NAD - Finally!

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TTBZTTBZ Frets: 2873
edited August 2017 in Amps
After 10 years of having a Laney it was time for a change.. really I always wanted it to be a Marshall so I finally got one. Hot rodded 800 type tones are what I always go for so this Mini Jubilee is perfect I wasn't planning to get a combo but this came up at work for ridiculously cheap so I couldn't say no! This is a one-off - they made 3 combos in the 3 Astoria colours for a shop in Japan who never ended up buying them. Might be a bit marmite, personally I love it on this, maybe I wouldn't if it was a more 'classic' model.

http://i.imgur.com/I6Kem45.jpg

Currently not sure about the greenback but maybe it just needs time to break in. It just sounds a bit fizzy and raspy to me compared to how it sounds through a 1960. I have a G12H30 and V30 in my 2x12 which I'll try in it eventually. What have other owners found the best fit?

I've noticed a bit of tube rattle in this one (didn't hear or notice it in the others I've played), are those foam rings from Euro Tubes worth it or is there a cheaper fix?
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Comments

  • PlectrumPlectrum Frets: 494
    That looks really nice :) I'm sure the speaker will sound better once it's broken in. Which means you're going to have to play though it a lot :)
    One day I'm going to make a guitar out of butter to experience just how well it actually plays.
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  • photekphotek Frets: 1462
    Yeah stick with the greenback for a bit longer, mine is fattening up nicely after several loud hours. Sounds great with a V30, G12H30 and a creamback as well!

    Cool looking in that colour mate!
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  • TTBZTTBZ Frets: 2873
    I only get to play at band practice now so it might take a while! Thinking about wrapping it in blankets and leaving in the garage with a looper pedal playing through it at the weekend haha 
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  • chromatunachromatuna Frets: 366
    TTBZ said:
    I only get to play at band practice now so it might take a while! Thinking about wrapping it in blankets and leaving in the garage with a looper pedal playing through it at the weekend haha 
    I have done something similar with good results, I don't think you even need it to be that loud, just keep it moving for a fair number of hours. I used an MP3 player with a solid state PA ahead connected to the speaker so I didn't have to run the valves unnecessarily
    This is the truth from hillbilly guitars!
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  • impmannimpmann Frets: 12645
    TTBZ said:
    I only get to play at band practice now so it might take a while! Thinking about wrapping it in blankets and leaving in the garage with a looper pedal playing through it at the weekend haha 
    I have done something similar with good results, I don't think you even need it to be that loud, just keep it moving for a fair number of hours. I used an MP3 player with a solid state PA ahead connected to the speaker so I didn't have to run the valves unnecessarily
    Plus, if you turn the treble down and the bass up, the cone moves *more* and the sound doesn't carry so much.
    Never Ever Bloody Anything Ever.

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  • TTBZTTBZ Frets: 2873
    edited August 2017
    Had my first band practice with it tonight, it's possibly the best tone I've had, I daresay on par with the JMP 2104 - the extra gain and low end makes it more suitable for our stuff at least. Just really big and crunchy sounding but still clear and well defined. Head and shoulders above my old Laney, even the other guys noticed straight away how much punchier everything sounded. Cleans up better as well and my neck p90 sounded amazing for cleaner stuff - was considering swapping it for a humbucker to match the bridge but not sure if I can now!

    It does still sound a little fizzy by itself but that disappears in a mix and sounds massive. I didn't need the master above 7 and I was plenty loud enough with the greenback, and I wouldn't say we play quiet. Very happy  look forward to trying out some other speakers with it - Neo Creamback has my interest just for the weight tbh.
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  • TTBZTTBZ Frets: 2873
    Some more thoughts:

    - Not sure if the greenback is for me in a 1x12 combo. Always has that loose, boxy, raspy fizzy quality that would work for more old school raw rock tones but not for my tastes.

    - through my G12H30/V30 cab it sounds amazing. Not sure which of the two it is that's giving me that good tone - ideally I would find a single speaker that sounds like that pairing.

    - having a couple issues I need to get servicing to look at - the power light occasionally flickers and it gets pretty hot to the touch. Valves also get really hot but maybe this is normal.

    - turns out it wasn't valve rattle but a microphonic V1 valve - the valve can spring rattling must have been picked up. Annoyingly I left my RFT valve in my Laney when I sold it!
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  • TTBZ said:
    Some more thoughts:

    - Not sure if the greenback is for me in a 1x12 combo. Always has that loose, boxy, raspy fizzy quality that would work for more old school raw rock tones but not for my tastes.

    - through my G12H30/V30 cab it sounds amazing. Not sure which of the two it is that's giving me that good tone - ideally I would find a single speaker that sounds like that pairing. Try the Bad Cat proprietary speaker!

    - having a couple issues I need to get servicing to look at - the power light occasionally flickers and it gets pretty hot to the touch. Valves also get really hot but maybe this is normal.

