich of 2 conductors insulated from each other by some insulating material English Chemist Michael Faraday (you may have heard of him) gets the credit for modern capacitors, but he wasn’t the first to invent. But his addition was critical in that he demonstrated the first practical examples of the capacitor and how to use it to store an electric charge in his experiments. Also thanks to Faraday we have the capability to measure capacitance as it’s measured in Farads. Thanks dude 🤙 But before Faraday some records point to the late German scientist (go figure given F&T’s German roots) Ewald Georg Von Kleist as having invented the first capacitor in 1745. Later on a Dutch professor Pieter Van Musschenbroek designed something similar, now known as the Leyden Jar. They’re both credited for their creations but Faraday made it all work through testing and measurements. Starting with a charge > Buildup > Charge Stored > Two plates release the charge How do you Measure Charge in an Electrolytic Capacitor? F&T Mersen uses uF for their measurements, which is the abbreviation for Microfarad. It’s written as 0.000001F Naturally, all you really care about is how they work in guitar amps. So we’ll focus solely on series circuits. Here’s the nitty gritty: When you use electrolytic capacitors in guitar amps you are mostly putting them into their power supplies. There are stages in such a power supply, and at each node there will be a voltage drop from the starting voltage. At the first or highest node there may be multiple capacitors in parallel to achieve the desired filtering of the power supply. Each one of these nodes or filters forms a high pass filter, since the majority of the noise that must be removed from the power supply is down near 50 to 60hz, the frequency of the power coming out of your wall. So not only are the choices of power supply filter capacitors about overall capacity, there is also a formula that depends on the series resistance in the supply in conjunction with each stage's filtering that allows you to arrive at a suitable filter cutoff frequency. By Shawn Leonhardt for Guitar Tricks and 30 Day Singer If you wanted to pick one modern heavy metal band that embodied all the different hard rock branches, Mastodon certainly fits the bill. They use a mix of progressive, sludge, and groove metal styles that are incredibly popular since their start in Atlanta in 2000. One of the reasons Mastodon has such a catchy style is because of their rhythm guitarist, his particular approach and the way he learned how to play guitar. Here are a few pointers on how to play guitar in the style of Mastodon’s Bill Kelliher. Bill grew up with the normal classic rock playing on the radio, and he was a fan of Eddie Van Halen like many of his contemporaries. However when he first started playing guitar those fast shred styles were not really that interesting to him, he discovered 80’s punk like the Dead Kennedy’s and sludge like the Melvins, a band that would later help create the grunge genre. Bill Kelliher preferred these rhythmic guitar riffs as opposed to the math rock of some heavy metal. This makes sense as to why his playing is so perfect for a rhythm guitarist, often when learning heavy metal we take a lead approach and focus on solos and perfection, but the Mastodon rhythm playing is all about keeping a great and memorable riff going. One reason Mastodon is so popular is that they have mixed many genres including basic popular appeal into their music. In the 2000’s Mastodon became associated with Adult Swim shows like Aqua Teen Hunger Force and they even toured with Dethklok. To this day members like Bill Kelliher have made appearances on shows like Game of Thrones, their brand and music goal has always been to play the heavy metal that suits pop culture. Bill Kelliher’s variety of a musical background helps him provide the right rhythm guitar for Mastodon’s signature sound. Besides cameo appearances in famous shows, Bill Kelliher is also known for providing regular online guitar lessons. So if you want more of his style, it is always easy to find examples, even by his own teaching. He makes it abundantly clear that he is not playing anything special, sometimes just simple power chords and other guitar chords you hear in metal. His playing is more about getting the right riff and vibe as opposed to complexity. First you need to know the alternate tunings most often used by the band Mastodon, so grab your guitar tuner! One is D Standard or D G C F A D which is a whole step down from normal standard tuning. A variation on that tuning is A G C F A D which provides an even heavier sound with the very low bass. And the Drop C tuning of C G C F A D, which as you can see is also heavier than standard D with the lowered bass note. Keep in mind you may need special strings to attain these lowered tunings on your guitar. The wrong kinds will not lead to the correct heavy dissonance and overtones. The key to his playing style is simple dissonant riffs often played in a staccato style. It’s obvious that he had interest in 80’s punk and funk bands as he uses a similar staccato approach to his guitar playing. He is basically playing those similar basic riffs but with added dissonance to provide more tension for the Mastodon heavy metal feel. The hard part about his catchy riffs is just getting the right vibe, which will require playing along with the music often. He is known for hitting the open strings around chords that are usually avoided or muted. Normally this is not wanted, but when you are basing your riffs around dissonance, this is not a mistake. His main process for creating riffs is to start with classic chord progressions and then add in extra pieces that sound off and provide more tension and aggression. While he uses all the main techniques like hammer-ons, pull-offs, and bends in his playing, they are supplemental to him keeping a good underlying rhythm. When he does chord slides he first anchors his thumb on the back of the neck and then rotates his wrist to do the sliding, this makes it easier to move up and then return. With rhythm guitar we must keep the groove of the song always going or it quickly devolves into a math rock and less riffy feel. His picking style has evolved over the years as he has taken his playing more seriously, he now focuses on more efficient styles, but also is known for picking and fretting what feels right. He’s such a great guitarist for students to follow because his laid-back approach to guitar matches the average player. His styles are very accessible for beginner guitar players and the better you get at playing Mastodon songs the more you can focus on the picking or licks. First just focus on getting the basic rhythm right! If you want to do more than just play Mastodon songs, perhaps write a song like Bill Kelliher, you need to start with a simple power chord riff in the tunings above. Bill doesn’t take a music theory approach; he adds in dissonant licks to power chords until he gets a riff that is catchy. He has said he can spend up to 5 hours trying to flesh out a good riff. People often see lead guitar as more complicated as there is more to practice, but initially building a great riff with the perfect amount of dissonance can be difficult. He has always been a fan of Gibson Les Paul’s and other Gibson models as he prefers their neck styles for playing. He also uses the regular Marshall and Orange style amps as is common in the heavier metal styles. At this point he is famous enough to have his own Gibson and ESP guitar models along with his own amplifier series from Friedman Amplification and his effects are simple with digital boards like a Line 6 and JamMan Looper pedal. If you are looking for the sound with other equipment it is still possible to get, a lot of his heavy tone is in the tuning and playing method so you do not have to go crazy in replicating his effects on pedals or amps. He doesn’t necessarily use the max gain and scooped mids of the past, he uses a little less gain and more mids to get a better tone to mix with the band better. He also isn’t worried about too heavy a bass sound as that is the job of the bass! Bill Kelliher isn’t just known for great heavy metal riffs; he is known for being a modest guitar player. He will tell you that his playing is nothing special and accessible to most students taking guitar lessons. This is helpful and encouraging to players who may have been pushing for lead guitar goals that may be too far out of reach. Anyone can come up with a catchy dissonant heavy metal riff like Bill Kelliher if they just focus on their rhythmic playing and overall guitar tone! Editor’s Note: Bill works with ESP and MojoTone to craft guitars and pickups that have become a vehicle for his inner tone nerd. So if you really want to sound like the man himself, have a look at his signature ESP guitar and Hellbender pickups. If you missed our Legendary Guitar Series via email, fret not. We’ve got you covered right here. The following are four of the most legendary guitars in the world; iconic for both who played them and their origin stories. And we’ve compiled not just the list but the stories for you. Here we have arguably one of the most recognizable and iconic guitars in modern history. The “Frankenstrat” was Eddie Van Halen’s main guitar from 1977 to 1983, and its striking appearance and explosive tone left a permanent impression on the musical landscape that followed Eddie’s career. The creation of the Frankenstrat started as an experiment by Eddie to combine the tonality of a Gibson with the functionality of a Fender Stratocaster, and the guitar was constantly improved and modified through the 6 years that it served as Eddie’s primary instrument on the stage and in the studio. The constant modifications done to the instrument included new paint jobs, pickups, pickguards, necks, and hardware. This mirrored Eddie’s personal quest to push the limits of his tone and creativity; and to truly make the instrument “his guitar”. The guitar started its journey with Eddie featuring a 5.5 lb Wayne Charvel Natural Ash body with a homemade black pickguard in early 1977, but Eddie quickly repainted the guitar black and installed a mint green guard towards the end of the year. Not entirely satisfied with this combination, Eddie repainted the guitar white, added black pinstripes, and reinstalled the homemade black pickguard with a PAF humbucker (from his Gibson ES-335) installed in the bridge position. This was later replaced by a custom Seymour Duncan PAF clone. The guitar stayed in this configuration from August of 1977 to February of 1979, then was repainted red with black and white pinstripes the following March. This marked the beginning of the iconic era of the red body with black and white pinstripes that became synonymous with Eddie and his band, Van Halen. Neck swaps were also a common occurrence for the Frankenstrat. Many necks were installed on the guitar throughout its life, and these included necks from Fender, Grover/Jackson, Lynn Ellsworth, Kramer, Danelectro, Boogie Bodies, and Tom Anderson. While Eddie typically preferred a maple fingerboard for speed, the guitar can be seen with a rosewood board for a brief time. This once again showed Eddie’s consistent and obsessive pursuit of finding the perfect tone married with effortless playability. Multiple configurations of pickups were also seen in the guitar through the many modifications and upgrades during this era. Eddie preferred the open-cover Dimarzio PAF clone in the bridge position over the custom Seymour Duncan PAF that was originally installed, but upgraded to the uncovered Dimarzio Super Distortion in 1980. There were also several iterations of multiple single coil pickups installed throughout the evolution of the Frankenstrat, but little has been documented concerning the make or models. Eddie also used a variety of tremolo systems including the 70s Fender “cast” tremolo, but in 1980 ultimately settled on the Floyd Rose FRT-1 for its incredible range of tones and excellent tuning stability. This led to Eddie establishing an ongoing relationship with Floyd Rose, and incorporating their FRT-4 and FRT-5 bridges in the guitar in 1982. Eddie also added many personal touches to the Frankenstrat including a quarter drilled directly into the body, multiple roadside reflectors, and a mirror attached at one point. These eclectic additions further cemented the guitar’s legendary and jaw dropping aesthetic, and were an expression of Eddie’s love for the guitar and his devotion to it. With Eddie’s passing in 2020, his son Wolfgang mentioned that the guitar is in retirement and in storage with some of Eddie’s other prized instruments; and replicas of the Frankenstrat can be found on the market from EVH, Charvel, and Fender. The constant changes made to the original Frankenstrat are a deep dive into Eddie’s evolution as an artist and performer; and the guitar has become a timeless relic and representation of his endless pursuit of tone. Willie Nelson’s “Trigger” has become synonymous with the legendary folk singer, and has been by his side throughout the decades spanning Willie’s career. Trigger is a vintage Martin N-20 nylon string acoustic, and came into Willie’s possession in 1969 after his main guitar was destroyed. Willie aptly named the guitar after Roy Roger’s horse, and initially desired the guitar to get closer to the tone of his favorite guitarist at the time, Django Reinhardt. The guitar has survived countless live performances and studio sessions, and Willie has been open about the fact that he won’t perform if Trigger isn’t nestled comfortably in his hands. Trigger features a solid Sitka Spruce top with Brazilian Rosewood back and sides, and a mahogany neck with an Ebony fretboard. Not only do these ingredients add up to more than the sum of their parts, but give the guitar a mellow tone that has only gotten better with age. The guitar is covered with various autographs and scars from years of use and abuse, and has a large hole in the top due to Willie’s unique picking technique. Despite Trigger’s condition, it still continues to deliver for Willie night after night, year after year. This is a testament to the quality tone woods and methods of construction used by Martin Guitars, and is a prime example of how a finely tuned and carefully crafted instrument can deliver a lifetime of creative inspiration. Willie continues to write, record, and perform with Trigger to this day; and the undeniable bond he has established with the guitar can be heard and felt in his music across his storied career. The Gibson SG Dual Neck EDS-1275 is a striking and instantly recognizable instrument, and has come to be commonly affiliated with Jimmy Page during the rise of Led Zeppelin in the 1970s. When recording the timeless classic “Stairway to Heaven”, Page used several guitars in the studio to create the otherworldly tones including a standard 6 string electric, 12 string, and acoustic. When the band began to prepare to perform the song live, Page found his solution for the multiple textures and tones in the Gibson Dual Neck EDS-1275. Gibson started their dual-neck line in the 1950s with a hollowbody carved top design, but this was updated in 1961 when Gibson launched the SG line as a fresh take on the original Les Paul. The pointy SG was a lighter instrument, and this made it a perfect fit for a dual-necked guitar. Page used this iconic guitar to play the acoustic and electric parts of 1971’s “Stairway to Heaven” in concert without needing to swap instruments. The EDS-1275 also served for the six- and twelve-string parts of “The Song Remains the Same”, “The Rain Song,” and “Celebration Day”. The flexibility of the multiple tones and tunings on the fly gave Page exactly what he needed to replicate the epic tones captured on Led Zeppelin’s recordings, and the guitar quickly became a crucial part of Page’s nightly performances. Page had the guitar modified from its original factory specs by installing coverless Seymour Duncan humbucking pickups on the 6-string side of the guitar, but otherwise kept it stock. The guitar features a Cherry Red mahogany body with 2 mahogany necks, and has a 24 3/4\" scale length. Each neck features split pearloid parallelogram inlays, two 3-way toggle switches, two volume and tone controls, and 2 humbucking pickups per neck. While the guitar has become synonymous with Page, the EDS-1275 was later adopted by Slash of Guns N’ Roses fame further cementing the design in the halls of rock n’ roll history. Eric Clapton’s “Blackie” Fender Stratocaster was his main performing and recording guitar throughout the 1970s and 1980s, and has undoubtedly become one of the most iconic Fender guitars in modern history. Blackie’s soaring tones can be heard on some of Clapton’s biggest singles from that era, and the impact that this special instrument had on audiences and guitarists alike is nearly immeasurable to this day. The guitar was assembled by Clapton’s guitar tech Ted Newman-Jones in 1970 from three different 1950s-era Fender Stratocasters purchased in Nashville, Tennessee at Sho-Bud Guitars; and was first played live by Clapton in January 1973 at London’s Rainbow Theatre. The 1956 Ash body and 1957 one-piece maple neck yield a sharp and immediate tone that’s beautifully amplified by the 1950s era single coil pickups; and Blackie quickly became Clapton’s number one guitar in the studio in 1975. Clapton used several Stratocasters from 1975-1979, but admitted to always coming back to Blackie as there was just something special about the feel and tone of the guitar. Clapton tapped Lee Dickson as his new guitar tech in 1979, and had Dickson modify Blackie with a 5-way selector from the standard 3-way switch. This gave Clapton more tonal options with Blackie, and further ignited Clapton’s creativity to shape the sound of his legendary catalog of music. Dickson has remained by Clapton’s side for over 30 years as his guitar tech, and has designed multiple sets of pickups for Mojotone to replicate the sound of Blackie as accurately as possible while remaining true to the original Fender design. Blackie would go on to define the sound of Clapton’s musical journey for years to come, but was retired after 15 years of intensive recording and performance duties. The guitar was auctioned to support Clapton’s Crossroad’s Center Foundation for nearly one million dollars in 2004 to support drug and alcohol addiction. This special Stratocaster is a testament to the quality construction and materials used by Fender in the 1950’s era, and the legacy that the guitar speaks through the years of music created by Clapton is undeniable. Clapton has been quoted as saying that Blackie has become a part of him, and that bond can be felt in every note and chord that you hear in his music. Blackie lives on with Fender’s modern reissue of Clapton’s fabled guitar, and also in Lee Dickson’s stellar pickup designs available through Mojotone. I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I did collecting the stories. What's your favorite legendary guitar? Do you have your own legend at home? By Shawn Leonhardt for Guitar Tricks and 30 Day Singer If you want to make any kind of living as a working musician it will require a lot of dedication and time. In some cases you must put on multiple hats as a performer, producer, writer, teacher, and even music therapy is on the rise. It would even be a good idea to become proficient on an instrument, like a guitar. For many people music is harder than a regular brick and mortar job that has specific duties and skills. Here are some examples of what a week in the life of a working musician is like! Your week will of course depend on a couple simple factors in life, one major one being your income. If you have another job or source of income, you may be limited on what time you can put into music, but you will also be able to take on preferable jobs. For those of us that grind and live week to week, we will have to look for multiple outlets of regular and passive income. It is possible to make a living as a musician, and most take on many duties. Often the cliché assumption of being a musician is working in a band with a label and touring. Of course this exists and is possible, but many find these days it doesn’t cover the expenses. If you are a young couch surfing partier with a love of ramen noodles, you may be able to get by, the rest of us need to find other sources of income besides playing weekend and summer gigs! Here are a few more jobs you can fit into your week. If you want to be an actual working full time musician you may have to do every job above! To do these jobs above you will have to remember that part of your week must be spent preparing and practicing. The musicians who succeed the most put a lot of effort into the final product so you must know the amount of hours you will take to get ready for and to finish a job. If you are good with a DAW you can churn out stock audio songs quickly depending on whether you are using automated instruments or live versions. Of course charge appropriately for the latter! If you are doing lessons you also have to take a few days to prepare for the student(s) you have. You will see some great online guitar lessons here. No matter what you pick above there is a good portion of your week where you are not always paid and it will be up to you to make proper use of the “downtime”. Many musicians stop this life because it is hard to manage a good work ethic when there is no money now or other drive. There is little work life balance with music, the good news is that you are at least doing what you enjoy! Whether you are making original songs and albums or writing music for a client from a freelancing website, you want to create a lot of good music. Produce songs for streaming, write jingles for companies, or make bumpers for film and TV, either way churn out the work. The websites for session work, songwriting, and other music projects are often changing so you must daily keep an eye on new sites and available jobs. Your stock audio and streaming can help create any kind of small passive income, while your paid gigs can be for current income. When the work is available make sure to take advantage of it as there are slow times like summer and the holidays for composing. During the pandemic there was a lot of extra money going around so while performing live was hard, studio projects increased. Now that the pandemic is over, those times have changed. You must keep working to bring in potential money. All week long, be thinking of a song! Teaching, tutoring, and therapy do not just involve in person events, they can be done with other methods such as educational guides, meditation music, or online classes. Even the great Mozart had trouble with finances and had to teach and tutor on the side. Part of your week should be dedicated to educating students through written articles or guitar lessons. Again this can be done through finding gigs on freelancing sites or perhaps advertising to local students. If you do give lessons it is helpful to do them in groups as opposed to individuals. If you charge a little less and pick evening times you will have a better chance of finding students who are just looking for a hobby. Of course if you have higher educational and therapeutic skills you will want to charge more for specific lessons and help. Gigging around town, with all of the various jobs listed above and then some you’ll find yourself loading and unloading gear with serious regularity. One of the ways to make this easier is lighter music equipment. Have a look at the Mojotone Lite Series of cabinets to save your body some of the weight stress that comes with the life of a paid musician. This is the most important part in the week of a working musician, and that is to get paid. If you are truly skilled in any of the jobs mentioned here, do not work for free or credit. This is one reason why there is so little music industry anymore, too many people work for exposure. An artist needs to be more realistic and act like any other job, you deserve to be compensated. However what you get paid will vary just as your week will, there is no standard for stock audio, jingles, lessons, singing, or even performing. You need to make a judgment on the prep, practice, recording, performing, and be sure the amount justifies it. Sometimes to keep money rolling in you charge a little less, it’s not ideal, but if you want the reality of the life of a working musician, that is it! Doing any kind of creative work for a living is rather insane if you don’t have other income, it takes a special drive to attempt the life of a working musician. There will be times when you even must take on non-music jobs, you will not be the first musician that has! Things can ebb and flow depending on the current environment, economy, and your skill as your life progresses. A week in the life of a working musician is busy and varied, you never know what your hours may be and when or where the next gig or client will come from. Spend every day of your week taking some time to prepare, practice, or pound the pavement for more work. At the end of the week it will be the hardest you ever worked, and then you hope it’s enough to cover the bills. Regardless of the decade or century we are in, the week of a working musician is harried, luckily music can be relaxing! In the ever-evolving landscape of music, the world of guitar music is undergoing a remarkable transformation. As we venture beyond the fretboard, we find ourselves in a dynamic realm where traditional chord patterns and riffs intertwine with innovative technology and modern tools, reshaping the process of collaboration for guitarists worldwide. This radical shift is not merely redefining the boundaries of the musicians' creative space, but also allowing them to share, interact, and build their oeuvres in ways previously unimaginable. Let's delve into this fascinating intersection of technology and artistry, discovering how the latest innovations are revolutionizing the guitar music industry and the way musicians work together. The advent of digital tools has revolutionized guitar music in numerous ways. Today, musicians can utilize cloud-based audio file storage platforms, significantly easing the process of managing and sharing music files online. These platforms not only provide a convenient and reliable way to store studio-quality vocals, lead vocal tracks, and high-quality audio files, but also offer a platform for seamless collaboration. These digital tools have eliminated the cumbersome processes of the past, where musicians had to deal with physical copies of tracks, risking the damage or loss of these precious records. With a few clicks, your music library can now be safely stored, easily accessible, and shared with fellow musicians across the globe. This digital evolution has greatly facilitated the process of collaborating, as musicians can now effortlessly share their works, review each other's creations, and contribute to a project regardless of geographical constraints. Moreover, the availability of these digital tools is leveling the playing field, allowing both established and emerging artists to benefit from advanced technology. Musicians are now able to craft studio-quality vocals and mix vocals with a precision that was once exclusive to professional studios. With the ability to adjust and refine the vocal sound and overall performance through digital tools, artists can produce high-quality audio files that accurately capture their unique sound and artistic vision. In the age of digital innovation, collaboration is no longer confined within the padded walls of a physical studio. Online music storage platforms, such as Apple Music, YouTube Music, and many others, have sprung up, allowing musicians to mix vocals, work on a vocal track, and refine the vocal performance remotely. The virtual environment offers an opportunity to craft studio-quality vocals and blend them perfectly with guitar riffs, irrespective of geographical boundaries. The ease of sharing and editing music files online encourages a more fluid, creative process, where ideas can be experimented with and refined in real time, enhancing the overall quality of the collaboration. As artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies continue to advance, they are becoming increasingly integral to the music production process. These technologies can assist in mixing vocals, optimizing the balance between the human voice and the guitar, and producing a more coherent and harmonious sound. AI-driven software can analyze the tonal quality of a vocal performance, suggesting adjustments to make the vocal sound blend better with the musical composition. This can aid musicians in crafting amazing vocals with precision and consistency that was once solely the domain of experienced sound engineers. Consequently, these cutting-edge tools are democratizing the music production process, enabling a broader range of musicians to create high-quality audio files and music compositions. The proliferation of digital tools in music production has led to unprecedented democratization of the music industry. With platforms like Apple Music and YouTube Music, artists now have direct access to a vast music library and an audience of millions. High-quality audio files and vocals are no longer exclusive to professional studios with expensive equipment. Affordable and user-friendly software enables musicians to mix vocals, manage music files, and refine vocal performances from their personal computers. Furthermore, the possibility of storing music on cloud-based platforms allows artists to safeguard their work securely, making the creation and collaboration process more accessible and efficient than ever before. As technology continues to evolve, so does the potential for creating and manipulating sound. Innovations in effects and amplification technologies have expanded the scope of what is possible with a guitar and a human voice. Advanced software can manipulate the vocal track to create unique effects, enhance the vocal sound, and integrate it seamlessly with the guitar. Meanwhile, modern amplification technologies can reproduce these complex sounds with a fidelity that ensures the high quality of audio files is maintained when played back. These tools, when used skillfully, can elevate a vocal performance, creating a unique soundscape that pushes the boundaries of conventional guitar music. As we look to the future, it is clear that the interplay between technology and creativity will continue to shape the guitar music industry. Online collaboration platforms and AI technologies will likely become even more integrated into the music production process, enabling musicians to craft clear vocals and manage music files with increasing ease and precision. Whether it's mixing vocals, enhancing the lead vocal track, or storing music securely online, these tools will continue to facilitate more dynamic and innovative forms of collaboration. With these exciting developments on the horizon, the future of guitar music is one of limitless potential and creativity. As we journey beyond the fretboard and into the world of digital technology, it is evident that modern tools are not merely reshaping guitar music collaboration but revolutionizing the music industry as a whole. These platforms and innovations offer new levels of access, efficiency, and creativity, transforming the way we store, share, and create music. From crafting studio-quality vocals to perfecting the mix of music files, today's tools empower musicians to push boundaries and explore new sonic landscapes. As we look to the future, the potential for further advancement is immense, heralding a new era of collaboration and creativity in guitar music. This digital revolution invites us all – artists and listeners alike – to embrace these changes and explore the rich, diverse possibilities of our musical future. In the world of music production, vintage amplifier sounds hold a timeless appeal. Their distinctive warmth and character add a layer of depth to audio mastering that modern, digital tools sometimes fall short of providing. As we move deeper into the digital age, there's a growing interest in preserving these vintage sounds and making them accessible for modern music production. This article explores how digitizing these classic amplifier sounds and storing them in the cloud can revolutionize the way we produce music today, providing us with a rich resource at our fingertips. Vintage amplifier sounds hold a certain allure that continues to captivate music producers today. These sounds, characterized by their unique warmth and depth, provide a richness that modern, digital sounds often struggle to replicate. For producers aiming for that classic, nostalgic tone, incorporating vintage amplifier sounds into their productions can make all the difference. From the unmistakable crackle of a tube amplifier to the distinct distortion only vintage equipment can provide, these sounds offer an aural palette that can elevate any music production. But how can these treasured sounds be efficiently stored and accessed for modern, digital music production? The answer lies in the realm of cloud storage. Before these vintage amplifier sounds can be stored and used, they must first be digitized. The process involves recording the output from the vintage amplifier using a quality microphone and an audio interface, then converting this analog signal into a digital format suitable for music production software. It's crucial to accurately capture the nuances of the vintage sounds during this process, as these details contribute to the character of the sound. This involves careful microphone placement, a clean recording environment, and the use of high-quality recording equipment. Once the sounds are digitized, they're ready to be uploaded to the cloud for storage and accessibility. Selecting the best cloud storage for music producers depends on a few factors. First, consider the size of the files you'll be storing. High-quality audio files can be large, so you'll need a platform that offers sufficient storage space. Additionally, you want a platform that allows for easy file organization and sharing, especially if you're collaborating with other producers or musicians. Consider also the platform's security measures and backup options to ensure your vintage sound library is protected. Finally, the platform should support the file types you're using and maintain the quality of your audio files when they're uploaded and downloaded. By considering these factors, you'll find a cloud storage platform that not only houses your vintage amplifier sounds but also enhances your music production workflow. Once your vintage amplifier sounds are in the cloud, efficient organization is key to making the most of your digital library. Consider implementing a consistent file naming system that includes details like the type of amplifier, the recording date, and any notable characteristics of the sound. Use the cloud platform's folder or tagging system to group similar sounds together, making it easier to locate the perfect sound when you need it. Remember, the more organized your library, the quicker you can access your sounds during the mastering process, enabling you to maximize the potential of your best mastering plugins. Storing your valuable collection of vintage amplifier sounds in the cloud is a move that combines practicality with foresight. In addition to ensuring easy accessibility for you and any collaborators, it also secures your library from potential data loss due to hardware malfunctions, accidental deletion, or other unforeseen circumstances. One of the crucial advantages of cloud storage is its inherent redundancy. High-quality cloud services automatically create copies of your files across multiple servers, so even if one server goes down, your data remains safe and accessible. This is an assurance that local storage systems can't provide, as they are vulnerable to a variety of risks, from hardware failure to physical damage. When choosing a cloud storage service, pay close attention to its backup and recovery features. Do they automatically backup files upon upload? How easy is it to restore a file to a previous version or to recover deleted files? Are there options for scheduling automatic backups? These are important considerations to ensure the safety of your vintage amplifier sound library. Even with cloud storage, it's wise to keep local backup copies of your most valuable and frequently used sounds. This gives you an extra layer of security and ensures uninterrupted access to your sounds even if you encounter issues with your internet connectivity. Consider using an external hard drive or another form of reliable local storage for this purpose. Lastly, it's important to periodically check and update your backup processes. Technology and data needs evolve, so what worked a year ago might not be the most efficient or secure method now. Regular check-ins on your backup strategy ensure that your prized collection of vintage amplifier sounds remain safe and readily accessible for all your music production needs. Numerous music producers have already discovered the power of integrating vintage amplifier sounds into their work. They've digitized these classic sounds, curated their personal sound libraries, and stored them on the cloud for easy accessibility. These producers use these vintage sounds as secret weapons, infusing their tracks with a unique sonic quality that sets them apart. When paired with the best mastering plugins, these vintage sounds can be further refined, enabling producers to create truly exceptional music. These success stories serve as inspiration for any music producer looking to diversify their sonic palette and make the most of the digital tools at their disposal. The merging of vintage amplifier sounds and modern cloud storage technology creates a compelling synergy. It allows us to preserve the cherished sounds of the past and to seamlessly integrate them into today's music production processes. With careful digitization, effective organization, and secure cloud storage, these timeless sounds can continue to enrich our sonic creations for years to come. As technology continues to evolve, it's inspiring to see how we can leverage it not just to forge new paths, but also to keep us connected to our rich, musical past. By Shawn Leonhardt for Guitar Tricks and 30 Day Singer What does a musician need to be prepared for most gigs and situations? Some tools and items will depend on your instrument and overall performance, while others are general necessities for anyone who wants to play music publicly. Usually you want the process to be as easy and streamlined as possible so you can focus on the show! Here are some of the important tools of the trade for the gigging musician. While you don’t want to play cheap gear at a show you may also want to save the top tier instruments for studio use. At least if you are busking on the street or playing in a bar you really don’t want to use super pricey gear. If you must bring something nice make sure it is put away right in an appropriate hard case. Gig bags are easier to carry but they provide less protection. A saxophone bell can bend and a guitar string can break in a soft case so keep the venue and instrument case suitable for the right situation. If you need synthesizers or guitar pedals keep it to the bare minimum. Durable microphones are essential, this isn’t the time to be worrying about a pristine studio mic. Shure SM57’s is commonly used but your situation may call for something else. You want quality for a good performance but not overkill on something that may very well get damaged. You may also need an amplifier or basic PA system along with a small mixer to plug the gear into. Your mixer doesn’t have to be elaborate, just enough channels for your show. It is helpful to have your own portable live setup just in case you find a place that doesn’t have the right music gear. Depending on the amplification or effects units that are used you will need a variety of XLR and patch cables along with power units or batteries if your music gear runs on that. You may need 1/4 inch or even smaller 1/8 cables, it is up to you to check the connections and get the right ones. As always this is not an area to be cheap in, quality cables are better sounding. And make sure to check what adapters are needed. If you happen to be lucky enough to be playing in another country, then you must pay attention to the power and adapters that you need. If you are more of an acoustic musician than this area will only be important for mic and speaker connections. It is very helpful to have something to carry all your equipment around with, these days there are dedicated carts for musicians that want something durable to put items in. If you plan on playing in different environments than all terrain carts will be your best bet. Or you can look for smaller options to lug your instruments, cables, and music gear around in. You will need stands for mics, amps, tablets, and music, along with any specialty connectors to put these items on the stand. There are also straps, strings, reeds, picks, capos, extra drum sticks, and any playing accessories that you will need for your show. These are wise things to have doubles of in case of breaks or damage. Just don’t go overboard and bring more than you need. We only want the accessories that are essential to the gig. Whether it is a dedicated tuning machine or an app it is essential to make sure you are in tune. Don’t rely on ear training at a show unless you have no choice, just use a tuner, and make sure your instrument is right in the first place, even a simple guitar tuner can work for a lot of instruments. A tuner that shows all chromatic notes and octaves will work for all musicians. Tape, cleaners, and sprays are essential for sticking items and keeping grime down. While tools like pliers, screwdrivers, batteries, and flashlights are also potentially helpful items. Your instrument and gig will determine exactly what you may need, but every musician needs to keep a simple repair kit for their gear. Pro-tip: The Rene Martinez String Winder is the perfect addition to your repair kit for quick string replacements. We also need some items to occasionally repair ourselves! Band aids can help protect from blisters or treat them. Chapstick helps for severe weather, and other ointments like antibiotics may be necessary. And of course earplugs are essential for protecting our hearing! A clean cloth is also great for cleaning or sweat, as it gets hot on some stages. Water and snacks are also essential, especially if you are in temperature extremes. It is also helpful to have a paper and pen just in case your phone dies, as always you should have a backup for most things that can go wrong. Because if they can go wrong in a gig, they will! If you are busking, always make sure someone knows where you are and when you will be back. Generally it’s a safe thing, but it’s even safer to share where you are. Also make sure to keep important identification and any money safely where it can’t be stolen when playing on the street. If you are playing a show hopefully you have done your due diligence and gotten proper venue contracts, if so make sure to bring them. Be certain to bring any CD’s, USB sticks, tape cassettes, links, QR codes, and any other merchandise, after all that may be the only way to really make money from the gig! You want to make sure you have all promotional materials available to sell or handout to potential fans. It is very difficult to make money as a musician, you will need side hustles of side hustles so find any way you can to bring money in! Finally it will be helpful to go to shows or watch street performers to get an idea of what tools and items gigging musicians use. Music is just a friendly form of mimicry, copy what you see, but put your own spin on it! Always be sure to practice, as the most important tool for the artist is proper preparation. Aside from knowing your instrument as best you can, from a teacher or from digital instruction like an online guitar lessons platform. And after you play a show you will make mistakes that you can correct for the next time. Learn from those bad events and make the changes necessary to the musical items you will need! By: Josh Lister For some guitarists pedal chaining is an art form or an exact science that should be done correctly. And of course, some do not care what order their beloved pedals are in. It just makes noise, right? Positioning a pedal in a specific position on your pedal board can change the sound dynamic output. This is why most guitarists consider the purpose of each pedal and position them on the board based on what sound they want to be outputted. There are no specific rules to pedal chaining. A lot can come from personal preference. The main thing to consider is what pedal will affect the proper distribution of a pedal in the chain. The more pedals that you have, the more you will need to think about the order. For example, it might not be the best thing to add a delay pedal before an overdrive pedal because the dynamics of your playing can affect it. Starting from right to left (guitar to amplifier); add pedals that have the most minor effect on the output. Ideally, you would want to add your tuner pedal first because a ‘dirty’ drive or fuzz pedal will only cause the tuner to be less accurate. So, keep the signal clean and keep the tuner first. Next, you would want to have your gain-changing and tone-changing effects. Pedals such as the Big Muff should go next. This section is a bit controversial. Some say the compression should come straight after the tuner, whilst others suggest it should be between your fuzz and distortion and overdrive. Ideally, your fuzz pedal should go high up the pedal-chain; before compression, distortion and overdrive because of the massive effect it has on the guitar tone. To even out the sound signal, add a compressor after the fuzz. I have added distortion after fuzz, and I have found that it gives the tone a ‘meatier’ sound. A good example of a distortion pedal is the Boss DS-2 or DS-1. If you use an overdrive pedal, such as the Boss Blues Driver, add it before the distortion, to smoothen the tone caused by the fuzz pedal. Modulation and timing pedals come next. These can help tame or mellow the harshness of the distortion and harmonic pedals. Due to their low level of sensitivity, they can be placed towards the end of the chain without affecting the overall volume. An example of a modulation pedal would be a chorus (Boss Super Chorus CH-1), phaser or flanger. The volume pedals can go last, after the tuner or in the middle of the board. Typically though they are based at the end of the chain, but it is down to preference. I think they should go last because it allows you to change the volume after all of the harmonics and tones have been affected. The delay pedals are ideal for playing around with the sound output. Putting it before the fuzz and distortion could mess up the pitch and spoil the purpose of the delayed effect. Volume pedals such as delay and reverb can be adjusted using a single pedal, individual pedals or from the amplifier. I tend to use the amp’s reverb setting to give a fuller, richer sound. Consider using a buffer. A buffer is best placed higher up the chain to preserve signal quality, preventing signal loss, improving the signal-to-noise ratio and improving the tone. Also, not forgetting the wah pedal; whilst not all guitarists have one, it is common not to see one on a board, however, because it plays a big part in changing the tone of the guitar. It is generally agreed that it should be higher up the board. Another added benefit of well thought out pedal chaining is the ability to “stack” your overdrive pedals in a few different ways depending on your desired effect. Choosing a main drive to push you heavier tone selections and big choruses is essential. After that is done you can set a second overdrive with low to medium gain to stack on top and run in tandem with your main drive. This will give you a mid forward saturation that's perfect for solo boosting. Another fun option is to ramp the gain up and only slightly boost the volume of the second pedal to create a warm blanket of sizzle to compress and fatten without as much volume boost. When done correctly this technique can give you lots of colors in your tone pallet to paint with. It essentially comes down to personal preference as there is no official law to pedal-chaining. But it is important to consider tonality and output when arranging your pedal chain. Amp - Delay - Tremolo - Chorus - Distortion - Compression - Fuzz - Tuner + Loop - Guitar
General Notes: The E34L is intended as a sturdier and more powerful rendition of the EL34 from the same maker, and takes on some of its own sonic characteristics as a result. In use, it’s a full and gutsy sounding tube with a lot of body and relatively good balance overall. Lively, punchy, and authoritative at all amp settings. Definitely a loud tube, too, with the most overtly aggressive volume and attack of the three EL34s tested in this batch. Which is not to say it’s harsh or strident by any means, but favors “in-your-face” over elegance.
Overdriven: Overdriven tones are forward and aggressive without being harsh, with a very lively sparkle and shimmer within individual notes. Plenty of bark in the upper mids, with an earthy, bovine thump in the lower mids, and enough bass to please the metal crowd. There’s a very “electric” feel to the distortion, with an about-to-explode edginess when you really dig in.
Clean: Cleans are crisp, clear and articulate, but with good bite when you increase your pick attack, and tight lows. Relatively musical, with good balance, but predisposed toward a certain edginess and aggression amid the clarity. Pushed into edge-of-breakup, this tube goes crispy and sizzling in ways that really help cut through the mix, while retaining excellent punch in the low end.
Good For: A great EL34 variant for adding a sense of power and aggression to any amp, yet without sacrificing classiness or musicality. It’s a great metal and heavy rock tube, but also very good for blues-rock, alt-rock, grunge, garage-rock or other styles where you’re looking to achieve a little more in-your-face-ness rather than smoothness.
\n\n","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"17","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"4433401","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"4433402","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/21/2021 1:52:36 pm"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"Point-To-Point Amps: What They Are and What They Aren't","page_header":"Point-To-Point Amps: What They Are and What They Aren't","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"64","name":"Point-To-Point Amps: What They Are and What They Aren't","urlPath":"blog/point-to-point-amps-what-they-are-and-what-they-arent","url":"point-to-point-amps-what-they-are-and-what-they-arent","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"2","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"Guitar amps have had so many incarnations over the years, it can sometimes be difficult to know what is what. In the world of point-to-point amps, there are a ton of misconceptions floating around out there, and Dave Hunter seeks to correct a few!","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"Any guitarist who has paid much attention to the reviews and manufacturer write-ups of tube-based guitar amps in recent years, and so-called “boutique” amps in particular, will have encountered the term “point-to-point” (PTP). And while that term has a very specific meaning, it is often used somewhat loosely to describe any amp with a hand-wired circuit, or one that doesn’t use a printed circuit board (PCB). There’s a lot more to it than that, though, so let’s dig in and see what PTP really is… and what it’s not.
The Golden Age of Hand-Wired Amps
Through the first three or four decades of guitar-amp manufacturing, the question of whether or not a guitar amplifier was a PTP design, wasn’t even an issue. Up until the early ’70s, all of the major tube amp manufacturers loaded their circuit boards by hand, and soldered all the connections, all the wires between board and sockets, and all the switches by hand. Although Fender kept making tube amps this way throughout the mid ’80s, Vox Sound Ltd. Started making the AC30 and other models using PCBs in 1970 (having taken the reigns from original Vox manufacturer JMI). Additionally, Marshall started using PCBs in its amps around 1974. A few other British makers like WEM and Orange had switched over to PCBs even earlier than that.
Slowly but surely, some players began to hanker for the older designs and gripe that, “they don’t make them like they used to” (we always do, don’t we?). And in so doing, many guitarists noticed that one obvious difference between the old builds and the new ones was the way the circuit boards were constructed, and the way the guts of the amps were wired up. Thus, by the mid ’90s or so, the PTP vs. PCB issue caught fire.
Some Simple Definitions
Before diving in deeper, though, let’s lay some groundwork by way of a few definitions. A “printed circuit board” is a glass-epoxy or phenolic-resin board with a thin plate of copper on one side (sometimes both sides), onto which circuit components are soldered. Electrical connections between components on such a board are created by “etching” away certain portions of the copper plating to leave copper “traces” (this is the so-called “printing” process)—which look like narrow tracks—in patterns that determine the signal and power and grounding paths around the circuit.
Manufacturers moved over to PCBs for amplifier construction for a number of reasons: If you plan to make a lot of the same design of amp, etching PCBs to a precise and carefully laid-out pattern will often provide more consistent and reliable results than wiring up each circuit individually; with slight variations in wire positions and lengths according to which worker on the line assembled the unit. Often PCBs, in more recent years especially, can also have components loaded onto them by machine, and have their solder connections made all at once in a process called “dipping”. In short, PCBs are used because, in some cases, amp manufacturers consider them the best option for consistency and reliability, while in other instances they are used simply because they are a more cost-effective means of manufacturing an amplifier.
On the other hand, the term point-to-point is often used colloquially to describe a circuit in which all connections between components and the trace-less (i.e., non-etched) circuit board are hand-wired. Strictly speaking, though, a genuine PTP circuit is one that uses no circuit board at all, but makes all of its circuit connections directly between components—between points, in other words—using the leads of those components themselves and very little wire. Example: A resistor connects the input jack to the preamp tube socket, a capacitor connects the output from that preamp tube to the volume potentiometer, another capacitor connects the output of the volume pot to the next stage in the circuit, and so on.
True Point-To-Point
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In truth, this kind of circuit is extremely rare. It is most commonly seen today in amps made by Matchless, Bad Cat, Carr, and a few others; in some vintage amps from Gibson, Valco, very early Fender models, and a few others (most of the very earliest guitar amps of the late ’30s and ’40s used PTP construction, in fact, because they were generally simple enough not to require the imposed logic of a circuit board at all). In the genuine PTP amp, the signal path is usually as short as possible, which -- when done right -- can help minimize interference and noise in the circuit, and will allow the circuit to flow logically from input to output. The circuit itself, therefore, tends to look very much like the schematic diagram from which it is built. Fans of PTP manufacturing say the logical signal flow and short wire runs make for a bolder, richer tone and an immediate playing response.
There are potential downsides to PTP circuits, too, when they’re not designed and built with great care. If done poorly, they can be prone to a lot of noise and electrical interference, since an inexperienced builder might not adhere to critical considerations such as keeping signal wires and power supply wires from running close or parallel to each other, and so forth (rest assured the makes of the above-named modern PTP amps, however, are experienced builders!). Also, even in high-quality, well-built PTP amps, components can sometimes be more difficult to access and disconnect than those in other hand-wired circuits using non-printed circuit boards of one type or another, because of the somewhat “rat’s nest-like” intertwining of components and connections. Also, physical stresses—such as the heat from tube sockets, or the movement that occurs in a tube socket terminal when a tube is wiggled loose for replacement—might impact directly on components in the PTP circuit, rather than on the more flexible wires making connections in other types of hand-wired circuits. Of course the labor-intensiveness of PTP circuits also contributes to very expensive amplifiers.
