NAD - Redplate RP50R

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  • lukedlblukedlb Frets: 488
    Chester said:
    lukedlb said:
    I'm getting very little time with my amps lately. However, the redplate continues to surprise me. I just tried the 40 watt bias selection and it sounds great. I tinkered with the overdrive channel and found some extra snarl with the front input selector. What's more I put the rear input selector into fat and it's really cooking.
    I still wonder how I could get a vintage marshall sound out of it as then it would be complete. Any suggestions?
    I can get close to a pushed Plexi growl with Drive 1 and 2 engaged on the Aurora 34. It's EL34 powered which helps the upper mids a bit, but if I wanted to get a more modded Marshall growl, I'd stick a Fulltone Fulldrive 3 in front of it. But nothing I have tried will replicate that buzzsaw upper mids growl of a Marshall on heat, excpet perhaps an EQ pedal in the loop to shape that style of response 

    And I agree that V30's are the right speaker combination for my Redplate - I believe Henry recommends the same option
    I tried a Kingsley Bard tremolo and an eq in the fx loop. The trem effect was much more exaggerated than in front of amp so I had to dial the blend down a lot. As a boost it sounded good. The eq produced interesting results but nothing close to a Marshall. I don’t have a miab so no luck testing that option. 
    Verdict: once again the redplate demonstrates it can live on its own without any extra pedals. The fx loop offers extra options with further sculpting of the pre amps or an adjustable boost. However, I imagine the amp’s controls could probably achieve similar results.  
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  • Lukedlb, do you still have the soundmaster and would you ever sell it? 
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  • lukedlblukedlb Frets: 488
    JayKay said:
    Lukedlb, do you still have the soundmaster and would you ever sell it? 
    Still have it and stay with me it shall. Sorry. Have you used one?
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  • lukedlblukedlb Frets: 488
    It’s been a few months of panic with the redplate. All the beauty and subtlety had disappeared however much I tried. The 2&4 pickup positions were muted. Ear screaming highs. What had I done? I moved it. I did leave it in a damp space. Perhaps the valves. Oh god, oh god, I killed the amp. 
    Maybe the new strings were the cause. I changed to regulars. Same problem. 

    Then I remembered:
    After getting the fretboard fixed on my white strat, I couldn’t stop playing it: so smooth, so responsive. My other cream strat sat unplayed at home. 
    I put new strings on the cream strat, plugged in to the Redplate and the amp came alive again. 

    I have never heard such a stark difference in interaction between two strats before on an amp. Both were built by a friend, the white one more late 60s, the cream early 60s: alnico v vs iii. 

    The white sings tings with my superlead and soundmaster; the cream sings with all. 

    So, a lesson to one and all: maybe amp disappointments aren’t simply down to the amp or to the guitar but rather their incompatibility. 

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  • lukedlblukedlb Frets: 488
    With the Redplate restored with its guitar partner, I have been recommended a speaker change to further expand the amp’s sonic range. The V30 does a great job. What would a evm 12l do? I’m going to try my goodmans audiom pg12 again. 
    any suggestions? I had considered a 15” but the fuss of making a new baffle has put me off. 
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  • JayKayJayKay Frets: 0
    lukedlb said:
    JayKay said:
    Lukedlb, do you still have the soundmaster and would you ever sell it? 
    Still have it and stay with me it shall. Sorry. Have you used one?
    Never used one, never actually seen one but would like one for my collection. John Kelly is my uncle and I am trying to collect one of each of the models that the family made over the years. Jay Kay, my username is my initials, with Kay being for Kelly. If you ever change your mind, please let me know. 
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  • lukedlblukedlb Frets: 488
    I've been trying hard to get a more Marshall type sound out of the Redplate and failing. I returned to my white strat, which sings on my Marshall type amps, worked as much as I could on the EQ and the Drive channel, and ended up pretty much failing, even doubting the amp.
    Today, I picked up the cream Strat again, and all the goodness of the Redplate came to life, once again proving that however much I tweak the pickups on the white to draw out the vocality of each PU setting, the cream guitar with its lower output is the right guitar for this amp. The blackface sounded wonderful, the tweed as rough and warm and throaty as Keith Richards. the mid boost brought out the on the edge of breakup on both channels, but the drive channel still proved problematic. 
    My idea of drive is the classic vintage non-master amp sound of a marshall plexi: throaty, spiky and slim rather than thick or thin. The best I was getting out of the drive channel was 'a little bit extra drive on top' of the clean, much what the mid boost was doing. Otherwise, it just came out way too driven however much I moved the Gain and drive around.