    - turns out it wasn't valve rattle but a microphonic V1 valve - the valve can spring rattling must have been picked up. Annoyingly I left my RFT valve in my Laney when I sold it!

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  • TTBZTTBZ Frets: 2873
    edited August 2017
    ^isn't that only available via Bad Cat USA and in 8 ohm only? Ideally I'd get a 16 so I can use the combo speaker + 16 ohm cab output if I ever want to plug into an extension and use the combo as well - 16 ohm cabs seem to be more common than 8 (1960 is 16 or 4 in mono)!
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  • BeexterBeexter Frets: 597
    TTBZ said:
    Some more thoughts:

    - through my G12H30/V30 cab it sounds amazing. Not sure which of the two it is that's giving me that good tone - ideally I would find a single speaker that sounds like that pairing. 
    I reckon an Eminence Wizard is your answer. I think it's their take on the G12H. I use one in a 1x12 MJW cab and it has worked great with a variety of amps for both clean and gain tones. 
    It's bloomin loud too.
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  • photekphotek Frets: 1462
    edited August 2017
    I reckon the H30 if you are just using one speaker, they also need a whole lot of bedding in though.

    My power light has gone completely now chap, if you manage to sort yours out will you give a shout and let me know what you did to fix it please?
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71957
    TTBZ said:

    - through my G12H30/V30 cab it sounds amazing. Not sure which of the two it is that's giving me that good tone - ideally I would find a single speaker that sounds like that pairing.
    You will never get a single speaker to sound quite like a pair of non-matching ones, but try a Creamback G12H-75.

    It's closer to the G12H-30, but it's tighter at the bottom end and slightly darker at the top, like a V30 - and without the aggressive mid spike.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • TTBZTTBZ Frets: 2873
    edited August 2017
    Does your power switch get hot as well? I'll let you know if there's a fix!

    I've had my H30 for the best part of 10 years now so it should be nicely broken in!
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  • photekphotek Frets: 1462
    TTBZ said:
    Does your power switch get hot as well? I'll let you know if there's a fix!

    I've had my H30 for the best part of 10 years now so it should be nicely broken in!
    Mine does get hot yes. Thanks mate. Yeah that H30 is definitely worth a try then. I haven't tried the Jube with a Creamback 75 but I had a pair of them in a 2x12 and they were indeed very good speakers.
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  • TTBZTTBZ Frets: 2873
    edited September 2017
    @photek I spoke to servicing yesterday - he reckons it could just be a faulty switch so it's getting replaced - hopefully that'll solve it.

    Think I might just leave the greenback in now - the more I play this amp the more I love it. Sounds so good at band practice. 
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  • photekphotek Frets: 1462
    Cool, guess I will have to drop mine down to MK at some point. Do you think it is a while you wait job?
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  • TTBZ said:
    Think I might just leave the greenback in now - the more I play this amp the more I love it. Sounds so good at band practice. 

    That's what really matters - how it sounds in the band mix not how it sounds on its own at home.
    One day I'm going to make a guitar out of butter to experience just how well it actually plays.
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  • TTBZTTBZ Frets: 2873
    edited September 2017
    Not sure tbh, I'll ask for you when i go down tomorrow.

    @Plectrum indeed. Still surprised by how big it sounds for a little combo and I've not even needed the master all the way up yet. I'll probably end up using my 2x12 in conjunction with the combo speaker if we ever get gigging - set either side of the stage, should sound massive.
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  • TTBZ said:
    Had my first band practice with it tonight, it's possibly the best tone I've had, I daresay on par with the JMP 2104 - the extra gain and low end makes it more suitable for our stuff at least. Just really big and crunchy sounding but still clear and well defined. Head and shoulders above my old Laney, even the other guys noticed straight away how much punchier everything sounded. Cleans up better as well and my neck p90 sounded amazing for cleaner stuff - was considering swapping it for a humbucker to match the bridge but not sure if I can now!

    It does still sound a little fizzy by itself but that disappears in a mix and sounds massive. I didn't need the master above 7 and I was plenty loud enough with the greenback, and I wouldn't say we play quiet. Very happy  look forward to trying out some other speakers with it - Neo Creamback has my interest just for the weight tbh.
    My first porper amp was a marshall 2104, my favourite amp is the jcm800 2203, and thats what I play for years now.
    I'm super tempted by the mini jubilee.
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  • TTBZTTBZ Frets: 2873
    Definitely worth trying one out if you can. Preferably through your own cab up loud to give it the best chance of sounding good as to be fair with the master low it is a bit fizzy and maybe thats where some of the negative comments come from. Mines starting to sound better with the GB now it's had a bit longer to wear in.

    This is by no means an accurate comparison clip as it was recorded on my phone and I used different boosts but the first few clips are with the Jubilee boosted with a Soul Food, the last one is with the 2104 boosted with a ts9 clone. Might give you a rough idea though.

    Listen to MESMA rehearsal riffs by MESMA #np on #SoundCloud
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