Other Hand-Wired Circuits
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Often when guitarists—or, indeed, manufacturers—discuss so-called PTP amps, however, they mean amps that are made with other types of hand-wired circuit boards. These might be eyelet boards, as most commonly seen in vintage Fenders and Ampegs, or tag or terminal boards, as seen in vintage Marshalls, Voxes, Hiwatts, Traynors, and plenty of others. All of these are some form of insulated, non-conductive fiber board into which metal eyelets, posts, or terminals are mounted. Signal-shaping components in the circuit—primarily resistors and capacitors—are soldered between these terminals, as are the wire connections going from points in the circuit to other components within the amp which are mounted on the chassis itself: jacks, switches, potentiometers, tubes (via tube sockets) and transformers. It’s these direct wire connections that lead many people to mistakenly refer to such amps as “point to point,” a slight misnomer that’s easily forgiven.
When built right and laid out logically, with an economical signal flow, these still yield extremely toneful amps, even if they might involve a few more inches of wire through the course of the circuit (a minimal, possibly inconsequential consideration). Good examples of this kind of construction have the advantages of being easy to repair, since almost any component can be changed out by desoldering just two easily accessible joints and removing the part from the board; and of being extremely rugged and hard-wearing, since the circuit board offers the components some insulation against heat and vibration.
In truth, any of these methods done right, have few significant down sides, other than that they are also rather labor intensive, due to all the hand-soldered joints and hand-wired connections required to manufacture them, and therefore result in expensive amplifiers. Makers that use this type of circuitry today, therefore, generally fall into what we call the “boutique” realm, which includes brands such as Friedman, Komet, Victoria, Dr Z, Clark, 65amps, Reeves/Hiwatt, Redplate, Ceriatone, and many others—including anything you would build from a Mojotone kit—and also up-market models from major makers, such as Marshall’s Hand Wired series, many of Fender’s Custom Shop amps, and Vox’s Hand Wired reissues.
In Defense of PCBs
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Although they often seem to be denigrated in any such discussion, a well-designed and constructed PCB can also yield an excellent, professional-grade guitar amp. A rugged and well-laid-out PCB can present an efficient and low-noise signal flow, as can a well-designed hand-wired circuit; and the use of a PCB in itself isn’t necessarily evidence of a “lower quality” product. Randall Smith used PCBs in his Mesa/Boogie combos way back when he founded the company in the early ’70s, and still does. These early Boogies can be considered among the forefathers of boutique amplifiers (a lot of hand wiring still went into constructing these high-gain lead monsters).
Other makers of high-end amps such as Soldano, Bogner, Rivera, Fuchs, Budda and others also use PCBs, as do the “standard” lines from Fender, Marshall and Vox, and all contemporary amps from Supro, Ampeg, Peavey, and several others. But you will generally notice a difference between the PCBs in the highest priced tube amps that carry them, and those in the most affordable. A thick PCB with wide tracks, a fluid layout, and easily accessible parts can still make for a great sounding and easily serviced amplifier. Not all PCBs are created in this way, though, and some are much harder to service than others, or certainly than almost any good hand-wired amp.
In many cases, the quality demarcation is found not necessarily in the circuit board, but in other places. For example, whether tube sockets and/or pots, switches, and jacks are mounted directly to the circuit board or to the chassis, with flying leads between sockets and board rather than with direct solder connections to the board. More economical production often sees sockets, switches, and pots soldered directly to either the main PCB or, slightly better, to one or more secondary PCBs. When this is done, however, these boards can be prone to cracking with excessive vibration or movement (the kind that occurs when you wiggle a tube to remove it from the socket, flip a switch repeatedly, or just throw it in and out of the van gig after gig). Boards can also be damaged over time from too much direct heat passed on from tubes. Build an amp, however, with a thick, rugged, well-designed PCB carrying high-quality components; mount the switches, jacks, potentiometers and tube sockets to the chassis itself—which provides excellent heat dispersal and resistance to physical stress—and you’ve got a product that should run with many of the big boys of the hand-wired world.
Component Quality
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In addition, the make and quality of components used in the circuit often vary widely according to price and construction technique. PCBs that are machine loaded with these parts, and which have their terminals all soldered at once in a “solder-dipping” process, usually don’t carry the higher-end components, which are often physically bigger and less efficient to work with (in addition to being more expensive). Instead, these use the smaller, more generic components that the rest of the consumer electronics industry works with and with which the loading and dipping machines are designed to work. These also tend to be the amps that are harder and more time-consuming to service. Sometimes, in fact, as is so often the case with the PC or DVD player you send back to the factory for repair, a technician might simply pull the entire circuit board and replace it, rather than try to diagnose and repair the individual problem itself.
None of this is intended to imply that you need to take out a second mortgage and run right out to buy a PTP or hand-wired guitar amplifier. Hand-crafted and US or European-made goods in any corner of the consumer market cost a lot more than mass-manufactured or assembly line goods, and this article doesn’t intend to imply that the extra expense is justified for every player out there. Makers of quality tube amplifiers that use PCBs still employ a lot of hand assembly in the manufacturing process, and clearly plenty of great pros record and tour with amps such as Fender Bassman Reissues and Hotrod Deluxes, Vox AC30TBXs or Custom Classics, Marshall JCM800s or TSL100s, Mesa/Boogie Triple Rectifiers and Mark Vs, Soldano SLOs, Bogner Shivas, Peavey 6505s and plenty of other righteous models that carry printed circuit boards.
That being said, plenty of pros and hobbyists alike derive massive pleasure and righteous tones from any of a number of hand-wired tube amps available, and this is also a big part of what inspires many guitarists to build their own amps, which are invariably hand-wired… by you! Whichever machine you turn to for your tone, at least now you can walk the walk and talk the talk. More to the point, when it comes time to research, test, and eventually make your next major amp purchase, or plan your next DIY building project, you can more intelligently assess the elements in the models you are drawn toward; and hopefully you’ll understand a little more about what makes them tick, and why.
","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"3","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/21/2021 1:58:59 pm"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"Speaker Efficiency And Tone","page_header":"Speaker Efficiency And Tone","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"57","name":"Speaker Efficiency And Tone","urlPath":"blog/speaker-efficiency-and-tone","url":"speaker-efficiency-and-tone","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"2","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"Dave Hunter explores a number of ways guitarists can use different speakers to shape their tone and adapt to various of performance environments.","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"Guitarists are frequently chatting about how swapping speakers in any given amp or cab can quickly change up your tone, and for many years the topic trended toward the way in which more-efficient speakers can make an underpowered amp louder. That’s certainly true; changing a speaker with a 95 dB rating for one with a 100 dB rating can sound like you’re suddenly using a much more powerful amp.
It's worth considering, though, that you can get a lot of tone-tweaker mileage out of going the other way, and that seeking out less efficient, less sensitive speakers might actually achieve the results you’re looking for. Put simply, a speaker’s efficiency (also expressed as sensitivity) determines how much volume it will put out for any given input. Which simply means that less efficient speakers are not as loud as those with higher efficiency ratings, given the same wattage pumped into them from the same amp. (Note that ,for the sake of consistency, a speaker’s “sensitivity” or “efficiency” rating indicates the decibel level the speaker will achieve when measured at one meter from the cone with a signal input of one watt, a figure generally listed as “1 watt/1 meter” or “1W/1M”.)
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There’s definitely an enhanced awareness of stage volume these days, and a general move toward acquiring great tone at suitable volume levels. The old-school method of “decibels be damned”—using a huge amp that only sounds its best when you get it cranked up way too loud for the gig, and blowing everyone’s hearing to shreds in the process—is pretty widely frowned upon. Instead, guitarists who want the cranked-up sound without the oppressive volume levels are searching high and low for effective ways of getting there, and dialing in your tone via carefully considered speaker efficiency is one way of getting there.
With this in mind, let’s consider that, as well as using a more efficient speaker to make a small amp louder, you can use a less efficient speaker to make a great but too-loud amp less loud. In essence, you make your speaker choice work something like an attenuator. The trick is, you still want good all-round tone, and choosing a speaker according to its sensitivity rating can limit you somewhat in that respect. Of course, swapping in a new speaker is always a little bit of a crap-shoot anyway if you don’t have the privilege of trying it with your own amp before buying it. But by reading the reviews, checking out the speakers your guitar-playing pals and band mates are using, and always keeping an eye peeled for the well-regarded speakers that carry slightly lower specs for efficiency, you can at least narrow down your selection.
Many vintage Jensen speakers typically have lower sensitivity ratings, and many reproductions, including some of the new ones in the Italian-made Jensen Vintage Reissue series, follow suit. The reissue alnico P12R and P12Q are both rated at 95 dB, which is fairly inefficient by today’s standards, and their ceramic counterparts the C12R and C12Q are even lower, at 93.8 dB and 94.6 dB respectively (consider these against the 98.4 dB rating of the P12N and C12N). Also, the new Jensen Jet Tornado neodymium-magnet speaker has a good all-purpose tone with plenty of warmth and roundness, and rates at 97.3 dB, while handling 100 watts of power. The Indiana-based speaker manufacture Weber Speakers also makes a number of good reproductions of vintage US-made speakers, and although they don’t publish their sensitivity figures, I know many of them fall in line with the lower ratings of the originals.\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/Speaker-efficiency-and-tone/speaker-efiiciency-image-3.jpg\")
Celestion is perhaps best known for two great-sounding, classic high-efficiency speakers, the Alnico Blue and G12H-30, both rated at 100 dB, as are newer additions to the lineup such as the Alnico Cream and Gold. If you like that tone you might just have to make do with a loud amp. But the British company does have a range of great, if different, sounding drivers with lower ratings.
The legendary G12M Greenback comes in at 98 dB in the Chinese-made Classic Series and a mellower (and more authentic) 96 dB in the English-made Heritage Series (similarly, Mojotone’s own Greenback-inspired BV-25M comes in at a comfortable 97 dB). It’s a fantastic rock lead and rhythm speaker and an undeniable classic, although it doesn’t have the firm lows or snappy high-end twang that some players also need in a guitar driver, and it handles only 25 watts. The Heritage G12-65, however, offers much of the Greenback’s sweet midrange grind, but has a fuller bass response, clear, sweet highs, and handles 65 watts with an efficiency rating of 97 dB (original examples from the early ’80s are also often readily available on the used market, frequently offered up by players breaking up the big old 4x12 cabs the came in).
Note that the big American speaker maker Eminence makes some excellent sounding units these days, in their Legend, Patriot, and Red Coat series, although they are usually aiming for higher sensitivity specs than the speakers I have focused on so far. I do find, however, that some of them don’t sound quite as loud as their three-figure ratings might imply. The great Red Fang alnico speaker is spec’d at a whopping 103 dB, for example, but it sounded no louder than other 98-100 dB speakers I tested it against, so something like their 98.8 dB Legend 1218 or 99 dB Texas Heat might not be quite as blasting as you would expect.
In addition, Eminence released the FDM (Flux Density Modulation) series a few years back which includes the Maverick and the Reignmaker, both of which have adjustable voice-coils to allow the user to dial in their efficiency from 91.5 – 100 dB. The difference between the higher and lower of those figures represents a far more significant volume reduction than it might appear on paper. \n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/Speaker-efficiency-and-tone/speaker-efficiency-image-4-rev1.jpg\")
Explore the speaker market—there are a ton of options out there these days—and pay close attention to write-ups, reviews, and sound samples that exhibit each make and model’s sonic characteristics, while also paying close attention to their efficiency ratings.
Overall, you still need to select your speaker with tonal considerations at the top of your list. But if the driver sounds right to you and also drops your output down just a little, ideally allowing you to play right in the sweet spot without the sound guy and your band mates constantly shouting at you to turn it down, that’s a double bonus in my book.","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"4","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"4433403","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"4433404","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/21/2021 2:01:58 pm"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"EL84 Taste Testing","page_header":"EL84 Taste Testing","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"60","name":"EL84 Taste Testing","urlPath":"blog/el84-taste-testing","url":"el84-taste-testing","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"2","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"Dave Hunter knows tubes like no other. Today, he walks us through some of the history behind the EL84 and also provides some very helpful sound comparisons between three of the most popular brands in the game.","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"The output stage forms the foundation of any amp’s tone and character, and the tubes used in that stage have an enormous impact on the overall sound and feel generated by this crucial final part of the circuit. The EL84 is the smaller of what we think of as the most common “British” output tubes, since they were essential to the sounds of several smaller to medium-sized amps made in England in the 1960s and ’70s.
Used in pairs in the Vox AC15, Marshall 18-watt models, WEM Dominator and others, and in quads in the legendary Vox AC30—as well as countless reissues and boutique amps inspired by these classics—these tubes developed their reputation partly from the amps in which they appeared. But they have also been used in plenty of other amps since that time, many of which are not remotely “British.\" Designs as diverse as Fender’s Blues Jr. and Pro Jr., Mesa/Boogie’s Mark Five: 25 and 35, several iterations of the Traynor Bass Mate of the ’60s and ’70s, and many other North American amps have also done their thing via EL84s.
In classic British-voiced amps, EL84s contribute to sonic characteristics that we hear as chime and shimmer, with a certain glassiness in the highs, a balanced midrange, and a reasonably tight low-end (relative to an amp’s output rating). In almost any amp design, these are tubes that can be pushed into breakup relatively easily, and tend to deliver a smooth segue into distortion when they are—with plentiful harmonic overtones and great dynamics via their juicy compression.
Let’s check out the sound and performance of three pairs of newly manufactured EL84s currently available from Mojotone: Electro-Harmonix, Tung-Sol, and JJ Electronics.
In addition to the notes on my own “live” impressions taken after playing each set of matched EL84s in the same amp over a prolonged period, I’ve recorded several sample clips for the purposes of easy and comparable A/B/C comparisons.
Please note that the notes below were taken without any previous reference to the manufacturers’ or sellers’ promotional info, but are provided as an objective impression of these tubes’ individual strengths.
Guitar, Amp & Settings
Samples of each tube were recorded at four different guitar and amp settings. These featured a ’57 Fender Telecaster with single-coil pickups and a Gibson Les Paul with OX4 Medium-Wind PAF-style humbucking pickups, into a TopHat Club Royale combo (a hand-wired amp that shares some DNA with the Vox AC15 and Marshall 18-watters), recorded to Pro Tools via a Universal Audio OX Box for convenience, into a Universal Audio Apollo interface.
Taste-Testing
Electro-Harmonix EL84 EHIntended to replicate the classic British-made Mullard EL84, and manufactured at New Sensor’s Xpo-Pul factory (aka Reflektor) in Saratov, Russia.
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General Notes: A good all-around EL84 with a relatively firm body and an appealing, well-balanced tone. Firm lows and silky highs, with just enough midrange to punch through. It’s not so much “dark” as “warm”, retaining sweet highs along with it.
Clean: Played relatively clean, the EHX’s apparent warmth prevents most settings from getting shrill, even with the Tele’s bridge pickup. It exhibits good shimmer and twang, yet—again—without becoming harsh. Introduced to the Tele’s neck pickup, this tube is nicely round and rich, yet still admirably detailed.
Overdriven: Relatively smooth when overdriven (for an EL84), but with enough crispy edge and grit to help it cut through the mix. Appealing layers of harmonic overtones that refrain from being over-hyped or fizzy. Good midrange grunt for rock’n’roll, without being particularly notched or humpy. Lows are full enough to give weight, but not prominent to the point of being muddy or boomy.
Good For: This is a good all-around tube for the guitarist who wants to segue between clean and overdriven tones without encountering any unexpected extremes from either. It’s admirably free from harshness in the midrange overtones and devoid of ice-picky trebles, and while it isn’t overly glassy like some EL84s, it still delivers shimmering highs with a touch of sweetness. If described as “warm”, that’s not to say it’s at all lacking in clarity and articulation.
JJ EL84An Eastern-European tube Manufactured by JJ Electronic in Cadca, Slovakia.
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General Notes: An aggressive EL84 in some ways, which is particularly apparent in its swirling and slightly granular highs and pumped midrange, but not one that’s lacking in richness and subtlety when played clean.
Clean: Quite a jangly tube on the Tele’s bridge pickup, with a lot of sizzle around the edges of the arpeggiated notes (which can lead to a little blurring when the guitar is hit harder, but that in itself can be appealing and characterful in the right circumstances). Nicely tight lows when kept clean, bubbly midrange, and lively highs. Good richness in neck pickup playing, with more than enough brightness to cut through.
Overdriven: A lively rock tube that can be a little gnarly when driven, with just a little fizz when pushed hard with big chords, but that translates to lots of overtone character on single-note runs. Prominent and buoyant midrange and gritty, edgy highs when driven hard (though not necessarily unpleasantly so), with rounded-off lows amid overdrive.
Good For: A good choice for adding more edge and bite to an amp that you’re finding overly smooth, dark or recessed, or for adding lively, gritty overtone chime to semi-driven tones. Will brighten up most overly dark EL84 amps, but might sound cluttered in the mids and highs in some amps that already lean toward a lot of brightness and detail.
Tung-Sol EL84
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General Notes: An elegant tube that delivers both lively detail and good depth, making it a great all-around choice in a modern EL84. Well balanced, musical, and very likeable on all settings, it’s also a notably punchy and powerful EL84.
Clean: Crisp, clear and articulate, with lots of shimmer and overtone-laden sparkle amid semi-clean tones, and good bite with increased your pick attack, yet without segueing too easily into harshness. Very plummy and musical on the neck pickup—revealing underpinnings of cushiony warmth—with a tube-y roundness that’s really appealing. Perhaps the richest and most “present” lows of the group, though not blatantly so, which make a good foundation for the balanced mids and highs.
Overdriven: Meaty and full when overdriven, without slurring into aggressive mush. Perhaps a little added fur around low notes amid distortion, but still with very respectable articulation even on the Les Paul’s neck pickup. Great classic rock’n’roll character on the bridge pickup, with vowel-like midrange and tasty harmonic sparkle in the highs, which always stays on the side of musical sweetness rather than harshness. Really sings when pushed hard into lead lines.
Good For: A classy EL84 all-around, and arguably the most “expensive” sounding tube of the bunch. No particular characteristic stands out as over-prominent, yet good detail, depth, warmth, and harmonic shimmer are blended together to make a very appealing tube overall.","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"17","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"4433405","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"4433406","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/21/2021 2:15:20 pm"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"Tweed Champ Kit Build Part 2","page_header":"Tweed Champ Kit Build Part 2","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"65","name":"Tweed Champ Kit Build Part 2","urlPath":"blog/tweed-champ-kit-build-part-2","url":"tweed-champ-kit-build-part-2","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"1","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"Picking up where we left off with our Tweed Champ Style Amp Kits, let’s get our eyelet boards stuffed and soldered, install the board into the chassis, and finish off our remaining solder connections!","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"Hello and welcome back! Today we are going to pick up where we left off with our Tweed Champ Style Amp Kit build. Last time, we mounted all of our front and rear plate components (potentiometer, tube sockets, jacks, etc.), mounted our transformers, and made a few solder connections.
This time, we will be turning our focus towards our eyelet board. We will get it populated with the proper small components, add leads and traces to it, mount it, and wire everything up! This may seem like a lot of work for one installment, but it’s actually really simple with the 5F1 circuit and in all honesty, it’s my favorite part of any amp build!
First, let’s locate our eyelet board. You should have one board full of eyelets, and another blank board. This blank board is called the backer board, and it will eventually be situated between our eyelet board and the top panel of our chassis to prevent our components from making connections with the metal chassis. We are going to prepare our eyelet boards in three steps:
Right now, following our wiring diagrams, let’s locate each component from left to right and add it to our eyelet board. I’ll meet you back here in just a few!\n\n\n\n
Notes : Polarized capacitors (those having a negative and positive end) need to be oriented exactly as they are shown on your wiring diagram so pay special attention to these. Use needle-nose pliers to make hooks on the ends of your component leads -- this will keep the components in place as we move forward. If a capacitor and resistor are to occupy the same set of eyelets, it is easiest to twist the resistor leads around the capacitor leads and solder them together later.
Once the board is stuffed with caps and resistors, it should be looking like Image 1A below.
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You’ll notice on the far right of my board, I have already attached a yellow lead wire to the eyelet on one end of the resistor. The reason I did this is because the leads on my 1.5k resistor weren’t quite long enough to sit securely in the eyelet. So as a solution, since there was only the one lead wire coming out of the eyelet (this can be confirmed via the wiring diagram), I went ahead and cut the lead wire to length and soldered it in. This may not be necessary in your case, but if it is, this is a good work around.
Now we can move on to hooking in our trace wires. These are denoted on your wiring diagram as semi-transparent, dotted green lines. It appears there are only two actual trace connections on this circuit, so locate them on your diagram and attach these wires to the back of the board (Image 2A).
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Okay now we are ready to attach all of our yellow and green lead wires. To approximate the length of lead you’ll need for each, you can use the wiring diagram as a reference, or even hold the fiberboard over the chassis to visualize. The fact is, with a small amp like this, you won’t need much lead -- perhaps 2-3 inches on each eyelet just to be safe. Let’s all follow along with our diagram and get those leads hooked in…\n\n\n\n\n
Alright, our leads are in place and now we need to just go through and solder each eyelet hole. Before we do that, it’s always best to double-check (using the wiring diagram) that we have all of our leads and traces in the right places. Once we are confident, we will go through and solder every hole and then trim off the excess lead material…\n\n\n\n
After everything on the board has been soldered and all the excess lead wire has been clipped, you should be looking something like Image 3A below.
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Before we can move on to mounting the board into the chassis, we still need to run a couple of leads which do not require solder at this time. Notice on your wiring diagram the twisted black and white wires on the left side of the board as well as a yellow wire running from the potentiometer, through the center of the board and out to the 12AX7. These need to run between the eyelet board and the backer board. Go ahead and get those threaded through and then we will move on to mounting the board.
We are now ready to mount the eyelet board into the chassis. To do this, let’s first locate the two pre-drilled mounting holes in our chassis (Image 4A below).
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Now we can identify a good place to drill these holes in our fiberboard by holding the board up to the mounting holes in the chassis. We should be trying to find a mounting orientation between large components to reduce the risk of hurting something on the board. I’m going to try to get my mounting holes in the areas indicated in Image 5A below.
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Once you have decided where you’d like your mounting holes to go, continue holding the eyelet board up to the chassis and mark the chassis with a sharpie where it meets the left edge of your eyelet board (Image 6A).
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Then, we will lay our backer board in the chassis, flat against the top panel of the chassis using the mark we made as a reference (Image 7A).
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Next, holding your backer board firmly down against the top panel of the chassis, flip the chassis on its side and use your sharpie to mark the backer board through the mounting holes in the chassis…\n\n\n\n
Now that our backer board is marked, we can drill ⅛” holes in the backboard where we marked. Once our holes are drilled, we need to hold the backer board up to the eyelet board, and use our sharpie to mark the eyelet board through the holes in the backer board (Image 8A).
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Next, you guessed it, it’s time to drill those holes we just marked through our eyelet board. In doing so, let’s be mindful of our large components on the other side…\n\n\n\n
Now it’s time to fasten everything down. Use the remaining 6-32 nuts and screws to do this. The screws will go down through the eyelet board, then through the backer board, and out through the top panel of the chassis. You’ll fasten the nuts from the outside of the chassis. When you’re finished, you’ll have something like Image 9A below…
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Okay we have reached our final job for the day, which is to wire up the rest of the circuit...no big deal, right? Unfortunately, we don’t have time to go over every step of this process in today’s tutorial so it is extremely important to have your wiring diagram and your step-by-step build manual in front of you. These documents are very thorough and should guide you to today’s stopping point. Let’s all take some time with our documents and our amp, make the remaining solder connections, and meet back here at Image 10A when we are finished…
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Okay folks -- we should be looking something like Image 10A above. Maybe your build is tidier or maybe it’s a little messier. The most important thing is that we’ve completed a HUGE leg on our Champ Kit journey. Make sure you clip any excess leads sticking out of your solder points, lest these little buggers accidentally make contact with something else in the circuit and we spend hours hunting down the problem. If you have an air compressor on hand, it’s also a good idea to blow some air in your chassis to remove any tiny bits that may have fallen into the depths below it all.
We are going to break for the day, so please make sure you join us next time when we are testing out the circuit in a number of ways, wiring up our speaker harness, installing our amp into our cabinet, and ROCKING IT OUT! In the meantime, you can always cross-check your connections once again using your wiring diagram. We look forward to seeing you again soon!
","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"2","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"4433507","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"4433508","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/21/2021 2:20:17 pm"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"6L6 Taste Testing","page_header":"6L6 Taste Testing","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"61","name":"6L6 Taste Testing","urlPath":"blog/6l6-taste-testing","url":"6l6-taste-testing","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"2","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"6L6 power tubes are a cornerstone of American amplified sound. Today, Dave Hunter A/B/C tests three popular modern-production 6L6s and gives his honest feedback on each.","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"The output tubes (aka power tubes) are the final muscle in any guitar amp, responsible for ramping up your pre-amplified signal into a high-wattage rendition of your precious tone that can be pumped out to the speaker via the output transformer. As such, these tubes play a big part in shaping the character and sound of any amp, and are the last tubes in the long and complex signal chain between pickups and sound waves transmitted through air.
Think “classic big American tone,\" and nine times out of ten you’re thinking of the sound made by 6L6 output tubes. These big American-toned bottles (and their equivalents) are the tubes of note in classics like Fender’s tweed Pro, Super, Bassman, and Twin of the ’50s -- and Super Reverb and Twin Reverb of the ’60s. They’re also used in plenty of other designs, including many high-gain legends from Mesa/Boogie, Soldano and Dumble, and several points in between.
The 6L6 is particularly known for its clear, well-balanced tone, which includes tight lows, a midrange response that’s not over-hyped, and firm, articulate highs. It might be thought of first and foremost as an archetypal “clean” output tube—given some of the vintage amps it has been used in—but it also exhibits a muscular, dynamic overdrive when pushed hard, and can beautifully translate preamp-tube-generated overdrive into punchy, aggressive output when needed.
Let’s investigate the characteristics and capabilities of three newly manufactured makes of this beloved output tube, all of which are currently available from Mojotone: the Electro-Harmonix 6L6GC, Tung-Sol 6L6GC STR, and JJ 6L6GC.
In addition to my own “live” impressions gleaned from playing each set of matched 6L6s in the same amp over a prolonged period, I’ve recorded several sample clips for the purposes of easy and comparable A/B/C comparisons. Please note, too, that the notes below were taken without any previous reference to the manufacturers’ or sellers’ promotional info, but are provided as an objective impression of these tubes’ individual strengths.
Guitar, Amp & Settings
Three samples of each tube were recorded using a ’57 Fender into a custom tweed Fender Pro-style amp through a 2x12 cabinet with Jensen C12Q speakers.
Taste-Testing
Electro-Harmonix 6L6GCA reissue of the legendary British-made Mullard EL34 manufactured at New Sensor’s Xpo-Pul factory (aka Reflektor) in Saratov, Russia.
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General Notes: This is a relatively tall-bottled 6L6 type which, nevertheless, combats microphonic rattle with a ruggedized grid structure, and increased power handling along with it. The manufacturer tells us it’s based on the legendary RCA “black plate” 6L6GCs, although it also displays constructional elements seen on classic Soviet 6L6 types, such as the graduated two-tier base and some internal elements as well. In any case, this is a great-sounding tube all around, particularly adept at “that American tone,” but just a confident, well-voiced 6L6 in general, with good balance and an appealing depth and richness.
Overdriven: When pushed into overdrive by the Telecaster’s bridge pickup, the E-H presents a classy snarl loaded with character and edge without getting nasty or harsh. As you hit it harder with aggressive lead lines further up the neck, the tube hints and sliding into some trashy grunge, but without ever losing its cool, retaining surprisingly good articulation and note separation amid that characteristically gnarly tweed breakup.
Clean-ish: The E-H 6L6GC elicits a meaty twang from the Tele’s bridge pickup, which is never harsh or spiky, and includes a juicy, succulent richness amid the punch and bite of the low and midrange notes. Highs remain silky and smooth, yet clear and, again, never ice-picky. From the Tele’s neck pickup, this tube delivers round, plummy lows with good firmness, and a very musical upper-midrange and treble response that gives character to the individual notes.
Good For: An impressive current-make 6L6GC all around, delivering sonic characteristics that can be both elegant and aggressive, as needed.
JJ 6L6GCAn Eastern-European tube Manufactured by JJ Electronic in Cadca, Slovakia.
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General Notes: This Slovakian-made 6L6 has an extended glass envelope with a particularly tall double-halo getter structure at the top, and could at first glance be mistaken for an EL34. It’s a big, bold, clear sounding tube in use, with an impressive balance between lows, mids and highs -- excellent clarity all around. It segues into breakup at semi-clean amp settings a little less easily than the other makes tested here, and offers a lot of usable headroom as a result. Another confident 6L6 for that classic “American sound,” and a powerful 30-watt (per tube) variant as well.
Overdriven: When overdriven in the tweed test amp, this tube is thick, muscular and authoritative, with a particularly fat and swaggering personality on the lower string twang runs, delivering a bold, characterful, and extremely appealing rock ‘n’ roll tone. Hitting jangly chords and single-note runs and bends higher up the neck elicits a little more bite and sting in the highs, with shimmering harmonics that only ever hint at harshness without ever quite tipping over into it.
Clean: The JJ is crisp, clear, and articulate when hit with the Tele’s bridge pickup, and although there’s a little clipping around the edges it doesn’t fold into breakup quite as easily as many other 6L6s (that inevitable “tweed hair” notwithstanding). And while it retains its composure well, it does exhibit appealing harmonic sparkle and depth in the process. From the Tele’s neck pickup, this 6L6GC presents a warm, round, woody-sounding jazz and ballad tone, with tight lows, and highs that have a nice little forward edge of cutting power in the attack, without being at all strident.
Good For: A very big-sounding 6L6, this is a good choice when you’re seeking significant headroom from a tube that also segues well into breakup without getting strident too quickly. Firm, clear, and balanced, it harks back to the more high-powered big-bottle American 6L6s of old.
Tung-Sol 6L6GC STRA Russian tube, manufactured at New Sensor’s Xpo-Pul factory (aka Reflektor) in Saratov, Russia.
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General Notes: The “STR” in the name stands for “Special Tube Request,\" designating it was made to specifications requested by amp manufacturers back in the day (or, in this case, made to emulate such tubes). This Tung-Sol has a shorter bottle much like the American-made 6L6WGC types that remained more plentiful for several years after other NOS 6L6s were drying up fast; but those were lower-output tubes, whereas this is a relatively powerful 30-watt (per tube) 6L6 variant. Even so, it exhibits some of the softer, earlier breakup of those traditional smaller 6L6s, along with the slightly easier compression, while still delivering impressive output overall.
Overdriven: The slightly easier breakup and gently compressed attack help this 6L6GC STR segue nicely into overdrive, and it rewards when you dig in for more classic and straight-on rock ‘n’ roll or more retro-voiced blues tones in particular. There’s tasty harmonic shimmer amid the distortion when higher notes are pushed hard, and excellent high-end bite without ever issuing brash or strident overtones. Particularly impressive is that, while this tube has marginally less headroom, it’s segue into clipping is smooth and dynamic, rather than harsh or jarring.
Clean: This Tung-Sol 6L6GC has plenty of clarity and sparkle, yet a certain softness amid punchy clean tones that lends a somewhat more “vintage tube” character, as might be found in some of the lower-output, short-bottle 6L6s of the ’50s and ’60s. Hit by the Tele’s bridge pickup, the lows are tight without being particularly bountiful, and the midrange is balanced and musical, with some compression aiding an enjoyable playing feel. Highs jangle and crunch a little more, with sparkling overtones. Via the Tele’s neck pickup, this tube is articulate and well-defined, with a sweetness and richness that isn’t overly deep, yet is very appealing.
Good For: An excellent tube when you want to elicit classic output-stage-generated overdrive from an amp, and a non-master-volume amp in particular. It has a sweet and well-balanced voice over all, and a slightly compressed front edge that enhances touch sensitivity. Not ideal if you’re seeking the biggest, boldest possibly clean-de-la-clean tones, although it’s cleans are also very musical and appealing.","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"17","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"4433514","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"4433515","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/21/2021 2:27:11 pm"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"Tube Distortion: Your Amp's Dirty Little Secret","page_header":"Tube Distortion: Your Amp's Dirty Little Secret","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"62","name":"Tube Distortion: Your Amp's Dirty Little Secret","urlPath":"blog/tube-distortion-your-amps-dirty-little-secret","url":"tube-distortion-your-amps-dirty-little-secret","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"2","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"Vacuum tubes are potentially the most vital piece of the tube amplifier puzzle. For years, these little valves have shaped the most iconic guitar sounds ever recorded. Today, Dave Hunter talks about the how’s and why’s behind these famous gadgets!","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"Anyone who has spent some time grooving on the glorious interaction between electric guitar and amplifier, will know that the former part of that equation really isn’t a complete musical instrument without help from the latter. Any electric guitar requires a good amp to fully express its potential, and without it, it’s just kind of a quiet, heavy acoustic guitar. Delving further into that realization, it’s important to understand that a truly good guitar amp isn’t just beloved for its ability to amplify the guitar’s sound—that is, to make it louder—but is also valued for its propensity to shape and enrich the guitar’s tone. Following on from that, probe further into any all-tube guitar amp and you’ll find the same applies to those glowing glass bottles that make it all happen. Tubes are indeed the essential amplification devices within our amps, but they are also the most important tone generators within any circuit, and the way they distort constitutes the most significant characteristic of their function.
Antiques Toneshow![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/Tube-Distortion-Dave-Hunter/image-1.jpg\")
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Tubes are imperfect amplification devices, and that’s why we love ’em. It’s been nearly 85 years since guitar met amp, and while the tubes that drove those amps have been replaced in nearly every other type of electronic device and appliance over the intervening years, they remain the component of choice in guitar amps. Crazy, eh?
These devices—vacuum tubes, to give them their full name, or thermionic valves in the UK (tubes or valves for short)—have enjoyed such longevity in the realm of guitar amplification not simply because they are capable of making an audio signal louder, but because of the way in which they make that signal louder. Most good electric guitar tones, and that includes virtually all of the legendary sounds recorded by a myriad of guitar heroes over the past six decades, rely to some extent on tube distortion to give them body and texture.
Even amid guitar tones which we consider “clean,” there’s usually an element of natural tube distortion that adds thickness and increases the harmonic richness of each note. To hear an electric guitar played truly clean, plug it into a very powerful amplifier—a PA amp, a large hi-fi amp, or a studio or PA mixer—and play at a relatively low volume, monitoring yourself on large hi-fi speakers or headphones. That thin, clinical sound your beloved instrument produces is the sound of a truly clean electric guitar. In order to give it the punch, sweetness, juiciness, and dynamic range we all love, you need to process it with some distortion. And nothing distorts more sweetly, juicily, and dynamically than tubes—and the beautiful part is, they do it naturally.
Dirty Hairy![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/Tube-Distortion-Dave-Hunter/image-2.jpg\")
The reason we love tube distortion—whether used very lightly, moderately, or piled on thick—is because of the way these devices distort the audio signal when pushed into clipping. “Clipping” is a term used to describe how an amplifier responds when pushed beyond its ability to produce a clean signal. All clipping is a form of distortion, but the way in which different types of amplifiers clip defines the character, and thus the appeal (or lack thereof) of that distortion. When pushed past their limits, solid-state devices (at least those without a lot of extra circuitry to compensate) clip a signal suddenly; this results in a harsh, jagged distortion that is usually not very pleasant to the ear. Tubes, on the other hand, clip relatively smoothly and gradually when pushed further and further toward their operational limits. The result is a rounder, warmer, fuller-bodied distortion which is also smoother and more “musical” than that produced by a solid-state device. View two different sound waves on a scope as they clip, one from a solid-state amplifier and one from a tube amp, and you can actually see the “squareness” and “roundness” of the respective signals. Also, in the process of distorting--even when distorting just a little--a tube adds harmonics to the fundamental note or notes in the signal, which gives the guitar tone added texture and dimension.
Thick ‘n’ Rich![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/Tube-Distortion-Dave-Hunter/image-3.jpg\")
When you’re playing through a tube amp with anything from a little to a lot of distortion, the extra harmonics added to each note layer up to build a sonic picture that is significantly bigger than the original, fundamental note. This is the enticing “ear candy” that any truly great guitar tone presents; the kind of sound that sucks you in and makes you beg for more. And we owe it all to the way in which tubes distort. Many guitarists today play through modern solid-state amps or digital “modeling” amps, many of which are capable of creating some powerful tones, while displaying impressive improvements on the sound of such technology when it was born (a couple decades ago in the case of modeling amps, and a good five decades ago in the case of solid-state). When you dial up a juicy tone through one of these tubeless amps, however, you’re still benefiting—in a second-hand manner—from tube distortion. Digital amps come right out and say it in the amp selections on their preset menus, but analog solid-state amps have long “modeled” tube amps. In order to replicate the desirable characteristics of tube-amp distortion, solid-state guitar amps incorporate a lot of extra processing to shape, smooth, texturize and round off the signal… in short, to help them sound less transistorized, and more tube-like. Digital amps, on the other hand, directly model the characteristics of tube distortion in several classic amps and seek to replicate them precisely. Many of the good ones do an excellent job of it, too, but by and large they are still chasing a tone that tube amps produce simply and naturally, and usually with far fewer components. Bless their hairy little hearts.","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"17","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"4433516","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"4433517","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/21/2021 2:32:21 pm"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"Tweed Champ Kit Build Part 3","page_header":"Tweed Champ Kit Build Part 3","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"72","name":"Tweed Champ Kit Build Part 3","urlPath":"blog/tweed-champ-kit-build-part-3","url":"tweed-champ-kit-build-part-3","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"1","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"The time has come for us to finish our Tweed Champ Kits. Today, we will test our circuits from an electrical standpoint, build our speaker wire, and install our speaker and chassis into the Tweed Champ Style Cabinet. Finally...we will rock out!","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"Hello DIYers and welcome back to another installment of Mojotone’s ‘Make It Monday.’ Today is a very exciting day because we are going to finish up that Tweed Champ Style Kit build we’ve been working on for a little while now; i.e., at the end of today’s article, we will have a new guitar amp!
First, we are going to test our circuits to make sure everything is working properly from an electrical standpoint, and barring any serious complications, we should then be able to move on to installing the chassis into our cabinet and rocking out accordingly. Let’s start by connecting our chassis’ to power, getting our wiring diagram and build manual out in front of us, and turning on our multimeter…
We will start by checking a few AC voltages. To do this, our amps should be plugged into power and turned on but should NOT have any tubes installed. When checking these AC voltages, we will be applying the probes on our multimeters to the named pins on the named tubes, and checking for the specified voltages for each. Following our build manuals, we will first check the filament voltage on the preamp tube socket. Apply one probe to either pin 4 or 5, and the other probe to pin 9 on your preamp tube socket. We are looking for a rough reading of 6.3v (Image 1A below).
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Note : When testing a circuit this way, it is always best practice to remove any metal rings from your fingers. Likewise, be careful that your fingers do not touch any part of the circuit itself -- allow the multimeter probes to do that!
My meter is reading 6.94v, which is within the desirable 10% tolerance range, so I can move on to testing the filament voltage at my power tube and rectifier tube. Now that you have a feel for this maneuver, repeat this process to get your readings on the 6V6 tube socket and the 5Y3 tube socket. Check your build manual for which pins to test and what voltage to be looking for...
All of my voltages were within the proper 10% tolerance range, so let’s get ready to move forward. Power down your amp and install the rectifier tube (5Y3) into its socket. Once the tube is installed, turn the amp back on and allow it to warm up for a full minute so we get an accurate reading. While the amp is warming up, keep an eye out for arcing -- if you see or smell anything suspicious, turn the amp off immediately.
Once the amp is warm, we want to turn our multimeters to DC voltage and test for B+ voltage on the tube socket pins specified in your manual (Image 2A).
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Remember, when we are testing DC volts, we are doing so in regards to ground; this means that our black multimeter probe will need to be touching a ground point (I always use the side of my chassis), and our red probe will need to be touching the point notated in our manual -- see above image.
For the sake of time I won’t be individually outlining the next step of testing, so follow along with your manual on this one, but make sure you stop before you plug in your 6V6 tube and connect the speaker...
I’m doing my testing and installation a little bit out of order. So before we plug in the speaker, we need to create the speaker wire! There are instructions for doing this in your build manual, but now is also the perfect time for us to pitch a previous article on cable wiring. Take a gander at that article for a full walkthrough on RCA cable wiring.
That sure was easy! Now we can connect our speaker to our chassis, insert the 6V6 power tube and finish testing. Use the voltages notated on your wiring diagram (Image 3A) to test at the given points (again this is DC voltage so do your testing with respect to ground).
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Note : Here again, these test points should can have a respective 10% tolerance which means they do not have to be EXACTLY the value notated on your wiring diagram, but they should be fairly close.
So we’ve followed the testing portion of our build manuals and thus tested the filament voltages on our tube sockets, made sure our power tube is not red plating, and verified all the correct voltages for the points on our board. Guess what...it’s time to install this puppy and get to rocking!
Let’s use a drill or screwdriver to remove our top and bottom back panels, then we will hold the chassis up to the mounting holes to verify the holes are drilled properly and will line up in the end. To do this, make sure the transformers are facing away from you and hold the control panel of the chassis to the top panel of the inside of the cabinet and verify the holes are correct…\n\n\n
Now that we know our holes are correct, we can install the speaker. To do so, remove the locking nuts from the speaker mounting posts, then simply (and gently) put the speaker into place by aligning the mounting holes in the speaker over the mounting posts in the baffle and slowly working the speaker down until it is flush with the baffle…
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Once your speaker is in, just tighten those locking nuts back down over the mounting posts to secure the speaker -- then it’s time to install the chassis, which means we are getting REALLY close! Start by inserting the mounting screws down into the mounting holes in the cabinet, then flip the cabinet upside down (this will make it easier to work with). There are a few more steps here, but for the sake of time let’s refer to our build manuals for the specifics, as the verbal explanation of this procedure can get lengthy! Read the steps carefully, familiarize yourself with the procedure and then really take your time doing this part...\n\n\n\n
Alright, now we just need to put our back panels back on and we are ready to crank this thing up! Please feel encouraged to send in pictures and sound clips of your final build to logan@mojotone.com! Please also feel welcome to send me any troubleshooting questions or general questions/comments.
Guys, this build has been a blast. It was a struggle at times (at least for me), but we got through it together and that’s what counts! I’m going to be busy riffing on this Champ for a while, but thank you all for joining us and we’ll see you next time!
","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"2","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"4433618","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"4433619","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/21/2021 2:42:32 pm"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"The Art and Chaos of Relic'ing Tweed","page_header":"The Art and Chaos of Relic'ing Tweed","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"74","name":"The Art and Chaos of Relic'ing Tweed","urlPath":"blog/the-art-and-chaos-of-relicing-tweed","url":"the-art-and-chaos-of-relicing-tweed","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"1","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"Instead of fixing it, this Friday we are going to damage it...in a very intentional and controlled way. Today we are looking at some popular methods for aging tweed-covered cabinets to have a more road-worn and soulful look.","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"Hello again, and welcome back to another episode of Mojotone’s ‘Fix It Friday’ series! Today we aren’t going to be fixing things, but rather doing the exact opposite...we are going to be intentionally and systematically damaging a tweed-covered cabinet.
No one can deny how cool a tweed-covered cabinet looks once it gets a fair amount of age and road wear on it. Tears in the fabric, chaotic stains, and general tinting of the tweed itself all give the material a bump in personality and add soul and story to the gear. Because of this, the concept of intentionally aging tweed material has been explored for many years. With a quick Google search, one could stumble across any number of DIY methods for aging tweed, so today we are going to experiment (and do some side-by-side comparisons) with a few of those methods and see how they all affect the material.