    Then there was a eureka moment.

    I assumed the Gain and Drive and Level was an act of balance. I always ended up having the Gain and Drive more or less matched, with the level adjusted to unity. So I experimented:
    Gain and Drive at minimum, Level at maximum to reach unity: it sounded more or less like the original signal.
    Instead, I pushed Gain to 10 maximum, Drive at 2 minimum, and Level at 9 to reach just over unity and my, did it sound great. I pulled out the drive pot to use the extra drive but it started getting creamy and mushy, not my idea of drive. For me, overdrive is open but driven, the vintage marshall driven but not pushed into high gain.
    I had mistakenly considered the Gain pot as how much input signal before it is is driven. Instead, the Gain alone produces the overdrive I like, the Drive pot provides the creamy saturation that I'm not crazy about. Drive set below 2 cancels the channel, so it's necessary to give some volume and add a touch of smoke. It's the Gain and the Level that are important for the likes of me. I guess if you're more into modern players, whether it's larry Carlton or your metalheads, then the Drive is necessary. I thought Gain would provide saturation whereas it's the Drive.
    Any other Redplate owners with a similar drive circuit should give my setting a whirl. Incredible.
    I didn't try Gain at minimum and Drive at max, but I assume it won't be to my liking.
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  • hywelghywelg Frets: 4302
    What you need to remember is that gain, drive and level are just three pots that dump signal on the way into v2a , between v2a and v2b, and then after v2b and before the PI. 

    Each triode will overdrive quite a lot if you max the pot prior. Indeed also the main clean volume and tone shaping also has an influence on how much v2a will break up. 


    I always liked a 5751 in v2 for a lower gain, but I still reckon the better Marshall sounds will be had from the clean channel with a good Amp In A Box pedal. I love my three Menatone pedals for exactly that job (JTM, JCM800 and hot rodded plexi)

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  • lukedlblukedlb Frets: 488
    hywelg said:
    What you need to remember is that gain, drive and level are just three pots that dump signal on the way into v2a , between v2a and v2b, and then after v2b and before the PI. 

    Each triode will overdrive quite a lot if you max the pot prior. Indeed also the main clean volume and tone shaping also has an influence on how much v2a will break up. 


    I always liked a 5751 in v2 for a lower gain, but I still reckon the better Marshall sounds will be had from the clean channel with a good Amp In A Box pedal. I love my three Menatone pedals for exactly that job (JTM, JCM800 and hot rodded plexi)

    Ok, so the Gain is like when I hit a clean amp with a boost pedal, The Drive is like increasing the signal inside the pre amp, and the level is what moderates the output of the preamp before the PI and power section.
    In other words, Gain = Pushed/Driven amp, Drive = Distortion, Level = Pre output.
    Can I swap a 5751 for a AY7? Similar gain (70%), no? 
    Would an EQ section specifically for the drive channel have been helpful? Reducing the bass while maintaining the mids and highs. I wonder whether, as suggested by another member, an EQ in the FX loop might help.

    Regarding pedals, this amp is particular. Other than modulation, pedals are a little superfluous and really don't have the impact here that I find with other amps. The tweed and blackface are exceptional. I use a compressor or a Klone with my other amps for a clean, whereas there is no audible tonal difference with the Redplate. The quality and quantity of available tonal options makes other tone pedals a little redundant. Reverb is already included. I never use echo. Tremolo and leslie sound great. Fuzz is more compressed and manageable with the master control than my other non-master amps that have huge headroom. This could also be down to the 1x12 V30.

    I can get elements of Hendrix, but this is much more suited to an all round SRV amp, from first to last album, at least the way I play it. And all through that little foot pedal.