If you are bold enough to follow along, you’ll need a small list of materials:
Tweed-covered cabinetBleachLemonVinegarOven CleanerSpray BottleRasp/Sandpaper/FileCoffeeTea
Before I dive in, I am going to remove any and all electronic components from my cabinet to avoid damaging them in any way. As you can see below, in Image 1A, my cabinet is empty and ready to be carefully destroyed.
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My cabinet has already been slightly road-worn, which will help with the end result, but I’m ready to get this thing looking like it’s about to tell you the story it heard from its father, and its father before it.
Our goal here today is to cause aesthetic damage to our cabinet without compromising the structural integrity of the cabinet itself -- the enclosure still needs to protect our amp, tubes, and speaker, so any functional damage to the cabinet is not recommended.
SUN AND GENERAL AGE: LEMON JUICE, BLEACH, VINEGAR, OVEN CLEANER
Let’s start by trying to add a few stains to this here cabinet. I plan on experimenting with a few different solutions. I’m going to apply lemon juice, bleach, white vinegar, and oven cleaner to different parts of my cabinet’s back panel to see how the material reacts to each. All of these materials are considered corrosive to varying degrees, and in my research I found that these were all common methods of aging tweed (except the oven cleaner...that one was my idea).
I’m going to slice the lemon, squeeze it and rub it on a specific spot. Then I’ll add my bleach to an old spray bottle using 1 part bleach to 1 part water, use a paper towel to apply the white vinegar, and then simply spray the oven cleaner from its bottle. Once I find a look I prefer (and maybe I’ll prefer a number of looks), I will then apply that solution chaotically across my cabinet.
Notice below in Image 2A, the four places I have applied the different solutions. And then notice in Image 2B the result after 24 hours of letting the back panel sit in the sun while these solutions did their dirty work…
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As you can see, the lemon juice and oven cleaner have added a very minimal amount of discoloration. The vinegar has a slightly larger impact on the color of the tweed, and the bleach actually turn the material a red/rust color.
I am enjoying the idea of using the vinegar and the bleach back and forth to introduce some variegation into my tweed material. Others may prefer the look of different solutions, so feel free to proceed as you please. I will now apply the solution to random parts of my cabinet, as this staining somewhat mirrors general age and sun exposure, which can certainly be random.
The truth is, when a cabinet has been naturally aged, some of that age comes from years of setting down beers on top of the cabinet, friends spilling a little water/coffee on it in various places, setting down a cigarette on the top of the amp for a few minutes while you practice the chorus of a new song, playing outdoor gigs occasionally, etc. An Innumerable amount of chaotic moments play into how an aged amp looks, so we need to be mindful of that when applying staining solutions to our tweed. Thus, I’m not going to TRY to make my cabinet look like anything in this regard; instead, I will let the chaos create the art.
PHYSICAL WEAR AND TEAR: FILES AND SANDPAPER
Hauling an amp around from gig to gig, practice to practice for 20 years will also give an amp quite a bit of personality. No matter how careful we try to be, we always bump into door frames or hit the amp with our guitars. Half the time, we let a friend cary the amp and it’s never ever the same...but that’s just the nature of the business. But here is the mind-boggling part...I know I said just above that the staining section required chaos, and that is very true; however, NOW we have to tame that chaoss and imagine the logical places on our amp which would actually get damaged the most.
Corners; ALWAYS. Edges above and below the speaker baffle afrea; definitely. Underneath the handle where we constantly grab and rub up against the material; light wear, for certain. Try to think about how your amp has been handled, where it has been, who has touched it. Think about some falls it has taken, some bumps it’s been given, etc. And then, it’s just time to experiment with tools. For larger gashes and tears, use a rasp or file; this will really pull up the material for that look where the amp once took a BIG HIT. For other, minor wear and tear that has occurred slowly over the years, try using gradually lower grits of sandpaper. Start out relatively fine, and then try to get more and more coarse and see the affects.
In image 3A below, you’ll see the effects of a file on a corner…
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In image 4A below, you’ll see the effects of a finer sandpaper vs. a more coarse sandpaper...
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As you can see, the file and/or rasp are successful in fraying the material quite heavily and even pulling it all the way back if desired. This can give the appearance of a big fall or somethin having severely scraped the amp, whereas the different sandpapers give the appearance of small hits, chronic rubbing, and lighter scrapes.
Again, there needs to be a harmonious blend of chaos and and calculation here. Certain areas will be constantly worn on any amp, others will take an unpredictable hit at some point. I am going to move forward and start tearing this thing up...and yes, this is the fun part!
BIG STAINS: COFFEE, TEA, ETC.
Alright, now it’s time to move on to bigger stains. Stains like that time Ted came over and sat on your amp while you played but then knocked over a Coca-Cola on the top of the amp...come on Ted! Or, the time you set down a cigarette and let it burn a little too long. These are these stains from years of playing in clubs with crowds of people slinging beer around, and your amp absorbing smoke.
These stains are harder to mimic but using things like wet coffee grounds and hot tea can add some life to your tweed in a heartbeat. I’m going to go ahead and boil some water and then steep three bags of tea in one single cup of the water. This will give me a higher concentration of what is basically going to be used as a low-grade fabric dye. I will then use the tea bags to sling, slap, and drop tea all over my cabinet to add some more of that calculated chaos. Check out Image 5A below for an example of how this can affect the tweed…
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You can see how this adds some minor-looking stains to the fabric. You could even wet the bottom of a mug with the tea and let the mug sit on top of the amp for an hour or two and let that soda/coffee/tea ring really set in.
To add deeper-looking stains, I am going to see how it looks when I use wet coffee grounds and rub them into the fabric firmly. First, I’m going to use that same 400 grit sandpaper from before to rough up the parts where I want to rub in the coffee grounds -- this will help them sit deeper in the fabric. Once I’ve roughed up the fabric a little, I’m going to use the leftover water from my tea to mix with my coffee grounds and rub into the tweed. Note: my old tea water is still a little warm. Don’t burn yourself by using freshly boiled water, wait until the water is safe to touch but still warm enough to set a stain.
Check out how this affects the tweed in Image 6A below…
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I really like the way the deep stains inside the scratches look, so if I were to go all out on this project, that is the method I would most likely choose for a large portion of my cabinet. You can also dilute the coffee grounds in more water and use a rag to apply the mixture to larger potions of your cabinet to add tinting to it.
Okay these are the methods we have time for today. There are a ton of other DIY ways to age your cabinet; some people actually spill beer on their cabinets, some people burn cigarette holes in the top panel... you name it. The biggest thing to remember is this: we don’t want to compromise the structural integrity of our cabinets, we just want to modify them superficially. This way, we have a cabinet that both protects the amp, and looks super cool.
I will add that the best way to start (or finish) the aging process is to add a layer of lacquer to your cabinet. This will darken it up overall and give it a look like it has been sitting in a club getting cigarette smoke blown over it for years. From there, you can choose to use any of the aging techniques from this article or any other techniques you may have heard of. In any case, remember to be careful and get ready to commit because you can’t turn back once you start. We’ll see you next time -- thanks for following along!
\n\n","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"21","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"4433720","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"4433721","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/21/2021 2:50:07 pm"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"6V6 Output Tube Taste Testing","page_header":"6V6 Output Tube Taste Testing","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"75","name":"6V6 Output Tube Taste Testing","urlPath":"blog/6v6-output-tube-taste-testing","url":"6v6-output-tube-taste-testing","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"2","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"Connoisseur of all things guitar and amp, Dave Hunter, walks us through the subtleties of 6V6 output tubes and compares three current-production 6V6s side-by-side.","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"A guitar amp’s output tubes contribute significantly to its voice and character, but many players and amp makers alike feel that lower-powered tubes make their presence known even more in the overall sound of any given amp. Lower-powered tubes tend to break up a little earlier, and therefore add more of their own personality to the overall sonic brew, especially at relatively lower volume levels where bigger, stronger output tubes will stay firm and clean.
Considered the traditional “smaller American tube” for its use in many 15 to 22-watt amps over the years, the 6V6 is also a favorite of many players seeking early and easy break up from their amp’s output stage, as experienced in the “tweed” era amps which so often carry them. As heard in these types of amps in particular, the 6V6 is beloved for its girthsome mids, relatively easy and dynamic compression, and a slightly gritty yet smooth texture that adds a lot of personality to overdriven tones in particular.
In other amp designs, however, a pair of 6V6s can also provide decent headroom and a firm, punchy tone with excellent clarity, along with a well-balanced tonality overall. As a smaller, lower-output tube, they aren’t known for producing a lot of firm, punchy low end, but can do pretty well in that regard when used in quads in more powerful amps of around 45 watts.
Any time the 6V6 is discussed, players’ thoughts are likely to go first to several Fender classics. The legendary tweed Deluxe and blackface Deluxe Reverb both use pairs of 6V6s for about 15 watts and 22 watts respectively, while the tweed Champ and Princeton used a single 6V6, and the brown, blackface and silverface Princeton Reverb generated around 12 watts from a pair. Several vintage Gibson amps also used these tubes, including the beloved GA-40 Les Paul amp and others in the GA range of the ’50s. 6V6s likewise appeared in models from Traynor, Ampeg, Silvertone/Danelectro, and others.
The lack of availability of robust and good-sounding new 6V6s led some manufacturers to abandon them in favor of EL84s for their small to medium-output amps in the late ’80s and ’90s, but the emergence of several viable candidates in more recent years has brought 6V6 designs back with a vengeance. In addition to several contemporary makers who use them in amps that were inspired by classics from the ’50s and ’60s, 6V6s have powered original designs from Dr Z, Bogner, Carr, TopHat, 65amps, Jim Kelley, and several others.
Let’s explore the sounds and personalities of three newly-manufactured makes of 6V6 output tubes, all of which are currently available from Mojotone: the Electro-Harmonix 6V6GT, Tung-Sol 6V6GT, and JJ 6V6 S.
In addition to my own “live” impressions gleaned from playing each set of matched 6V6s in the same amp over a prolonged period, I’ve recorded several sample clips for the purposes of easy and comparable A/B/C comparisons. Please note, too, that the notes below were taken without any previous reference to the manufacturers’ or sellers’ promotional info, but are provided as an objective impression of these tubes’ individual strengths.
Guitar, Amp & Settings
Four samples of each tube were recorded using a Gustavsson Fullerblaster T-style guitar with Wolfetone Telecaster pickup in the bridge position (in a traditional Tele bridge with brass saddles) and a Throbak humbucker in the neck position, into a custom tweed Deluxe-style amp in a 1x12 pine cabinet with Celestion G12-65 speaker.
Taste-Testing
Electro-Harmonix 6V6GTPurportedly designed with reference to the great RCA 6V6GT and manufactured at New Sensor’s Xpo-Pul factory (aka Reflektor) in Saratov, Russia.
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General Notes: The Electro-Harmonix 6V6GT was one of the first made to a quality able to withstand the high plate voltages on notoriously brutal amps like the Fender Deluxe Reverb, and thereby helped to bring the 6V6 back in fashion as a current-make tube. It has long been considered a rugged example, with special cathode coating and tri-alloy plate material, but more recently made E-H 6V6GTs also include support posts to minimize microphonic internal rattle. In addition to being durable, it maintains a reputation as a great-sounding all-around tube that packs a lot of classic characteristics, making it a top pick for many amp manufacturers today.
Clean-ish: Hit with the Tele bridge pickup and the amp set to the sweet spot between clean and crunchy, this E-H 6V6GT simply exudes classic American twang and rock ‘n’ roll tones. There’s just enough rawness in the brew to keep the sound rebellious, but it’s surprisingly musical and refined in some other ways—for a 6V6 in a tweed-style amp, at least—with impressive note definition and a really likeable balance throughout the range, and lots of chime and shimmer even when it’s breaking up a little. The guitar’s middle position delivers a rounder, plumbier voice that brings more richness and warmth into the brew, while remaining clear and just a tad funky.
Overdriven: The E-H pair delivers archetypal 6V6 breakup when pushed into overdrive by the Fullerblaster’s bridge pickup, where it exhibits that appealingly granular crunch that so many players love from this tube type. It also compresses very nicely, in a way that makes it very tactile and touch-sensitive to play, but without folding too badly or giving over to mush. There’s girthsome midrange character amid the overdrive too, but never to an extent that swamps the overall frequency spectrum, leaving the lows relatively tight for a smaller tube, and the highs clear and silky. On the neck humbucker, the E-H is obviously darker and thicker, but still avoids all-out muddiness, retaining impressive sweetness and articulation.
Good For: The Electro-Harmonix 6V6GT is a great choice for any amp from which you seek to attain classic non-master-volume, output-stage overdrive at lower to medium volume levels (aka “club levels”) without inducing all-out mud in your amp. It’s a well-balanced, musical, and appealing tube, and compares well with the classic 6V6s of the ’50s and ’60s in general character, for a modern tube.
Tung-Sol 6V6GTA Russian tube, manufactured at New Sensor’s Xpo-Pul factory (aka Reflektor) in Saratov, Russia.
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General Notes: Made in the same Russian factory as the Electro-Harmonix 6V6GT, the Tung-Sol is almost identical in construction, although it does exhibit minor differences. The plates are the same, and this tube also contains the recent support rods, together making it a high-voltage 6V6 that’s also resistant to microphony. The fins atop the cathodes (just beneath the halo getter) are cut a little differently, though, and while much else might lead us to expect this to sound a lot like the E-H, it does have its own sonic character.
Clean-ish: Compared to the E-H above, the Tung-Sol 6V6GT is indeed extremely similar when hit by the Tele-style bridge pickup with the amp set to the sweet spot between clean and crunch, but overall it exhibits just a touch more elegance and richness amid the archetypal 6V6 sparkle and bite. The mild breakup when chords or single notes are hit hard leans a little more toward the creamy than the gritty, and there’s a certain subtle roundness to the overall voice, yet with good punch and clarity. With both pickups together, there’s still plenty of chime and sparkle, but also a thickness and girth that inspires rhythm playing.
Overdriven: Hit with the Fullerblaster’s bridge pickup in the cranked tweed-style amp, the ensuing overdrive tones follow logically from what we’re hearing above in the Tung-Sol’s cleaner performance. There’s definitely plenty of archetypally 6V6-like snarl and bite here, but the breakup tends to be smoother, with the crispy-crunchy edge of the distortion taking the back seat. As such, it’s a mildly “classier” breed of overdrive, perhaps. From the neck humbucker, this 6V6 delivers a thick, smooth, singing performance with plenty of warmth and depth.
Good For: The Tung-Sol 6V6GT is a great all-around tube, but is a particularly good choice when you’re seeking a little extra elegance and musicality from any amp. It does cleans and overdrive equally well, with great balance and clarity throughout, while leaning more toward the smooth rather than the gritty/crunchy of some other 6V6s.
JJ Electronics 6V6S An Eastern-European tube Manufactured by JJ Electronic in Cadca, Slovakia.
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General Notes: This ruggedly built Slovakian-made 6V6 has a large glass envelope and a spiral filament to handle extremely high plate voltages (for this tube type). The plate structure itself is notably bulky and boxy. At a glance, you might even mistake the JJ 6V6 S for a smaller 6L6 variety—and it can even sub in for that tube in some amps. This is a 6V6 known for its ability to withstand punishing voltage levels, and many amp makers have turned to it when seeking a tube that will hold up in a stout, high-headroom output stage. Some players feel that it sounds and performs a little less like a classic 6V6 as a result.
Clean-ish: When hit by the guitar’s bridge pickup in our amp’s so-called “semi-clean” setting, the JJ 6V6 S delivers notably less breakup than the other two tubes in this selection. It presents plenty of clarity and chime amid the cleans, along with a pronounced midrange hump, yet which still doesn’t overwhelm the firm lows and precise highs. As such, it’s less one for the gritty, gnarly rock ‘n’ roll twang, and more for the high-headroom cleans or pedal- or preamp-induced overdrive. The both-pickups selection at this setting induces a full, thick, chunky performance from the JJ.
Overdriven: Pushed to cranked-tweed levels with the Fullerblaster’s Tele bridge pickup injected, the JJ is meaty and thick, and pretty well balanced overall, but with a distinctive mids-forward character that makes for a lot of body. The leading edge of the overdrive is a little ragged and crispy rather than smooth, delivering some cutting power here, but there’s also a lot of headroom that will hold stout throughout the drive. Presented with the neck humbucker, the JJ is particularly full and muscular, with a good balance of clarity and breakup.
Good For: As with many other JJ tubes, this is a big-sounding 6V6 that makes an excellent choice when you’re seeking high headroom from a 6V6-loaded amp. It does sound very good all on its own, whether your amp’s set to clean or crunch, but it’s particularly suited to handling both punishing voltage levels in a stout output stage, and pedal- or high-gain-preamp-induced lead tones that push it hard from the amp’s front end.
","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"17","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"4433727","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"4433728","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/21/2021 3:06:44 pm"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"Meet The Mind Behind Mojotone Pickups","page_header":"Meet The Mind Behind Mojotone Pickups","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"69","name":"Meet The Mind Behind Mojotone Pickups","urlPath":"blog/meet-the-mind-behind-mojotone-pickups","url":"meet-the-mind-behind-mojotone-pickups","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"1","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"Today we take a quick look at David Shepherd, the master pickup designer and builder at Mojotone. We will discover how he got started in the gear industry, how he honed his craft over the years, and what things look like now.","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"In this industry, I meet a ton of people who are undeniable authorities in their field. When I come across these savants I always find myself wondering what the path might have looked like that led them to this point; this point where they know everything about every aspect of their craft to the extent that they are able to contribute to the market and really innovate.
Mojotone’s head pickup wizard, David Shepherd, is one of these mystery people that I always wonder about...and I’ve known him for ten years. So I guess I figured it was time to get some backstory on Mr. Shepherd, with the goal of uncovering the secrets to his power.
As it happens, David Shepherd started diving deep into guitar anatomy all the way back in middle school. He grew up in the 80s and, like many of us, his affection for the acoustic guitar began to wane after hearing all the big-time shredders of the day. Shepherd did the smart thing: he went down to the local music store and bought a used Squier Strat and Peavey Rage amp. Now typically when a young man gets his first electric guitar, he goes home and blasts it for hours. But David Shepherd immediately disassembled the entire guitar to clean it, and then had to figure out how to put it back together. Once it was back together, he took it back to the shop to have it properly set up.
“After seeing what a difference the repairman made, I was completely fascinated with the whole electric guitar and how it all worked,” says Shepherd.\n\n\n\nEvidently this was a turning point for him; from then on, he was overcome with the constant urge to tinker.
“From there I was constantly modding my stuff, whether it was stripping the finish off to refinish with a different color, or changing pickups out. That poor Squier guitar was my hook into playing and working on guitars for years to come, but I wouldn't trade those experiences for the world now.”
After high school, Shepherd went straight into the Roberto-Venn School of Luthiery continue his deep dive into the anatomy and history of guitars. After graduating, he took his skills and knowledge into the workforce. Shepherd worked at various music shops doing repairs and modifications, applying and honing his skills, and taking his craft to a new level. During this time, he was even able to work on a number of famous people’s guitars, and meet a few of his idols like Buddy Miles, Mitch Mitchell, and Billy Cox.
“All of these incredible experiences just catapulted me deeper into the only career I've ever known which eventually became pickups and Mojotone,” says Shepherd.
And in 2005 David began working at Mojotone. He started out auditing the guitar parts division, adding parts to the Mojotone catalog, weeding out the unnecessary parts, and revising the way the guitar parts department worked in general. Eventually Shepherd began adding pickup parts into the mix, and since David had spent years swapping pickups in and out of customers’ guitars, and making mods and repairs on pickups, he was able to efficiently roll out the bits and pieces needed for Mojotone customers to start building their own pickups. But Shepherd’s deep knowledge of pickups begged him to take it one step further; Shepherd would eventually go on to design and manufacture an entire line of fully assembled guitar pickups for every type of guitarist under the sun.
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“...there is no one-size-fits-all, meaning just because a pickup sounds great for a particular player and guitar, doesn't mean it will sound great for another,” says Shepherd.
This is why Mojotone now offers a huge selection of pickups that can accommodate players with different playing styles, different amps, guitars, pedals, etc. And today the Mojotone pickup department has grown to a crew of ten highly skilled individuals who are all dedicated to maintaining Mojotone’s standard of consistent, top-shelf products. Shepherd manages his crew through constant growth and change in a department where no two days are the exact same; one day the team can be making pre-wired pickguards for 10 hours, and the next day they might be focusing on pickup builds for any number of OEM customers.
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Shepherd’s goal is to one day be able to walk into any music store in the country and find guitars pre-loaded with Mojotone pickups for sale, and shelves full of Mojotone’s hottest pickup options. He strives to infuse a new generation with knowledge and inspire more people to experiment with pickup options and find a sound that truly resonates with their own musicianship.
It’s always encouraging to find out that the madman behind your favorite gear has actually been obsessing over guitars since he was 11 years old. David Shepherd has been doing this his entire life, and has learned the guitar inside and out from the ground up. He has most certainly paid his dues, and as a result is able to create some of the best gear on the market.
\n\n\n\n","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"6","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"4433732","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"4433731","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/21/2021 3:13:19 pm"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"Guitar Tone Cap Taste Testing","page_header":"Guitar Tone Cap Taste Testing","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"70","name":"Guitar Tone Cap Taste Testing","urlPath":"blog/guitar-tone-cap-taste-testing","url":"guitar-tone-cap-taste-testing","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"1","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"So you’re thinking about replacing the capacitor in your guitar’s tone circuit. Join us as our friend Logan Tabor jumps into the abyss head first and works his way through a variety of tone caps to see if what the hoopla is all about and whether he can hear a difference.","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"Welcome back everyone, to another exciting installment of Make It Monday! Today I was feeling a little nitpicky and decided to jump into the wonderful world of guitar tone caps. This is something I’ve heard people talk about for years but have never taken it upon myself to test first hand. There are obviously a ton of different types and brands of capacitors one could put into their guitar, but for the sake of my sanity I’ll be testing only three. I’ll start with a ceramic disc capacitor, then move on to a Sprague Orange Drop cap of the same value, and lastly one of Mojotone’s Vitamin-T Oil-filled capacitors.
Now, I’m fully expecting to hear some very minor differences, but I’m not certain just how minor they’ll be, nor am I certain whether I’ll even have a preference for one or the other at the end of it all. If you want to get as nitpicky as me, grab the tools listed below and follow along, as I have included a very brief “how to…”
Soldering IronSolderWire CuttersNeedle Nose PliersScrewdriver
DEMONSTRATION
The technical part of swapping these tone caps out is fairly simple and shouldn’t take very long at all. The part that may take a bit is when you swap a cap, then plug in your guitar and mess around with it for a while trying to hear the subtle differences in what your new cap has to offer.
Alright here we go! First, we need to remove our guitar’s control panel cover. Mine is a plastic cover on the back of my guitar, so I’ll just flip it over and start unscrewing (Image 1A).
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/guitar-tone-cap-taste-test/tone-swap-image-1a.jpg\")
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Now that the cavity is open we can take a look at what is going on under the hood. In my case, I have this bad boy wired so that there is only one tone control, which is on the middle pot. When we get to this point we will want to just make note of how our cap is soldered in so that we can copy this method with our new caps. Mine tone cap is connected to the center lug on the potentiometer, and also connected to the shield of that very same potentiometer (Image 2A).\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/guitar-tone-cap-taste-test/tone-swap-image-2a.jpg\")
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Let’s grab our needle nose pliers and soldering iron so we can pop that cap out. With one hand, heat up the solder connection on the center lug of the potentiometer and use the needle nose pliers in your other hand to pull the cap’s lead out of the lug (Image 3A).
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/guitar-tone-cap-taste-test/tone-swap-image-3a.jpg\")
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Then you’ll need to repeat that process with the cap’s other lead. While I’m doing my A/B testing here, I’m not going to worry about clipping cap leads after installing them. I’m also not going to worry about removing the old solder from the joints. I will, however, advise both of the above AFTER you’ve decided which cap you want to leave in the guitar.
Next up, I’m going to install the ceramic cap from Mojotone. And yes, my guitar did come stock with ceramic caps, and yes I did just remove one, but for the sake of having a demonstration I’m just going to throw this new ceramic cap in there and give you all a sound clip to listen to. Alright, heat the solder on your pot’s center lug up, insert the cap’s lead through the lug and be still while the solder cools again (Image 4A).
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/guitar-tone-cap-taste-test/tone-swap-image-4a.jpg\")
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You may need to apply a little bit of solder at this point in order to make a solid connection, and that’s just fine. Now repeat that process with the connection point on the back of the potentiometer’s shield and you’ll be ready to see how it sounds!
SOUND CLIPS
I went ahead and swapped the rest of my caps in and out and made short recordings of each. I started out with the ceramic disc capacitor, then moved to the Orange Drop, and finally to the Mojotone Vitamin-T. I’m happy to report that I did hear some subtle...very subtle differences. The following sound clips are very straightforward. The first chord is with the tone control all the way up, the second chord is midway, and the third is all the way down. After that, I keep playing the chord and do some faster tone sweeps.
Ceramic Disc
The ceramic disc was easily my least favorite. Many people might consider this type of capacitor inferior to the other construction methods featured in this article, but in all honesty the cap really doesn’t sound all that bad. The differences were subtle but I felt it ended up being slightly more shrill than the others. There was also a strange out-of-phase flavor when the tone control got between half way and all the way down. Honestly, I doubt I would have ever had an issue with its tone if I hadn’t conducted this little experiment.
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Sprague Orange Drop
The Orange Drop did not disappoint. I felt it had a certain warmth to it, and the faster sweeps were very pleasant and musical. It is the type of minor mod that will more than likely end up causing me to USE my tone control for a change. The Orange Drop did not seem to have the same out-of-phase flavor I experienced with the ceramic disc.
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Mojotone Vitamin-T
People have always raved about the Mojotone Vitamin-T caps, and now I feel silly for never having experimented with them. This was easily my favorite cap. It had that same warmth and almost vocal quality as the Orange Drop but I felt like the sweep was even more versatile. Every position of the tone control sounded like it could be well-utilized in music. Often times I feel like anything below halfway is useless, but this was actually a very defined warmth. I never felt like it got too muddy or womp womp. This cap had a lot of life whether it was wide open or...wide closed.
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I did decide to leave the Vitamin-T cap in my guitar. But hey, everyone is different and there is no right or wrong answer here. Also, there are many other caps out there which I did not try out today. As always, I encourage you fellow DIYers to do as much tinkering as possible. Maybe you’ll hear a difference, maybe you won’t...maybe you’ll find a tone cap swap is exactly what you’ve been missing. No matter what you find, it’s a simple mod that can be done in a matter of minutes, and it’s a great excuse to open up your guitar and get acquainted with what’s going on inside.
I hope you had as much fun with this as I did. Thanks, for tuning in and we’ll see you next time!
","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"5","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"4433734","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"4433835","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/21/2021 3:17:49 pm"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"Diagnosing A Blowing Fuse","page_header":"Diagnosing A Blowing Fuse","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"67","name":"Diagnosing A Blowing Fuse","urlPath":"blog/diagnosing-a-blowing-fuse","url":"diagnosing-a-blowing-fuse","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"1","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"If your amp won’t stop blowing fuses, don’t worry, you’re not alone. Any number of things can cause a tube amp to continuously blow fuses, and many of these things can be diagnosed from your home workshop. Read on and get your amp rocking again!","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"Welcome back to another installment of Mojotone’s Fix It Friday series. Today, I’ll be working alongside high wizard of amplification and Mojotone Allstar, Steve Snyder, in an effort to diagnose a repetitive fuse-blowing issue in my Deluxe Reverb.
Before we get started, I'll need you all to read the following...
DISCLAIMER: MANY OF THE FOLLOWING DIAGNOSTIC PROCEDURES REQUIRE WORKING WITH DANGEROUS AND POTENTIALLY LETHAL VOLTAGES. MOJOTONE IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY INJURIES INCURRED WHILE FOLLOWING ALONG WITH THIS ARTICLE. IN ORDER TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM HARM, PLEASE TAKE ALL NECESSARY SAFETY PRECAUTIONS WHILE WORKING ON YOUR AMPLIFIER.\n
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If you are running into, or have ever run into, an issue with constantly blowing a fuse, you are certainly not alone. There are a number of things that could be happening inside the amp to cause this, so today we are going to walk through a few of the basic troubleshooting points to help you narrow down, or even pinpoint, the problem.\n
\nHere is a short list of tools and supplies you'll need to get going:\n
\nScrewdriver or drill\nMultimeterExtra Fuses\nExtra Power Tubes\n
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The first thing we want to do is check the actual fuse itself. Often times, fuse values will get mixed up and you could have received an improper value. Likewise, sometimes fuses are just bad from the factory, so you want to make sure the fuse is working properly to begin with. The easiest way to do this is to grab your multimeter and test for resistance across the fuse. To do this, place one multimeter probe on each of the metal tabs on either end of the fuse (Image 1A).
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/FIF-Fuse-Blowing/image-1a.jpg\")
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We are hoping to see a reading as close to ‘0’ as possible. My current fuse looks good, so now we can test the next thing in line, which in this case would be our tubes.\n
\nWe will start by turning the amp to ‘ON’ without flipping the STANDBY switch. Now we will need to watch and see what happens. If the fuse blows here, you could be looking at one of a few things:
1) Your rectifier tube could be going bad, and you will need to test this by inserting a new rectifier tube, as well as a working fuse, and watching to see if the problem persists.
2) Some amps charge one or more filter caps in the ‘ON’ position, so there could be a faulty filter cap involved. A way to test this is to remove the rectifier tube, replace the fuse and see if the issue continues.
3) You may have a bad filament in another tube somewhere downstream. To test for this, you would remove the rectifier tube, replace the fuse, turn the amp ‘ON’ and watch to see if one or more of your tubes is NOT glowing. \n
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\nIf none of the above checkpoints indicate a problem, we can proceed. The next thing to look for, and a very likely culprit, is red plating in the power tubes. To test for this, we will insert a working fuse, turn the amp to the ‘ON’ position, allow the amp to warm up for 60 seconds, and then flip the STANDBY switch. Looking at your power tubes, check the area highlighted in Image 2A below.![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/FIF-Fuse-Blowing/image-2a.jpg\")
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The above image is of a normal functioning tube. For an example of true red plating, take a look at Image 3A below and notice the cherry red glow on the tube’s plate.
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/FIF-Fuse-Blowing/image-3a.jpg\")
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\nWhile the above image is a good example of an obvious red plate, sometimes overheating in tubes is not quite as apparent. You’ll want to make sure nothing smells like it is burning; you may even feel the heat coming off the tubes without actually touching (as this could burn you depending on how hot they get); even check the screen-printed graphics on the tube (if there are any) to make sure they haven’t been burned away, as in Image 4A below…
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/FIF-Fuse-Blowing/IMAGE-4A.jpg\")
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If you find that a power tube is red plating, the first test should be to switch the sockets of your power tubes to see if the red plating follows the tube or stays with the socket. If the red plating stays with the same tube regardless of the socket, you will know it is an issue with the tube itself and in all likelihood a new matched pair of tubes should do the trick. If the red plating stays with the socket regardless of which tube is inserted, the issue goes deeper. \n
\nNote: For today’s demonstration we will only be able go so far, as this rabbit hole could potentially go quite deep and may eventually require a certified technician. For now, however, we should be able to remove our chassis and test for a couple of things.
If we suspect our tube socket is the issue, we will need to test the tube socket’s negative bias voltage. In order to do so, we will need to test pin 5 on the suspected tube socket. This will require us to use our multimeters set to DC voltage; attach the negative multimeter probe to the chassis (ground) and use ONE HAND to place the positive multimeter probe on pin 5 (Image 5A).
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/FIF-Fuse-Blowing/image-5a.jpg\")
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\nNote: To safely perform this test, the amp will need to be switched to the ‘ON’ position, with a speaker load connected. \n
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\nAs you can see, pin 5 on my amp is reading -39V, which means it is getting an acceptable negative bias voltage (this number will vary per amplifier and can also have a +/- 5V tolerance). If you are reading 0V, however, you now know there is an issue in this area. If your amp has a resistor running from pin 5 to another pin on the socket, you will need to test voltage at the other end of said resistor. If you are receiving acceptable voltage on the other end of the resistor, you know the resistor is bad and needs to be replaced (Image 6A for more detail).
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/FIF-Fuse-Blowing/image-6a.jpg\")
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If you are still getting a 0V reading at this point, we can go a bit deeper. Now we need to know where this bias is coming from, so we can either follow the wire coming from this pin visually, or use our wiring diagrams/schematics to see where this connection leads. In my case, the wire from my socket is leading to the point on my board highlighted in Image 7A below…
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/FIF-Fuse-Blowing/image-7a.jpg\")
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Perform the same voltage meter test here as we did above. If you are getting a good reading at this point, it means the issue is the connection between the board and the socket. This will require double-checking the solder joint and potentially replacing the connector wire. \n
\nIf, however, you are not getting a reading at this point, you should be able to replace the resistor highlighted in Image 8A below. If, for any reason, the replacement of this resistor is ineffective, you will need to contact a certified amp technician to take a closer look.
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/FIF-Fuse-Blowing/image-8a.jpg\")
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As we know, any number of things can go wrong in a tube amp; it’s just the nature of the beast. Our tutorials are aimed towards entry-level DIYers, and sometimes we can only go so far with safety and certainty in mind. As it turns out, the issue with MY amp today was, in fact, red plating. I swapped my tubes and found that the issue followed the tube rather than the socket. Lucky for me I was able to try out a new set of tubes and everything went back to normal. \n
\nWe hope you found this tutorial helpful, and hopefully this will get you one step closer to becoming self-sufficient when it comes to amp maintenance and repair. Please join us next month for another project! ","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"19","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"4433945","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"4433946","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/21/2021 3:22:19 pm"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"Mojotone Amp Kit Building Primer","page_header":"Mojotone Amp Kit Building Primer","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"73","name":"Mojotone Amp Kit Building Primer","urlPath":"blog/mojotone-amp-kit-building-primer","url":"mojotone-amp-kit-building-primer","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"4","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"There are many things to take into consideration if you’re thinking about building one of Mojotone’s many amplifier kits. This article provides some basic terms and nomenclature, a definition of ‘amp kit difficulty,’ and a few extra things to think about!","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"![](\"http://www.mojotone.com/mim-amp-kit-building-primer/amp-build-primer.jpg\")
TRANSFORMERS
DIFFICULTY RATINGS
![](\"http://www.mojotone.com/mim-amp-kit-building-primer/amp-build-primer-3.jpg\")
THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND REGARDLESS OF DIFFICULTY...
![](\"http://www.mojotone.com/mim-amp-kit-building-primer/amp-buld-primer-2.jpg\")
This November, Mojotone is hosting one of our famous amp building workshops at, none other than, Musician’s Institute Nashville as part of their Guitar Craft program. We all know Musician’s Institute has been around a long time, but many of us only associate MI with its location in California. This fall, Mojotone will visit the Nashville campus and teach a classroom full of lucky folks how to build a beautiful vintage-style tube amplifier. And in order to get everyone hyped up about this venture, we figured it would be a good idea to focus on the Guitar Craft program and the minds behind it. So, we decided to sit down with the program’s director, Michael Phifer to get some insight…
Michael Phifer has played and loved guitars his entire life. And, like many of us, he gained early inspiration from bands like The Allman Brothers, Foreigner, KISS, and 38 Special. He began working for Musician’s Institute, with any number of different job titles, in 1993 at MI’s Hollywood campus. In 2003, he acquired the position of Director of Operations and was able to oversee numerous multi-site, multi-million dollar projects. It’s safe to say Phifer has seen his fare share of the industry and its inner-workings; i.e., this guy really knows his stuff.
Phifer held his position at the Hollywood campus until 2015, when he was relocated to Nashville to build and operate the Guitar Craft program as its Institutional Director. Classes began in 2016 and, since then, Phifer has seen tons of students come and go. While many newcomers are often intimidated by the “heavy-hitting” nature of Nashville professionals, Phifer says…
“There is such an amazing community of industry professionals living in and around Nashville that are always willing to share their knowledge and experience.”
This is really a big part of what makes the Nashville campus and its Guitar Craft program so effective; a wealth of knowledge, and the best teachers in the world. Not only are classes held in a state-of-the-art educational environment and taught by world-class faculty, but Guitar Craft is even able to offer VA benefits and Financial Aid opportunities to its students.
As Michael and I were talking, I realized we had covered a brief history of MI Nashville’s guitar-building courses, but I was curious…what inspired him to start offering the occasional amp-building course?
“Hosting an amplifier building workshop here at Guitar Craft Academy Nashville will provide a great opportunity for our students and the local community to learn amp building from a company with an excellent reputation in the industry…” says Phifer.
The more I talk with Phifer, the more it sounds like ‘community’ is a big part of his motivation. And I guess that is exactly what is cultivated as a result; a community of like-minded builders, players, DIYers, and tinkerers. All of MI Nashville’s classes, whether those for acoustic guitar, electric guitar, amplifiers, maintenance, or otherwise, are all taught in a fully-immersive environment with every tool and component one could possibly need. Their classes are taught by the industry’s authority figures; the guys with all the answers, the problem solvers, the critical thinkers. If a beginner wanted to be given the absolute best chance to thrive, MI’s campus would be the place to start.
Like I said, Phifer has seen tons of students come and go during his time at MI Hollywood and MI Nashville, and here is what he had to say to those hesitant newcomers who need that extra little push…
“Don't hesitate, don't overthink it, just come out and participate. You won't regret it.”
And I have to say, from my own personal experience, Phifer is right. You have to just dive in. The DIY world can be intimidating, absolutely. But once you make the first move, every move thereafter gets more and more comfortable, more and more natural, until one day it becomes a way of life. Suddenly you are the one sharing knowledge with others, while still constantly learning. We are never finished growing, but someday we must begin. ","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"13","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"4434158","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"4434159","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/21/2021 3:44:40 pm"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"Building a Mojotone GA5 Style Amp Kit","page_header":"Building a Mojotone GA5 Style Amp Kit","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"66","name":"Building a Mojotone GA5 Style Amp Kit","urlPath":"blog/building-a-mojotone-ga5-style-amp-kit","url":"building-a-mojotone-ga5-style-amp-kit","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"1","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"Mojotone has added a new kit to their store -- an amp kit based on Gibson's GA5. Today, Logan Tabor walks us through the build process and offers some basic insights on this true point-to-point assembly.","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"Welcome, one and all, to another installment of Mojotone’s ‘Make It Monday’ series. This week, we are diving into a very exciting project; Mojotone’s all new GA5 Style Amplifier Kit. The GA5 Style kit is the newest member of Mojotone’s amp kit lineup, it’s a beginner build, and perhaps the coolest thing about the kit: it’s a true point-to-point build!
In the past, we have put together a number of Mojotone’s amp kits, and while they have all been vintage hand-wired amp kits, they have also all implemented turret boards and/or eyelet boards to route together the smaller electronic components. The GA5 style kit does not implement a component board of any kind, requiring the builder to wire all electronic parts directly to one another. This is going to be a bit different for us, but as long as we take our time and pay attention to the details, we should be just fine. If you are following along at home, here’s a list of the tools and supplies you’ll need…
Mojotone GA5 Amplifier KitElectric Drill or Screwdriver (flathead and Phillips bits required)Adjustable Wrench½” Nut DriverWire CuttersWire StrippersNeedle Nose PliersSolderSoldering Iron
Before we get started, let’s take a quick inventory of everything in our kit. Watch the video below for a quick look…
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I would like to note that my actual workshop is in a transitional phase, so don’t judge me; a man still has to build!
Once inventory has been taken, we are ready to get going. We will start by prepping our chassis. This will involve mounting all of our hardware components (transformers, tube sockets, pots, etc.) to the chassis itself, using the mounting hardware included with each part. For recommendations on the order in which you should mount your hardware, follow along with your instruction manual…
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Note: Pay special attention to the way your components are mounted; e.g., your power transformer is mounted from the underside of the chassis and is recessed into the chassis’ insides, whereas your output transformer is mounted completely on the inside of the chassis facing up.
In some amp builds, the outer lugs of of grounding terminal strips need to be wired to the center lug for proper grounding. In this particular amp kit, however, we will not need to do this. Simply mount your ground terminal strips to the appropriate mounting hole and stop there.
It’s time to start getting our power transformer groomed. Follow along with your instruction manual and prep each of the color-coded wires as the manual specifies…\n\n\n
After your wires are grouped/twisted together, and trimmed to the appropriate length for making each connection, you’ll need to strip back about ½” of PVC shielding from each wire. Once your wires are stripped, it’s time to start putting them in their respective places, and making solder connections where possible. Remember, we only want to solder a wire into place if NO OTHER wires need to be soldered into the same connection point. This means our black + black/white wires can be soldered to the power switch, but the yellow wire going into pin 8 on our rectifier socket CANNOT be soldered yet. Reference your manual, take your time, and make the right connections.
Once we've soldered in some, but not all, of our power transformer wires, we'll need to get started on our filament wiring. This will employ the use of the green wire that came with our small parts kit. Hold the wire up and measure from the solder points on the pilot light assembly to the lugs on your preamp tube socket. Now cut the wire to length, and then cut a second piece of the same length and twist the two pieces together. Strip back all the ends of the wires and refer to your instruction manual for their solder locations. One green wire should go into each of the terminals on the pilot light assembly (these can be soldered in right away). On the preamp tube socket side, one green wire should be connected to pin 9, and one wire should be connected through pins 4 and 5, but do not solder these in yet, as we will need to cut more green wire to carry this filament connection over to the power tube socket.
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Repeat this process to prep the connections from the preamp tube to the power tube (following along with your manual), and once everything is in place, all of these connections can be soldered in. One more connection can also be made at this time: Trim the black wire from your small parts kit to length so that it may connect the right terminal of your power switch to the AC power inlet terminal closest to the volume pot (refer to wiring diagram for visual).
Moving on to our output transformer, let’s go ahead and locate all of our color-coded lead wires, and make note of their respective connection points on the wiring diagram. Notice that the blue and yellow leads have connection points which include multiple components -- this means we will not be soldering them in right away. In this case, just cut the lead to length, strip the insulation back, insert the lead into its lug and use a set of needle nose pliers to hook it around the lug until we are finally ready to solder. For the red, black, and green leads, we can go ahead and solder because they have single component connections...\n\n\n
Now it’s time to...well...do the rest of the wiring. Your instruction manual provides an excellent step-by-step breakdown if you are looking for an order in which to do all of this wiring. For time’s sake, I won’t be able to outline each step in this article so please spend some time with your wiring diagram and build instructions -- it’s a fun one! But first...
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Note: Because this is true point-to-point, capacitors and resistors will be ‘floating’ above other components. Use some of the insulation from wires we have already trimmed to cover the leads of caps and resistors -- this will prevent them from touching one another and shorting out when power is applied. And pay special attention to the orientation of your polarized capacitors (refer to wiring diagram for proper orientation).
Once we have carefully studied our wiring diagrams and completed each connection, our amplifier circuit is theoretically finished; provided our testing goes well. So give yourself a pat on the back, this is a huge milestone.\n
Now it’s time to begin testing. Again, for time’s sake, I won’t be able to outline these steps individually so follow along with your manual and run through the testing steps. Remember to test AC voltages first without any tubes installed, and then if everything checks out, you can add in your rectifier tube and continue testing, so on and so forth. Let’s meet back here after testing! Oh, and how is my build going, you ask?\n\n\n\n\n
As I said in the video above, all of my preamp plate voltages checked out (this should be around 150V +/- 30V), along with my filament, etc. If your voltages were not right, you'll need to go back and check all of your connection points (in conjunction with your wiring diagram) to make sure all necessary components are included in each connection. Another important thing is to make sure none of your leads are touching somewhere in the amp and causing issues. Verify that solder has been properly applied to all connection points. Once you've double-checked all of these bullet points, you'll want to start at the top of the testing process and see how far you get.
Once testing is successful, all that is left to do is install the speaker (if you have not already done so during the testing phase), and then install the chassis into the cabinet. Mojotone has made this part extremely easy: Using the small horizontal slits in the face of the cabinet, slide the chassis into place. Next, use the two black wood screws from your small parts kit to secure the chassis. That's it! It's time to rock on this bad boy!
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Thanks for tuning in once again, and please send any questions or comments about the kit (and any future projects you'd like to see) to logan@mojotone.com. See you next time!","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"2","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"4434265","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"4434266","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/21/2021 3:48:07 pm"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"The Infamous Paper In Oil Tone Capacitor","page_header":"The Infamous Paper In Oil Tone Capacitor","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"71","name":"The Infamous Paper In Oil Tone Capacitor","urlPath":"blog/the-infamous-paper-in-oil-tone-capacitor","url":"the-infamous-paper-in-oil-tone-capacitor","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"1","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"As avid techs and DIYers, one of our biggest responsibilities is to preserve the relics on which we work, and to uphold their historical features. Today we briefly discuss the history of PIO caps, why they are important, and how Mojotone can help.","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"As any true vintage guitar enthusiast knows, there are a number of topics which, on internet forums, consistently trigger long and arduous debates. The topic of paper in oil (PIO) capacitors vs. capacitors of any other construction method is certainly no exception; if you dare, try a few relevant Google searches, grab some popcorn, and get ready for a long night.
Here at Mojotone, while we do pay attention to these debates, we really only do so in an effort to provide DIYers with the components they need and want. With that said, today we are going to talk briefly about PIO capacitors, their historical significance, and why Mojotone has decided to introduce a few products from ‘Luxe’ into their product line: Bumble Bee and Black Beauty caps.
Historically speaking, the original Bumble Bee and Black Beauty caps were designed and manufactured by Sprague, although we’re fairly certain Sprague never officially referred to them as either “Bumble Bee” or “Black Beauty.” If you’ve ever scoured the forums, talked to serious techs, or even A/B tested guitar tone caps yourself, you’re probably well aware that the Bumble Bee caps are and were highly sought after; and perhaps much of this hype came about because of the use of Bumble Bee caps in many of Gibson’s electric guitars from the 1950s. These caps were filled with paper in a special oil inside of Bakelite bodies with the original NEMA color codes printed on them (this is how many resistors are still printed). The Bumble Bee caps were later replaced by the Black Beauties, which contained a winding of aluminum foil and paper film, along with oil, and were printed with the specs on their shell rather than the NEMA color code lines.
Some engineers say the construction of these caps make them a perfect fit for high voltage applications. Some say they make for the suppression of arcing, or they improve the cooling of heat spots. Many in the community agree that there is no valid scientific explanation as to why PIO caps should or would sound any better or worse than any other type of capacitor when used in an amplifier or guitar application. But one thing a great deal of players and techs have agreed on over the years is that, regardless of whether or not a scientific explanation is available, the PIO caps seems to offer warmth and smoothness of sound where other types of caps come up short.
Just as with anything else, we at Mojotone are not here to speculate on tonal characteristics of this or that capacitor, nor are we here to tell customers they HAVE to buy ‘x’ speaker or ‘y’ pickup. The simple truth is that, over the years, our customers have expressed a desire to have a source for quality, vintage-correct paper in oil tone capacitors. And being that our primary mission is, and always has been, to provide our customers with vintage-correct parts, we set out to find the best possible resource for these caps.
It is true that one could still search Ebay for new old stock Bumble Bee and Black Beauty capacitors that were, in fact, manufactured by Sprague and are still in working order. However, not everyone is looking to sell their first born son just so they can afford a pair of caps. But the need is still there. Nevermind one’s personal quest for tone or the unending need to tweak and modify every piece of their rig, the important thing here is to achieve historical accuracy. If one were to be restoring or repairing a Gibson guitar from the 50s, it can be assumed that a responsible tech would seek to replace any electronic components with the most historically accurate parts available. The same principle applies to amplifier parts, and Mojotone does their best to cater to this need with things like our hand-wound vintage-correct transformers from Heyboer. We are striving to pay homage to the forefathers of great gear here! This is why we have decided to include Luxe capacitors in our offerings.
Luxe is a company with whom we are proud to align ourselves. Their dedication to the craft is unparalleled and the amount of love that goes into each and every capacitor is truly something to be marveled. Luxe’s Bumble Bee and Black Beauty clones are not only constructed in a vintage-corrected manner, but are finished and hand-painted/hand-marked to visually resemble the originals down to the last detail. Read the description of their Bumble Bee clones below:
Each cap is hand wound on an original Vintage Winding Machine using exact vintage spec aluminum foil and paper film. They're hand soldered, hand cast in oven-proof thermoplastic, hot vacuum impregnated with pure castor oil and hand-painted.
Everything is handmade here. They even use the actual vintage winding machine that would have been responsible for winding these caps back in the 50s and 60s. The designers at Luxe have really crystallized the look, feel, sound, and essence of the original Sprague caps. Whether one agrees with or can even hear the difference in sound between vintage-style PIO caps and any other type of cap, at least now the option to accurately compare is available; and more importantly, the option to restore vintage relics in a reverent and faithful fashion is totally possible without breaking the bank.
Check out our new line of Premium Historic wiring harnesses featuring these Luxe Capacitors. This is an offering we have been waiting to roll out for quite some time, we just needed to find the right manufacturer. We are proud to offer these harnesses and capacitors to our customers who, by the way, have been patiently waiting for quite some time while we got all the right pieces together. A big thanks to all our techs who have requested these over the years! Now go have as much vintage-correct fun as you can possibly stand, and be on the lookout for more Premium Historic wiring harnesses from Mojotone featuring Luxe’s Fender-style Phone Book caps.","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"5","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"4434367","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"4434368","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/21/2021 3:58:31 pm"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"Basic Guitar Setup with Groovetech Kit","page_header":"Basic Guitar Setup with Groovetech Kit","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"78","name":"Basic Guitar Setup with Groovetech Kit","urlPath":"blog/basic-guitar-setup-with-groovetech-kit","url":"basic-guitar-setup-with-groovetech-kit","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"1","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"Daunted by the idea of setting up your own guitar? Fret no more! Mojotone has added the GrooveTech Guitar Player Tech Kit to their product line and today Logan Tabor walks us through this basic tool kit and its 'Easy Setup Guide.'","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"Hey there everyone and welcome, once again, to another episode of Mojotone’s ‘Fix It Friday’ series. Today we are going to be diving into a bit of a different project. This is something I have personally been putting off for many years: the infamous guitar setup. That’s right, today we are going to adjust our truss rods, dial in our action, check our nut height, fine tune our pickup height, and set our intonation.
The coolest part of all though, is that Mojotone just started offering this GrooveTech Guitar Player Tech Kit from Cruztools, which contains pretty much everything we’ll need to get the job done. I’m excited to try out this kit package, and to finally get my Reverend Bob Balch Signature Guitar back in gigging shape…\n
Now that we know a little more about the GrooveTech kit, here is an extremely short list of things you’ll need to complete today’s project:
Groovetech Guitar Player Tech Kit
Electric Tuner
Guitar in Desperate Need of a Basic Setup
Guitar Strings
If you have not already done so, please go ahead and restring your guitar at this time, as it is always best to set up a guitar shortly after putting on new strings. Apart from that, our GrooveTech kit comes with an Easy Setup Guide which will walk us through each of today’s processes. Let’s grab our guides and follow along.
TRUSS ROD
Our first stop on this magical adventure is the truss rod. The truss rod is essentially just a rod that runs through most of the neck of the guitar. Its job is to allow the user to “counteract” the tension that is put on a guitar’s neck by the strings. When you string a guitar, the strings pull the headstock up, causing the neck to bow slightly; tightening the truss rod will flatten the neck back out, if the player wishes it so.
But before we go crazy tightening and loosening our truss rods, we need to check to see if we are already within a desirable range of relief (relief being the amount of bow in the neck). To do this, we need to depress the low E string on both the first fret and the last fret of the guitar. When we depress the fret, for this particular operation, we want to depress on TOP of the metal fret rather than behind the fret wire. Once the low E string is depressed in both locations, we will insert our .01” thickness gauge between the 8th fret and the E string, as our easy setup guide indicates that .01” is the acceptable amount of relief. Watch the video below for a demonstration…\n
In my case, I have almost no relief at this part of the neck, so I’ll need to LOOSEN my truss rod to give the neck more bow. Your situation may be different but no matter which way you need to go...righty-tighty, lefty-loosey, as always! Please note that we want to make very small incremental adjustments here. After making each small adjustment, allow the guitar to sit for a few minutes before checking the relief again. Continue this process until your .01” thickness gauge is a perfect fit.
ACTION
Step 1 is complete; how does it feel? Next up is the action, or the string height. This is going to be a bit more subjective because every guitar player prefers their guitar to play a certain way. Some of us like our action so low to the fretboard that it buzzes; some of us want that crazy high SRV action for a nice hand workout every time we play. I’m just going to use the easy setup guide as my standard for today’s purposes; the setup guide says to start at 2mm, or 5/64ths of an inch (2mm may be easier to see on the ruler). The way this is measured is different than the truss rod. This time we do NOT need to depress the string anywhere on the fretboard, instead we will just grab our ruler tool from the kit, and at the 17th fret, measure from the top of the metal fret to the bottom of the string. Again, this distance needs to equal about 2mm if we are following our setup guide.
If your low E string is not at 2mm, you will need to adjust your bridge/saddle to bring the string to the proper height. In the video below, you can see how I will have to make these adjustments on my particular guitar, but if your guitar differs from mine you may need to refer to the guitar’s owner manual for instructions on how to adjust action…\n
Once you get the low E string adjusted to 2mm, move on to the next string, and the next string, etc. Before too long, you will have a guitar whose truss rod is perfectly bowed and whose action is sitting pretty at a sizzling 2mm height!
Again, a guitar’s action is all subjective. If you make these adjustments according to the manual and then find that 2mm is too low, just raise the string height. Get everything dialed in exactly how you want it -- we are simply using the manual’s recommendations for the sake of this tutorial.
NUT HEIGHT
Next we will check the nut height. And I say check because if any adjustments need to be made to the nut, it is best to leave this work to a professional luthier. Adjusting the nut may requiring filing and/or shimming, which goes beyond the entry level DIY experiment we are conducting here today.
Checking the nut is very simple. We just want to use our .02” and .022” thickness gauges to determine if we have an acceptable amount of space between the top of the first fret and the bottom of the low E string. This, once again, is done with the thickness gauge on TOP of the metal fret wire, and is done WITHOUT depressing the string. For further demonstration, see the video below…\n
My guitar does not quite have .02” inches of space, which means my nut is a little low and could potentially use a shim. However, I’m not extremely concerned at the moment because I have not yet noticed any buzzing in that part of the neck so the nut height isn’t bothering me. Once you’ve checked your nut height, you can make the determination as to whether or not to take your guitar to a luthier for further adjustment.
PICKUP HEIGHT
Let’s move on to pickup height. Here again, this is going to be very subjective, as every player is different. Our manual says a typical pickup height measurement is between 1/16” and 1/8”. This measurement comes from depressing the string on the LAST or HIGHEST fret on the neck, and then using your ruler tool to measure from the top of the pickup to the bottom of the string.
You could start by adjusting your pickups until they measure 1/8” from every string, and then you’ll likely want to continue adjusting from there. The best way to ensure that you are adjusting your pickup height to your liking is to just plug the guitar into an amp and play it. For example: You may notice that your neck pickup is too boomy and loud -- if this is the case, simply lower the pickup until it sounds balanced. Most pickups come with a small Phillips head screw on either side for adjustment. This allows the user to slant the pickup from left to right in case they want their lighter gauge strings to be louder or vice versa…\n\n\n
INTONATION
Lastly, but certainly not leastly, we must address intonation. This is extremely important as it will determine whether or not our chords are harmonious, and whether or not our strings stay in tune as we move up the neck. I’ll bet you were wondering when we were going to use that electric tuner...well, now is the time. Go ahead and plug your guitar into your tuner and get ready for the ride of your life!...
To determine intonation, let us tune the low E string in accordance with its 12th fret. So, depress the low E on the 12th fret, pluck, and tune accordingly. Next, we need to compare this tuning to the 12th fret harmonic. If you are setting up a guitar that has not been worked on in a while, it is highly likely that your tuner will show a discrepancy between the fretted 12th fret, and the harmonic at the 12th fret. If that is the case, you will need to adjust your string’s saddle until the tuning discrepancy is gone.
If your fretted tuning is more sharp than your harmonic tuning, this means you need to lengthen the string/move the saddle back on the bridge away from the headstock. If need be, you may want to consult your guitar’s manual once again for information on how to make this adjustment. In the video below, you can see where I need to tweak my string length (and this is a very common type of bridge)...\n
Once your low E is solid, keep moving on to the A, the D, the G, etc., until finally your intonation is set across the guitar. This process is simple, but does require some patience to get it right. And by the way, the Groovetech easy setup guide does mention that using an electric tuner with a needle is best practice...you may have noticed that I failed to do this. I was still able to get my intonation fairly well set, but using a tuner with a needle would definitely be more accurate.
JAM TIME
Now it’s time to plug your guitar into an amp and play for a while. Stretch out those strings some more, make sure the action feels good, make sure the pickups are balanced, and definitely make sure your chords are in tune!
These skills are important for every guitar player to at least be familiar with. You can always take your guitar to a professional, but you never know when something will come up on the road, or at practice. It is always good to be able to handle these basic setups on the fly; plus it just furthers one’s appreciation for their instrument. Although I was hesitant at first, I’m glad I went through with this setup. Now I just need to do 50 more, and I’ll really have the hang of it.
Thanks for tuning in, and please send any questions/comments to logan@mojotone.com. We’ll see you next time!
","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"16","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"4422739","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"4434373","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/21/2021 4:05:07 pm"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"Five Tips To Perk Up Your Tube Amp","page_header":"Five Tips To Perk Up Your Tube Amp","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"77","name":"Five Tips To Perk Up Your Tube Amp","urlPath":"blog/five-tips-to-perk-up-your-tube-amp","url":"five-tips-to-perk-up-your-tube-amp","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"2","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"Our amps are made up of numerous electronic components, most of which wear out over time. In today's article, Dave Hunter outlines 5 quick ways to breathe life back into your favorite vintage tone monster.","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"Whether a guitar amp is several years old, or several decades old, it can start to lose its sonic luster after hundreds or thousands of hours of use. Too often, the gradual slide into dull, muddy, or noisy performance (or all three) leads a guitarist to think they, “just don’t like this amp anymore,” and need a new one to replace it.
In most cases, however, an amp that’s starting to lack the punch and liveliness it delivered when we first fell in love with it, can be perked up with a few points of routine maintenance, and brought back to a raging tone machine for far less of an investment than that required to get back on the merry-go-round and find a new amp to replace it. Check out these five tips for perking up tired tube amps, several of which you can do yourself (or all of which, if you have experience working inside amp chassis’ safely) or which, at most, require routine repair work.
One: Replace Your Tubes
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Most guitarists who own and regularly play tube amps are aware that the tubes need to be replaced every so often, but it can still be too easy to slip into the feeling that you, “just don’t like this amp any more,” or that there’s something more dramatic wrong with it, when you might just need to consider whether it’s time for a tube change. Replacing either preamp tubes or output tubes—or both, if it’s really been a while—can make a world of difference to an amp’s sound and playing feel; It’s always worth giving this some serious consideration if your amp is sounding tired.
Output tubes (also called “power tubes”) tend to wear out faster than preamp tubes, and sadly, they’re also a bigger investment. Signs of a need for replacement here might be heard in an amp that’s notably softer or duller than it once was, or one that has developed a spongier, saggier playing feel.
Depending on how loud and how often you play, output tubes might need to be replaced anywhere from every six months to every two or three years (or longer if you’re a hobby player who doesn’t fire up the amp more than briefly once or twice a week). With cathode-biased amps or those which have a preset fixed-bias level and require a specific grade of replacement tube, you can just buy a good quality matched set and install them. Follow your manufacturer’s instructions, of course, and reading up on other advice for tube replacement beforehand (at the risk of making a gratuitous plug, my book The Guitar Amp Handbook, Updated and Expanded Edition discusses a lot of stuff regarding tube replacement, as do other reputable amp books). With standard fixed-bias amps, you will need to bias the output tubes when you replace them and, if you’re not trained in such work, it’s a job for a qualified repairperson. It’s worth doing, though, and it shouldn’t cost a whole lot more than the price of the replacement tubes.
Replacing preamp tubes is even easier (and often more affordable) than installing new output tubes, so you might even want to try this one first, even if the output tubes are the culprit. Pop in a good new preamp tube into the first position to see what that does for you (this tube is often called “V1” on diagrams, and is frequently the furthest socket away from the larger output tubes). A good new-make preamp tube from a reputable dealer is just fine, and there’s plenty of variety in great-sounding tubes available today (check out some of Mojotone’s own tube-tasting articles to explore a little of this selection).
Understand that preamp tubes don’t fail as frequently as output/power tubes, and decent ones should last several years unless abused. They will, sometimes, go dull prematurely, and they are cheaper and easier to replace than your bigger tubes, so this is why it’s worth a try even if you suspect the power tubes might be the major culprit. Signs of genuine preamp tube failure or decline, on the other hand, might be heard as increased noise or intermittent or steady crackling, hissing, or popping in the preamp stage, increased microphony (bell-like ringing, or the induction of cabinet vibration into the signal path) or again, a generally duller tone that’s lacking its former liveliness. If you suspect a preamp tube of microphony or some more structural-based decline, you can—with your amp on, but not turned up too high—tap each preamp tube gently with a pencil to see if you get an excessive “clunk” or ringing sound. Even healthy preamp tubes might transfer a little, muted “thump” through the circuit, but a tube that has declined structurally will make itself known!
Two: Get Your Voltages Correct
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The average guitarist puts very little thought into the voltage levels his or her amp is receiving from the domestic or commercial power supply they plug it into—and why should you, when your amp is made to operate “just fine” on the voltage levels in the country in which you bought it? But many of our wall outlets can deliver anywhere from 118V to 126V AC (which will vary at different times of day, too), and experienced amp makers, technicians, and players who put a lot of thought into such things, are well aware that an amp will sound and respond quite differently at the lower end of that range than it will at the higher.
Consider, also, that vintage amps from the ’50s, ’60s, and even the early ’70s were often designed to run on domestic power outlets delivering anywhere from 110V to 115V AC, but usually don’t function as they should when hit with a lot more. They might work, sure, but their components will be under greater strain and they often won’t sound they way they were designed to sound.
To get your amp working with optimal voltages, have a tech check the operating voltages at various stages within your amp against the voltages indicated on an original service schematic or diagram. Then, do whatever possible to bring things back into spec. Such a service should also include a re-biasing of output tubes, or perhaps a check and replacement of the large bias resistor in cathode-biased amps, if deemed necessary.
If your amp has a tube rectifier, the voltages in some amps can be brought down to spec with the use of a different—though compatible—rectifier tube (don’t try this without consulting an expert, if you’re not experienced with this kind of thing, and always refer to your amp-maker’s guidelines, or contact them directly). Otherwise, sometimes other internal fixes can be undertaken. Or, you can acquire an external voltage-reduction device intended for this purpose, such as a suitable Variac, the P3 Line Tamer, or the AmpRx Brown Box, and regulate your amp’s input AC voltage in this way. Note that it’s usually fine to lower the amount of AC voltage that your amp is receiving, but you should never increase it without consulting someone who really knows what they’re talking about. Some players even lower their AC supply voltages intentionally, even when the amp works and sounds fine on the unadulterated supply, to achieve desirable sonic goals, such as easier breakup, a slightly softer and more compressed playing feel, and/or a little lower overall volume.
Three: Clean Grimy Connection Points
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As pedal-maker-to-the-stars Pete Cornish declares, “Clean the plugs and free the tone!” Any jack or connection with pins or contacts that transfers a signal from something else that’s “plugged into it” can become dirty or tarnished and therefore fail to transfer your guitar signal optimally. This goes for input jacks, speaker output jacks, any effects-loop sends and returns, and all of the tube sockets.
A simple cleaning of these parts with a good contact cleaner (DeoxIT, No Flash, or similar) can often work wonders in getting your full signal flowing again, and can help your amp sound clearer and sharper in the process. If you have to open up an amp’s chassis to get at these things—and you usually do—you should have a pro do this work for you. While he or she is in there, also have them clean all the pots and, if necessary, tighten the tube socket pins as well. Short of taking it to a tech, you can go a little ways towards cleaning input and output jacks by spraying contact cleaner on a cotton bud (a.k.a. Q-Tip) and working it back and forth through the hole until you see some dark grime building up on its tip. Also, you might get away with spraying just a quick squirt of approved cleaner into your tube socket’s pin holes, or even onto the tubes’ pins themselves, then inserting and removing the tubes a couple of times.
Four: Install Fresh Filter Capacitors
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Filter capacitors (aka electrolytic capacitors, or “caps” for short) remove troublesome artefacts from your power supply which can cause noise or poor tube performance. The sad fact is, though, that they wear out after several years, which might be as few as 15 years, or as many as 25 years if you’re lucky. If your amp is an older one (which doesn’t necessarily mean it’s “vintage”) and hasn’t had any general maintenance in 10 or 15 years, it’s certainly worth having your tech take a look at the filter caps; There’s often a good chance that it will need a few new ones, if not all new ones.
If you know for certain that your amp hasn’t had its filter caps replaced in a good 20 to 25 years, or is a vintage amp that’s never been worked on, you can bet a cap job would do it some good. If the caps are that old or older and haven’t failed, you can opt to just keep playing it, and if you love the way it sounds then it’s hard to argue against that—except to say that caps of 20 or 25 years old or more are pretty likely to fail at any moment, and can sometimes cause bigger problems when they do, so a little preventative maintenance is often a good thing.
Old or failed filter caps will often result in a soft, flubby low end and usually some dissonant odd-order “ghost note” harmonics as well. These symptoms go straight to the heart of a lifeless, farty tone, and a cap replacement in such cases often perks up your amp’s performance significantly. Filter cap replacement involves working in parts of the amp where dangerously high voltages are present, so it’s definitely a job for a pro. That said, it’s usually one of the less expensive internal maintenance items, depending on what types of caps your amp needs, how many, and how tricky they are to access.
Five: Replace Leaky Signal Caps
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The other capacitors within your amplifier, the signal (or “coupling capacitors,” because they couple together different signal-carrying stages within your amp) sometimes also need replacement, although those used in amps after the ’70s generally tend to last a very long time. These are similar (and sometimes identical) to the tone caps attached to your guitars’ tone controls, and are sometimes called by that name too. Worn out coupling caps can become “leaky,” which means they don’t block the voltages they are designed to block, nor do they let their particular circuit stages perform as they should. Other than in particularly old vintage amps that were originally made with failure-prone signal caps, the several signal caps within any amp don’t generally go bad all at once. You can bet, however, that any amp from the ’50s or ’60s will have at least a few leaky signal caps, and even nearly-new amps might display a failure here and there in this department (if a part unexpectedly experiences the occasional early demise that can strike even the best components now and then).
While this is another job for a pro, you might want to have some input—and insist on some consultation mid-job—if you’re surrendering a particularly valuable vintage amp to this kind of work. In the old days, repair guys would often just rip out all of your tasty old vintage signal caps because it was quicker and cheaper than properly diagnosing which were actually at fault. A tech who is familiar with vintage amp values will understand that you want to preserve as many original components as possible, as these can play a big part in any old amp’s sonic character, as well as its value, but it doesn’t hurt to remind them to go easy. With newer amps, ensure replacement caps are at least as good or better than the originals—or read up on some upgraded replacements and see if they might do anything for your tone.","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"3","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"4434474","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"4434475","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/21/2021 4:10:52 pm"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"Five Tips For Improving Your Electric Guitar Tone","page_header":"Five Tips For Improving Your Electric Guitar Tone","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"76","name":"Five Tips For Improving Your Electric Guitar Tone","urlPath":"blog/five-tips-for-improving-your-electric-guitar-tone","url":"five-tips-for-improving-your-electric-guitar-tone","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"2","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"Not every upgrade has to cost an arm and a leg. Today, Dave Hunter shows us five cost-effective and easy ways to give new life to our old electric guitars.","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"There are plenty of things you can do to alter or improve the tone of your guitar without undertaking major surgery, or swapping out any significant components worth more than a few bucks. If your electric guitar sounds “pretty good” just as it is, but you haven’t paid much consideration to these tips, it’s virtually guaranteed that one or more of them will help your instrument toward sounding like its best self. And the good part is… they’re all non-invasive, totally reversible, and can be tried at home by practically every guitarist.
One: Reconsider Your String Height
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String height impacts several considerations regarding any guitar, but let’s deal primarily with tone here. When it comes to string height—or the playing feel for which string height is responsible, often referred to as “action”—plenty of players figure it’s best to get the strings as low as they’ll go without buzzing or choking out on bends, to facilitate super-easy playability. This can lead to a false economy of sorts, though, and impact your guitar’s tone for the worse.
Keeping the strings as low as possible can deaden your tone in ways that might not be obvious. Even if strings aren’t noticeably buzzing, their proximity to the frets with an extremely low action can inhibit their vibrational arc, impeding their natural resonance. Hit the occasional chord with extra gusto and they are likely to rattle against your frets, too, in a way that might not be obvious to the ear, but which will impact your tone and sustain in negative ways.
Try this set-up alternative: raise your strings up too high to be comfortable for your preferred playing style, then lower them gradually until they are just comfortable enough to play. Give your fingers a chance to adjust to this action, and see if your tone hasn’t improved from the original lower setting. Chances are you’ll get more “ring,” resonance, and sustain out of your guitar, along with a richer, deeper tone overall. If you don’t like it… just put them back where they were to begin with, or somewhere in between.
Note: In conjunction with an action/string height adjustment, be sure to consider #4 and #5 below.
Two: Try a Different String Type
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There’s a lot said about “getting a fatter tone by changing to a higher string gauge.” Dial up some interweb guitar chat rooms and you might even come away with the impression that you’re a wimpy wet noodle of a guitarist if you’re using anything less than mega-gauge piano wires on your guitar. But let’s say you’re perfectly happy with the feel of your string gauge and don’t want to mess up your guitar’s familiar playability. Consider, too, that countless major guitar stars past and present have used .009 and even .008 strings to log huge sounding tones, and several mega-hits, and it’s worth approaching the string-based-tone-tweak from another perspective.
Different makes and types of strings, even of the same gauge, can fundamentally change the sound of your electric guitar, and might be a great way for you to dial in desirable characteristics (or dial out those that are undesirable). Is your guitar too bright or brittle sounding with standard nickel-plated steel strings? Try a set with pure-nickel wraps on the wound strings, which will make most guitars sound a little richer and warmer. Be sure to check the names of string types carefully, as many will say “nickel wound strings,” but unless they declare “pure nickel-wound” they are usually only nickel-plated steel wraps. As a bonus, pure nickel-wound strings often have a slightly softer playing feel, are a little easier on your frets, and can sometimes be perceived to last longer since they don’t lose their enhanced zing the way nickel-plated strings and some other types do after some playing time.
Of course, to go the other way and make a somewhat dull or dark guitar sound brighter and livelier, you can swap to nickel-plated strings if you’re using pure nickel. Or, if you’re already there, you might try some stainless-steel strings, or types by a range of makers that tend to include names like “power,” “boomers,” “steel,” or “bright.” Be aware, however, that pure uncoated stainless steel strings will be harder on your frets.
Three: Clean the Contacts
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As far as this tip is concerned, the key word in electric guitar is “electric.” When you consider that there’s an electric signal carrying every drop of your tone from the instrument to the listeners’ ears, it becomes pretty clear that you want that signal to be clear and unconstrained.
Even when carefully used and well cared for, the components within any guitar that carry the signal from one stage to another, and ultimately out to the cable and the amp, can become tarnished, gunked-up, oxidized, or otherwise compromised. You likely won’t see this grime as obvious “dirt” or a fault of any kind (even if you open up your guitar’s control cavities to visually inspect its various components), but if you haven’t cleaned any such parts in a long while, it’s almost guaranteed that doing so will help your signal flow more freely.
The main parts worth attention in this regard are your pickup selector switch, volume and tone potentiometers, and output jack. A routine cleaning of these parts with a quality contact cleaner (and sometimes with a little elbow grease to assist) will work wonders. The industry standard contact cleaner for this job is Caig DeoxIt D5: attach the narrow straw that helps focus the spray, and shoot it into the contact area of any selector switch then flick it back and forth a few times; spray into the “window” of potentiometers and rotate several times; and spray onto both the positive and ground contact surfaces of your output jack, then “scrub” those gently with a cotton bud (don’t apply so much pressure here that you bend the positive contact tip out of alignment). Some people will recommend a contact cleaner and lubricator spray for switches and potentiometers, but the latter part of that product can leave behind a slightly greasy surface that will become sticky over time, attracting dust and more rapidly degrading the pot after the initial “fix,” so that you ultimately need to replace them.
Four: Adjust Your Pickup Height
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Most of the guitarists who perform even the more rudimentary set-ups on their own are aware that raising any guitar’s pickups closer to the strings will increase a guitar’s output. I’m going to urge you, however, to consider other aspects of pickup adjustment which, as often as not, will lead you to move the pickups further away from the strings rather than closer.
While increased output might outwardly sound like a universally desirable thing—for rock players in particular—raising your pickups up as close to the strings as they’ll go without actually causing any contact buzzing while you’re playing, will often result in a harsh, ragged, and overly raw-sounding tone. At the same time, pickups with magnetic pole pieces (as opposed to having steel pole pieces with the magnets beneath the pickup), such as most traditional Fender designs, Gretsch Dynasonics, and the like, will exert magnetic pull on the strings themselves if adjusted too high, which can result in ghost notes and poor resonance and sustain, particularly when a neck pickup is too high.
Instead, try lowering your pickups down into the body a little more than is considered standard—that is, position them further away from the strings—and you can be sure of giving the strings plenty of unencumbered air in which to vibrate. The result of this is, in part, a little less output. But in most cases, this isn’t a problem, and you can always get more gain and volume by adjusting your amplifier and any booster or overdrive-type pedals in your sound chain. What you do often achieve in doing this, is a woodier and more resonant tone with greater dynamics and touch sensitivity, as well as a “livelier” feel to the playing response. Pick lightly and it’s clean yet warm; dig in harder and you get increased drive and output, but without a big sacrifice in note definition or clarity.
Many pickup-and-guitar combinations have a real “sweet spot” in this regard, and you’ll benefit from playing around with pickup heights (taking notes as you go) until you find the position that really clicks for your own particular marriage of wood, wire, and magnet. Perhaps start by dropping the pickups down somewhat lower than you might normally consider, and then raising them gradually (maybe half a screw turn at a time) as you play and listen. Note the point where richness, depth, harmonic content, and playing dynamics all come into place—and be prepared to back down into it again if you end up going too high and passing the sweet spot.
This is all pretty easily achieved on most guitars with traditional adjustable pickups, other than dog-ear style P-90s and old-school Gretsch Filter’Trons and Dynasonics (aka DeArmond Model 200s), which provide adjustable pole pieces only, and require shims (or some other minor modification) to enable raising and lowering the entire pickup.
Five: Optimize Your Truss-Rod Adjustment
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\n\n\n
Many players proceed on the understanding that you want a guitar’s neck to be “as straight as possible,” and while this might lead to the easiest playing feel when the strings are also set low (aka “low action”), this isn’t always optimal for overall tone and sustain. We’ll consider the factors involved here, and some alternative points of view for maximizing the impact of neck relief on tone, but if you’re not already skilled in checking and adjusting your own truss rod you should look elsewhere, or to your guitar manufacturer’s guidance to help you correctly undertake this work. Also, forget back bow: we never want back bow in our neck, so let’s start working from the perspective of a perfectly straight neck with no relief whatsoever.
With a perfectly straight neck, and strings stretched across the frets set to a fairly low action, the vibrational arc of those strings in motion when played with even a little gusto will most likely put them in contact with the tops of the frets. Not only will this induce buzzing and rattling when you play, it will also impede the guitar’s resonance and sustain. If you’ve got a super-light playing touch with the picking hand, and never really attack the strings in anger at all, you might be able to get away with this. Likewise, if you are a high-gain shredder who needs a super-easy touch and uses a lot of saturation at your amp and other effects, such a neck adjustment and set-up might work for you. However, most players, whether average strummers or heavy hitters, will need a little relief (aka forward-bow) in their necks to allow the strings to vibrate freely.
As measured with a capo at the first fret and your right hand pressing down on the low-E string a fret or two past the neck/body joint, a gap between the string and the top of the 7th fret of around .010\" +/– is ideal for most players. If you tend to play hard more often than not, and your strings need a wider arc to vibrate freely, add a little more relief. This might all sound pretty scientific, but if you don’t have the right feeler gauges you can generally eyeball the gap just fine, and experiment a little until you find the adjustment that best marries optimal resonance and playing feel for your own style.
The average business card is about .016\" thick (as is the average greeting card), so you might find this a tight squeeze between the low-E string and 7th fret if adjusting for average relief, and a smooth and accurate fit if adjusting for more heavy-hitting playing. Always make such adjustments and measurements with the guitar tuned to pitch and in playing position, and go easy when turning the truss-rod nut or adjustment point, starting with just about 1/8 of a turn at a time.
","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"10","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"4434579","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"4434580","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/21/2021 4:14:24 pm"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"A Bit About Wire Types and Sizes","page_header":"A Bit About Wire Types and Sizes","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"79","name":"A Bit About Wire Types and Sizes","urlPath":"blog/a-bit-about-wire-types-and-sizes","url":"a-bit-about-wire-types-and-sizes","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"1","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"In the guitar and amp world, there are many different types and sizes of wire used inside our gear. Today we will take a look at those basic wires, talk about how they are used, and uncover why exactly they are used in their respective applications.","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"All of us DIYers are familiar with a few different types of wire — at least in the guitar and amp world. They are all rather similar, but seem to be used in different and very specific applications. In many cases, we tend to just accept that this piece of wire is used over here and this other piece of wire is only used over here, but it’s actually quite practical and pretty important to understand why these conventions exist and how they benefit the end user and the overall sound of gear. Now this, like anything else in the guitar and amp universe, is a subject that can go down some deep dark rabbit holes if you let it go that far; many folks will resort to looking at graphs and data tables for pinpointed physical evidence to either prove or disprove these conjectures, because the fact is, there is a mathematical way to determine the appropriate wire to use for any given application. Today, however, we are simply presenting some basic facts without going too far into the math, which should in turn give you a firm understanding of the differences between solid core and stranded wire, as well as large and small gauges of wire.
Stranded Vs. Solid Wire\n\n
If you’ve ever popped open an old Fender amp, or if you’ve ever built an amp from a kit, you’ve likely seen the classic cloth-covered pushback solid core wire used almost as a standard in amplifier circuitry. Conversely, if you open up your guitar’s control cavity you’ll be more apt to see stranded (and PVC-coated) wires implemented therein. And while many audiophiles claim they can hear the difference between stranded and solid wires, this typically has no bearing on how and why the different wire types are employed in the first place. There is even the idea that AC current (like that produced by your guitar’s pickups) travels more efficiently along stranded wires because AC current only travels along the outside of any given wire anyway...but that’s still not the reason we use stranded and solid wires in different applications. \n
The actual reason, which isn’t all that exciting or technical, is mere practicality. If you’ve ever worked with a piece of stranded wire, you know that it is inherently flexible, where solid core wire is rigid, and tends to hold whatever shape it’s bent into. Bend a piece of solid core wire back and forth a few times and it’s likely to snap into two pieces; this is where the use of stranded wire in certain applications really becomes practical.
When you take your amp to a gig, you carefully pick it up and do your best not to go smacking into walls. The amp makes it to the stage and then sits still all night for the most part. Not a lot of movement going on here, so the likelihood of jarring the little solid core wires inside and causing them to snap is pretty darn slim. Your guitar, on the other hand, is quite a different story. The guitar gets slung all over the place, smacked by your hands and hips for hours on end, and sometimes even gets used as an actual axe...or like a rock n’ roll hammer of doom. If we had those rigid solid core wire connections inside our guitars’ control cavities, we might break them more often than would be desirable due to all the flailing about. And what about our instrument cables? Imagine if your 10-foot-long instrument cable was just one solid piece of wire and stiff as a board; not only would it break immediately, but you really just wouldn’t be able to move around very much at all.
So, if it’s really that simple, why do we even use solid core wire at all? Your amp doesn’t HAVE to be put together using solid wire, and if stranded is more flexible and less susceptible to breakage, why not just use stranded wire inside your amplifier too? Great question, and the answer there is actually quite simple as well. While many amp manufacturers actually do use a fair amount of stranded wire in their circuits these days, many amp builders just prefer the rigidity of solid wire when working in such a tight space as an amp chassis. You see, when you bend a solid wire it tends to stay exactly how you bent it; so someone building an amp could route their solid wires around obstacles in the chassis, or tuck the solid wires out of the way of other wires. The end result is often a very clean-looking build because every wire can be put in its place and never move from that place. Stranded wires don’t hold shape that way, and when used in amps they can look messy and be difficult to work with/around. In some amps that utilize stranded wire, you may see wires bundled together and tied up to give the chassis a tidier look, but there is actually some argument here that bundling wires together will introduce unwanted noise/interference into the signal.
Thick Vs. Thin Gauge Wire
\n\n\n\n\n
Unlike the issue above, the fact that certain types of cables use a specific gauge (or thickness) of wire is not just a matter of preference, but is actually much more scientific. Earlier when I said, “there is a mathematical way to determine the appropriate wire to use for any given application,” this is what I was referring to. To put it simply, thicker wire (whether the wire is solid or stranded) can handle more current. Think of it as if the wires were pipes in a plumbing system, and as if electricity were the water pressure inside the pipes. If the pipes (or wires) were too thin, they would add resistance to the flow of water, and the water would not be able to flow as efficiently. This, in time, would put quite a bit of strain on the entire system, wouldn’t you agree?
On a small scale, if you’ve ever put together an amp kit, you may have noticed that most of the included wire was a nice thin 22 gauge...except for the heater wires. The heater wires in a small tube amp are typically more along the lines of 18 Gauge, and are capable of handling more current. Using a thinner gauge wire would add too much resistance to the current flow, and this resistance would lead to too much excess heat, and eventually a serious problem.
A scenario that is probably more relatable is speaker cable. Speaker cables need to be able to move a lot of “water pressure” from your amp to your speaker(s). A thinner speaker cable would resist a lot of that water pressure, waste energy, overheat, and eventually malfunction. Now, since the relative distance from your amp’s output jack to your speaker cabinet’s input jack is probably very short, it’s not as big of an issue (although using a well-made thick gauge speaker cable is always best practice). But what about a scenario that requires a great length of cable, like routing PA speakers? Since all wire inherently has its own ampacity and resistance per foot, the longer a piece of wire is, the more resistance it creates as the signal flows along it. As the length of wire necessary to make a connection increases, so should the thickness of the gauge of said connecting wire; the thicker wire will not have as much resistance and will have a higher ampacity rating. When speaker cables exceed 20 feet in length, they can actually cause the volume level of the source to drop by up to 5dB if they are not the proper rating for the application. And once again, all of this extra electrical resistance translates to heat. Too much heat on a piece of wire (or its connectors) that isn’t built to handle said heat, can and will cause damage to the hardware, which can lead to further signal degradation or total failure.
On the other hand, if you ever cut a basic instrument cable open, you’ll likely notice that the conductor wire is actually very thin — usually 24 Gauge; have a look at the image below.
\n
This is because the amount of electrical energy being carried from your guitar to your amp is darn small. These cables are built to take a very low voltage signal from your guitar, to your amp; once your amp gets ahold of the signal, that’s when it is boosted to a usable level. But one major difference between thicker speaker cable wiring, and thinner instrument cable wiring is the fact that instrument cables need to be shielded. Because the instrument cable is carrying a low level signal, and because that signal is practically the start of your entire overall sound, it is imperative that the instrument cable be shielded, otherwise you could pick up radio waves and fluorescent light interference on the way from your guitar to your amp...and then your amp will AMPLIFY the interference along with your guitar signal. Speaker cables do not require this type of shielding since the signal they are carrying is strong and has already been amplified. This is why we are all too often advised to never use a speaker cable in the place of an instrument cable. But aren’t we also told to never use an instrument cable in place of a speaker cable? Yep, not only is the thin gauge of wire used in an instrument cable typically insufficient for use as a speaker cable, but that very same shielding which protects your instrument cable from picking up interference is basically just a long thin capacitor that runs from one end of the cable to the other. In other words, the shielding acts electrically as a low-pass filter and can remove some top end from the sound. If you are using a super-long instrument cable where you SHOULD be using a super long speaker cable, you stand to change the overall sound of your output drastically...all on accident...and THEN your hardware will break down and malfunction.
As you can see, some of these long-standing conventions came from the preference of the builder, and some of them came from a much deeper and more calculated electrical science. But no matter the origin of the convention, it exists for a reason, and a good one at that. It is important that we as both players and as builders understand these principles because they help us understand the inner workings of our gear...and knowledge is power, people.
We hope this article has provided some good insight as to what some of the different types of wire we use are, and why we use each type in the ways we do. Thanks for joining us, and we’ll see you next time!
","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"3","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"4434682","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"4434683","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/21/2021 4:19:13 pm"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"How To Drill Your Cabinet For A Chassis","page_header":"How To Drill Your Cabinet For A Chassis","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"80","name":"How To Drill Your Cabinet For A Chassis","urlPath":"blog/how-to-drill-your-cabinet-for-a-chassis","url":"how-to-drill-your-cabinet-for-a-chassis","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"1","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"Drilling a permanent set of holes in your cabinet can be a scary thing, and it needs to be done right. This week, we learn how to properly drill chassis mounting holes into both Blackface and Tweed style cabinets.","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"Welcome back everyone, to another episode of Mojotone’s ‘Fix It Friday’ series. I’m really excited about today’s walkthrough because it addresses an issue we hear about rather often: properly drilling a cabinet for a chassis. This is a simple process which requires very little tools, and can be done in a matter of minutes. People are often hesitant about drilling for their chassis, simply because it’s important to get it right on the first try. If this isn’t done properly on the first go you risk putting unnecessary holes in your cabinet, and since this procedure is typically performed on brand new cabinets, any flubs can be particularly heartbreaking. Today, we are going to go over the drilling procedures for both Blackface style chassis and Tweed style chassis. We have a lot of images and steps to get through, so I’m going to keep my usual fluff to a minimum (you’re welcome).
Tools you’ll need:
PencilTape MeasureAwl or other pointed toolElectric DrillBrad Point Drill BitStandard Drill BitStraight Edge
BLACKFACE STYLE
Blackface style chassis are mounted to the top panel of their cabinet, with the chassis’ control panel facing forward (in the same direction as the baffle), and typically have four mounting holes.
Step 1: Find the center points
To get started, we must first measure to find the center of both the chassis and the cabinet. Once we’ve found those center points, let’s mark them with a pencil on the front AND back edges of each.
Pro Tip: Cover the top edges of the chassis with masking tape before marking. Likewise, if your cabinet has already been covered with tolex, using masking tape on the cabinet before marking.
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/how-to-drill-blackface-cabinet-chassis/image-1a.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/how-to-drill-blackface-cabinet-chassis/image-1b.jpg\")
\n\n\n\n\n
Step 2: Align the center points
Flip the marked chassis upside down and place it on top of the marked cabinet, with the control panel facing forward (in the same direction as the baffle). Now, align the marked center points with one another.