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  • hywelghywelg Frets: 4302
    No the Ay7 is in the loop or the Reverb section IIRC. My analogy above was assuming  v2 was the o/d section. I'll have a look at my Blackverb schematic later and confirm. 
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  • hywelghywelg Frets: 4302
    The models of dumble that have an additional equipment section for the o/d stage are called HRM. Most Redplate don't utilise that in their layouts I think. 

    Because the Redplates mostly have a proper buffered loop you could always stick an eq pedal like the Source Audio programmable one in there. 
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  • lukedlblukedlb Frets: 488
    hywelg said:
    No the Ay7 is in the loop or the Reverb section IIRC. My analogy above was assuming  v2 was the o/d section. I'll have a look at my Blackverb schematic later and confirm. 
    I meant that I have some spare NOS AY7s that I swapped with an AX7 in another amp to good effect.
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  • lukedlblukedlb Frets: 488

    hywelg said:
    No the Ay7 is in the loop or the Reverb section IIRC. My analogy above was assuming  v2 was the o/d section. I'll have a look at my Blackverb schematic later and confirm. 
    Didn't you use to have a Redplate? I remember your name in regards to them when I was researching mine.
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  • hywelghywelg Frets: 4302
    Yep @firepaulmusic has it now and I believe has it up for sale.
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  • lukedlblukedlb Frets: 488
    The Eureka moment regarding the drive circuit on the amp continues:
    With the Gain still almost dimed, I decided, for a laugh, to increase the Drive. I pulled out the pot for the extra girth. Crazy pick sensitive drive, too much for me so I reduced the volume on the guitar.
    Rolled back to 8, I recovered the original drive I had had with only the Gain dimed without any tone loss. As I rolled up the volume I had full control over all the stages of extra drive and sustain and feedback, all with the amp's Master Volume barely on.
    I do the same with Fuzz, volume rolled down to clean and increased for fuzz madness. I usually just play the amp on the edge of breakup, which is probably why I've always suffered tone loss when rolling back the guitar volume. I usually play to just above bedroom levels; perhaps this issue isn't relevant once the master volume is open. Perhaps it's time to try out the amp at a rehearsal room.
    In conclusion, the drive circuit has opened up more options than I expected. This amp continues to surprise me.
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  • lukedlb said:
    The Eureka moment regarding the drive circuit on the amp continues:
    With the Gain still almost dimed, I decided, for a laugh, to increase the Drive. I pulled out the pot for the extra girth. Crazy pick sensitive drive, too much for me so I reduced the volume on the guitar.
    Rolled back to 8, I recovered the original drive I had had with only the Gain dimed without any tone loss. As I rolled up the volume I had full control over all the stages of extra drive and sustain and feedback, all with the amp's Master Volume barely on.
    I do the same with Fuzz, volume rolled down to clean and increased for fuzz madness. I usually just play the amp on the edge of breakup, which is probably why I've always suffered tone loss when rolling back the guitar volume. I usually play to just above bedroom levels; perhaps this issue isn't relevant once the master volume is open. Perhaps it's time to try out the amp at a rehearsal room.
    In conclusion, the drive circuit has opened up more options than I expected. This amp continues to surprise me.
    When I first had my Redplate Blackverb I was very unimpressed at bedroom levels. These amps really have to work a bit to come to life. You can look forward to a very rewarding amp once you get the wick up a bit...
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  • lukedlblukedlb Frets: 488
    It took a while and I’ve finally mounted a 15” baffle inside the zilla fat boy cab with a 15” peavey black widow inside. What a huge difference. 
    The bf tone is now super sensitive to any eq adjustments. Everything is defined and does reveal any mistakes, whereas the v30 helped smooth them over. Once I get back up to my standard after a 9 month break, I’ll get to know the amp all over again. 
    I’ll get some photos up soon. 
    A quick word on the pedal I’m now using:
    the double trouble from honey bee amps. 
    100% SRV. 
    A match made in heaven. 
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  • lukedlblukedlb Frets: 488
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  • jaymenonjaymenon Frets: 804
    Right - I'm keeping my BlackVerb.
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  • lukedlblukedlb Frets: 488
    wjaymenon said:
    Right - I'm keeping my BlackVerb.
    Wise words
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