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/how-to-drill-blackface-cabinet-chassis/image-2a.jpg\")
\n\n\n
Step 3: Position the chassis front to back
Use a straight edge tool to ensure the front edge of the chassis and the front edge of the baffle align. Do this on both sides of the chassis/cabinet. Once aligned, this will ensure that your chassis is seated in the proper location from front to back on the cabinet. In the long run this will prevent your amp’s control knobs from getting damaged and help reduce unwanted scratching of the faceplate.
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/how-to-drill-blackface-cabinet-chassis/image-3a.jpg\")
\n\n
Step 4 : Mark the mounting hole locations
Now that your chassis and cabinet are aligned, you can mark the location of the four mounting holes using an awl or other pointed tool. To do this, leave the chassis in its place on top of the cabinet, insert the tool down through the mounting hole(s) in the chassis and make your marks on the top panel of the cabinet.
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/how-to-drill-blackface-cabinet-chassis/image-4a.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/how-to-drill-blackface-cabinet-chassis/image-4b.jpg\")
\n\n\n
Step 5 : Start the mounting holes
Using a brad point drill bit, begin drilling each of your marked mounting locations. Make sure only to drill down roughly a quarter of the depth of the cabinet’s top panel. This is just to get the holes started and create a guide for the standard bit so that the mounting holes are straight and even.
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/how-to-drill-blackface-cabinet-chassis/image-5a.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/how-to-drill-blackface-cabinet-chassis/image-5b.jpg\")
\n\n
Step 6 : Finish the mounting holes
Using a standard drill bit (of the corresponding diameter to your chassis’ mounting holes), finish drilling the mounting holes through the full depth of the cabinet.
Pro Tip : Let the drill do the work here and do not force the bit down and through the cabinet. This will make for a cleaner exit hole.
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/how-to-drill-blackface-cabinet-chassis/image-6a.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/how-to-drill-blackface-cabinet-chassis/image-6b.jpg\")
\n\n
You should now have precise mounting holes drilled into the top panel of your cabinet. At this point, you may still need to cover your cabinet or complete any other finishing tasks before actually mounting the chassis on the inside of the cabinet. Otherwise, this cab is ready for a chassis to be mounted!
TWEED STYLE
Tweed style chassis are mounted to the top panel of their cabinet, with the chassis’ control panel facing upward (the amp’s controls will be right-side-up when viewed from the back) , and typically have two mounting holes.
Step 1 : Mark cabinet center point
Measure the full width of the cabinet across the top panel. Determine the center point and mark it on the cabinet with your pencil. You can choose to use a straight edge tool to extend the length of your mark from front to back.
Pro Tip: If your cabinet has already been covered with tolex, using masking tape on the cabinet before marking.
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/how-to-drill-cabinet-chassis-tweed/image-1a.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/how-to-drill-cabinet-chassis-tweed/image-1b.jpg\")
\n\n\n
Step 2 : Determine spacing of chassis mounting holes
Using your tape measure, determine the distance (center point to center point) between your chassis’ mounting holes. Some may prefer to measure the full width of the chassis and make a note of the distance of each mounting hole as measured from the left side of the chassis.
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/how-to-drill-cabinet-chassis-tweed/image-2a.jpg\")
\n\n\n
Step 3 : Mark the chassis hole locations (left to right)
Transfer the measurements from Step 2 onto your cabinet using the cabinet’s center point marking, as the center point between your mounting hole locations. E.g., If your chassis width was 22”, you would center your measuring device at 11” on the cabinet’s center point; you can then mark the locations of both mounting hole centers.
Pro Tip : Use a straight edge tool to extend the length of your markings so a crosshair can later be made.
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/how-to-drill-cabinet-chassis-tweed/image-3a.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/how-to-drill-cabinet-chassis-tweed/image-3b.jpg\")
\n\n\n
Step 4 : Mark chassis hole locations (front to back)
Measure the height of your chassis from top to bottom to determine how far the mounting holes should be from the back edge of the cabinet. Remember, your back panel still needs to fit into the equation. In a Tweed style cabinet, the back panel should sit flush with the back edge of the cabinet. The chassis will then sit butted up to the back panel, thus we need to take the thickness of the back panel into account.
Once you’ve accounted for the back panel, make a small mark on the inner lip of the chassis cutout in the top panel.
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/how-to-drill-cabinet-chassis-tweed/image-4a.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/how-to-drill-cabinet-chassis-tweed/image-4b.jpg\")
\n\n\n
Step 5 : Extend markings to make crosshairs
Carefully extend the length of your markings to meet one another in a crosshair. This will give you the final location for the center point of each mounting hole.
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/how-to-drill-cabinet-chassis-tweed/image-5a.jpg\")
\n\n
Step 6 : Start the mounting holes
Using a brad point drill bit, begin drilling each of your marked mounting locations. Make sure only to drill down roughly a quarter of the depth of the cabinet’s top panel. This is just to get the holes started and create a guide for the standard bit so that the mounting holes are straight and even.
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/how-to-drill-cabinet-chassis-tweed/image-6a.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/how-to-drill-cabinet-chassis-tweed/image-6B.jpg\")
\n\n\n
Step 7 : Finish the mounting holes
Using a standard drill bit (of the corresponding diameter to your chassis’ mounting holes), finish drilling the mounting holes through the full depth of the cabinet.
Pro Tip : Let the drill do the work here and do not force the bit down and through the cabinet. This will make for a cleaner exit hole
\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/how-to-drill-cabinet-chassis-tweed/image-7a.jpg\")
\n\n
You should now have precise mounting holes drilled into the top panel of your cabinet. At this point, you may still need to cover your cabinet or complete any other finishing tasks before actually mounting the chassis on the inside of the cabinet. Otherwise, this cab is ready for a chassis to be mounted!
Thanks for tuning in to this week's 'Fix It Friday.' This was a fun article for me, and I certainly hope it proves valuable to you in the near future. We'll see you next time!
","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"21","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"4422739","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"4434687","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/21/2021 4:31:19 pm"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"Changing Your Cathode Bypass Capacitor","page_header":"Changing Your Cathode Bypass Capacitor","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"81","name":"Changing Your Cathode Bypass Capacitor","urlPath":"blog/changing-your-cathode-bypass-capacitor","url":"changing-your-cathode-bypass-capacitor","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"There are tons of mods out there for just about any circuit. Today, Logan Tabor walks us through one of the cheapest, easiest, and fastest mods around; the cathode bypass capacitor. This little guy can have a big impact on tone!","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"Welcome back everyone to another installment of Make It Monday. Today we are going to walk through a rather simple modification that can be made to plenty of circuits; changing your cathode bypass capacitor. I'm going to be making this modification on my Tweed Deluxe style amp kit from Mojotone, but for those of you following along at home, feel free to use whatever you have available.
Before we dive in, let's talk a bit about what exactly the cathode bypass cap does, and how changing it can affect the tone of your amplifier. We need to begin with the concept of \"cathode degeneration,\" which is a normal part of tube operation, but can be seen as an unwanted byproduct -- it is also a form of \"negative feedback.\" Negative feedback can notoriously cancel out frequencies in your signal, so in order to combat this cancellation of frequencies, a \"cathode bypass capacitor\" is implemented. Take a look at Image 1A below and notice all the way to the left, the capacitor and resistor running in parallel...
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/cathode-bypass-capacitor-change/image-1a-rev.jpg\")
The resistor is in place to hold the desired operating range of the tube itself, which in turn, creates the negative feedback and the cancellation of frequencies. As mentioned, the capacitor is there to boost those frequencies back into the signal, and depending upon the value of the capacitor we choose to implement, we can shape the tone of our amp. Below is a sound clip of my amplifier with the original cathode bypass capacitor. My amp settings are TONE - 6, VOL - 3; I will insert other sound clips along the way for comparison, always using the same settings and same mic placement.\n\n\n
Now that we've covered the basic theory behind this operation, let's go over the short list of tools you'll need to get this done:
Screwdriver or electric drill
Needle nose pliers
Soldering iron
Solder
The first step, which you can see from the above photo I've already taken, is to remove our chassis from our amp and get it onto our workbench. So go ahead and use your screwdriver or electric drill to remove any back panel and/or chassis screws and gently remove the chassis from the cabinet. Once you've located your cathode bypass capacitor, the rest of the operation will be quite simple. Go ahead and heat each of the solder joints holding the capacitor in place, and simultaneously use your needle nose pliers to pull the lead(s) out (Image 2A).
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/cathode-bypass-capacitor-change/image-2a-rev.jpg\")
Note: Pay attention to which direction the capacitor's negative and positive ends are facing. We will need to insert our new capacitor in with the same orientation when the time comes.
In all likelihood, the resistor will come out along with the capacitor -- this is fine as we will reimplement the resistor at the same time as the new capacitor.
This next part is not required for today's project, but I am going to reinsert my resistor with absolutely NO cathode bypass capacitor, just to demonstrate what the amp sounds like when the negative feedback is NOT bypassed. Check out the sound clip below...Notice the lack of life in the sound; there is a general flatness to the amp's tonality now so I really need to get another cathode bypass cap in there ASAP! The original cap in my amp was a 25uF Sprague capacitor; this is a pretty \"broad\" cap when talking about the frequencies it allows through. The cap I will be implementing is a .47uF cap and will be much more selective about the frequencies it allows through. The expected (and desired) effect is to attenuate some of the lower frequencies while boosting some of the higher ones, ultimately giving my amp a brighter sound. Below is the cap I'll be using, and as you can see, there is an arrow pointing towards the negative lead; I'll need to make sure this goes in facing the right direction.\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/cathode-bypass-capacitor-change/image-3a.jpg\")
The following may not apply to your situation, however in my case, the leads on this new capacitor are too short to connect to both eyelets on my fiberboard. Same thing with my resistor! To get around this (temporarily) I'm going to use a piece of solid core wire I have sitting around for the \"length\" I need, and then I'll wrap the leads of my capacitor and my resistor around this piece of wire. Then, I'll apply solder to the wrapped leads before inserting the components into my fiberboard. It's a bit of a mess, but you can see what I'm doing in Image 4A below.
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/cathode-bypass-capacitor-change/image-4a-rev.jpg\")
I will, of course, implement a fresh resistor with the proper length of leads if I decide to keep this modification in my amplifier. It will work just the same, but I prefer a cleaner build!
Finally, it's time to solder this bad boy in. Just grab your soldering iron, heat the corresponding eyelets (one at a time) and insert the leads. You should end up with something along the lines of Image 5A below.
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http://mojotone.com/cathode-bypass-capacitor-change/image-5a-rev.jpg\")
Okay so now it's the moment of truth. What does it sound like? Check out my sound clip below... \n\n\nThere is an immediate and obvious difference in this amp's tonality. The liveliness came back to it, and it has an overall brighter sound than it did when we started out today. I'll include a final sound clip at the very bottom, which will quickly move through all three of the above stages so you can compare more easily. I'm actually really happy with the results of this project. It's a super simple modification that takes hardly any time, and hardly any money. All that's left to do is put the chassis back inside the cabinet and keep on rocking out! You know what to do, grab that electric drill or screwdriver and put that thing back where it belongs. I know it's hard to believe, but we're done! There are a ton of mods out there, especially for simple circuits like this Tweed Deluxe. Not all mods have to be big and daunting and scary; sometimes they are nice and quick...and cheap! Thanks again for tuning in today -- we hope to see you all next time. \n\n\n","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"5","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"4434688","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"4434689","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/21/2021 4:43:35 pm"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"Preamp Distortion Vs. Power Amp Distortion","page_header":"Preamp Distortion Vs. Power Amp Distortion","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"82","name":"Preamp Distortion Vs. Power Amp Distortion","urlPath":"blog/preamp-distortion-vs-power-amp-distortion","url":"preamp-distortion-vs-power-amp-distortion","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"1","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"What is the difference between preamp distortion and power amp distortion? How do they affect your sound and how do you affect them? Today we break it all down in hopes of taking you one step closer to your dream tone!","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"Since the dawn of the tube amplifier, there have been countless heroes of tone; those who, both on stage and on record, we have all looked up to and even attempted to emulate. They set the standard of awesome guitar tone, and for years have given us an assortment of chills, goosebumps, and weepy eyes in as little as a single note. In that never ending quest for ‘make-their-heads-spin’ sound, there are many things about our rigs which we must truly come to understand in order to achieve such immaculate tone as our idols -- one of those things is the difference between preamp distortion and power amp distortion. Once we understand the differences therein, we can use this knowledge to master our amplifiers and adapt to many different playing environments. So...shall we?
WHAT IS PREAMP DISTORTION?
\n\n\n
The short answer is that preamp distortion derives from overloading/distorting an amplifier’s preamp section. The preamp is where the guitar’s signal is taken from a rather weak and anemic little thing, and boosted to line level. This is also where our sound is primarily shaped (as far as the amplifier is concerned) and where we are given typical EQ controls like Hi, Lo, and Mid. Many modern amps, and specifically high-gain amps, are fitted with a preamp gain control as well as a master volume control. These two controls work together to create what we now know to be a nice saturated preamp distortion sound. The preamp gain control is essentially the first volume control the signal sees in the preamp, whereas the overall signal amplitude that is sent to the power amp by the preamp, is controlled with the master volume knob. This is useful because, as many of us have no doubt experienced, a super loud amplifier is not always desirable for the given stage or studio. Amplifiers with a preamp gain control allow the user to achieve a well-saturated and compressed distorted sound with enhanced sustain at lower volume levels (i.e., without overdriving the power amp section). Because these amps typically also offer EQ controls within the preamp section, this higher gain sound can be shaped considerably by the user. Preamp distortion is also characterized by increased compression which results in a more even or, dare I say, flat sound. Less dramatic dynamics are typically found in preamp distortion, and preamp distortion is also where I tend to use words like ‘hairy’ or ‘fizzy.”
WHAT IS POWER AMP DISTORTION?
\n\n
Here again, the short answer is that power amp distortion derives from overloading/distorting an amplifier’s power section. After the preamp portion of an amplifier is ‘done’ with the signal, it is then passed on to the phase inverter and out to the amp’s power tubes. If the signal being sent from the preamp to the power section is of too high amplitude for the power amp section, the clean ‘headroom’ of the amp will be maxed out, and the user will begin to hear what is known as power amp distortion. At the beginning of it all, when our tone heroes were doing all the work for us, the ‘Rock n Roll’ sound was essentially defined by power amp distortion. When an amplifier is pushed to the right part of the power amp ‘brink’ we begin to hear and feel that classic BARK. Power amp distortion typically has a more enhanced mid range from that of preamp distortion, and while power amp distortion does add compression, it tends to be less than that of preamp distortion. The result is that power amp distortion gives us that classic punchy, warm, vocal sound. Power amp distortion is also considered much more dynamic as it responds to the human touch on the guitar and allows the player’s true dynamic abilities to shine. The downfall here is that pushing an amp to the point of power amp distortion can often put a real hurtin’ on the ear drums. Depending upon the wattage of the amp and the power tubes being used, a player may have to bring the whole venue to the ground before achieving any substantial power amp distortion. Master volume controls are typically used to manipulate this part of the signal, and this is typically the knob we will turn when the sound guy inevitably asks us to turn down.
A NOTE ABOUT POWER AMP SAG
We’ve all heard the term ‘sag’ and we have all heard it associated with both good and bad sentiments, but what does it actually mean? Power amp sag happens when too much of a ‘workout’ is given to an under-filtered power supply. Have you ever been sitting in your home and heard the refrigerator turn on, and then experienced an immediate and brief dimming of the lights in the house? This is essentially the same concept as power amp sag. When the refrigerator turns on, it temporarily puts a large load on the system all at once, and the system will take a moment to pull more current to accommodate this new load. On some guitar amplifiers, if you crank the master volume and strum a big huge A chord, that big chord is just like the refrigerator coming on, which is why you may hear that smoothing squishy compressed sound right when you first hit a big note. Some players prefer this sound, and this is why some amp designers create amps with sag in mind. This sag in the power supply will be heard when the guitarist plays harder, but will likely not be heard when lighter notes are played -- this is actually the source of those intricate touch dynamics most players experience when using a vintage amp. Therefore, more often than not, when players refer to the desired effects of “power amp distortion” they are actually referring to power supply sag.
WHAT ABOUT AMPS WITH A SINGLE ‘VOLUME’ KNOB?
\n\n
Amps with a single volume knob -- that is, without a separate master volume and/or preamp gain control -- are typically vintage amps or are modeled after vintage style amps. The single volume knob, in most cases, will manipulate both the preamp and the power amp sections simultaneously. One function is to attenuate the signal passing through the preamp section, and as a result of the level of said attenuation, the power amp will either be pushed more or less once the signal leaves the preamp and goes to the power section. A benefit to this is that most vintage amps are of somewhat lower wattage, so the interaction of the preamp and power sections can allow for some desirable tonal benefits without the amp having to get overbearingly loud. In this and every other case, it is best to simply be very familiar with your amp(s) so that you can adjust, on the fly, to any given scenario.
FINDING THE SWEET SPOT AND KNOWING YOUR AMP
With these different types of distortion, each offering their own flavors, it can be hard to know how to dial in an amp, especially if it has a preamp gain control and a master volume. Many modern amps will have both of these controls, and more often than not, they will both have to be adjusted for any given setting.
As an example, let’s say you are partial to power amp distortion and are therefore forced to turn up your amp’s master volume while keeping the preamp gain relatively low. One day you arrive at a venue, you’re in the middle of soundcheck and the sound guy asks you to turn down, what do you do? If you turn down the master volume you risk losing those precious dynamics that bring tears to everyone’s eyes. On the other hand, if you turn down the preamp side, you will not have as much of an effect on the volume level but will likely lose some of your grit and/or sustain. In all honesty, there is no perfect fix for this. One thing to do is to just spend a ton of time with your amp at home. Try out different combinations of master volume and preamp gain settings. Find out what the lowest master volume setting is where you can still get that ethereal playability while reducing the risk of being told to turn down. Experimentation and the ability to adapt are key.
Another workaround here is having multiple amps and knowing which amp is appropriate for a given setting. Again, lower wattage amps can still achieve that perfect level of power amp distortion while being plenty less loud than a giant 180W monster. Here again, you’ll need to be very much accustomed to how each of these amps work, how to find their sweet spots, and which will be right for the space.
Of course, a great deal of the preferred tonal palate (and thus the interaction of preamp and power amp gains) is based around the type of music being played, the type and amount of pedals being used, etc. Many players will choose an amp with a high wattage power section simply for the clean headroom it provides, and will then rely on various pedals to produce a range of distorted sounds. Metal guitarists, while they do require volume, will often prefer the compression and tightness of a saturated preamp stage when picking a lot of notes. Blues players often benefit from a low-to-medium wattage amp with the power section cranked to give them a bold warm breakup with lots of charisma and dynamics. Players who tend to use their guitar’s volume control will likely see more benefit from a pushed power amp rather than a pushed preamp, as they can use their volume knob to add and subtract distortion more easily.
","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"3","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"4434690","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"4434691","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/21/2021 4:48:29 pm"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"Let's Talk About Pickup Height","page_header":"Let's Talk About Pickup Height","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"83","name":"Let's Talk About Pickup Height","urlPath":"blog/lets-talk-about-pickup-height","url":"lets-talk-about-pickup-height","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"1","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"The height of your pickups relative to your guitar strings plays a crucial role in the overall sound of your guitar. We all know this can affect your output level, but how does it affect your tone, intonation, noise level, and more?","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"It’s no secret that every aspect of how a guitar is built and calibrated plays into the overall sound of the instrument; the degree to which every screw is tightened, how thick of a finish coat is applied, the quality of the electronics, etc. Some of these specs, we simply cannot do anything about after the guitar leaves the factory, and others we most assuredly can. One point that is often overlooked is pickup height, or the proximity of the pickup to the strings. While this is, in fact, a simple adjustment which anyone with the right sized screwdriver can make, the manufacturer’s factory setup is often left in place throughout the life of a guitar and many players spend years making tonal adjustments elsewhere in their rig. The fact is, pickup height weighs heavily on a guitar’s overall sound and performance.
Today, we are going to have a little chat about how pickup height affects the tone and playability of a guitar and why it’s important that we pay due attention to this spec.
We will not be discussing recommended pickup heights or adjustment techniques today, as this is meant to be used as more of a theoretical reference article. If you’d like a step-by-step breakdown of the adjustment process and basic height measurements, however, please check out our article on the basics of a guitar setup.
How Do Pickups Work?\n\n\nIt’s important to know, generally speaking, what your pickups are actually doing in order to understand how and why they affect tone the way they do. In plain terms, your pickups are really just tiny antennas that take the vibrations from your guitar strings and turn them into an electrical signal. The two major components of most pickups are magnets and copper wire; the orientation of these components will vary depending upon the style of pickup at hand. Because magnets are in the equation, there is constantly a magnetic field surrounding the guitar’s strings, and when a string vibrates the magnetic field is breached; this is what generates the small electric current that is carried from a guitar, to an amplifier, and ultimately to an ear.
Most players are somewhat aware of this magnetic influence, which is why many assume that adjusting a pickup’s height will only affect the output or volume level of the pickup. While this is true, many do not consider the influence this adjustment can have over tone as well.
How High Is Too High?\n\n\nHigher pickups do equal higher output, but don’t we have guitar amps to boost our output? Obviously we don’t want to send an anemic, wimpy little signal from guitar to amp, but sending too beefy of a signal isn’t exactly necessary either. In the case of single coil pickups, raising the pickups too close to the strings will increase the high end response and can result in shrill sounds and the introduction of feedback. Conversely, in the case of a humbucker neck pickup, raising the pickup too close to the string often results in a boomy and inarticulate sound. This is, in part, because the strings vibrate more overtop of the neck pickup than they do near the bridge. Thus, pickup height needs to be taken into consideration not only for each guitar and for each type of pickup (humbucker, P90, strat, etc.) but also in regards to which pickup position is in question.
A more obvious issue one could run into if their pickups are set too high is physical playing interference. Yes, your pickups can be set so high that the magnets physically touch the strings when being played -- this will result in fret buzz, loss of sustain, and general not-goodness.
From a more technical standpoint, it is important to remember that magnetic field we talked about in the beginning. Your pickups do generate a magnetic field, and your strings are metal. Orienting the magnets too close to the strings will exert magnetic force upon the strings and actually interrupt their ability to vibrate as they normally would. This can actually bend your strings out of tune, notably decrease sustain, and introduce ‘out-of-tune’ harmonics or overtones into the signal. Many have described this affect as a warbling or a sort of chorus effect after the tone; not only can this really throw your ears for a loop, but it is not considered tonally desirable.
How Low Is Too Low?\n\n\nThe list of downfalls to having your pickup height set too low is considerably shorter than that of the pickups being set too high. Really all you have to look out for here is moving the pickups out of the optimal operating range of the string; i.e., moving the pickups so far down that the magnetic field barely comes into contact with the string. This will result in an anemic, thin, and illogical (for lack of a better word) guitar sound.
The general idea is that most players don’t realize they can actually lower their pickups a considerable amount and still get quality tone. In fact, when experimenting with lowering pickups one should expect to encounter a number of desirable tonal qualities along the way. Not only does lowering the pickups ensure that the player will not be scraping across the pickup cover every time they hit a note, but it also makes for more of a clear and articulate sound all around. Yes, there will be a little less output but, again, we do have guitar amps to compensate for this; regardless, the loss of output is not generally drastic enough to be considered detrimental to signal strength.
Typically, lowering a guitar’s pickups will yield a woodier and more natural sound with great playing dynamics and clarity. This action will usually mellow out and clean up your guitar’s output which can be beneficial because it gives us more tonal control after the signal gets to our amplifier. Raise the pickups up a bit too high and your tone will muddy up and be harder to shape with your amp. Conversely, if you lower the pickups too much, you might not have enough signal left over to ‘feed’ your amp adequately -- luckily, if your pickups are too low for optimal performance, it should be fairly obvious.
How To Get Started
Now that we have a theoretical ceiling and floor, maybe you want to experiment with your pickup height to see if you’ve been missing out on anything your guitar has to offer. To get started, familiarize yourself with your guitar manufacturer’s recommendations for pickup height. This is typically a good starting point because the manufacturer will have spent time tinkering already and should have some good suggestions. Before making any actual adjustments, it’s always best to measure and record your current pickup height in case you get done tweaking and decide you prefer it the way it was originally. Making note of the actual height adjustments and any tonal qualities associated with each is key; this will potentially save you time on future pickup height adjustments, or perhaps you want to make adjustments when playing in a studio versus playing a live gig, etc.
The trick is to have fun, and to not be afraid of “messing up.” Raise the pickups too high on purpose to familiarize yourself with the negative effects of doing so; recess the pickups to low into the guitar to see how it can weaken your output. This is one adjustment that has no consequences because getting back to square one is only a few turns of the screwdriver away.
For more information on making this and many other adjustments, please see our article on basic guitar setups","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"6","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"4434692","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"4434693","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/21/2021 4:52:01 pm"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"All About Power Attenuators","page_header":"All About Power Attenuators","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"86","name":"All About Power Attenuators","urlPath":"blog/all-about-power-attenuators","url":"all-about-power-attenuators","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"1","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"Power attenuators and their merits have long since been a topic of debate in the guitar community. Today, we will not only discuss what a power attenuator does and how it works, but we will attempt to debunk a few myths surrounding these devices.","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"Power attenuators, in the realm of electric guitars, have been around and on the market since the 80s. While their concept has undergone countless revolutions and refinements over many years, their designers always had one goal in mind: Keep the tone, drop the volume.
There are a number of scenarios in which one might realize the need to decrease their amplifier’s volume level, either by 2dB or by 25dB. But the general fear is that power attenuators will suck tone or cause problems within the amplifier, ultimately leading to the amp’s demise. Perhaps in the past the market saw a few products whose circuitry inherently altered the tone coming from the amplifier, or whose design was flawed and caused electrical problems in the amp over time. But these days, power attenuators are better and more user-friendly than ever; you’d be hard-pressed to find one that actually causes dramatic tonal changes or electrical breakdown. In today’s article, we are going to talk about how attenuators work, and what they can be used for; we’ll also be clearing up a few misconceptions about attenuators to try and shake the bad rap they’ve developed over time.
HOW DOES AN ATTENUATOR WORK?
In short, an attenuator works by “bleeding” some of the power coming from the output section of an amplifier, thus reducing the volume level, before sending the signal out to a speaker cabinet. The attenuator is typically an external device that is connected to the speaker output jack of an amplifier and places the same load on the amplifier that a speaker normally would (provided the impedance of the amp and attenuator are matched). Many will use a coil to convert excess wattage into heat or mechanical energy prior to sending the signal out to the desired location.
WHY USE AN ATTENUATOR?
The most common reason a player would use an attenuator is simply because their amplifier is too loud for a given setting. We see them being used a lot with 50-100 Watt amps but the fact is, lower-wattage amps can get surprisingly loud as well. It is commonly accepted that tube amplifiers sound best, and exhibit certain desirable tonal qualities, at higher volumes. This is because when the amp is pushed, the output transformer begins to saturate and the rectifier tube will start to sag when bigger notes are hit; these concepts give us that big, barking, compressed, and dynamic tube amp sound we all know and love. But by the time an amp gets pushed that hard, it can literally be deafening. This is about the time the sound guy walks up and asks, “can you turn that down just a bit for me?” And as we all know, turning down the amp will immediately change its tone and touch response.
Because an attenuator comes after the output section of an amp, it allows users to push the amp as hard as they want in order to hit that tonal “sweet-spot,\" while giving them the option to drop the volume level without affecting that mega rock tone!
WHY NOT JUST USE THE AMP’S MASTER VOLUME?
One common misconception is that a master volume control will achieve the same effect as an attenuator. However, because a master volume knob is still a part of the amplifier's preamp section, it has an entirely different effect on the circuit -- and therefore, the overall tone. The master volume knob essentially allows the user to push the preamp signal to a desired gain level before it hits the phase inverter and moves on to the output section of the amp, which is why when one turns the master volume knob they tend to notice a dramatic change in tone. Pushing the master volume knob is a big part of what gives us that bold, fat, dynamic tone we all want in the first place. The attenuator, as previously mentioned, comes after the phase inverter, after the output tubes, and after the output transformer; it should theoretically have no influence over the actual tone or touch sensitivity the user has dialed in.
WILL AN ATTENUATOR CHANGE MY TONE?
Attenuators are all too often blamed for being tone suckers. While many players will perceive a change in tone after implementing an attenuator and dialing back the volume, the attenuator itself may not actually be the culprit. This phenomenon is typically attributed to two major factors:
Speakers - Speakers sound different at different volume levels, period. Each speaker is designed differently and is made to handle unique frequency ranges and volume levels. The frequency response of any given speaker will change from low volume to high volume. Because attenuators are placed between the amplifier’s output, and the speaker cabinet’s input, the intentional decrease in volume created by the attenuator will change the way the speakers vibrate. This does not mean the attenuator changed the amplifier’s tone, though. It simply means the speakers are reacting differently to less power. As a way around this, many modern attenuators will provide some sort of treble and bass compensation controls.
Human Ears - Similar to the way speakers react to volume, so do human ears. Our ears are designed to perceive frequencies differently at different volume levels. If the volume level of a sound source is decreased, the human ear will assuredly perceive its frequency composition differently than it would if that same sound source’s volume were dramatically increased.
WILL AN ATTENUATOR DAMAGE MY AMP?
Electrically speaking, it would make no real sense for an attenuator to damage an amplifier considering these devices come after the amp in the signal chain. Problems do arise when players implement attenuators, but more often than not it is a result of having the amp pushed to its limits for hours at a time. The point of the attenuator is to allow users to push an amp as hard as they want in order to achieve a certain sound; if the amp is being pushed hard enough, it will be working at or near its maximum potential. It is true that we can lower the volume level of our rig using an attenuator, but the amplifier is still working just as hard as ever in order to produce the desired sound.
Imagine driving your Honda Civic at 95mph all day every day; it’s probably not going to last long. Similarly, power tubes and output transformers are at risk of burning up quickly if they are constantly maxed out.
What I’m saying is that sometimes players think they can push an amp even harder for even longer BECAUSE they have an attenuator, and because the volume level is no longer hurting anyone’s ears. This ultimately leads to overworked amps which will, in time, malfunction. Best practice would be to find the amp’s sweet spot without exceeding the bounds of that sweet spot; don’t push it just because you can.
MATCHING AN AMP TO AN ATTENUATOR
For safe operation and optimal performance of an attenuator, there are two major specs that need consideration: Impedance and Wattage.
The impedance of the attenuator needs to match that of the amp, just like a speaker would. Luckily, many amps come with an impedance selector switch which allows the user to adapt to an external device such as an attenuator. Likewise, many modern attenuators come with impedance selectors, or even the inherent ability to work with any input impedance. In any case, be familiar with your amp, and understand its needs in this regard. Do the research on the attenuator and amp’s compatibility before making a purchase!
And what about wattage? You wouldn’t connect a 100 Watt amp to a 30 Watt speaker cab, right? The same way a speaker setup needs to be able to accommodate the power of an amplifier, so does an attenuator. Make sure the attenuator can handle the output of the amp, and leave some head room in there. A 100 Watt amp can easily reach peaks of up to 150 Watts, so make sure you account for this variance when making a purchase.
HOW ELSE CAN AN ATTENUATOR BE USED?
While their primary use tends to be volume/power attenuation, modern attenuators can be used in a number of creative ways:
Some attenuators can be used as dummy speaker loads, allowing a tech to safely work on an amp without having to connect it to a speaker cab. Setting bias, checking operating voltages, and other repair and maintenance work can be done without having to hear the hiss of a speaker cabinet.
Many attenuators will come with a line level output which allows for a wet/dry rig. Some users will dial in a perfect dry tone, and then use the line level output on their attenuator to run through an effects rig, through an external power amp, and out to a separate cabinet. This leaves their dry sound in place while adding effects on top of it as desired.
Attenuators also allow users to play super high-wattage amps through low-wattage speakers without blowing the speaker(s). After attenuating the high-wattage signal down to an appropriate level, one could connect their Triple Rectifier to a 1x12 extension cabinet loaded with a Celestion AlNiCo Blue (15 Watts) with no risk of harming the speaker. Additionally, if the attenuator has a line level output, a user could experiment with speaker emulators rather than physical speaker cabinets.
","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"22","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"4435535","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"4435537","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/22/2021 10:21:48 am"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"Tube Vs. Solid State Rectifiers","page_header":"Tube Vs. Solid State Rectifiers","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"89","name":"Tube Vs. Solid State Rectifiers","urlPath":"blog/tube-vs-solid-state-rectifiers","url":"tube-vs-solid-state-rectifiers","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"1","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"What is a rectifier’s job as it pertains to a guitar amp? What’s the difference between a solid state rectifier and a tube rectifier? And how do they each affect tone? We will answer these questions and provide some sound clip comparisons in today’s article.","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"![\"Mojotone](\"http://mojotone.com/tube-vs-solid-state-rectifiers/mojotone-ss-rectifier-socket.jpg\")
What Does A Rectifier Do?
Tube Rectifiers
Is Solid State or Tube Rectifier Better?
Let’s Compare Tube vs Solid State Rectifiers
TWEED DELUXE (Tube Rectifier)
GA5 (Tube Rectifier)
Deluxe Reverb (Tube Rectifier)
Note that many of these also apply to the Gibson SG, ES-335 and the like, as well as other guitars that are similarly designed.Humbucker Balance Adjustments
\n\n\n\n\n
The traditional PAF-style humbucking pickups, common to most Les Pauls, can be adjusted in several ways to fine-tune the frequency content of the signal they deliver to your output jack; but the possibilities involved are often misunderstood, or totally overlooked.
Obviously, these pickups can be raised and lowered to adjust their output slightly, but let’s examine an even more overlooked feature: the adjustable pole pieces.
It’s often written that the single row of adjustable pole pieces in traditional humbuckers is provided to balance the output between the strings, but that’s only part of their ideal function. Given that there’s only one row of adjustable poles, while the other remains fixed regardless, there’s only so much that raising or lowering the threaded poles can achieve in this regard. It’s also worth noting that the difference in composition and the larger diameter of the slug (fixed) pole pieces versus the threaded (adjustable) poles often makes the slug coil just a little fatter and thicker sounding in some humbuckers.
Of more interesting potential, I propose, are the threaded poles’ capabilities for balancing the bass and treble content of each individual pickup as a whole, when used in conjunction with the pickup’s overall height-adjustment screws (those at each end, which support the pickup in the pickup ring).
First, consider the phenomenon that a string’s vibration produces a brighter tone closer to the bridge, and a darker tone as they approach the neck. In the bridge pickup, the threaded poles are closer to the bridge, and therefore pick up a more trebly signal, while the signal picked up by the slug coil—roughly 5/8\" further away from the bridge—is a little bassier.
You see where we’re going? In basic terms, lowering the threaded poles as far down as they’ll go while raising the entire pickup slightly, thus bringing the slug poles a little closer to the strings relative to the threaded poles’ previous positions, will increase the warmth and thickness from the bridge pickup. Doing the reverse—raising the threaded poles, while lowering the entire pickup slightly—will make it brighter.
For the neck pickup, this technique works in reverse since the threaded poles are nearer the neck; i.e., Raise the adjustable poles and lower the entire pickup for a warmer sound, or lower the poles and raise the pickup to make it brighter.
Obviously this is easily reversible, so you can try it for yourself without risking anything. In many cases, relatively minor adjustments will produce noticeable sonic differences, so you don’t have to go to extremes to get results. Try a little in the desired direction, a little more, and lock it in when you’ve hit your own sweet spot. With both bridge and neck pickup, raising the pickup itself significantly will increase its output, too, so you need to work with that factor in mind. Even so, this provides a surprisingly powerful means of adjusting each pickup’s frequency content, and therefore the sound of your guitar as a whole.Clean and Lube Your Nut Slots
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While the 1958-’60 Gibson Les Paul is an indisputable classic, many guitarists who spend a lot of playing time on one will agree that there are several minor aspects of the original design that can be improved. The back-angled headstock and outward splay of the center strings between nut and tuners contribute their own little bit of magic to the overall sonic brew, but they also combine to create a tuning weak point.
Together, they result in more friction in the nut slots than found in guitars with a straighter run from slots to tuners (and a shallower headstock pitch), and this friction can lead to hitching—and, more to the point, tuning issues—if it isn’t corrected.
Few are the habitual Les Paul players who haven’t experienced the culprit of the G string going out of tune after vigorous bending, which is a result of the factors described above. It can happen to any string that is bent while playing, but the G string, aside from being one of the more-often-bent strings in many playing styles, has a more severe break-angle from slot to tuner post than any string other than its mirror-image partner, the D string (which is generally less-bent anyway).
Bend any string hard on a Les Paul to raise its pitch, and the string pulls through the nut slot ever so slightly toward the fingerboard side of the nut. Release the bend, and if this slot is too tight, or sticky, or just subject to an extreme string angle, that string might not slide all the way back through it and into its original resting position. The result: the string has gone sharp.
The obvious cure is to keep your nut slots clean and free of dirt, gunk, and debris. But it’s worth going a step further, too: rubbing some graphite from a sharp-tipped pencil into the slot will help to lubricate it and avoid string hitching. Or you can go one or two better and use one of the proprietary lubricants designed precisely for this purpose. Rene Martinez GraphitALL, Big Bends Nut Sauce, StewMac Guitar Grease, and MusicNomad Tune-It are all excellent solutions, and can often solve the problem with just a little dab each time you change strings.
If one of these doesn’t do the trick, along with some judicious slot cleaning, it’s probably worth seeing a professional for a nut service or total replacement. Optimize Your Potentiometer Values
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Gibson has used a variety of potentiometer values in its Les Pauls over the decades, and this can have a direct and noticeable effect on the brightness and clarity of the guitars themselves. In recent years, players have often tried to combat the dark, muddy tonality heard in too many LPs from the late ’70s and ’80s; so we’ll investigate efforts to go in that direction. If your Les Paul is too bright, though, merely reverse this advice.
Put simply, the higher the value of the guitar’s volume potentiometer (pot, for short), the more high frequencies pass through in the signal. Les Pauls were equipped with 500k-ohm pots in the late ’50s, and for many guitarists this remains ideal. In later years, however, after the single-cut Les Paul returned to the catalog, Gibson variously used 400k and 300k pots, and these sucked some of the brightness and clarity from the pickups’ signals.
If you’re looking for a little more of these qualities from your Les Paul, first check what value pots are in it currently. You’ll usually find this spec stamped into the base or the side of the potentiometer. If you discover 300k or 400k pots, a move to 500k pots will often do the trick. Some players, and manufacturers, have even been known to push the norm lately by going with 550k pots to ensure optimal clarity and brightness.
Swapping potentiometers is fairly straightforward if you already have adequate soldering skills. Be sure to consult a reputable parts supplier to find the right pots to fit your particular Les Paul; and you’ll likely want to specify a “vintage taper” pot to ensure it rolls off the guitar’s volume smoothly and evenly.Change Tone Capacitor Values
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Without kicking the entire hornet’s nest regarding the degree to which any tone capacitor affects your guitar’s sound when it’s totally out of network, it’s definitely worth considering the type and value of your tone caps themselves. Traditional tone controls are low-pass filters, which tap off some of the high frequencies in the guitar signal as you turn them down by sending them to ground via a capacitor. The higher the value of this capacitor, the lower the frequency point at which these high frequencies are rolled off.
For this reason, different makes and types of guitars and those loaded with different types of pickups are often fitted with tone caps of different values, and appropriately so. Most Les Paul fans have come to agree that .022uF, close to the value of the caps used in the ’50s, is ideal for the voice of this guitar. As with the examination of volume potentiometers above, however, some players like to ensure a little less mud from their neck pickups in particular when their associated tone controls are turned down, and a change to a .015uF cap in that position has become popular with some.
An examination of your guitar’s tone caps is worth undertaking if you feel your guitar becomes dark or muddy or dull too fast as you turn down each pickup’s tone control; and it might be worth considering a change to these values if you find something else lurking inside the control cavity.’50s-Spec Wiring
\n\n\n\n\nPlayers seeking circa-’59 sonic performance from their Les Pauls might also want to check that they have ’50s-spec wiring, which many Les Pauls throughout the years do not. Many feel that ’50s-spec wiring sucks out tone and clarity less than modern-spec wiring when you turn down your guitar’s controls, and it’s usually extremely easy to switch from one configuration to the other.
In many modern wiring configurations, the tone cap is connected directly to the volume-pot terminal to which the pickup’s positive lead is also connected; it then runs to the center (wiper) tab on the tone control (there are other configurations, but most are somewhat similar to this). In ’50s-spec wiring, the tone cap is instead connected to the volume pot’s center (wiper) tab, (which is that pot’s output to the selector switch) and goes from there to the bottom-outside tab on the tone control. The result is that the tone network acts on the output from the volume pot, rather than the input, and arguably loads the signal less, even when out of use.
If your overall quest is for more clarity and less mud from your Les Paul, this is another tip worth considering. And if you don’t feel your own soldering skills are up to snuff, it’s usually not very expensive to have a qualified repair person perform this for you. It’s also a good modification to partner with any upgrade to potentiometers and tone caps, since the work for both jobs involves many of the same solder connections. Bonus Point: Upgrade Those Tiny Strap Buttons!
This one is more about safety than tone—your guitar’s safety, that is—but without undertaking this on all of my own Les Paul-style guitars, I don’t think I’d even have the confidence to walk on stage and play a note.
The original, vintage-style strap buttons used on Gibson’s electric guitars are extremely small in diameter, and are really inadequate for the job of keeping strap and guitar together. Add the position at which this button is installed part way up the upper-bass-side bout of the Les Paul in particular—and the angle at which the strap end clings to it in standing playing position—and it’s a disaster waiting to happen. How many Les Paul neck and headstock breaks have been the result of the inadequate strap button that Gibson spec’d for this model in the first place? The world will never know, but it’s bound to be an alarming number.
The remedy for this is kind of up to the player, but it really behooves you to find some safer and more secure way of anchoring that strap to the guitar. Some players like the simple fix of using a rubber washer from a Grolsch beer bottle, or similar, popped over the button after the strap is on to help keep it in place. In truth, though, this only goes so far, since those buttons still aren’t big enough to keep the rubber washer in place once you get grooving.
Several varieties of quality strap-locks are available commercially, as are enlarged strap buttons that help keep things secure all on their own. Most such solutions can be installed with no modification to the guitar, or just a little enlarging of the screw hole at most. It’s sad, I know, because this means deviating from the authentic vintage look of the guitar—if you’re a vintage-reissue kind of player—but the change is far less tragic than the frequent alternative.","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"10","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"4435849","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"4435850","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/22/2021 10:47:36 am"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"5E3 Coupling Cap Mod","page_header":"5E3 Coupling Cap Mod","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"90","name":"5E3 Coupling Cap Mod","urlPath":"blog/5e3-coupling-cap-mod","url":"5e3-coupling-cap-mod","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"1","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"There are a number of mods that can be done to the traditional 5E3 circuit; some are easy, some not so much. Today, we'll show you how to brighten up the amp's tone by changing out two coupling capacitors in the 5E3's preamp circuit. This mod is great for all skill levels!","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"Welcome back fellow DIYers! Today, we want to go over a mod for our 5E3 Tweed Deluxe Style Amplifier kit. This mod is simple, quick, cheap, AND it will brighten up your amp's sound. But first, let's talk about why someone would want to implement this modification...
While the 5E3 circuit is an absolute classic which definitely dishes out some killer tone, a lot of players find that this circuit is inherently dark in tonality. I myself have even noticed that I have to turn the tone control almost all the way up to get a bright enough sound to satisfy my eardrums. What's wrong with turning the tone control up all the way and dialing the sound in that way? When you turn the tone control all the way up, you are essentially giving the amp EVERYTHING the tone stack has to offer; all the frequencies completely unchecked. This can (and pretty much always does) introduce undesirable noise into the signal, since all of the higher/noisier frequencies are \"wide open.\" So in order to pull some of the inherent low end out of the amp's sound without having to crank the tone control and hear all that noise, we need to make a change! Listen below to hear my 5E3 before the mod. This is with my tone control straight up between 6 and 7, and my volume on 4. The first pass is on the bright channel, the second pass is on the normal channel...\n
But don't worry, this is one of the easiest and least risky mods one can make to the 5E3. All we have to do is replace two of our .1uF coupling caps with .022uF coupling caps instead. No big deal! Alright here's a list of everything you'll need to pull this off:
Soldering Iron
Solder
Needle-nose Pliers
(2) .022uF Orange Drop Capacitors
Alligator Clips
Mojotone Chassis Stand (Optional)
Digital Multimeter
Wire Cutters
Okay now before we dive in, it's important to make sure we've drained our filter caps. This is something we always practice just to be certain we don't get seriously harmed in the event of a mistake! If you're unfamiliar with this process, please read below for instructions on how to do drain your filter caps. If you know this process and are confident in the safety of your chassis, please skip ahead to step 2...
STEP 1 : DRAINING FILTER CAPS
Once our chassis has been removed from our amp and laid out on our work bench, we will need to drain the filter caps. To do this, you'll need to use your alligator clips to make a ground connection between the metal chassis and the resistor indicated in Images 1A and 2A below (make sure the amplifier is turned off for this procedure)...
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Once you've made this connection, pull out your multimeter, turn it to DC Volts and apply one probe to the metal chassis, and another to the positive lead of the last filter cap, as seen in Image 3A below...
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In the above image, you'll notice that my caps haven't fully drained all of their voltage. That is as low as I could get them by creating a voltage drop in this part of the circuit. When you see that your caps will no longer drain past a certain voltage, you'll remove your multimeter probes and disconnect your alligator clips from the above noted points on the circuit board. Next, you'll connect one end of the alligator clips to the metal chassis and the other end directly to the anode (or positive side) of the filter caps (see Image 4A below)...
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Then return your multimeter probes to their original position (one on the metal chassis and one on the positive lead of the filter cap). You should see the remainder of the voltage drain; once your voltage is gone, your amp is safe to work on!
STEP 2 : REMOVE THE OLD COUPLING CAPS
Now we need to pull out the old .1uF coupling caps; these caps are shown in Images 5A and 6A below...
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Grab your needle-noise pliers, heat one of the solder joints (one cap at a time), and when the solder is soft enough, use the pliers to remove the capacitor's lead from the old joint (Image 7A)...
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After you've successfully removed the old .1uF caps, grab both of your new .022uF caps, bend their leads at roughly the appropriate length for them to fit into the existing solder joints in the circuit board (Image 8A)...
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Having our caps stand off the board just a little bit (once mounted) is fine, but we don't want them standing too far off so grab your wire cutters and trim a little off the bent ends.
STEP 3 : INSTALL THE NEW COUPLING CAPS
Yep, we're already here. To install the new caps, all we have to do is heat the old solder joints and press the leads of our new caps into them. This may require the use of some additional solder, but you can address that on a case-by-case basis. You can either use your pliers or your hands to hold the cap in place while the solder cools. This is all about preference of course, but just as a note it is always safer to not stick ones hands into the chassis! Once you've installed these new caps you should have something along the lines of Image 9A below...
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And wouldn't you know it...that's the mod! Easy, cheap, quick. All there is to do now is plug it in and hear the difference. You're always welcome to test voltages before plugging the amp back in, but I'm confident that I didn't mess anything up in there so I'm going to connect my amp to the speaker cabinet and just listen to hear if there are any audible issues. When I hear no obvious issue, I'll reinstall my chassis properly and jam out like a maniac. Okay here are sound clips AFTER the mod. Same amp settings as before, and the first pass is bright channel, second pass is normal...\n
I am immediately happy with the results, as I've been looking for a generally brighter tone. Both channels are what I would consider more useful and more versatile. I've always loved this 5E3; it's an absolute classic and it never fails on me. But I'm glad to have made this mod and allowed it to breathe a little more. That concludes this week's Fix It Friday, we hope you enjoyed it. See you next time!
","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"1","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"4435854","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"4435855","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/22/2021 10:56:37 am"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"Class A Amps: What They Are, and What They Are Not","page_header":"Class A Amps: What They Are, and What They Are Not","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"88","name":"Class A Amps: What They Are, and What They Are Not","urlPath":"blog/class-a-amps-what-they-are-and-what-they-are-not","url":"class-a-amps-what-they-are-and-what-they-are-not","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"2","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"Long has the term \"Class A\" been not only glorified, but widely misunderstood as well. Today, Dave Hunter demystifies this concept, tells us what Class A amps are, what they aren't, and whether or not it even matters.","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"If you peruse the ads for new amps online and in guitar magazines, it’s likely you’ll come across the term “class A” a lot. And it sounds pretty good, right? But by its very nature, this term can be misleading, and might sometimes even be used to intentionally persuade guitarists into making assumptions about the quality of the product which has been given that label. Let’s dig into this oft-confusing terminology to see what it really means, what it doesn’t mean, and how it all relates to your tone.
Class Acts
Calling anything “class A” makes it sound inherently better than something that is not; like Grade-A beef, or First-Class Mail. After all, you wouldn’t be too enthusiastic about buying Grade-AB beef for your family, would you? But when it comes to tube amp classifications, “Class A” isn’t intended to define “the best” of a range of amps; rather, it’s a technical term used to define a particular operating class, and it’s associated with very specific technical—rather than qualitative—parameters. On top of that, it’s a lot easier for an amp-maker’s marketing department to claim that an amp is Class A than it is for any player, or even reviewer, to prove that it is not. Put the two together, and you’ve got a boatload of misinformation writhing around out there.
Before proceeding, let’s consider these tidbits of essential information: the Fender Tweed Bassman, Blackface Twin Reverb, Deluxe Reverb, and Super Reverb; the Marshall JTM45 and Plexi; the Mesa/Boogie Mark I and Mark II; the Soldano SLO; the Trainwreck Express; and the Dumble Overdrive Special—and many other legendary amps—are not Class-A. Unquestioned classics? Indeed they are! So, as we proceed with this investigation, let’s hold on to the simple fact that many of the best sounding and most influential tube amps of all time are not Class A; they are Class AB.
On the other hand, the Fender Champ (Tweed, Blackface, Silverface), Vox AC4, Gibson GA-8, Kalamazoo Model 1, Wards Airline GDR-9012A, Silvertone 1481, and plenty of other similar vintage “practice” or “student” amps with just one output tube are categorically Class A (although they were not promoted as such in the trade ads of their day). Falling between these stools, consider that the ’50s Tweed Fender Deluxe—and the many modern and reissue amps inspired by this classic—was never touted as a “Class-A amp,” but easily falls into the more colloquial definition of Class A used by many amp makers today.
Despite such confusion, however, the definitions of operating class relevant to tube guitar amplifiers are really pretty simple. Let’s take a look.
Class AB
In a push-pull (PP) amp, with two output tubes (or four tubes working in two pairs), one tube or pair of tubes works to amplify the peaks of the signal (the waveform, which most of you will know looks like a rolling pattern of hills and valleys) while the other tube or pair of tubes amplifies the valleys. In other words, one tube “pushes the hills” while the other “pulls the valleys.”
Since AC current (alternating current)—which is what passes your guitar signal from stage to stage within the amp—carries constantly alternating hills and valleys, each tube of the PP set up receives a steady stream of each, in reverse-phase of each other after the signal has passed through the phase inverter, which splits it into two opposite-phase strands. In many guitar amps, the majority in fact, each side of the PP setup actually shuts down briefly during some part of the cycle, when the other side is at its peak of current flow. What? One tube shuts down while the other amplifies? That’s right, and then they swap.
Looks crazy on paper, but of course it all happens so fast that there’s no audible gap in performance. The 360-degree waveforms that are being amplified by each side of the PP set-up are reverse phase to each other, so there’s no volume loss as one side dips and the other rises. As mentioned above, the majority of the world’s guitar amps function in this way, including classics like all the big Marshalls, Fender Bassmans and Twins, Dumbles, Mesa/Boogies, and so on.
As we have already discovered, amps that perform as I have just described are class-AB amplifiers. By definition, one side of the PP tube pair of a class AB amplifier rests for at least some portion of the cycle (when measured at maximum volume before clipping). In simple terms, that’s really all there is to the definition of class AB, or all that you need to worry about at least. It’s worth knowing too, however, that sharing the load makes output tubes configured in class AB a little more efficient power-wise, and they tend to help amps sound a little tighter, firmer and punchier, while also producing a little more wattage.
Class A
An output section operating in true class A, on the other hand, has the tubes working the entire cycle of the waveform (when measured at maximum volume before distortion). This is true even of push-pull amplifiers, where both tubes are sending the signal along to the output transformer together at all times: one side is still “pushing the hills” while the other is “pulling the valleys”, but they’re not alternately resting while doing so, as with class AB. As such, class-A output stages are somewhat less efficient than class AB stages, and they produce a little less wattage.
Players and amp-makers often talk of sweeter distortion in class A amps, but true class A operation actually has less distortion content at any given output level; although it displays a smoother onset of distortion when it comes, and one that is usually heard as being more harmonically rich. But the fact that definitions of operating class are measured at maximum output before distortion should tell you something: a lot of voodoo is talked about class A, particularly by amp-makers’ marketing departments in their eagerness to sell you a particular new model.
The sound of true class A, operating within the realm of its definition, is actually something different than the advertising slogan, “a real class A tube amp,” intends to imply. Relatively few amps fit the definition for class A absolutely and beyond debate, which is not something to worry about at this juncture. The characteristic sound of different classic tube guitar amps is determined by far more than their just class definition.
Voltage vs. Bias
Achieving true class-A performance in PP amps requires the careful manipulation of two factors: the DC voltage delivered to the output tubes, and the bias setting thereof. When desired, amp designers can force the tubes into this state of constant operation by carefully setting their bias point, which is a very complex matter (roughly speaking, think of a tube’s bias like a car engine’s idle). In short, class-A amps are usually biased very “hot,” meaning they are run hard at high voltage levels with respect to their bias setting. When done correctly, and for the right reasons, this can make them tonally very “rich,” with a high proportion of harmonic overtones present in your guitar signal. But this also makes them less efficient in regard to output level, since the tubes on each side of the output stage aren’t sharing the load quite as much to get there.
Such biasing is usually achieved in class-A amps, as well as amps that are purportedly class A, by a method known as “cathode biasing.” This will be most familiar to guitarists as heard in the Vox AC30 and AC15, or other amps that follow those templates. Now here’s the rub: cathode-biased amps, whether they are class A or class AB in the purest sense, have a discernible sound, which itself has come to be associated with some of the supposed characteristics of a “class-A amp.” This sound is harmonically lush, shimmering, sometimes just a hair grainy and loose, and fairly smooth when cranked up into distortion. Often it is not particularly tight, punchy or bold, or at least is less so than a more efficient fixed-bias output stage, in relative terms. And remember, neither is better or worse than the other, it all depends on what you’re looking for.
Negative Feedback
In addition to matters of bias, most amps billed as being “class A” also lack something called a “negative feedback loop.” Applying a little bit of an amp’s output signal in reverse phase back to the front of the output stage in a network known as a negative-feedback loop (usually a loop that runs from the speaker output jack back to a point at the input of the phase inverter) can help to improve the overall tightness and definition of its sound. The reverse of this, therefore, excluding a negative feedback loop, further contributes to some of the tonal qualities that are already being emphasized in the cathode-biased amp, and which we colloquially think of as “class A.”
Almost any amp you encounter that’s billed as class A will lack a negative-feedback loop. Whether or not anyone’s ever going to put it up on the workbench, attach the meter and scope, and determine whether it’s truly operating in class A, such an amp will still produce what we commonly consider the “class-A sound,” mainly because it is cathode biased and carries no negative feedback loop. So, guess what you’d find inside a Vox AC30. Yep: cathode biasing, and no negative feedback loop. And the same goes for amps like the Matchless DC30, Bad Cat Black Cat 30, TopHat King Royale, Mojave Sidewinder, Dr. Z Stangray, and others that follow the AC30 template (in addition to all the smaller amps that emulate the AC15).
You know what other amps are cathode-biased, with no negative feedback? The 1950’s Fender Deluxe and Gibson GA-20, GA-30 and GA-40 Les Paul, early ’60s Selmer Selectortone, late ’60s Traynor YBA-2 Bass Mate and WEM Dominator, plenty of Valco-made amps…and, well, loads of others.
Single-Ended Amps
In the fourth paragraph of this article I listed a number of smaller practice amps that do qualify as genuine class-A amps, by definition. All of these are what we call “single-ended” amps, which is to say they have just one output tube. When one tube is working all on its lonesome in an output stage, it is categorically operating in class A because, of course, it cannot shut down at any portion of the waveform because it has no partner tube with which to share the load.
As used in guitar amps, single-ended tube output stages only ever stray into the medium-sized amp at best, since one output tube—even a big one—can’t produce a lot of wattage working in an inefficient setup like this. Dual-single-ended amps, of which the Gibson GA-8 is the only one in the list, use a pair of output tubes working in parallel (that is, tied together as if they are one tube) to increase their potential output. Rather than working in turns like the PP pair, these are really pretending they are a single tube for operational purposes, both pushing the same signal the entire time. Modern examples of these are extremely rare, and include THD’s BiValve and Victoria’s Regal II, both of which are about the largest single-ended amps I can think of.
Even with two output tubes, single-ended and dual-single-ended amps are still very inefficient compared to PP amps using the same tube complement. A design such as the GA-8 probably only puts out about 8W to 10W, as compared with the 15W to 18W rating of an amp like the PP Gibson GA-20 or Fender Deluxe; the Victoria Regal II’s maximum output is around 30 watts from a pair of EL43s, which could produce 60 watts or more in an efficient class-AB push-pull design. Still, it’s one way of getting a little more than a measly 4W of power out of a true class-A design.
Class Consciousness
Ultimately, we should consider that an amp’s class definition can provide some clues about its tonal palette, but the potential for misinformation and misdescription means you really should play an amp—rather than merely relying upon promotional descriptions—before forming any hard and fast opinions regarding its sonic properties. Drill down to the heart of your tone, according to which amplifier feels and sounds right to you and works best for your style of music, and let categories and class descriptions take a back seat to your ears and your fingers.
","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"3","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"4435856","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"4435857","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/22/2021 11:02:30 am"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"Interview With Jessica Lea Mayfield","page_header":"Interview With Jessica Lea Mayfield","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"91","name":"Interview With Jessica Lea Mayfield","urlPath":"blog/interview-with-jessica-lea-mayfield","url":"interview-with-jessica-lea-mayfield","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"This week we caught up with eclectic singer-songwriter and guitarist, Jessica Lea Mayfield, to talk about her career, sound, and the addition of the Mojotone Blackout British Amplifier to her gear repertoire.","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"Playing in her family’s bluegrass band since the age of eight, Jessica Lea Mayfield didn’t have any traditional schooling and released her first album at the age of fifteen when she was discovered by Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys. Influenced by everything from traditional “mountain sound,” to modern garage, Mayfield has been able to come at songwriting from a pure perspective, lead more by her heart than any textbook. Notably, in 2015, she made an album of Elliott Smith covers with her friend Seth Avett of The Avett Brothers. She released her most recent studio album in 2017 titled, “Sorry is Gone,” a record documenting the process of taking her life back as her own. She is currently in the process of recording her sixth studio album.
This past week, we caught up with Jessica Lea Mayfield to talk gear. Here's what happened:
Mojotone: From touring with your family’s bluegrass band, 'One Way Rider' at age 8, to your latest grunge era alt. rock L.P., 'Sorry Is Gone', your musical style has been through quite an evolution. What has been one thing that has stayed consistent in your music and writing throughout your career?
Mayfield: Without a doubt it’s been the therapeutic aspect of music; I was the kid always in headphones, I would fall asleep listening to music and pick my favorite songs apart. I’d play one song on repeat and focus on one instrument, with lyrics and with instruments I’m able to express and let go of a lot of feelings.
Mojotone: Your first full length album was recorded and produced by one of the modern masters of guitar tone, Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys, and you two have worked together on several albums since. Can you pass along any tone secrets that you have learned from him over the years? What were your major takeaways from working with such a big name?
Mayfield: I first worked with him when I was 15, he was setting up his first studio in a place called the pie factory I believe...he was always trying and testing out new “old” gear. The recording process was very impromptu and playful, he wasn’t a, “let’s do 20 takes\" kinda guy, you just did it and recorded it, captured the moment and performance. That’s a style of recording I have always respected.
Mojotone: Dreadknot Martins, Jazzmasters, glittery Gretschs and 60’s Silvertones… What inspires you to choose your gear? Is there anything you’re consistently drawn to?
Mayfield: Well for me, playability plays a huge roll regardless of what it is I need to feel comfortable. For the longest time, I had one guitar and it didn’t even dawn on me that I would need or enjoy other ones. When I fell into the black hole that is guitars and gear, so did my wallet.
Mojotone: You are currently playing the Mojotone Custom Blackout British. How does this amp help you achieve the varied sounds that you create live?
Mayfield: For starters, it’s very loud which is important to me, lol! It has that 70’s-ish tone that I’m looking for, but it’s definitely more of its own thing. I’m currently using it quite a bit while working on my next record and it has a lot of versatility. It takes my 90’s pedals like a champ and also sounds great on its own, you can really get a lot of different tones out of it.
Mojotone: Is there anything outstanding about the Blackout British that captured your attention in the first place?
Mayfield: Before I even heard what it sounded like, the appearance stood out to me. Once I read about and heard clips of it, I fell in love!
Mojotone: How does your gear repertoire influence the sound of your music at any given point? And does new gear give you any fresh perspective on older songs?
Mayfield: Gear is another instrument for me. Each piece brings a different personality to the table depending on the mood I’m displaying on a song. Each pedal, amp, guitar, etc., is vitally important in my opinion. As far as older songs, sometimes I end up taking them and incorporating new tones live, it helps everything mesh better and also keeps me from getting bored.
Mojotone: How are you staying creatively motivated during this quarantine period? Are there any daily exercises/practices/rituals you can recommend to our followers to help stay proactive musically?
Mayfield: I was actually meant to be in the studio in April of this year and that was canceled, so in a sort of fortunate turn of events I’ve been working on the songs at home. And fortunately, at least I have a “quarantine project .\" I am definitely going easy on myself during this time though, fear of the unknown is stressful, especially for us musicians, so I feel music should be cathartic first; meaningful to yourself. Pretend that no one else will ever listen to it and make something you like. Music like this will end up being the most relatable. It’s important not to self impose deadlines or beat yourself up for not being productive enough. Do what feels good!
In addition to creating and performing music, Mayfield also has a gear review series on Instagram. Clink the link below to check out her gear reviews!
Jessica Lea Mayfield On Instagram","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"12","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"4435863","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"4435864","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/22/2021 11:06:19 am"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"Common Tube Amp Troubleshooting Scenarios","page_header":"Common Tube Amp Troubleshooting Scenarios","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"92","name":"Common Tube Amp Troubleshooting Scenarios","urlPath":"blog/common-tube-amp-troubleshooting-scenarios","url":"common-tube-amp-troubleshooting-scenarios","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"4","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"When it comes to tube amplifiers, there are quite a few things that can, and eventually will, malfunction. Some of these things are a lot more common than others, and seem to pop up in just about every tube amp at one point or another. Today we’ll address three common problems that all DIYers will most definitely run into.","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"In the world of tube amps, it seems like any number of issues can arise. However, there are a few broad problems that will occur in just about any amp at one point or another. These are problems that almost every tube amp owner has encountered over time: Tubes not lighting up, fuse(s) blowing, and bad ground connections.
Today’s article will present these broad problematic scenarios and provide numerous troubleshooting techniques for each. We will not be providing detailed breakdowns of how to complete each troubleshooting procedure, but rather this article should serve as a basic skeleton for those with some degree of technical knowledge/experience, and should help pin-point the root of these problems. But before we start…
**AMPLIFIERS CONTAIN LETHAL VOLTAGES** As always, take your time and work safely. If you are unsure about which circuit is where, and what voltages and/or grounds you need to check, take the time to do thorough research. The web has a limitless supply of recommendations and schematics for you to review before you start your troubleshooting adventure. If you are still unsure of what you need to be looking at, take your amplifier to a qualified tech. There are many things that need to go right, and just one thing going wrong can shut down the amp. Be safe and smart about any type of troubleshooting! Okay now let’s dive in!SCENARIO 1: TUBES AREN’T LIGHTING UP
Let’s say we have our amp assembled to the best of our ability, or we are servicing an amp that has no tube glow. Where do we start? We need to test voltages beginning where the power comes into the amp, and working our way down the line. Step 1: Test The FuseLet’s grab our multimeter and get ready to test the “mains” fuse. There is generally only one fuse for the whole amp in vintage Fender-style amps, but there are usually two fuses in Marshall-style amps: one is for high-tension (usually labeled “HT” or “B+”), and the other is “mains,” which is the 120v feeding your power transformer.Locate the fuse and do a quick visual inspection. Is it blown or even missing? If so, replace the fuse with one of the proper value and check to see if your tubes light up. If the fuse is present and not determined blown via your visual inspection, use your multimeter to check the fuse for continuity. To do this, turn your multimeter to the beeper continuity setting. If your meter does not have this setting, then you’ll need to test for resistance. Once on the right setting, hold one probe on each of the metal contacts on either end of the fuse. If on the beeper setting, you should hear a beep if continuity is good. If it’s bad, no beep! If testing for resistance, a good reading is 0ohms, a bad reading is no reading at all.If you’re able to determine that the fuse is “bad,” this typically means that something caused the fuse to blow, as you will very rarely have a “bad” fuse straight out of the box. At this point, you will need to look over the entire amp to see if there is shorting somewhere in the amp.Step 2: Visual InspectionWhen it comes to a blown fuse, the usual suspects are two pins on a tube socket being shorted together, a tube that has developed an internal short (after many hours of play time), a bad component such as a filter cap or missing (broken) ground, a failing power or output transformer, or general incorrect wiring. So before anything else, it is worth taking this time to visually inspect the tube socket connections, and if possible, find a copy of the amp’s wiring diagram/schematic so you can visually compare the document to the physical wiring of the amp to make sure nothing obvious has been improperly wired. If everything checks out, you can move on to the next phase of troubleshooting...Step 3: Testing Wall VoltageUsing your meter you’ll want to start at the cord and check for wall voltage. For this, you’ll turn your multimeter to the AC Voltage setting, and place one probe at the switch, and the other at the fuse. Then you should check from the fuse to ground. Both of the aforementioned tests should have roughly a 120v reading. If you are not seeing voltage here, there is most likely a problem with the power coming from the wall or you could have a bad power cable.Step 4: Testing Power Transformer Secondary VoltagesIf the above test checks out okay, then you can move on to testing the transformer secondaries. To do this, you’ll need to remove all of the tubes from the amp. Have a copy of the proper transformer diagram on hand to make sure your voltage readings are in line with the requirements for your particular transformer. Check the filament secondary for the tube rectifier (if equipped) as well as your output and preamp tube sockets. Are you showing 6.3 vac at the further most preamp socket? If you’re showing correct filament voltage there, then it’s more than likely fine across all of your sockets but it is best practice to check them all anyway. If you are not showing voltage, you should work backwards to the transformer to determine what the issue is. It’s not uncommon to break a filament line on a vintage amp when installing new tubes. Keep in mind, the pins inside the socket are supposed to move. If you are getting bad readings at this point, you will most likely have to replace the amp’s power transformer.Step 5: Checking Tubes By Process Of InclusionIf the amp powers on with no tubes in it and doesn’t blow the fuse (and the above voltage tests are on point), then you’ll need to check the tubes by reinserting them into the amp one by one. Start with the preamp tubes first, then the rectifier tube. After installing each tube, turn the amp on and wait a minute or so to see if the fuse blows. If it does, then more than likely, it’s a tube issue. If all is well throughout the reintroduction of preamp tubes, install the rectifier tube, make sure all of your filaments are working, and let the amp sit for a couple of minutes. Next, place the amp in standby (if equipped). If your amp does not utilize a standby switch, then connect a speaker (or load) to the output jack. Now install your power tubes one at a time and see if they come on. This will tell you if there is a bad tube in your amp. Essentially, you are breaking down the filament voltages bit by bit, isolating the issue, determining if this is an amp issue or a tube issue. If at any point during this process you find that the inclusion of a certain tube causes the amp to malfunction, you will need to take a closer look at that particular tube socket. If no problem can be identified within the tube socket, it’s time to test the tube itself by removing it from the equation and replacing it with a known “good” tube. SCENARIO 2: BLOWN FUSE
Some of the concepts outlined for this section will closely resemble those in the above section regarding how to diagnose no glow on your tubes. Additionally, we will break down this section into two sub-scenarios: diagnosing on a brand new amp build, and diagnosing on an older amp that has worked in the past. New Build Step 1: Removing The TubesThe easiest way to identify which “side” of the amp (AC or DC) this fuse blowing problem is coming from, is to remove all of the tubes and try to replicate the issue. Before anything else, go ahead and remove the old blown fuse and replace it with a fuse of the appropriate value. Next, you’ll need to remove all of your amp’s tubes and turn the amp on. Wait a second and see if the fuse blows again. If the fuse blows with all of the tubes removed, you can turn your focus towards the AC side of the amp (skip to ‘Older Build Step 2’ scenario below). New Build Step 2: Checking Tubes By Process Of InclusionIf the fuse does not blow, it is time to start adding the tubes back in one by one. Install the first preamp tube and allow it to heat up (about 10 to 20 seconds) before moving on to the next tube. If the fuse blows while you're installing a particular tube, then it points in the direction you need to look. You can double-check by installing a known good tube in the same location and trying to replicate the issue. If the new tube fixes the issue, the problem is the tube itself; however, if you try a new tube and the fuse still blows, the issue is more than likely something in the circuit pertaining to that particular tube. If it doesn’t blow, then it’s more than likely the first tube that was installed. Now, moving down the line, install the rectifier (if applicable), and so on and so forth, until all of the tubes have been installed and the problem has been isolated. If this process does not point directly to a problematic tube, it is time to test your B+ Voltages…New Build Step 3: Testing B+ VoltagesYour amp’s B+ voltage is the main DC voltage coming straight off of the rectifier that is used to supply the amp. This can be tested at the rectifier, at the stand-by switch (if equipped), at the output tube plates (usually pin 3 for octals), or at the main feed for the filter supply. To begin testing, you’ll need to have the amp’s schematic/wiring diagram or a list of test voltages available so you know what values you are testing for. Start at the rectifier, then move to the standby switch, the output tube plates, and then finally (if those tests don’t point to an issue) the filter supply. As you move down the filter supply, the voltage is dropped via resistors wired in series for the screen supply, preamp plate supply, etc. Again, you will need to know what the correct voltages should be in order to accurately test for this. Test one point in the filter supply, make sure everything looks good, and then move on to the next point. If you measure a voltage in the power supply and it looks strange, you’ll need to check your grounds, as this could be where the problem is located. There could be multiple grounds for the power supply, and even components laying right next to each other may have 2 different grounds.Older Builds Step 1: Removing The TubesOn amps that have worked perfectly in the past, there is probably not a wiring issue considering that the amp would have been working all this time until now, so testing is a little easier.To start, pull all the tubes and replace the fuse (just like you did in the above scenario). Turn the amp on, wait a few seconds for it to warm up a bit, and if it doesn’t blow, the issue is more than likely just a bad tube. At this point simply perform the tube test by inclusion like we did in the above scenario to isolate which tube is causing the issue. Once found, replace the tube with a known working tube and you should be all set.Older Builds Step 2: Visual Inspection And Power Transformer TestingIf your fuse still blows with no tubes installed, you will need to gain access to the chassis internals.First, look over the amp, does anything look burnt or smell weird? If not, disconnect all of the secondaries from the transformer to the circuit. Now replace the fuse with a new fuse, and turn the amp on. Does it still blow the fuse? If so, it’s more than likely a shorted power transformer. If not, then it’s a circuit related component that you will need to trace down by connecting one circuit at a time. Check your rectifier filament (if equipped), then the 6.3 filament, and then your bias supply and HV supply for the rectifier. This breaks the circuit down into 4 parts, which gives you the ability to isolate the circuit wherein the problem lies. SCENARIO 3: BAD GROUND
One day, you sit down to play your favorite amp and all of a sudden you start getting a loud hum. Or, let’s say, you’re building a new amp kit. You get your amp kit assembled and wired up, you turn it on after testing, and it has an annoying oscillation and/or hum. What’s the deal?!To track down issues like this, you’re going to grab your trusty multimeter, turn it to the ‘beeper continuity’ setting and start troubleshooting (if you do not have a beeper continuity setting, you’ll test resistance).Step 1: Test The Power CordStart right at the power cord or IEC inlet and make sure your cable actually has a ground. Measure continuity from the ground plug prong to the chassis ground. Don’t ever assume that the cord is good, especially on vintage amps that have a 3 prong grounded cord, as the ground prong can be disconnected internally and still look fine on the exterior; there could even be an actual break in the wire if it’s pulled hard enough at any point in its lifetime. If you test this connection, and you’re sure you have a good plug and grounded cord, it’s time to move on to the power supply. Step 2: Test The Power SupplyProceed with the following continuity checks after removing the tubes from the amplifier. This will isolate different circuits in the amp. Inspect the power transformer to ensure the necessary center taps for the secondaries are grounded properly (sometimes the HV and/or filament secondaries will have these). Also, look at the output transformer secondary ground. Make sure it has a solid ground; you would be amazed how many people forget this and automatically think the transformer is “bad.”Your power supply has multiple grounds associated with it. Some are joined together and some are separate. The main filter caps (usually electrolytic polarized), depending on the amp, will sometimes have the first and second stage filtering grounded together. Locate the negative side of the caps and check for continuity to the chassis ground. Next, locate the third stage filtering and do the same thing; make sure you have continuity to the main chassis ground. Also, be sure to check the jumper or bus wire(s) are connected where they should be. The same goes for any other filtering in the power supply. Some tube amps have a solid state rectifier supply ground reference either built onto a main board or on a separate SS rectifier board. Step 3: Test Bias SupplyIf steps one and two check out fine, you’ll need to look at your bias supply. This can sometimes be integrated onto the main board (in amps like Vox and Marshall), but is usually separate on most Fenders, with its own board being near the pilot lamp (sometimes integrated with a SS rectifier). This will have one ground coming off the filter cap(s). While you are looking at that filter cap, make sure any jumpers on the cap to resistor and/or other caps are good as well. Step 4: Test The BoardNow we move on to the board: the signal processing part of the amp. Your preamp tubes will usually have a cathode resistor that goes to ground, which is sometimes run in parallel with a bypass cap. In many cases, two cathodes will share the same resistor, which also goes to ground. These grounds are almost always separate from the main power supply, and are either grounded on a brass strip (under the pots of a Fender), soldered directly to ground, or they could even have their own ring terminal. When you are looking at these grounds, especially ones soldered directly to the chassis, move it around slightly to ensure it is in fact grounded. Sometimes connections will look grounded when they aren’t. Proof, again, is in the continuity meter. Step 5: Test The Pots and JacksAt this point it may seem like we’ve tested every component in the entire amp, but we haven’t! So, if you’re still not finding answers, start testing out the pots. Sometimes one leg of the pot will be grounded. These grounded legs are sometimes bent down and soldered directly to the pot case. Sometimes they have a jumper going from pot to pot and ultimately grounded at the input jack or a ground bus somewhere. Keep in mind that 99% of all pots in vintage gear are automatically grounded to the chassis when installed, so an extra ground bus along the back is redundant, but it does provide a good attachment ground for cathodes. Try to physically move/wiggle any of these solder joints on the pots to make sure they are good. And don’t be scared to get carried away with the continuity tests here!Next up, we want to look at the input and output jacks. These connections should be relatively easy to see, but it’s best practise to check the continuity anyway. If you are using a J12A switching jack that automatically grounds the signal when the jack is not in use (to eliminate unwanted noise), make sure the switch has continuity to ground. If the switch part is not touching the tip contactor even by a fraction of a mm, it will create noise and hum.Step 6: Test The Extra StuffBy now it is likely that you will have identified the problem. But in some cases, maybe not! The last thing to look at are any “extras” on the amp (if applicable), like your reverb driver, effects loop, oscillator ground, tremolo, and the ground switch itself (if it is still using the 2-pronged cord).Give a visual inspection of these areas, do some wiggle tests, and definitely test for continuity.As you can see, there are many grounds across even the simplest amp designs, and it only takes one bad/missing ground connection to result in a noisy or non-functioning amp.
We hope you’ve gained some knowledge from this article. It’s never fun when something goes wrong with your amplifier, and there are typically so many things to test that the process of troubleshooting can be daunting. But with the right tools and a little bit of insight, there are a great number of problems one can solve on their own. Thanks for tuning in -- we’ll see you next time! ","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"23","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"4436078","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"4436080","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/22/2021 11:09:08 am"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"Blues Junior Output Transformer Upgrade","page_header":"Blues Junior Output Transformer Upgrade","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"87","name":"Blues Junior Output Transformer Upgrade","urlPath":"blog/blues-junior-output-transformer-upgrade","url":"blues-junior-output-transformer-upgrade","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"1","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"The Blues Junior is an extremely popular amp. And while we do love the sound of this amp, there’s always room for a little modification. Today we’ll talk about upgrading the BJ’s output\ntransformer using Mojotone’s hand-made upgrade transformer.","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"Welcome back, everyone. Today we’re going to be performing a little experiment on an extremely common amplifier, the Fender Blues Junior. This amp has become one of the most widely-used amps in the world, and has a sound that pretty much every guitarist is familiar with, at least to an extent.
There are a number of mods which can be made to the Blues Junior circuit, but today we’re going to be talking about the amp’s output transformer. A lot of people think that changing an amplifier’s POWER transformer will have a huge effect on the overall sound of the amp. And while upgrading a power transformer can yield some tonal benefits, it doesn’t have nearly as much to do with the amplifier’s signature tonality as the output transformer. Mojotone offers a replacement output transformer for the Blues Junior; this transformer is hand-wound in the United States by Heyboer Transformers and is truly a quality product.
While we will be lightly covering the steps involved in the transformer swap from a technical standpoint, today’s exercise is more about demonstrating the effects of this modification on the overall sound of the amp. So to begin, we should hear how the amp sounds before the modification is made. Below are two sound clips of my original, un-modded, Blues Junior amp:
This first clip has the treble and bass controls on 6 with a slight bump in mids, the ‘Fat’ button engaged, no reverb, master volume on 6, and channel volume on 2…
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This second clip carries over all the same settings except, here, the master volume is on 2, and the channel volume is on 7 (for a bit more overdrive)...
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Now that we know what the original circuit sounds like, more or less, it’s time to make the modification. Here’s a quick list of tools and materials you’ll need:
SolderSoldering Iron, Needle-nose Pliers, Screwdriver or electric drillDigital MultimeterAlligator ClipsMojotone Chassis StandWire Cutters and/or Wire StrippersMojotone Blues Jr. Style Upgrade Output Transformer
The first thing we need to do, as per usual, is remove the chassis from the amplifier. We’ll need to disconnect the speaker from the amp’s output jack, disconnect the reverb tank wires from the reverb tank itself, and then remove the upper back panel from the cabinet. In the case of the Blues Junior, the chassis is mounted directly to the back panel, so after the back panel is removed from the cabinet, it will then need to be removed from the chassis itself. See Image 1A below, wherein the screws circled in red indicate those which attach the back panel to the cabinet, and where those circled in green indicate those which attach the chassis to the back panel. First remove the red screws and remove the back panel (along with the chassis) from the cabinet. Next, remove the green screws and pull the back panel away from the chassis.
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Once this is done, we have a chassis that is just about ready to be worked on. Since we’ll be dealing with the high voltage lead on our output transformer (the red lead), there is the potential for an electrical charge to be held where we’re working. In order to make sure we’re safe, we need to drain the amp’s filter caps. Take a look at Image 2A below, and make note of the red-encircled capacitors, as these are the filter caps…
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In the case of the blues junior, draining the large grey filter cap will drain the rest, so we really need to turn our focus to this large grey cap. To properly drain these, without letting too much voltage out too quickly, we will need to connect one end of our alligator clips to the metal chassis, and the other end to R3 (Resistor 3) at the top left side of Image 3A below…
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It is important that we attach this end of the alligator clip to the R3 lead that is closest to the tubes. Once the connection is made, as it is in Image 4A below, the filter caps should all be leaking voltage…
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To test for this, we’ll need to grab our digital multimeter, turn it to the DC Voltage setting, place the black probe on our metal chassis, and the red probe on the positive lead of the large grey filter cap (Image 5A). You should be able to watch the voltage drop continuously until it reaches a reading of 0 volts.
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It should take a few minutes for the reading to reach 0 volts, but once it does, the amplifier is safe to work on. Leave the alligator clips in place throughout the rest of the procedure, as otherwise phantom charges can potentially occur within the capacitors.
Now it’s time to disconnect the old output transformer’s leads from the amp’s circuit board. Notice that the output transformer’s leads are most likely connected to the board via spade connectors (Image 6A); this is nice, because removing them just requires grabbing your needle-nose pliers and wiggling the spade connectors back and forth a bit. Before removing them, take a picture of the circuit, so that later you can reference which color wire went to which connection point on the board. There are 5 wires you’ll need to account for: red, green, blue, black, and brown. The Mojotone replacement transformer will have all these same leads, and they’ll need to be connected just as they were with the old transformer...
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Once the leads have been disconnected, it’s time to flip the chassis over, remove the mounting screws from the old transformer, and pull the transformer out of the chassis (Image 7A). At this point, you’ll likely discover that it’s necessary to use your wire cutters to remove the spade connectors from the current transformer wires in order to pull them through the holes in the chassis and successfully remove the transformer.
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Once the old is out, it’s in with the new! Feed the green and black wires through the hole closest to the control pots, and feed the remaining three wires through the hole closest to the tubes (Image 8A).
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After you’ve fed the lead wires through their respective holes, secure the transformer to the chassis using the same screws you removed from the old chassis. Next, we must wire the new leads into their proper places. Go ahead and pull up the reference photo you took earlier and make sure you get the right color wire into the right place. Since we don’t have spade lugs on the end of these new wires, we will just insert the wire through the holes in the terminals on the PCB, and solder them in (Image 9A).
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After getting each wire seated in its proper position, simply solder the connection in and move on to the next one.
Pro tip: When it comes to the black and green wires, definitely work on the black wire first and then move on to the green wire. This will result in the use of the least amount of audible swear words.
Once everything is soldered in, you should have something resembling the chassis in Image 10A below…
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We’re essentially done with the modification. Before we call it, however, let’s trim any excess lead wire that’s left sticking too far out, and remove our alligator clips from R3 and chassis ground. Then, prior to reinstalling the chassis onto the back panel and into the cabinet, we should briefly connect the speaker to the amp and turn the amp on for a few minutes to make sure we don’t hear anything obviously wrong with the amp. If all is well, the only thing left to do is reattach the chassis to the back panel, and then install the back panel (and chassis) in the cabinet.
I’m actually pretty pumped about this mod. I immediately notice a much more smooth sound coming from the amp. Both clean and dirty settings have a nice, smooth (but not overbearing) compression. The mids and lows are tighter, whereas before I felt like they were a bit out of control. While recording sound clips of the amp with the new transformer in it, I can actually SEE that the sound waves are smoother and tighter. Here are the new sound clips, with the first one being the aforementioned clean settings, and the second being the aforementioned gritty/overdrive settings:
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We love this mod, and we sure hope those of you following along enjoyed it as well. This is just one of many things you can tweak on a Blues Junior; and who knows, maybe we’ll dive deeper into Blues Junior mods in the near future. Until then, keep tinkering, everyone! ","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"1","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"4436084","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"4436085","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/22/2021 11:33:10 am"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"6L6: Tall-bottle Vs. Short-bottle","page_header":"6L6: Tall-bottle Vs. Short-bottle","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"93","name":"6L6: Tall-bottle Vs. Short-bottle","urlPath":"blog/6l6-tall-bottle-vs-short-bottle","url":"6l6-tall-bottle-vs-short-bottle","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"4","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"The 6L6 may well be the most commonly-used vacuum tube in amplifier history. Over the years, there have been many variations, with the tall-bottle and short-bottle variations being the most well-known. Today, we'll explore the differences between the two!","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"For today’s discussion, we’re going to talk about a couple of variants of the 6L6 vacuum tube: the short-bottle 6L6 and the tall-bottle 6L6. What are they? What are their tonal characteristics? Why pick one over another? What are each of their unique advantages? We get asked these questions a lot, so we figured why not go ahead and lay it all out there? A Little History...
Let's step back in time, to around 1935, when the first incarnation of the 6L6 came alive; it was then called the “Harries Valve.” This tube evolved gradually from an efficient tetrode (4 parts), into a beam pentode (5 parts) by the addition of an extra grid called the “suppressor.” This particular design was also marketed in Europe as a “Kinkless Tetrode,” as Phillips owned pentode-type tube patents in Europe at the time. This Kinkless Tetrode design was licensed to RCA, who hit the ground running with the design and, almost overnight, had implemented it into everything from radios, public address amplifiers, and communication equipment. The first version actually utilized a metal envelope, unlike the glass envelope we associate the 6L6 tubes with today. These original metal-envelope 6L6’s were good for around 19w, whereas the later 6L6GC (the most popular 6L6 design) were good for a staggering 30w.
The popularity of this tube, of course, pushed the evolution of the 6L6 to have more ruggedness, clarity, and fairly rapid power dissipation. This gave rise to not just a couple of 6L6 variants, but quite a few: 6L6, 6L6G, 6L6GC, 6L6WGC, 6L6WXT, 6L6WGB, 6L6CHP, and many others (not including it’s similar brethren, the 5881 and the not-so-distant KT66).
This brings us to the “Black plate” design 6L6’s. Implemented herein was a special “carbonized” coating coupled with the thick glass envelope that RCA had used to keep the plates in the tube cooler, extending the life of the tube. This blackened material did not really play into the overall tone of the tube, just it’s efficiency; however, I’ve had many long discussions with many techs disputing this point.Let's Compare...
Now that we have a little history, we’re ready to discuss the 2 tubes in question: the 6L6GC (which are of the “tall-bottle” variant of the 6L6 introduced by GE as the GE6L6GC) and the 6L6WGC RCA/ Phillips “short-bottle” variant.
When comparing these tubes, the differences to most musicians' ears are subtle, but one can definitely tell there is something different between the two. Keep in mind, when it comes to comparing these two heavyweights of the tube guitar amp world, there is no such thing as “better,” just different.Tall-bottle
The 6L6GC tall-bottle, throughout time, have been better-suited for classic rock and high headroom applications. These would typically be found in a Mesa, Soldano, Peavey, or even the occasional early Marshall. Characteristically, they are punchy and tight with lots of defined low end and later breakup than it’s shorter counterpart. We see these tubes flourish in finger-style fast-passage players as well as lap steel and some harmonica players. They compose themselves with slightly more crunch at higher volume levels, and are great to use with bass amps as well. They are currently in production as the TAD 6L6GC-STR “Blackplate,” JJ 6L6GC, Electro Harmonix 6L6EH and many others. With its rugged design it’s not uncommon to get two-thousand hours out of these tubes with only slight plate variation.Short-bottle
The short bottle “clear top” variant was used in many Fender tube amps like the Super and Twin Reverb, Tweed Bassman, Bandmaster, Pro, Super, 5E8-A Low Power Twin, etc. It gets the “clear top” name from having the “getter” structure on the side of the tube as opposed to the top, which makes these tubes instantly recognizable. They have a great musical property throughout the EQ spectrum. Easily pushed, these tubes overdrive with less effort than the tall-bottle, and have a tendency to be slightly smoother and slightly more compressed than their taller brethren. Additionally, these tubes don’t focus the tone to emphasize any part of the EQ spectrum. They are very well-rounded tubes with a very robust design. Again, it’s not uncommon to get up to two-thousand hours of use out of this tube. Unlike the taller 6L6’s, these had cooling vents cut into the plate structure as well as extended (wider) plate “wings” that acted as heat sinks for greater efficiency and prolonged tube life. This was one of Aspen Pittman’s favorites and he brought it back into circulation with his “clear-top” 6L6GE. If you happen to look at this tube, you will notice that the “getters” are on the side of the tube as opposed to the top and, like the taller GE versions, it has a taller glass envelope, but does have the inner-workings of the shorter WGC version. These are currently in production with the most popular being TAD 6L6WGC-STR “Blackplates,” and TungSol 6L6GC-STR.
Hopefully today's read has given you some insight as to how these different tubes operate, the differences in their construction, and what they can offer tonally. Each tube is, obviously, very well-designed and widely-used in the tube amplifier world. Thanks for tuning in, and we'll see you next time!","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"17","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"4436087","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"4436088","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/22/2021 11:37:47 am"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"Filter Cap Discharge Procedure","page_header":"Filter Cap Discharge Procedure","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"95","name":"Filter Cap Discharge Procedure","urlPath":"blog/filter-cap-discharge-procedure","url":"filter-cap-discharge-procedure","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"4","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"Before working on an amplifier, it’s imperative that you take any and all necessary safety precautions. One precaution that pops up in just about every amp tech scenario is the draining of the filter caps. Today, we’re going to cover this procedure in detail so next time you need to mod or repair an amp, you’ll be in good shape!","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"How did you get into being a guitar tech and how long have you been doing it?
I get asked that a lot and it’s like a ramp, you know? It’s a ramping adventure. In 1985, I got interested in playing but, out of the band, I was the most technical person out of the batch, so I became the band tech for equipment, and sound, and fixing the gear in that era. Then we can wind back even more to about 1981; I was probably 13 years old and I started out as a drum tech for this 12-year-old drummer. He was in a band that played regionally with his two brothers. He now plays with Blue Man Group and I now tech for Godsmack...so he got somewhere and so did I, I guess.But that’s a hard question because it’s been a ramp; there was always something technical with equipment, whether it was sound or guitar-oriented equipment. I just kept grabbing at more and more skills over time. Whether it was the guitar work itself, or building racks, or just the flow of touring. A lot goes into it that isn’t the actual guitar “tech” portion of it. A lot of it is real-estate management, and time management, and coordinating with local stagehands. Do you do any amp tech'ing as well?
Yes and no. I’m not nearly as in-depth, component-level skilled as many techs that I know who come from an amp background. On the road, it’s tough to do that sort of work because of the time pressures. And we also have support from amplifier companies so we have spares on hand; when one amp has really badly gone down, I just send it out instead of working on it, usually. Those guys have the time to diagnose properly. I can do things like re-tube, bias, and get something running the next day. And I have an understanding about the real fundamentals, but in general I would say not any more than a race car driver is rebuilding his own motor. How does a guitar tech go from doing repairs in a shop to tech'ing for a touring artist?
There isn’t anything more than ‘right place at the right time.’ I know very few people that were shop repair people before becoming touring techs. They tend to just be good shop repair people or end up working for larger companies in a support scenario. I’m sure they’re out there, but if I sat with 100 guitar techs and asked them all, I wouldn’t hear that story very often. It’s mostly being at a theater or at a show or with a band; most of the time I was helping a band and then they got signed. Or I was in the alleyway helping to move gear with a young band who just got signed, and they trusted me, and then poof: the next thing you know they’re off and flying by the seat of their pants. Do you tech during recording sessions as well?
I do. And that’s a 50/50 thing with people I meet. If my compadres or touring friends have this conversation maybe fifty percent of them will say that they were a recording tech at the same time. I have done it and I enjoy that because I have a wider skill set than someone who is just a drum tech or personal assistant; I can do keyboards, I understand how to move equipment, how to understand MIDI, how to know when things are failing. If certain guitars, or amps, or speaker combinations need to be put together for noon time because they are going to track these songs, I have a wide enough breadth of skill set that I might get hired before someone else. It doesn’t mean someone else couldn’t do it, but those can be long expensive days and it can be easier to have one solid person to get it up and running. How many months are you on the road each year?
Well in the last 2 years it was a little less than I’d hoped because of cancellations or ‘redirects,’ for lack of a better word; but usually maybe 8 months each year. Even though you’re doing it the entire time, you’ll realize later that there was 2 weeks off here, or 10 days off here, and you don’t really notice those scraps until you put them all together. But it feels like you’re always on full; you come home to get caught up, and transition from going to or coming from Europe, before you know it you’re out again. Time between fly dates and festival runs, all those little days add up. So I would say my paid time is probably three quarters of the year. Any favorite guitar shops that you like to visit when you can?
I don’t arrive in a town and say ‘I have to go to this shop,’ because I already spend all week doing that. But if I have a day off and the boss says ‘hey, let’s go check out some vintage gear,’ I’ll go along. I enjoy it, and we’ll bone pick through some places that are known to have interesting stuff, but I’m not drawn to do it because you mentally want a day off and you tend not to go jump into those things again unless you need a tool or something. I have been to places that I’ve found by accident or by looking on Google, and then I was blown away by the place. I don’t know that I need to go back, but I enjoyed them. Can you tell us about what an average day is like for a tech before, during, and after a show?
As a backline technician on an American touring schedule, you might be starting at 10am because you’re the last people needed in the arena; you can sleep late, have coffee and breakfast or whatever. But for me, I’ll do kind of a walk-around and see the path my gear has to take that day, because shortly after that I have to wrangle the stagehands and go. Knowing the best path to distribute all the gear, if you’re a little bit prepared and you talk with your crew, it may only take a sentence or two to get everyone on the same page. Then it’s maybe fifteen minutes of work at that point, and then each department member will separate and do maybe an hour and a half of shoe-horning and assembly. You’ll break away for lunch around noon or one, then you’ll be expected to be around, depending on if you’re the first act or headliner. After that it kind of moves around a little bit. As a headlining act you probably line check and sound check around 2 to 3pm, then have another hour and a half to get ducks in a row; you want your real estate in place and to be able to check all of your gear to make sure it’s working correctly. Then you’ll do a line check/sound check; the artist may or may not come out and run through some material. Then it will rotate; the stage manager will say okay, “rollback,” or “set change,” or any number of terms. At that point, you’ll get everything tucked up and maybe go into your guitar work because you’re not chasing the clock at that point. Maybe 3 to 6 pm you’ve got time to kind of work on things, and test things, and do what you want to do without the pressures of ‘being ready.’ Then I’ll go to my station maybe a half hour prior to when I have to actually go into set change. I’ll double-check batteries, frequencies, neck checks, turn everything on, run through everything, make sure my cabling is nice and loose and free. When that happens and the preceding band is done, then that becomes pretty automated for us. We know what we need to do and no words are spoken with crew members because it is all more 'choreographed.’ That might be a twenty or thirty minute change. Festivals might be quicker. All the communicating is with in-ears; they’ll start calling for different channels or mics to be heard. We have one hundred and something inputs and it can take a while, but at the same time we do it very quickly. Then all the noise and special effects and things have to be tested on my end. Then I have three-and-a-half to five minutes to kind of gather myself and double check that we’re good. At some point you’ll start seeing flashing lights in the distance and the artist is coming. He’ll get his head sorted, he’ll reach for the guitar, you’ll tap him on the butt and he’ll go up! My department is probably a half hour to forty minute load out at the end. One full tractor trailer. Everything in reverse but much faster. What challenges do guitar players face with their rig while on the road? Does traveling to different climates present any problems?
Traveling to different places absolutely plays an effect on stringed instruments or drums. Anything wood-based is subject to temperature and humidity; it’s huge. Next biggest problem is power. All around the world, even around cities of the US; old theaters with old wiring. The original wiring is a band aid, on top of a band aid, on top of a band aid. And tube amplifiers are notoriously prone to picking up this stuff; they are the first things to “complain,” and you’ll know right away. If someone coiled up a bunch of cable underneath the stage within 10 feet of you, you’ll know right away. It’ll start humming like crazy. So in the guitar world, having your racks and your system really well grounded and shielded is a huge advantage. Really diagnosing or being able to see it and know it before we even start to setup. With an old, old theater -- one of those mini-theaters -- I could walk in and go, ‘there’s the old dimmer panel,’ or ‘that’s where the power is hanging.’ You can almost see it radiating problems. Those are the things that you’re going to be dealing with all the time. If your rig is really well put together, you’ll still deal with it sometimes. Guitars, by nature, are very archaic. They’re pretty unbalanced systems. The better you can shield the cavity in the guitar, the better the cabling is shielded, the better off you are. It’s a better band aid, but that’s all it is. What’s the biggest guitar emergency you've had to handle during a show?
This is my greatest story. I was a bass tech and we were high on a ridge in New Mexico at an amphitheater. Everything was great at dinner, sound check and line check went beautifully. Everything was great. I went to dinner, I took a nap, and then I was a little late in my pre-show; I got thrown off by about 15 minutes, so I was kind of behind the gun. All of a sudden, for some reason I got sidetracked and then I heard the show’s intro music playing. I picked up the bass my boss needed right away, I had my earbuds in and I was hitting the strings and the tuner was all over the place. I held the instrument up and I looked down the length of the neck and...something must have happened on that hill in New Mexico with humidity and temperature. It was so extreme; I’d never seen it ever before, and I hope to never see it again. That thing was completely bowed backwards and the strings were laying on the frets. I grabbed the truss adjustment tool, shoved it in the hole, and cranked it back. Knowing not to mess with the tuning because it would come back pretty darn close, I just cranked it until I saw the action was about right, touched it up and was literally running and throwing it around my boss’s neck as he went on stage. I knew better, but I was just late that day and sidetracked. But I'm happy it happened because I never forgot it and I’m really on top of it now. What’s your most important tool while traveling?
My favorite guitar tuner -- it’s actually an app that I helped develop. It shows me things I don’t normally see; things I can’t see with any other tuning app or tuner that I’ve ever used. I often use two or three different tuners because they all tend to react differently. If you have to set up behind a big subwoofer and you’re dealing with an acoustic guitar, it’s just going to vibrate and ring, and you get a lot of false readings; so I developed some stuff years ago to get through all that. If someone said ‘grab the one thing you have to have right now,’ it would probably be my iPad mini with that particular app. The app is called Tuner T1 and Tuner T1 Pro. The free version with ads is Tuner T1, and the paid (or Pro) version is $1.99. There’s great filtering (it filters low end), and there’s a clock on it, you can see Hz and the note, and you can see how many cents above or below you are. Tell us about your set up - your bench. Are there any signature elements that you take with you on every gig? A mascot that you travel with?
There’s a lot of people, on their big fancy work boxes they travel around with, that have trinkets they like to set up. I’m not so much into that, but there is this one little happy plastic smiling Buddha-type thing that I saw once. And it’s nothing to actually do with Buddhism but it’s just a little fat guy sitting cross-legged and smiling. It just reminds me to stop and breathe. No matter how bad your boss is yelling at you, or how cold you are, or how bad this day is going just stop and breathe. And it’s kind of cartoonish but I just enjoy it. Every day I look at it and I just sort of chuckle. Almost like the Gerber baby in a way. Can you share a classic guitar tech moment that all guitar techs will experience?
Sending the guitar out without the pack on. I don’t know anybody who hasn’t done it. If they told you they haven’t done it, they’re lying. It’s kinda one of those things. You have a routine, you turn the packs on and off, or you’re changing batteries, or whatever. And the people that don’t mess this up anymore are the ones who have done it and have been embarrassed in the past. They’ve learned how to not do it. I worked for the Moody Blues for a few years, and one time I sent out an instrument with the pack off. Not only was it off but it was a backup that hadn’t been re-frequencied, and I was kinda out of my headspace and I mounted the backup or grabbed the wrong strap or something and I sent him out there. And it turned on but it didn’t transmit anything and it was an embarrassing moment. Are you an artist as well? Anything you’d like to share about the projects that you work on personally?
I don’t have a project now, but I started as a guitar player. I liked instrumental rock stylings but I played in modern Pop-country bands not too long ago. I played in Rock bands in the 90s in-between touring. I have power trios that I play with in-between tours; when I have some time off we’ll get together and collaborate and write neat stuff. I can’t tell you how important I believe it is to be an actual player when you’re working as a technician. I know a lot of guitar techs that don’t play. To have played in a band and to know when your amp or guitar is not feeling right, or when it’s not behaving correctly; those are those fine-tuned moments when you understand and learn when things are either right or not right. You obviously don’t have to be an amazing player to be a tech. However, if an engine mechanic doesn’t understand feel, in the hot seat driving, and doesn’t understand when a car is not behaving correctly from a driver’s standpoint, then when the real driver comes back and says ‘there’s a problem,’ there’s going to be something lost in translation.","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"13","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"4436094","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"4436095","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/22/2021 11:44:43 am"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"Paul Waggoner Interview 2020","page_header":"Paul Waggoner Interview 2020","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"102","name":"Paul Waggoner Interview 2020","urlPath":"blog/paul-waggoner-interview-2020","url":"paul-waggoner-interview-2020","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"1","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"We caught up with Paul Waggoner, of Between the Buried and Me fame, to talk about pretty much everything. Paul discusses how the band stays motivated, what it has been like navigating quarantine, vegan treats and much more!","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"A few years back, Between the Buried and Me guitarist, Paul Waggoner, called Mojotone with the intention of collaborating on his signature pickup. We invited Paul out to the shop to see how we manufactured our pickups, we talked about what he wanted out of his custom-built signature pickup, and we even put him behind some of the winding equipment to get a feel for how it's all done! The result, was the PW Hornet.
Since then, Paul and Mojotone together have sold thousands of his signature pickups. But it turns out, Paul is a super awesome human being in all regards. We always love catching up and getting a glimpse of what band-life is like. We recently sat down with Paul to catch up and see how things were going throughout this quarantine period. We ended up sharing some laughs, talkin' smack, AND getting some really great information about the band.
Below is a short version of our interview with Paul. If you'd like to see the full uncut interview, please visit our Instagram TV page (@mojotone) for all the hootin', hollerin', and shenanigans
","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"12","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"4436096","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"4436097","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/22/2021 11:51:58 am"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"British 45 Style Kit Master Volume Mod","page_header":"British 45 Style Kit Master Volume Mod","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"94","name":"British 45 Style Kit Master Volume Mod","urlPath":"blog/british-45-style-kit-master-volume-mod","url":"british-45-style-kit-master-volume-mod","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"1","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"One thing many of our customers have asked for over the years is an easy master volume mod for some of our amp kits. Today, Steve Snyder and Logan Tabor uncover this quick and easy mod that renders killer crunch tone at lower volumes!","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"Welcome back to another installment of our Make It Monday series. Today we are going to outline an amp mod that we get asked about fairly often, which is a master volume mod for our British 45 Style Amp Kit. This is a simple mod that won’t take much time, but will definitely allow you to get a wonderfully gainy sound out of your amp without having to crank the volume up too high.
To make it easy, we’ve created a British 45 Master Volume Mod Kit which consists of all the parts you’ll need to complete this modification. And honestly, there are only three actual parts you’ll need: (1) 1M Potentiometer, (1) British Style Knob, and (3) Feet of wire. On a slightly more technical level, what we are doing is placing an additional volume control between the preamp and power amp by replacing the speaker extension jack with the mod kit itself.
Here’s a quick list of things you’ll need to get the job done:
British 45 Master Volume Mod KitSoldering IronSolderWire StrippersNeedle Nose PliersNut DriverSmall Flathead Screwdriver
Before we get started, we’ll need to remove our chassis from its cabinet and get it onto our work bench. Next, as always, let’s drain our filter caps for the sake of safety. If you are unfamiliar with this procedure, please check out our article outlining Filter Cap Drainage Procedures before proceeding.
Okay now that we’re super safe, let’s dive in. First, we will need to remove the wire that runs from the middle lug on the treble control pot to the input capacitor on the phase inverter. These points are outlined in Images 1A and 2A below…
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/jtm45-kit-master-volume-mod-article/image-1a.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/jtm45-kit-master-volume-mod-article/image-2a.jpg\")
\n\n\n
Grab your needle nose pliers and your soldering iron, heat up the contact on the potentiometer, and pull the wire away. Then repeat this on the other end of the wire.
Next, it’s time to remove the two wires that run between your speaker jacks on the backside of the chassis. Take a look at Images 3A and 4A below for a visual…
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/jtm45-kit-master-volume-mod-article/image-3a.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/jtm45-kit-master-volume-mod-article/image-4a.jpg\")
\n\n
To remove these wires you can heat the contact points and pull them out with your pliers, as we did earlier. In some cases you may be able to use wire cutters to simply trim these wires out.
Note: If you have a ground wire running to one of the lugs on your speaker extension jack, this wire will need to be removed, and re-soldered to one of the ground lugs on your other speaker jack. See Images 5A and 6A below…
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/jtm45-kit-master-volume-mod-article/image-5a.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/jtm45-kit-master-volume-mod-article/image-6a.jpg\")
\n\n\n
At this point, we want to remove the speaker extension jack itself to make room for the new master volume potentiometer. We have just finished removing the wires from this jack, so it should be free from any internal connections. Let’s grab a 7/16” nut driver and loosen the jack nut. See Image 7A below....
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/jtm45-kit-master-volume-mod-article/image-7a.jpg\")
\n\n
Next we need to insert the 1M volume pot, for our mod, into the now empty hole from the speaker extension jack. Insert the potentiometer with the lugs facing up towards you, as seen in Image 8A below…
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/jtm45-kit-master-volume-mod-article/image-8a.jpg\")
\n\n
Using a ½” nut driver, tighten down the potentiometer’s nut to secure it in place. Once the pot is secured, we can go ahead and put the knob on the shaft of the pot. Make sure the potentiometer shaft is turned all the way counter-clockwise, and then slide the knob over top of the shaft with the indicator line at around 1 o’clock. Use your small flathead screwdriver to tighten down the knob’s set screw, while holding the knob in position. See Image 9A below…
\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/jtm45-kit-master-volume-mod-article/image-9a.jpg\")
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Now we need to ground our new master volume pot. Use a piece of the wire you removed from the chassis earlier to make this connection. The wire will need to run from the pot’s ground lug, to the back of the potentiometer itself. It will be helpful to use a piece of sandpaper to scuff up a portion of the back of the pot so that this solder connection can be made more easily. See Image 10A below…
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/jtm45-kit-master-volume-mod-article/image-10a.jpg\")
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Now you’re ready to heat the contact points (one at a time) and apply solder. Once you’ve done this, your pot will be grounded. The result should look similar to Image 11A below…
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/jtm45-kit-master-volume-mod-article/image-11a.jpg\")
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Next, we need to use the wire that came with our British 45 Master Volume Mod Kit to make a connection from the center lug on our treble potentiometer, to the lug on our master volume pot that is closest to the speaker jack. First, let’s hand-measure the length of wire we’ll need by simply running it from one connection point to the other. See Image 12A…
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/jtm45-kit-master-volume-mod-article/image-12a.jpg\")
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Then we will need to prepare our wire by stripping each end in a different way. The end connecting to the treble pot, will need to be stripped as follows:
Start by gently stripping away JUST the grey outer insulation. Take it easy here, so as not to cut into the stranded wire inside. Next, cut away the bare stranded wire surrounding the black internal wire. Lastly, strip away the black insulation from the internal conductor wire. Follow the steps outlined in Images 13A - 15A…
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/jtm45-kit-master-volume-mod-article/image-13a.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/jtm45-kit-master-volume-mod-article/image-14a.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/jtm45-kit-master-volume-mod-article/image-15a.jpg\")
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To prepare the side of the wire that will be connecting to your new master volume pot, you will need to strip away the grey exterior insulation just as before; without damaging the bare stranded wire underneath. This time, instead of cutting away the excess stranded wire, you will need to pull it all to one side and twist it together. Finally, you will strip the black internal insulation away from the conductor. Follow the steps in Images 16A - 18A…
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/jtm45-kit-master-volume-mod-article/image-16a.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/jtm45-kit-master-volume-mod-article/image-17a.jpg\")
\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/jtm45-kit-master-volume-mod-article/image-18a.jpg\")
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Now it’s time to make a couple of solder connections. First, insert the side of your wire that was prepared for the treble pot, into the center lug on the treble pot and solder it in place…
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/jtm45-kit-master-volume-mod-article/image-19a.jpg\")
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Next up, insert the side of the wire that was prepared for the master volume pot into the lug closest to the speaker jack. This will be the part of the wire within the inner most black insulation. You can go ahead and solder this in place...
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/jtm45-kit-master-volume-mod-article/image-20a.jpg\")
\n\n
Last, on the master volume side, take the remaining stranded wires and wrap them around the pot’s ground lug but do NOT solder yet…
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/jtm45-kit-master-volume-mod-article/image-21a.jpg\")
\n\n
Once this is all done, we need to wire the other side of this connection; this wire will run from the board at the input to the phase inverter (where we removed our wire at the beginning) to the new master volume pot. To do this, prepare the wire exactly as we did in the previous steps: with one side stripped and prepared as it was for the treble pot (this time it will go to the input on the phase inverter), and the other side stripped and prepared as it was for the master volume pot (this, again, will go to the master volume pot).
After you’ve prepared the wires, start by making the connections on the master volume side. The innermost conductor will go to the center lug on the master volume pot. Go ahead and solder this in…
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/jtm45-kit-master-volume-mod-article/image-22a.jpg\")
\n\n\n
Next, take the remaining stranded wire and wrap it around the ground lug on the master volume pot, just as we did last time. This time, however, you can solder both of those stranded wires together with the ground lug on the master volume pot…
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/jtm45-kit-master-volume-mod-article/image-23a.jpg\")
\n\n
Ready for the final step? This is it! Just insert the other end of the wire into the eyelet for the input of the phase inverter and solder it into place…
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/jtm45-kit-master-volume-mod-article/image-24a.jpg\")
\n\n\n
That’s it! It took a lot of pictures but we made it happen nonetheless! And now you have a killer amp that will get nice and hairy without having to be dimed. We used a couple ties to hold our wires together and keep everything nice and neat. This is not a requirement, but it does look good! In the end, your chassis should look something like this...
\n\n![\"\"](\"http://www.mojotone.com/jtm45-kit-master-volume-mod-article/image-25a.jpg\")
\n\n
Now go crank the preamp, dial down the master volume and shred away without getting the cops called! Check out the sound clips below to see what ours sounds like now...\n\n\n
Woo! Alright, thanks for tuning in. Please let us know how your Master Volume Mods turn out. See you next time. ","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"1","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"4436098","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"4436099","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/22/2021 11:55:05 am"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"NC3015 Output Transformer Swap","page_header":"NC3015 Output Transformer Swap","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"98","name":"NC3015 Output Transformer Swap","urlPath":"blog/nc3015-output-transformer-swap","url":"nc3015-output-transformer-swap","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"3","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"Plenty of our customers have been wondering about alternative output transformers for our amplifier kits. With that in mind, we wanted to demonstrate the process of changing output transformers in our NC3015 kit and capture the tonal changes that come along with this mod.","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"![](\"http://mojotone.com/NC3015-Output-Transformer-Swap/image-1a.jpg\")
![](\"http://mojotone.com/NC3015-Output-Transformer-Swap/image-2a.jpg\")
![](\"http://mojotone.com/NC3015-Output-Transformer-Swap/image-3a.jpg\")
![](\"http://mojotone.com/NC3015-Output-Transformer-Swap/image-4a.jpg\")
![](\"http://mojotone.com/NC3015-Output-Transformer-Swap/image-5a.jpg\")
![](\"http://mojotone.com/NC3015-Output-Transformer-Swap/image-6a.jpg\")
![](\"http://mojotone.com/NC3015-Output-Transformer-Swap/image-7a.jpg\")
![](\"http://mojotone.com/NC3015-Output-Transformer-Swap/image-8a.jpg\")
![](\"http://mojotone.com/NC3015-Output-Transformer-Swap/image-9a.jpg\")
![](\"http://mojotone.com/NC3015-Output-Transformer-Swap/image-10a.jpg\")
![](\"http://mojotone.com/NC3015-Output-Transformer-Swap/image-11a.jpg\")
![](\"http://mojotone.com/NC3015-Output-Transformer-Swap/image-12a.jpg\")
![](\"http://mojotone.com/NC3015-Output-Transformer-Swap/image-13a.jpg\")
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\n","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"1","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"4436100","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"4436101","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/22/2021 11:58:44 am"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"How To Check The Phase Of A Pickup","page_header":"How To Check The Phase Of A Pickup","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"100","name":"How To Check The Phase Of A Pickup","urlPath":"blog/how-to-check-the-phase-of-a-pickup","url":"how-to-check-the-phase-of-a-pickup","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"5","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"Knowing how to check pickups for their phase is important for\na number of reasons. This can save time and effort for guitar\ntechs and DIYers, and help them plan how to best install a set of pickups before going down that rabbit hole!","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"![](\"http://mojotone.com/check-pickup-phase-fif/image-1.jpg\")
![](\"http://mojotone.com/check-pickup-phase-fif/image-2.jpg\")
![](\"http://mojotone.com/check-pickup-phase-fif/image-3.jpg\")
![](\"http://mojotone.com/check-pickup-phase-fif/image-4.jpg\")
![](\"http://mojotone.com/check-pickup-phase-fif/image-5.jpg\")
I’m particularly excited about this one, as it will be my first British Style kit build. Another high point here is this: If you’ve been following along with our Tweed Style kit builds, you’re aware that those Tweed chassis are very narrow and can be tricky to work in at times. This chassis is much wider and should feel luxurious in comparison.
Before we dive in, let’s take a look at what you’ll need in order to join in today:
Mojotone British Style NC3015 Head Amp KitMojotone Chassis StandAdjustable wrenchScrew driver
We’ll be breaking this project up into three different articles. Today being the first of those three, we’ll start by getting all of our hardware installed in the chassis. This hardware will include our transformers, tube sockets, can cap, jacks, pots, switches, metal standoffs for the turret board, grommets, fuse holder, light assembly, and AC inlet.
I like to start by installing those components who lie (or whose mounting hardware lies) closest to the floor of the chassis. In this case, we’ll start with our transformers. But before we get carried away here, it’s important to acquaint ourselves with the wiring diagram. Right now we’re looking for two big things. Take a look at the diagram below (Image 1A) and note that the diagram shows the front panel of the amp (the side with all of the potentiometers) being farthest away from us. I’ve also circled the points on the diagram that indicate the wire routing holes for the output transformer wires. These holes are where we’ll insert our rubber grommets; we’ll also need to be mindful of which wires go through which holes as we proceed…
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Now that we are oriented properly and have our bearings straight, let’s go! I’m going to start by inserting my rubber grommets into the holes indicated in the above image. Next, being mindful of which wires go through which holes, I will router the output transformer wires through the routing holes from the underside of the chassis to the inside. Next, I’ll insert my 8-32 screws into their mounting holes from the underside to the inside of the chassis. Using one hand to hold the transformer and screws in place, I’ll grab my 8-32 keps nuts and hand-tighten them from the inside of the chassis.
After hand-tightening both nuts onto their respective screws, it’s likely easiest to turn the chassis on its side and use a screwdriver and adjustable wrench to finish tightening everything down. When you’re done, the inside of your chassis should look similar to that in Image 2A below…
\n\n\n\n\n
Now let’s move on to the power transformer, the big guy! Same basic concept really; except the power transformer has built-in mounting threads already. Take a look at the wiring diagram again to make sure you’re familiar with the wiring orientation before inserting the power transformer from the underside of the chassis to the inside of the chassis. Once you’re in place, start hand-tightening your remaining 8-32 keps nuts onto the mounting threads. Then you can use an adjustable wrench, or nut driver, to finish tightening. Now you should look like the chassis in Image 3A below…
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Now I’m going to mount my can capacitor. So let’s locate the can cap and its mounting ring. You’ll need to loosen the mounting ring all the way to slide it over the can cap. You’ll notice that the side of the can cap closest to the solder lugs has a groove or indention in it. You’ll want to make sure the mounting ring sinks into that groove before tightening the mounting ring back down. Once your ring is tightened back down around the cap, here’s how you should look (Image 4A).
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It’s important to note here, that you will likely need to make adjustments to the orientation of the cap within the mounting ring. We want the ground pin of the cap to be closest to us once it is installed, so we may have to spin the cap inside the mounting ring so that we are lined up in two ways: 1) the mounting ring holes are lined up with the chassis mounting holes and 2) the ground lug of the can cap is closest to us while we’re working. When you’ve got it situated properly, use your 6-32 screws and keps nuts to fasten everything down, and then you should look like Image 5A below....
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Now we’re going to move on to installing our tube sockets. These are all 9-pin sockets so installation will be uniform throughout. First, look at your diagram and notice the orientation of the pin number on the tube sockets. Then look at your tube sockets and make sure you’re aligning them with that of the diagram prior to installing them. These will need to come up through the underside of the chassis into the inside as well. Now you know what to do: get the sockets in place and, using your 4-40 screws and keps nuts, start hand-tightening them down. Once they’ve all been hand-tightened, go back and finish tightening with your tools. Then you should have something that looks like Image 6A below…
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I’m going to move on to my metal standoffs for mounting the turret board. There are four of these pieces that need to be installed, and they need to go in the remaining four holes in the floor of the chassis (you’ll see them highlighted in Image 7A below). The inserts themselves have internal threads that will match up with four of your remaining 4-40 screws. Just insert the screws from the underside of the chassis to the inside, and then hand-tighten the metal standoffs onto them.
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Now it’s time to move on to mounting our front panel and back panel hardware. We’re going to begin with the front panel. Keep in mind, we’ll need to make sure our faceplate is installed along with these components, so while we’re installing our input jacks, we’ll need to be getting faceplate mounted as well.
Beginning with the four input jacks in the image below, I like to remove the nuts from all of my jacks right away, and leave the small black washer on the jack. Then, with the faceplate properly aligned, insert the jacks one at a time from the inside of the chassis through to the outside of the chassis and tighten down the nuts from the outside. Make sure the solder lugs on all of your jacks are running parallel to the chassis (Image 8A).
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You can now go back and use your adjustable wrench to tighten the nuts a little more, but be careful not to scratch the faceplate in the process, and don’t over-tighten the nuts as you risk causing cosmetic damage to them as well.
Now we’ll move on to the pots on the front panel. Consult your wiring diagram to make sure the pots of the proper value are going into the right positions. Here again, remove the nuts and the washers from the pots, but in this case we’re going to leave the lock washers (knurled) on the pots when we put them into place. Insert the pots from the inside of the chassis through to the outside, slide the washer over the threads from the outside, and hand-tighten the nut from the outside. You can then go back and use your adjustable wrench to finish tightening. Again, be wary of faceplate damage and over-tightening. You should now have something that resembles Image 9A below…
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Alright, the rest of the hardware for the front and back panels of the amp will follow the same basic principles and procedures as those for the jacks and pots. In light of that, we are going to lump the rest of this hardware together and knock it out in one fell swoop. One thing we’ll definitely want to remember in all this is to make sure we install the red backplate while installing the rear panel hardware...definitely don’t want to forget that!
In whatever order you choose, install your standby switch, power switch, light assembly, fuse holder, AC inlet, impedance selector switch, and rear panel speaker jacks. We’ll meet back here soon and we should all have something resembling Image 10A below…
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Well folks, we’ve arrived at the end of today’s walk through, but we’ll be back soon with part 2 which will include stuffing the turret board and wiring up the amp; i.e. the fun stuff! This thing is gonna sound absolutely awesome when we’re done, and you won’t want to miss it so stay tuned.
","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_timg_img_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_subheading":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pinned_to":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_category":"2","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_post_tags":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_hdr_image_alt":"","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_header_image":"4436104","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_thumbnail_img":"4436105","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_pub_date":"1/22/2021 12:15:37 pm"}},{"addition_to_head":"","page_title":"Building a Mojotone NC3015 Amp Kit: Part 2","page_header":"Building a Mojotone NC3015 Amp Kit: Part 2","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","customrecorddata":"99","name":"Building a Mojotone NC3015 Amp Kit: Part 2","urlPath":"blog/building-a-mojotone-nc3015-amp-kit-part-2","url":"building-a-mojotone-nc3015-amp-kit-part-2","template":"default","type":1,"pageTypeName":"ext-blog-post","customrecordscriptid":"CUSTOMRECORD_SC_BLOG_PAGE_TYPE_POST","cmscreatable":true,"fields":{"custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_author":"1","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_excerpt":"Today, we continue with our British Style NC3015 Amp Kit build. After we get our ground lugs and turret board installed, we’ll begin to stuff the turret board with electronic components. We’ll prep the chassis for wiring, and then solder everything in place!","custrecord_sc_blog_post_pt_content":"![](\"http://www.mojotone.com/nc3015-amp-kit-build-part-2/image-1a.jpg\")
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\n![](\"http://www.mojotone.com/nc3015-amp-kit-build-part-2/image-2a.jpg\")
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\nI wanted to see how Dustie had managed to stay sharp over the last couple of years…
“I’ve had so much time on my hands with the whole pandemic thing dismantling the music business. BTBAM wrote and recorded a new album, for one, and we’re extremely happy with how it came out. Looking forward to sharing this one with the world.”
“I’ve also been in the gym a ton just trying to get in the best shape I can before we hit the road again. Watching lots of boxing and working on our setlist for the next tour.”
Despite his super-human abilities as a guitarist, Dustie Waring is still an Earthling...and an Earthling must surely run into issues staying motivated, right? I wanted to know what some of his challenges were over the last year or so…
“The challenge of being an artist is that it’s hard to separate your personal life from your life in music. This isn’t a normal 9-5. Your motivation and edge all depend on where you’re at mentally and what’s going on around you. Luckily, I’ve stayed healthy and in good spirits throughout this last year. I had a lot of responsibility with the new album and the streams, so I was able to force myself to stay disciplined with my playing and keeping up my chops.”
“The hardest part about playing BTBAM material is the coordination it takes to play the parts while switching presets and pickup selections. That usually takes a few weeks to really dial in. There have been periods where I didn’t really touch a guitar for a few weeks. I do that after tours and after albums to kindof refresh and cleanse myself so I’m not burnt out. But again, it comes at a cost because there’s always a rebuilding process. It’s like a marathon runner who just takes a few weeks off; it takes several days to feel dialed in again. I’m always aware of what a gift music is, and what an opportunity I have to do what I’m doing. So if there’s ONE thing I’m disciplined about, it’s my career.”
There are a lot of enigmatic components within any guitar amp...
Filter capacitors, or “caps” for short, are more formally known as electrolytic capacitors.
Like a lot of things happening simultaneously within any tube amp, the way in which filter caps do this trick is both rather simple and quite ingenious.
Electrolytic capacitors definitely have a limited lifespan, which tends to be around 15 to 20 years in most cases.
I wanted to know how Dan’s relationship with music began, how it has progressed, and where it is today.
“...from Otis Redding and Chuck Berry to Wes Montgomery, and Louis and Ella. Those were the early foundations of my love for music.”
“Convincing the jazz band teacher that they needed an electric bassist was a breakthrough moment. I could get school credit and get my parents to help me pay for a bass all in one move—there was no going back after that.”
Dan’s resourcefulness has immediately been proven, and that jazz band just got a heck of a lot cooler.
“Hearing Niko Case for the first time in the basement of a bar in college. Walking into a nearly empty Tacoma Dome: PJ Harvey’s Firebird and incredible voice filling an entire stadium before the floor was full. Walking into the Hendrix exhibit at Bumbershoot in the early 90’s, hearing Red House blasting over the PA and seeing artifacts from Jimi’s all-too-short history.The sonic artistry of Karl Blau as a kid growing up in the Skagit Valley.”
“Electronics have always been a part of my life. Some of my earliest memories are working out in my dad’s workshop; from repairing our appliances, to remote control planes, and experimenting with electronics kits. It’s always been a combination of necessity and fun. I learned early on to take notes on how something came apart so that there would be some hope of putting it back together. My uncle and dad’s friends were all electronics junkies; from racks of Tektronix gear, calibrators to calibrate your calibrators, signal generators and o-scopes, to russian night vision and geiger counters. There was so much cool stuff to experiment with growing up.”
And now it’s perfectly easy to see how Dan was captivated by electronics.
“The pole pieces I turned from steel screws chucked up in a drill press and filed to shape. The flatwork I cut from my dad’s hobby styrene stash. And the coil wire, first unwound from a spare electric motor, was wound back on by chucking the whole thing up in a corded electric drill. From reading about it, I couldn’t quite figure out wax potting, so candle wax was dripped around the outside of the too-loose coil. The miracle of the whole thing is that, with a ceramic fridge magnet stuck on the back, it would make sound. That is the moment that guitar electronics really began for me.”
“Instagram, with all of its distractions and filler, has been incredible the past couple of years connecting me to a global community of builders, techs and players. I do everything I can to help those who reach out asking for advice or tips, and I’ve been blown away by how generous others have been with tricks and inspiration.”
When I asked Dan what some of his driving factors are when it comes to the craft of DIY guitar and amp work, he had some really incredible things to say.
Take care of people.
Leave it better than you found it.
Know when to say “No.”
Keep a secret, and give everything else away.
Stay curious.
“Every length of wire matters, the angles that components intersect, their proximity to one another, the quality of a solder joint, it all matters. As does the coating on the wire used for winding my pickups, the gauss of the alnico, and the mixture of wax for potting. I do measure and document the specs of every cap and resistor that goes into or comes out of an amp, the inductance of each pickup wound, etc. But it's not just the measure of the ingredients that go into it that counts; it's also how they come together and your intention when working.”
Here are Dan’s fully-detailed bullet points…
What do the alphanumeric reverb tank names mean?
How do I know which reverb tank I need?
“I started fiddling around with guitar at age 10, but didn't really get serious til age 13. My first record was Mr. Big's \"Lean Into It\" that my mom randomly got for me at a garage sale since I needed cd's for my walkman (man I feel old!) That record changed my life. I never heard guitar work like that before. From there I dove into rock music, Texas blues, and metal through my younger years and was obsessed with being able to play like the people I listened to. My first amp was actually a Crate bass amp that was handed down to me from a friend. I ran a Squier strat into a BOSS Super Overdrive through that amp. Truly humble beginnings! My first \"real\" amp was a Peavey Valve King head and cab that I got a few years later, along with an Ibanez RG. Boy, have I come a long way (haha).”
Eddie was quick to admit...
“...over the years I flipped the script and put much more focus on tone than anything else. I think of tone as the \"voice\" of my instrument and, by extension, the manifestation of the sound I hear in my head that I communicate to the outside world. Like a ton of guitar players, Eric Johnson's tone quest was a big gateway for me to start prioritizing tone. From there, it was pretty much every record ever recorded out of Nashville. The tone of those session players was something I truly identified with, because it revolved around finger tone and how to truly \"speak\" with sounds and textures. These days I think about tone like a producer, where it all revolves around the context of the band mix. That was actually a huge factor in what drew me to Mojotone. Literally everything I've played from y'all, pickups or amps, always sits beautifully in a mix.”
So where is Eddie now? Well…
“I guess you can say I offer all manner of services as a guitar player from session work, playing live/touring, writing songs, tone consulting, and teaching.”
But more specifically…
“I was blessed to play for and tour with the great Eddie Money during the last three years of his life, someone I grew up listening to. I've also done session work for artists like the late Erick Morillo, recorded for tv spots, performed live on MTV. These days I'm playing lots of country music and am touring with Martin McDaniel and Craig Campbell.”
“When I was 26 I decided to move to LA to pursue a career in music because I tried being a working stiff and just couldn't accept that for the rest of my life. That nagging voice in my head convinced me to give it an honest shot and if it doesn't work out, I can always move back to Texas and get back into the corporate world. I didn't have a plan, really, and the first couple years were incredibly tough, but I was finally able to get into a groove of staying busy playing music in that scene. From there I made a conscious effort to spend every day working towards getting closer to my goal of making a decent living with music and nothing else.”
Here’s what he had to say about breaking down those walls…
“The struggle is always real, no matter what level you're at! All kinds of things can get in the way from personal responsibilities to time-wasting distractions. I think we live in the best (and worst) time for playing guitar. There are millions of free resources we can find on the internet to help us learn and get better, but at the same time there is so much content out there competing for our attention that it can often get the better of us. What helps me get out of that rut is to put my phone aside (sometimes even in another room), put on some music I like, and grab my guitar and play along with what I'm hearing. This is where fresh ideas really come out and it gets me excited to continue playing.”
![](\"/core/media/media.nl?id=4896131&c=923962&h=c8Q_mpMBhUmy9w9KwCJHby34TaxXkO14-zNn7vxc0ofvp27_&1636719\")
Donnie designs and builds some incredible instruments...
\nI wanted to start at the beginning, so I asked Donnie how he first became interested in music/guitar playing in general…
\n“I started playing guitar at age 13. I had a friend in school - Doug Sellers - who was an incredible musician. Doug inspired me to take my playing seriously. During my music career, I have been a guitar player, writer, producer, tech, and engineer. I stay inspired being in these roles revolving around guitar. Now I build the guitar that I would want to play.”
\n\n
Pretty well said in my opinion. This initial inspiration probably doesn’t sound too different from many of our stories. It’s obvious Donnie was the type of person to take an idea and run with it in as many directions as possible; a mentality that tends to provide efficient fuel for this particular industry.But again, how did we go from jamming on guitar with Doug to building world-class instruments?
\n“As a kid I was a tinkerer of sorts. I would take apart electronics and speakers to see how they worked…and then my parents would freak out and make me put their stereos back together. In high school shop class I built a huge guitar cabinet. It was probably 5 ft. X 3 ft. X 1-1/2 ft. with a Realistic 15” speaker from Radio Shack. It lived in my bedroom because I couldn’t fit it in my VW bug to take to gigs or band practice. Lesson learned!”
\n\n
\n Another relatively familiar story, but we are definitely starting to see how Donnie progressed from a guitar player to a connoisseur of all things ‘music’. \n“Throughout my guitar player career I would replace pickups and pickguards on my guitars. I basically learned out of necessity how to do various modifications whenever I wanted to try something different. I did the setups on all my guitars myself and would also do setups for friends. Woodworking skills also help! Being a full-time musician means having a part-time job in most cases. My part-time jobs gave me the woodworking skill set.”
\n\nBut on a more personal level, as it pertains to music, where did Donnie’s inspiration come from?
\n\"My aim was to create a guitar that I would want to play. In my formative years as a player, I was into Van Halen, Iron Maiden, Ozzy, and the other rock guitar hero bands of that time. At the same time, I was into The Fixx, Del Amitri, Hoodoo Gurus, The Cure, and some Indie bands. I think the broad spectrum of guitar-driven bands helped me understand a lot of the signal chain complexities and capabilities you can have in a guitar rig to get the soundscape for the style you want to play. The guitar should be the gateway for your expression. The look and feel are part of your artistic expression. I wanted to create a guitar that looks like it has been “woven into the fabric” but is still unique. There's a fine balance, as anyone who has ever tried to design a new electric can attest.\"
\n\n“Right now it's Jordan Lawson with Carrie Underwood, Josh Reedy with Thomas Rhett, and Michael Westbrook - YouTube guru and hired gun who plays or has played with Noah Guthrie, John Hopkins from Zac Brown Band, Crowder, and Corey Smith. Corey Smith plays one of my guitars as well.”
\nWhat are the defining characteristics of these super sweet guitars?
\n“My guitars are unique yet traditional. If you are a player who feels connected to old school but wants to be unique at the same time, try a Sugar guitar. There are a ton of companies making great guitars that are their versions of the same S or T designs. Sugar guitars are 25” scale length, so they sit between the traditional S/T or LP designs which inherently makes a tonal difference because of that. I also use a compensated neck radius that feels great at both ends of the neck.”
There are a lot of mysterious components within any guitar amp...
A negative-feedback loop does exactly what the term implies...
If a negative feedback loop achieves the sonic ends described above...
In amps with multi-tap output transformers, providing two or three speaker-output impedances...
As always, we started with a little background…
“I was raised in a household of music lovers. My parents got me into rock and metal from early on. My dad played guitar and taught me my first 3 chords on his nylon-string when I was 8 (which was twice my size back then haha). Seeing him pick it up and play songs really inspired me to wanna play and get good at it, but it wasn’t until we moved to the US from Venezuela and turned 14 that I picked up the guitar more seriously. I briefly attended music college right out of high school and started touring with local bands and doing studio work in my city. I got the gig with Chase Rice in 2015…”
So what did John’s tone journey look like? How did he find his sound?
“Growing up in a rock-oriented household, I remember wanting to sound like Eddie Van Halen but could only afford a Crate 30-watt combo and Digitech GNX processor when I was starting out haha. It wasn’t until I discovered John Petrucci and Dream Theater that made me want to dive deeper in tonal exploration, so I got an Axe Fx 2 and started tinkering until I got close to what I thought his tone was. Playing country for the last 6 years has reshaped how I find tones, so I started using the 4-cable method with some of my amps (Mesa Mark V:35 and Mojotone Deacon), which yielded me amazing results. The tone-seeking journey never ends!”
I wanted to know what parts of his rig he absolutely couldn’t live without…
“I’d say my Kiesel A6X guitar and AX8 are the most crucial parts of my rig. Until very recently, we were using amps, cabs, and traditional pedal boards and I heavily relied on my Mojotone Deacon and Hatteras heads through my custom Mojotone 2x12 as the centerpieces of my sound (and they get plenty of use in the studio!)”
“I had been doing my own productions outside the road and wanted to dive deeper in that world. My friend and Round Table co-owner contacted me 2 days before the official opening to co-produce a project for Bubba Sparxxx, and I have been working as a resident producer/engineer there since. Round Table is built on collaboration; everyone has a voice and is a key part of decision-making for collective growth. Joining the team has opened a myriad of creative doors that continue expanding my production knowledge daily. Currently producing a few exciting albums in various genres that I can’t wait to release soon!”
How do you continue to broaden the spectrum of your craft?
“Free time is a bit of a luxury these days so all of my practice happens either at shows or in the studio working on projects. Genre variety in the studio has opened up many doors of learning and personally I find it a lot more fun and engaging than running through exercises. This way helps me stay creative and keeps the ideas flowing.”
...We’re examining cathode-bypass caps and their impact on any guitar amplifier’s sound.
In brief, and without getting too technical...
Such cathode-bypass caps almost universally increase the gain of the tube stage in which they are used...
We use the term “value” to denote these capacitors’ ratings because...
We have focused mostly on the preamp stage here...
In most guitar amplifiers the OT will be the second-largest transformer hanging from the underside of the chassis.
All of this might pretty matter of fact, a mere mathematical process—and it is, in one sense.
By now, we’re all familiar with the obvious household names in the guitar design/manufacturing industry.
…As always, we started by finding out how it all began for Billy…
“It all started when I was a kid, which was in the 70’s thru the early 80’s. I was introduced to pop music of it’s time like Elton John, Glen Campbell, John Denver, Bay City Rollers etc., but It wasn’t until I discovered KISS through a friend of mine that the level of interest changed. An early memory would be the very first time I heard KISS at my buddy’s house in late 1975. When the needle dropped to the spinning album and the first riff came out of the speakers, I was hooked. Then I started to look at the album art and insert booklet. I turned to the last page and just stared at Ace Frehley playing his low slung tobacco burst Les Paul and inside my head I just thought to myself, that’s what I wanna do! Haha!”
I definitely needed to hear more…
“Jetboy formed in 1983 during my last year of high school. The other guitar player and I (Fernie Rod) met at a local San Francisco club and became fast friends. We both had the same vision for a band and we pursued it, which lead to the beginning of what became Jetboy and a journey that shaped my life to where I am today. Jetboy started performing in late 1984. By 1985 the band started playing Los Angeles and in late 1986 year the band signed a pretty big deal with Elektra Records. At this time, I was very into older guitars, especially hollow-bodied Gretsch’s. I can say that the years that Jetboy were playing the clubs, recording albums, and touring is where I really figured out tones and gear that I liked. And more importantly the style of playing I was best at which is just straight-forward rock n roll. I do feel this also helped shape things for what became Rock N Roll Relics and how I want a guitar to feel, sound, and look.”
“As a kid I was always into the more artistic side of things in school. I was into drawing and I loved my wood shop classes. In my first year of high school, in my wood shop class, we had a project we had to come up with/build something. I chose to build a guitar. So I bought two pieces of swamp ash, glued it up and did the whole nine yards. Eddie Van Halen was the up-and-coming guitar god at this time and I loved his Ibanez destroyer shark fin guitar. So I built a star guitar which, at the time, I believe Mighty Mite or Schecter were making? So I took an ad photo from Guitar Player Magazine and copied the shape on paper the best I could. I still have this guitar sitting in a case in my garage. From this point on, I was very into tinkering with my guitars. It was either changing pickups or bridges or full-on painting them a different color. So it started pretty early on for me. By the mid 80’s when Jetboy started playing clubs, I had an old Strat. I painted the body and headstock hot pink, put in a single Humbucker and mirror Pickguard, and made it my own thing. I wish I still had that one!”
Certainly one doesn’t just wake up one day with this super power…
“I’ve always been into guitars that were not shiny and clean looking. I guess that comes from growing up in an era of used gear, which is now called “vintage.” Just like when I get a new pair of converse, I like them to look worn in and beat up, plus they’re more comfortable that way. Same goes for me with a guitar. When I got into building guitars in a serious manner is when this whole relic thing started back in the early 2000’s. I built a few parts telecasters for fun and one thing led to another. This is around the time the internet started to get popular (around 2000). I sold a few of these builds on this new auction website at the time, ebay. Soon after this, I built a website and Rock N Roll Relics was born. My whole relic style got to where it is today with a lot of trial and error steps. A lot of the time, you try something and then go…uh oh? But then you look at it and go, wow, that actually looks good. It’s pretty funny when that happens, and it still does. At this point, I see relic’ing as an art style and it’s endless with where it can go.”
As always, we started at the beginning so we could get to know what sparked Martin’s interest years ago and helped point him in the direction of his current path…
“My dad was a musician, so I kinda grew up in it. I started out as a drummer. My dad was a drummer, so I started that pretty young. I’ve been singing as long as I can remember. Then we moved from Alabama to Destin Florida for a few years. He was playing drums at this church there with a bunch of incredible musicians. One of the guitar players there was a guy named Shannon Wallace, and he just blew me away! That’s kinda what sparked the fire. Then a few years later, my dad had a Stevie Ray Vaughan greatest hits tape. I remember hearing that in his truck one day and I decided I had to start really playing guitar. I wanted to do that like those guys. I’m still trying!”
So, once the fire was lit, what were those first bits of gear, first songs and song-writers, who helped stoke this flame?
“My first ‘real’ amp really inspired me early on. It was an early 70s Twin Reverb that someone had modified with a 15” JBL D-130f and maybe a few other things. I got it at a pawn shop for 300 bucks. It was like night and day from the little crappy bass practice amp I had been playing. Early on, the SRV stuff really got me, as well as Vince Gill’s stuff. Then I got a record of this friend of my dad’s, that he’d been in bands with, named Allen Hinds; it was just some next level stuff! Still is. Those guys along with Shannon Wallace, Brent Mason, and Brad Paisley, really have shaped and inspired my playing!”
Obviously years of practice, grinding, and promoting himself must have gone into it, so I wanted to know some of the more exciting things all of this work has led to…
“I’ve been traveling around and playing music since I was about 15, so I’ve been very fortunate to tour and play festivals and shows with so many acts. We’ve played shows with Alan Jackson, Luke Bryan, Blake Shelton, Gov’t Mule, Billy Currington, Eric Church, Zac Brown Band, Ronnie Milsap, and tons of others.”
Be on the lookout for a new single at the end of January called, “Girls, Trucks, and Beer.”
“It can definitely be a struggle, from time to time, to keep up with my guitar playing. I spend a lot of my days during the week writing songs. So it’s more about the lyrics and melodies, and less about my guitar chops. Sometimes I’ll get that lack of motivation from just working on music so much. But just putting on a good record with some killer guitar playing on it almost always gets me fired up to play again and work on it.”
“As far as my at-home rig goes, I’m very fortunate to have a studio space at my house. I have access to pretty much all of my amps and things whenever I want. I have a pretty good collection of stuff! Haha. I’ve got old Hiwatts, Marshalls, Fenders, and several different boutique heads to choose from. I have a few cabs set up and mic’d in another room.”
When an amplifier’s output stage is discussed...
In more technical terms, though still kept relatively simple...
By the mid 1950s many guitar amps used a more efficient PI called the split-load (aka cathodyne or concertina) inverter.
For that, makers adopted the long-tailed-pair PI in the latter part of the mid ’50s, and this design has remained the king of inverters ever since.
Fender took up the long-tailed pair in 1957 with the arrival of the 5F6 Bassman circuit...
We’ve got a lot of ground to cover today, so let’s start by finding out how Sarah got started on her epic guitar journey…
“Music has always been a part of my life. When I was two years old, my mother recalls hearing me walk around the house singing Hank Williams’ ‘There’s a Tear in my Beer.’ I became a music sponge and by 7 years old, I had my first guitar, a ¾ sized Harmony from a department store. A few years later, I started private guitar lessons and had a full-sized Epiphone acoustic I picked out because it looked like Steve Wariner’s black Takamine. I had fallen in love with live music and while most of my friends played house and dreamed of a white picket fence, I dreamed of playing a guitar on a stage. It was just one of many ways in which I did not fit in, but I found out MANY years later that my grandmother and great grandmother (who I never knew) were also guitar players! I guess you could say after many generations, being a girl guitarist was just naturally in my DNA!Inspired largely by Stevie Ray Vaughan and Vince Gill, my first real electric guitar was a 1997 Candy Apple Red Fender California Series Stratocaster. For much of my teenage years, I educated the neighborhood on what a Strat sounded like through a Digitech RP-7 multi-effects pedal and Peavey Transtube amp (sorry, neighbors). I continued private guitar lessons every week until I went to Lebanon Valley College and became the first female to declare guitar as their principal instrument within the music program.”
This sounds like someone who is about to live up to their super-awesome name. But we definitely need to know about some of the bands/artists she has jammed with over time, right?
“Throughout my teens I played in a few local garage bands - anything from punk to rock and even ska. I went on a hiatus after graduating college to build a career in web development and digital marketing, but playing guitar is the only thing that has ever really made sense to me, so after a few years, I returned to it by way of my church’s worship team.I consider myself primarily a hired gun. I’ve been called out on adventures all over the country to play guitar with artists on the bill with Carrie Underwood, John Pardi, Jimmie Allen, Parmalee, Sam Grow, William’s Honor, Morgan Wade, Chris Lane, Breland…Currently, I play with two up-and-coming country artists in the central PA region, Grant Bryan and Gillian Smith, but will show up wherever guitar is needed.”
Alright, but what about gear philosophies? With so many avenues for finding one’s sound, how did she get from those earlier days to where she is now?
“I’m endlessly curious, and as much as I laugh about my old multi-effects pedal, the variety offered in that one unit was the beginning of a never-ending tone chase. I’m a devout Kemper user now, and while my tone is much more refined, the endless options at my fingertips can present themselves as both a blessing and a curse. The blessing is that I can dial in any sound I hear in my head. The curse is that, well, I’m a perfectionist and I try to dial in any sound I hear in my head. My musical tastes have always been fairly eclectic, so I could never settle for one sound anyway. I’m a student of the Marty Stuart way of life – Saturday night rock and roll and Sunday morning praise and worship. Needing drastically different sounds was my primary motivator to move over to a Kemper. With the help of Dr. Kemper himself, Michael Britt, I have been able to unlock a world of tone! I go from classic country dripping with spring reverb, to hard hitting Jason Aldean and back to beautiful ambient reverb/delay trails that fill a sanctuary in just a few clicks. The only missing piece on stage was the experience and sound of an amp pushing air behind me. Enter my Mojotone cabinets!Now I set up my performances through headphones to run direct to front of house, but refine it through a cab - usually a Mojotone West Coast 1x12 Cabinet loaded with a Kemper Kone, or Mojotone 4x12 British Extension cab loaded with Scumbacks if I’m in the mood for building demolition with sheer volume. This gives me the feel of a ‘real’ amp on stage.I find inspiration in a variety of genres and try to develop my own style by studying a variety of artists. I consider my favorite ‘sound’ to be at the intersection of Billy Gibbons and Vince Gill, two highly skilled and disciplined players.”
I always love hearing how artists overcome these moments of frustration, and Sarah’s answer certainly didn’t disappoint…
“I suspect every artist goes through periods of discouragement, but as a woman in this industry, I often get frustrated at the additional hurdles I have to navigate. Staying true to who I am and making decisions that uphold my values as a Christian woman mean that doors are often closed in front of me. Fortunately, I’ve found the opposite in this business as well, and I’ve learned how important it is to surround myself with those people who support and motivate me. I think that’s probably true for anyone, but especially important for women in music.To stay motivated, I run every morning. While I’m out, I’m constantly listening to music in and out of my comfort zone to stay inspired, aware and educated. Sometimes it’s a playlist of music I need to learn for an upcoming gig, sometimes it’s a mix of my favorite music, and sometimes it’s a totally random shuffle of new music. My running playlists are probably some of the most bizarre mixes of decades and genres floating around on Spotify. To keep my mind healthy, I keep myself in regular rotation on my church’s worship team, even if it means tearing down from a late Saturday gig and driving back into town through the night to make it to church the next morning.”
We’re about at the end of the line here, but first let’s see what Sarah has cooking for 2022…
“One of the greatest perks of being a musician means that there is never a point at which I achieve mastery. Especially as a hired gun. There is always something new to learn, develop, refine, enhance, etc. My goal this year, and every year, is to constantly learn and grow as an artist and to keep stretching myself into new territory both musically and physically.So far it looks like I’ll be bouncing around between central PA, Nashville, Los Angeles and the New Jersey beaches (and hopefully everywhere in between!). Both artists I’ve been working with are working on new music for 2022, so I’m hoping to be a part of more co-writes and see more studio time this year!”
Guitarists who haven’t wired up any amps themselves are perhaps most likely to have heard of a bright cap...
As such, this small cap delivers a proportion of the high-end frequencies at a determined cutoff point to the output of the potentiometer, frequencies that otherwise might be lost from the signal without it.
Anticipating that a fixed bright cap might not be to all tastes with all guitars in all playing situations...
Here are some bright-cap values used in a range of classic amps:
As always, let’s start from the beginning…
“My dad played pedal steel guitar professionally so as a small child, I got drug to the rehearsal hall quite frequently and that piqued my interest in music in general. My first instrument was guitar (mostly because my dad would never let me touch his steel guitar). I also play bass and drums but those came later. My strongest artist influences would have to be Merle Haggard, Ricky Skaggs, Brent Mason, Brad Paisley, and Vince Gill.”
I’m already enjoying how this triumphant tale leads off. But Gregg is skilled in so many different aspects of the craft – carpentry, luthiery, electronics, etc. – so how did he get from point A to point B?
“Well, this journey is far from a straight path… Back in high school, I started going to pawn shops and finding old guitars that I could repair and flip for a profit. I went to college for music but like many musicians, I dropped out when I got a real gig. I started playing full time professionally in Branson, MO and needed a good tone at low volumes. That drove me to start tinkering with amps. From there, I started building my own amps to create the sound I wanted at the volume I needed. After the show ended in Branson, I worked as a full-time guitar repair man until I went on the road as a guitar tech for the Josh Abbott Band. For a while I tried to do both amps and guitars (all while touring) and that got to be too much. I had to choose what my true passion was, and I ended up focusing on custom crafted guitars. Eventually, I had to take the leap of faith to pursue Gregg Guitars full-time if it was going to be successful.”
“I was a full-time touring tech for Josh Abbott Band for about 4-years. I’ve done contract consulting for specific shows for several other outfits over the years: Eli Young Band, Pat Green, and Aaron Watson to name a few. Road life has some glamor to it – you get to do big festivals, award shows, and night shows. But you spend a lot of time away, the hours are odd, and there is a lot of downtime between things. I actually taught myself to wind guitar pickups on the road out of sheer boredom.”
So what obstacles does James face in the midst of all this extremely cool work he does, and how does he overcome those obstacles?
“When I work too many hours to meet deadlines or my wife forces me to do the books or invoicing for the business, my creativity can definitely get drained. To break through it, it usually helps to take a break and actually play my guitar instead of focusing on the technical or business aspects of it all. It can also help to pour a cocktail (or three).”
“2022 is definitely a year of growing into my new shop and finding out ways to be more efficient without compromising the quality that is associated with the Gregg Guitars Brand. On the personal side, I’d like to find more balance with my life. Get outdoors more. Use my road bike that has been sitting idle for far too long.”
Any genuine all-tube amp carries two breeds of signal tubes:
The reason we love tubes so much, however, is that they don’t just make a guitar louder, they make it louder with style.
6L6GC
EL34
6V6GT
EL84
As always, we started at the beginning…
“I've been playing the guitar since I was twelve. I came from a very musical area, i.e. the foothills of NC. There was a big mountain music influence there. My dad was a mountain musician. He gave me my first acoustic. Meanwhile, I was more interested in the 90's rock coming out, so I wanted electrification. I jammed on every type of solid state rig, but saved up and bought a JCM900 half stack from the Musician's Friend mail order catalog. I was cooking then. I'm left-handed, so I was stuck using low-grade strats mainly. I've gotten used to it. I moved to Wilmington, NC for college, and kind of got sucked into a black hole. I've been here since, pretty much. I joined up with some guys who were eager to be on the road, and so we toured around the country in a van for years playing Thin-Lizzyish, Deep Purpley, Judas Priesty type of original music.”
“Ah, yes, 'twas while I was on the road when my 1979 Marshall JMP kept breaking down that I started to wonder about that type of stuff. I knew of no one who could fix it in Wilmington. I had some friends in Raleigh who took it to someone they knew to get it fixed. I was frustrated about that. I'm the kind of person who can do anything with their hands, so I decided to get down to the bottom of it myself. I went back to school for electronics engineering. I came out with the goal to do repair work in Wilmington. I started up getting good business, but honestly, it's not the most lucrative thing to do. I probably should have gone into power generation or something like that.”
So here we go…
“Sure, I often ask myself what the hell am I doing here? I have to step out of the routine, the mouse wheel, and wander around for a bit. For music gear, I see a wash of an industry trying to grasp at one new feature or mod or angle to sell a new brand or product. Then I see that most people end up going back to what they know, the simple classics. Then the cycle repeats. For me, sometimes it takes hearing a familiar sound, or seeing someone I know start to get somewhere with themselves to get me back in motion.”
John, tell us what you did, big guy!
“Man, there are a ton of things. I was behind a lot of our branding efforts for some of our electronic components. I veered a lot of our parts sourcing from China to better quality manufacturers around the globe. I produced the BlackOut series of amplifiers which has been a success. If you're a veteran kit builder, you may have noticed a difference in the overall quality/approach to our kits over the past few years. That was me. I brought a bunch of new amp kits to the table, like the Vibrolux, Vibroverb, Custom 100, Custom 50, and the venerable GA-5. There's a new one I'm working on right now called the British 50W which is a late 70's JMP 2204 model. I think it's going to be a killer setup. There may even be a new move with vacuum tubes in the near future.”
Let’s close with some words of wisdom from the venerable John Manning. Johnny boy, what can you say to help all of our beloved DIYers?
“Make sure you are having fun. Don't get discouraged on how your work looks in the beginning, just make sure it works well and functions properly. If you're dealing with high voltage, treat it with respect. Don't build something that's going to be dangerous for someone else later on. That means, take your time with electronics. Start small, work your way up. Don't cut corners. Don't do it if you don't have time. Make sure that you are learning the hows and whys while you are going along.”
Many installments of What Does This Thing Do? have focused on an individual component...
As seen in any of a number of popular circuits...
In many ways, even though their use became prominent as far back as the 1970s...
As touched upon previously...
And guess what, like always, we started from the beginning…
“I’ve been obsessed with sound since I was a small child and was exposed to FM radio in the mid 70's, but my obsession with music started around age 13 with albums like Appetite for Destruction (GnR) and Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me (the Cure). Though very different, each one featured a wide range of tones that inspired me to pick up my first guitar. Not too long after, I heard the Sex Pistols and that Steve Jones sound was seared into my brain for good.”
Let’s find out more about the mystical amp responsible for all of this…
“The first amp I purchased was a used 1965 Fender Vibro Champ that was regrilled and missing the faceplate. The glow of the tubes, the broken in alnico 8\" speaker and the mystical tremolo cast a sort of spell over me & I could not stop playing the thing. I was 16 years old, and the entire course of my life changed that day.Not too long after, I acquired a 1970 non-reverb Princeton. Then there were Bassman, Bandmasters, Deluxe Reverbs, Twin Reverbs. It was the early 90's, and these amps were relatively cheap. $250 for a Bassman head was average then. These amps needed maintenance and I didn't know any qualified technicians, so I built a workbench and started reading books and internet forums. One of those forums (Music Electronics forum) had a \"Tweed Amp Builders\" section that was loosely moderated by Bruce Collins of Mission Amps. I learned so much by lurking on that forum and absorbing good info from the many members there. It's something that's lost a bit in the social media age, but the forums were a cool place to hang out with like minded people and exchange technical info.”
Alright, so besides that first amp, what other gear kept Adam so fascinated?
“When amp prices began to increase in the mid to late 90's, I stumbled into the world of Hammond Organs and Leslie speakers. They sounded amazing, were extremely undervalued, and quite abundant on the West coast. This forced me to expand my electronics knowledge as well as reach out to master Hammond Organ tech, Bob Schleicher in Oakland, CA. At the time, I still knew comparatively little about electronics and Bob was extremely generous with his knowledge. I learned how to make a perfect solder connection by watching over his shoulder at his shop one Sunday morning.”
“The only time I feel uninspired is when the business side of the business takes over. Inventory, paperwork, website management, it's just not my thing. I love to sit at my bench and build amps, that was the dream when I was 20 years old and still is now. In 2019, I got burned out, decided to take a break and went to be a grower for a local Medical Marijuana farm. Within the space of a year I got promoted, got fired, and regained perspective on just how blessed I am to be able to build these amps for players around the world. Over the past three years, I've built out five new prototype designs and have expanded my footprint beyond \"just tweed,\" to the gray areas between late tweed, early Marshall, and some of the \"off brands.”
So what are the building blocks for our buddy Adam?
“My philosophy is pretty simple. To preserve harmonics and response, you just want a simple signal path. Every resistive element in line is going to affect your tone. I generally prefer tube rectifiers for the feel, and careful selection of power supply filtering is also crucial to right hand bounce. Amp design (which I am still a student of) is a tightrope act and balancing act at the same time. Anything you change on either end of the circuit can throw off everything else, and oftentimes in ways you did not expect. I like surprises and happy accidents, sometimes they are innovations.”
“I'm really focused on getting The Odessa Project amp line out into the world. It's a semi-custom amp that delves into the tweed/JTM/JMP gray zone. Each one is a little different and built with input from the player. I'm really enjoying the custom color cabs and grill cloths lately. Lots of new ideas percolating. Outside of the shop, my girlfriend and I own a small farm and nursery that specializes in superhot peppers, Hemp/CBD, and gourmet mushrooms.”
How They Work...
A Pickup’s Major Components...
Notable Variables...
Length of Wire
Wire Gauge
Insulation Formulation
Coil Winding Technique
Wax Potting
Coil Shape
Yep, you guessed it, we started from day 1…
“I grew up on a farm in Statesville, NC and my Grandfather (Papaw) almost always had a radio on, aside from the fact that my Father was an active musician when I was born. He had a music room in our house and I remember him showing me ‘Abbey Road’ by the Beatles and ‘Rumors’ By Fleetwood Mac. I was probably 4 or 5 then and we always had family sing alongs on Holidays. Each family member would learn a harmony line and eventually pick an instrument. I settled on guitar after many years of listening and watching. It really kicked into gear when my Dad started teaching my best friend guitar when I was 11. I think I was a little jealous so I joined in and became immediately obsessed.”
“Early on I was learning on a 1972 Martin D-28 that was my Dad's. It was strung with medium strings and needed a setup so I was quite a bear to play. When I really got into Hendrix and SRV I asked for an electric guitar and my parents obliged. I had become so dedicated to the craft that they agreed to buy me a vintage amp when I was 14. We went to Gregg's Guitars in Raleigh, NC and I picked out a 1967 Fender Pro Reverb amp. That really set me off on a quest! I loved everything about it. The look, the smell and of course the sound. My buddies and myself would spend hours taking turns playing our favorite licks and looking at the amp, by the time I was 16 I was playing full time and spending most of my show pay on gear.”
Let’s see how he got involved in the Mojotone world…
“I was working and teaching guitar lessons at a guitar shop called Tony's Guitars. Through word of mouth we started hearing about this musical supply company right down the road. After a few months of ordering parts I realized a good friend, David Shepherd, worked there. David was really the catalyst to my relationship with Mojotone. He was always advocating for the products and keeping me informed on the pickups he was designing. Eventually he suggested that I come up to Mojotone and make some demo videos for the new Quiet Coil Pickups, and I enthusiastically jumped at that opportunity. From then on I began making more and more frequent trips to make videos and started using more and more Mojotone gear for my live shows. Mojotone was a really important sponsor for my 2017 ‘Homemade Still’ Tour; they provided amps, pickups, and swag for the tour. When the pandemic shut the live music scene down I was dead in the water and Michael McWhorter offered me a position within the company. I was excited to jump in the fold and we've been rocking steady ever since.”
So now comes the time where we just let him talk about his gear. Seems fitting…
“So, I'm a vintage amp and guitar nut. I started on Stratocasters so I still have a lot of Strats and Teles but, in the past few years I've been on a Gibson obsession and have been lucky enough to get my hands on a 1961 Gibson SG Special as well as a 1964 Gibson SG Junior. There is something different about finding the rock warriors, getting them playing right and putting them into service on the stage. In my opinion a guitar that I can't play a gig with doesn't really light any fires for me. I also have a small army of vintage Fender Tweed, Brown and Black panel amps which I love every one of them. I've used Wilmington, NC made Quidely amps for years and of course a wide variety of Mojotone amps. I'm really excited to get the new Mojotone British 50 with the master volume out on stage.”
Justin, take it away dude…
“Over the past year and a half I've been in the studio finishing up my 2nd full length album as a solo artist. We did 3 albums as Medusa Stone and it feels surreal to be catching up to my younger efforts. This new record was recorded partially in Nashville, TN with North Carolina's own Audley Freed handling production. Audley is not only a wizard guitarist and producer but a great guy as well. Tommy Brothers of Shoreline Studio recorded and produced the other half of the record with Audley overseeing the project remotely. The album will be out in late fall and I think we have decided on \"New Southern\" for the name. In the meantime, I have released a few singles from the record and you can check them out on all streaming music platforms. For a direct link to the latest release check out https://justincodyfox.hearnow.com/
I'm really excited about the album as a whole and it was just a really fun project from start to finish. I enlisted the talents of not only my band but some outstanding guest talents as well, including Audley himself, Robert Kearns, Fred Eltringham, Jen Gunderman and Rhett Huffman. The album is chock full of Mojotone pickups, amps, and speakers as well! We featured the Mojotone Blackout Tweed on a song called Show Me Your Light. I hope over the next 2 years to continue promoting the album and playing more and more higher quality shows. I appreciate everyone involved with the entire process and I extend a huge thank you to Mojotone!”
Maine Types of Magnets
Alnico
Ceramic
Rare Earth
Magnet Form and Location
Supporting Structures
“One small moment can make all the difference to your life.”
“I had no idea you could put new strings on a guitar.”
THE VENTURES AND A MAXITONE
“I was transposing in my head a song that nobody ever taught me.”
HELLO CARS
“Although I didn’t know it, this was the beginning of guitar repair for me.”
HELLO GUITARS
“I took him outside to look at Darryl’s Benz, and the guy asked if I’d ever thought about refinishing guitars.”
CHARLEY’S GUITAR SHOP
\"I was moonlighting, playing the guitar and working at Charley’s.\"
THE SRV MOMENT
\"I got to work on Jimmie’s guitar, and he told us about his little baby brother, Stevie Ray Vaughan.\"
Time to dive in; and you know how we do it, FROM THE TOP!
\"My dad is a bass player. So when we were kids, jamming out with dad on the weekends was just the thing to do. He played all the crucial stuff like Pink Floyd, Yes, Genesis, etc... I think when you are exposed to music and instruments so much at a young age it just becomes baked in and there's nothing you can do about it. I guess I stood no chance but to become a musician, haha.\"
But how did that translate into a lust for quality tone?
\"My first real amp was a little Fender 25 watt. I recall running various distortion pedals into the front of that thing (DOD Supra Distortion, Boss Metal Zone, Digitech Death Metal- just to name a few). Just pure abuse. I remember hearing that gained out sound and being so inspired to rock out. My first Cry Baby Wah was fun too!\"
How does he break through those walls?
\"I can relate to this. Just diving back into things headfirst is the only way. Push through the wall of fear, uncertainty and doubt. I'm a very tunnel vision kind of person, so If i'm not focused on music then I'm not even thinking about music. Sometimes that first leap back into it can be the hardest but once it's initiated the fear is gone.\"
Where did it come from and what does it add to his sound?
\"When I first joined forces with Mojotone, the guys asked me what I liked in a pickup. After a few discussions we landed on a pickup design very similar to a discontinued set called Level Heads. The first time I heard these pups in one of my guitars, I was sold. There's something in every frequency range that just feels right to my ears. I have these in all kinds of different guitars from swamp ash bodies with maple boards to basswood bodies with rosewood boards and they make ‘em all sing!\"
...what is Robby up to now and what are the goals for the next couple of years?
\"Musician goals for the next couple of years are this; practice more. finish this record, get the band on the right support tours, continue the journey upward and onward. Human goals; family onward and upward. I'm a new dad and husband so achieving balance between being a working professional/creative professional/dad/husband is constantly on my mind right now.\"
You know the deal guys, we had to start from the beginning…
“From a very young age I was obsessed with music and by the time I was 11 or 12 years old, I was spending whatever disposable income I could scrounge together—usually loose change—on cassette tapes and records: Public Enemy, De La Soul, punk bands like TSOL and other stuff I discovered in skate videos. I loved the stuff that my parents listened to, like The Beatles, The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, Joni Mitchell, but for whatever reason when left to my own devices I was drawn to music that seemed to exist left of the dial. There were a few small record stores in the town of Irvine, CA, where I grew up that carried a lot of imported music, and that's how I learned about stuff like Lush, Siouxsie and the Banshess, the Sisters of Mercy, and all kinds of goth and industrial music.”
But what about the GEAR that got Taylor into playing?
“My dad is a guitar player. He owns a Martin D28 which he bought new at McCabe's in Long Beach in 1964. I know he paid something like $200 for it. That to me has always been the gold standard of guitar tone for mostly nostalgic reasons, and it's the reason why I generally play Martin guitars now. My philosophy about tone, if I even have one, has always been pretty simple: Find a great-sounding instrument and don't mess with the sound that comes off it too much. Easier said than done.”
Alright so we have some background now. Let’s see what his gear looks like these days…
“As for acoustic guitars, I generally play 000 Martins. I've found that for the way that I play and the way that I use a guitar, I have better luck with smaller guitars. To my ear, the sound is more focused and takes up less space within a sound mix. That's not to say that I don't absolutely love the sound of a dreadnought or some other big-bodied guitar, but that's just not what I use. I'm generally trying to be a part of the rhythm section; my strumming should blend with the high-hat in such a way that it works like a shaker, while still maintaining a harmonic component. I recently bought a Pre-War guitar, a 000, that is absolutely gorgeous. I'm a big fan of what they do. As for electric guitars, that's probably a long conversation, but I mainly play Telecasters and have forever. I love a Tele with a thin neck and great-sounding single coil pickups. I'm a rhythm player, and I've always wanted to play rhythm; it's what I love to do the most. I've never played a guitar solo in my life! So I'm usually looking for Tele pickups that are rich and warm, not brittle or sharp—again, I'm always searching for a guitar that sits in the mix with drums, bass and piano as one big rolling rhythm.”
So how does Taylor break through those short lapses?
“I suppose there are certain times that I'm more inspired than others. I surround myself with books and music and art—that's usually enough to keep me searching. I spend time exploring stuff that sounds nothing like the kind of music I make. If I need a break, I take it. I generally don't end up making anything of value when I'm forcing myself to do it.”
“I hardly drink at all—the occasional glass of wine—and certainly nothing before playing a show. I exercise as much as I can, even if it's a dingy motel exercise room, and I sleep as much as I can. I drink a lot of water, I don't eat much meat or junk food if I can help it (though I do have a soft spot, as my bandmates will tell you, for Haribo gummy candies). I didn't really adopt any of these things because I'm a musician, but just because they make me feel better in general. Oh, I do make it a point of doing a group hug and short—not a prayer, exactly, but just a little talk—with my band right before we go out onstage just to look everyone in the eyes and get on the same page. It's helpful, I think.”
“Mojotone was generous enough to send me a few NC-1 pickups, which I installed in my road guitars, both of which are Martin 000s. These are paired with a Grace Designs BiX preamps. In truth, this is a question that my front-of-house engineer, Luc Suer, could probably answer better than me—so much of what audiences are hearing out front is a direct result of the way that Luc is processing my acoustic sound. But we take the acoustic tone in particular really seriously because, let's be honest, it's really hard to make an amplified acoustic guitar sound great, especially in front of a loud band. The NC-1 makes my guitars sound like my guitars, which is simple to say but so hard to do. I've been super impressed. We use in-ears onstage, and the first time I used the NC-1s, everyone in the band was talking about how good the acoustic guitar sounded.”
“Well, we just finished a really busy year of travel and did a ton of touring. We also just finished a new record, which should come out sometime next summer, at which point the whole merry-go-round will start up again. For now, I'm enjoying the cooler weather, and really enjoying my time at home with my family. I'm trying not to make any plans at all, if I can help it.”
Many guitarists quote specs the way baseball fans quote statistics.
Given the above considerations...
Resistance and Impedance
In addition, many of the more thoughtful pickup makers will tell you that “resistance readings mean nothing”...
Inductance
While resistance is a pure measure of how much of any given gauge of wire is wound around the coil, however, inductance can be affected by other things.
I’d already met Stevie’s older brother, Jimmie.
The club had a small, kind of triangular stage in one corner...
As time went on, Stevie would call in...
I didn’t know anything about the guitar other than what I saw.
That’s how Stevie and I met, for the very first setup...
Stevie said he’d like me to do something to this guitar right then and there to see if it could improve anything.
These were just the things that any technician ought to do.
I handed his Stratocaster back to Stevie...
In the last episode, I met Stevie Ray Vaughan for the first time in 1981...
Disaster struck at the shop in February.
Not long after, I was playing again at the lounge...
And then he asked me, “Have you ever thought about going on the road?”
I went to Carol at the shop, and said \"I’ve got to do this thing with Stevie.\"
I could tell Stevie Ray was a little nervous about the show...
Stevie Ray had a couple of Strats that I set up ready for the show...
The band came out and started performing...
What I hadn’t considered was that out on the water we were on generator power and no longer on shore power.
And that was my first show.
I came right out and told Stevie and his production manager, Mark Rutledge, that I didn’t know anything about the road.
Every guitar setup I’ve done from the very beginning is based on measurements...
Before I set Stevie’s string height, though, I had some other things to do.
With the neck straight, the tremolo in place, now I could start employing the measurements.
I had to employ a few more things to get Stevie’s Strats playing right for him.
And if you don’t think that’s high, you’ve never had a guitar in your hands!
He would still want to raise them up, though, because he thought he’d get more tone.
Stevie told the crew he didn’t want me to be handling cases and moving equipment.
“Man, it’s been a wild couple of years for sure. I guess I’m mostly just grateful to be back doing what I love. Traveling the world and playing music. I’m also super proud of what we accomplished with Colors II, and the response to it has been awesome. Outside of that, I’m just happy to be where I’m at in life. I actually got out of the coffee business at the end of 2022, which was a good thing for me. I plan on starting something new in the near future. It will definitely be coffee, but it will be a much smaller project that is more reflective of my personality and passions.”
“Everything has changed so much in the last few years. As everyone might expect, the costs of touring have skyrocketed. And touring is really how we make our living. Everything you can think of has increased in price. So that’s been tough to work through. It just means we have to be as economical as possible and try to make this thing work, given the circumstances. So many things are just beyond our control though, and we just have to remind ourselves of that. We try to focus on doing our thing, and let the cookie crumble how it sees fit. We are so lucky to have amazing fans who have always been so supportive of what we do. As long as we have that, I feel like we can weather any storm that blows our way.”
...so we wanted to get a sense of what the rigs looked like these days…
“Well in the studio we tend to use tube amps, and do a lot of experimentation with different amps and tones and really just hyper analyze to decide what sounds best for a given part. Live, I am currently using the Kemper, which is great for dialing in some pretty accurate representations of what was created in the studio. It’s a pretty intuitive machine, and has served me well for the past couple years. I run that through a Seymour Duncan power amp and into my trusty Port City 2x12 cab. And basically that’s my rig. I’ve largely abandoned the use of stomp boxes in favor of the onboard effects of the Kemper. I try to be as streamlined as possible these days with my equipment. The less I can travel with, the better. “
Where did this bad boy come from and why?
“Well I loved the idea of having a signature pickup, and the thought of working with a North Carolina company like Mojotone just seemed to make all the sense in the world. Once the seed was planted, it all happened pretty quickly. I gave Dave Shepherd the basic qualities I was looking for in a pickup set, and he pretty much nailed it for me on the first try. We may have made a couple tweaks but that’s about it. I really just needed something that sounded tight and aggressive for the heavy stuff, but had the versatility and warmth required for some of the more dynamic stuff we do. And he just killed it. Since then, we’ve developed a second generation set that has even more clarity. So much about pickups is feel. Like, when you play the guitar it’s gotta feel like you are getting the sounds your mind is trying to manifest. It’s a hard thing to explain. But Dave is a master at realizing the dynamics of guitar playing in his pickup designs.”
“We are about to head across the pond for a 7-week European trek. It will be our first time there since 2019 so we are really excited to get over there and play again. After that, we have some plans for later in the year on the touring front, and I suppose early next year we will start writing again. So yeah man, we are just going to keep on truckin’ along for as long as we can.”
What do you sacrifice when playing with small and lighter speaker cabinets?
How do you generate the same tone and volume with small speaker cabinets?
Internal bracing in small speaker cabinets
Without further ado, our lightweight Speaker Cabinets:
Mojotone 1x12 Lite American Style Cabinet Loaded W/ Celestion Neo Creamback 8 Ohm
Mojotone 1x12 Lite British Style Cabinet Loaded W/ Celestion Neo Creamback 8 Ohm
Mojotone 4x12 Lite British Style Cabinet Loaded W/ Celestion Neo Creambacks
Mojotone 4x12 Lite American Style Cabinet Loaded W/ Celestion Neo Creambacks
Mojotone 2X12 American Style Lite Cabinet Loaded W/ Celestion Neo Creamback 8 Ohm Speakers
Mojotone 2X12 British Lite Cabinet Loaded W/ Celestion Neo Creamback 8 Ohm Speakers
Which lightweight speaker cabinet should you choose?
Cosmetic Comparison
Size Comparison
Also Written By MojoTone:
I had been working with Stevie Ray Vaughan for five years when he was killed tragically in 1990 in a helicopter crash...
I was in the studio in Berkeley working with Carlos in 2004 when one of the producers asked if I’d heard of a guitar player by the name of John Mayer...
I went home and enjoyed not doing anything for a few months.
John came up later, and we met for the first time in person, and then they did the soundcheck.
The first show went well. I was standing stage right, taking everything in, listening, and enjoying what I was hearing.
And still that wasn’t the end of it...
I first noticed John playing a PRS guitar with Dead & Company, the ex-Grateful Dead band, around 2016.
The last show I did with John was at the Manchester Arena in October that year.
What Do the Different Guitar Amp Knobs Do?
Volume
Preamp Gain
Amp Frequencies
Channels and Effects
Amp Settings for Different Musical Styles
Rock Music
Blues Music
Country Music
Metal Music
Funk Music
What are some victories you’ve had over the last few years?
I love working in the studio, recording new ideas and seeing what stuff turns into. I’ve always always dreamed of having my own studio to work in without having to worry about time/money constraints.
Alright, now for the hard part: What are some of the challenges you and Mastodon have had in recent years?
Musicians have to be creative in this economy - Does Bill have any advice for the rest of us musicians out there grinding day in and day out?
What was the motivation behind this monstrous guitar pickup, and why did you choose MojoTone to build the Hellbender Pickup?
What’s Next for Bill Kelliher and What’s Next for Mastodon?
Why F&T Mersen Capacitors are the Top Choice for Amp Techs: A Breakdown of Quality and Reliability
F&T Mersen’s Support in the United States
What is the Break in Period for F&T Mersen Electrolytic Capacitors?
A Breakdown: What Electrolytic Capacitors are Made Of
A Brief History: Who Invented Capacitors?
How it Works: Capacitors
Using Electrolytic Capacitors in Guitar Amps
Show us how you’re using your F&T Mersen Electrolytic Capacitors!
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How to Play Guitar Like Bill Kelliher
Mastodon Tunings
Bill Kelliher Chords and Rhythms
Bill Kelliher Equipment and Effects
The Most Legendary Guitars and the People that played them:
Eddie Van Halen’s Strat: Frankenstrat
Willie Nelson’s Acoustic Guitar: Trigger
Jimmy Page’s Double Neck: EDS-1275
Eric Clapton’s Strat: Blackie
Musicians Come In Many Forms
Weekly Gigs for a Musician
Preparing and Performing
Production of Original Songs and Stock Audio
Teaching and Therapy
Music Gear That Travels
Get Paid
Seven Days a Working Musician
Emergence of Digital Tools: A Revolution in Guitar Music
The Virtual Jamming: Online Collaboration Platforms
AI and Machine Learning: Pushing the Boundaries of Creativity
Democratizing the Music Industry: Access and Affordability of Modern Tools
The Evolution of Sound: Innovative Effects and Amplification Technologies
Looking Ahead: The Future of Guitar Music Collaboration
The Bottom Line
The Allure of Vintage Amplifier Sounds
Techniques and Tools for Capturing the Best of Vintage Amplifiers
Choosing the Right Cloud Storage Platform for Your Vintage Amplifier Library
Tips for Managing Your Amp Sounds in the Cloud
Ensuring Safety and Accessibility: Backing Up Your Sounds on the Cloud
Music Producers Can Revolutionize Their Sound with Vintage Amplifier Libraries
The Bottom Line
Pick Your Guitar and Case
Audio Equipment
Guitar Cables and Power Sources
All Terrain Carts
Guitar Playing Accessories
Guitar Tuner
Instrument Repair Kits
First Aid Kit
The Venue Details and Necessary Contracts
Music or Merchandise For Sale
Pedal Placement: Optimal Positions for Guitar Pedals
Pedal Chain Order: From Guitar to Amp
How to Balance Pedal Chain Order
Wah Pedal: Where Does it Go?
Overdrive Pedal: A Quick Guide To Stacking
There we have it; A simple guide to pedal chaining.
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