Drive/boost into solid state help

SurfinSirFari

Placidcasual79 said:

SurfinSirFari said:

Placidcasual79 said:

SurfinSirFari said:

Reggae band here too, (well, mutant reggae), so the same criteria.
I use a Quilter Problock, because I don't like carrying stuff. I use the guitar's volume knob (cheaper than a boost pedal!) and a Mooer rat clone (Black Secret?) for those occasional noisy bits.
I've used a Katana 100 and a Tonemaster in rehearsal rooms, both can be fine for what you're after. The JC and Bandit too, though they weigh a bit.
(Digitech Freqout for fake feedback?) 

Hey @SurfinSirFari  - I'd love to hear some mutant reggae.... where do I go?

Hi! To be fair, our band is a bit new, just punting around to see if we can get some gigs!
We've just put a live-in-the-studio type vid on FB though, look for Echo Den from Bristol.
Cheers! 

Ah mate - I've just see the song you did at the studio - I am into it - I like your drummers voice - and the overall sound is really good, its clean and big. I can why you describe it as cinematic reggae, its got a steppers rhythm, but a big huge sound over the top.... I've give it a like and will look forward to hearing more (oh and your logo is cool too!)

Thank you, much appreciated! We'll be posting more soon. 

johnhe

My main gigging amp for several years has been a Fender Blues Deluxe reissue, modded into a head shell, with a separate 2x 10 cab. Before that, I played exclusively valve amps for the past 30 years. I definitely qualify as a valve-snob. But about 2 years ago, I bought a Tonemaster Deluxe - just to make carrying to and from rehearsals easier.

worst thing I ever did. Now my lovely valve amp is sitting unused. I’ve used the Tonemaster for every gig, recording session and rehearsal since. It’s stunningly light. My sore back/broken shoulder/tennis elbow thank me every time I lift it.

the odd thing is that I am actually preferring the sound of the Tonemaster in the majority of situations, if the BDRI sounded better, I would insist on using it for gigs, no mattter what the weight penalty.

Placidcasual79

johnhe said:

My main gigging amp for several years has been a Fender Blues Deluxe reissue, modded into a head shell, with a separate 2x 10 cab. Before that, I played exclusively valve amps for the past 30 years. I definitely qualify as a valve-snob. But about 2 years ago, I bought a Tonemaster Deluxe - just to make carrying to and from rehearsals easier.

worst thing I ever did. Now my lovely valve amp is sitting unused. I’ve used the Tonemaster for every gig, recording session and rehearsal since. It’s stunningly light. My sore back/broken shoulder/tennis elbow thank me every time I lift it.

the odd thing is that I am actually preferring the sound of the Tonemaster in the majority of situations, if the BDRI sounded better, I would insist on using it for gigs, no mattter what the weight penalty.

thats really interesting @johnhe - thank you for sharing that..... that sounds VERY appealing..... would you mind if I asked a couple of quick questions?

Can the Tonemaster Deluxe be DI's into the PA?
What sort of stuff do you use it for? Material wise I mean? I'd use it clean (with a bit of reverb) and then do anything else with pedals.....

(Edit - I should say to anyone reading this - I loved my BDRI - I gigged it for years - I looked after it and had is serviced - and it never broke down or let me down - it sounded great - I have honestly only ditched it because its too heavy for a fella with a bad back - and because I play reggae/ska - I am not a great player and cant claim I need that break up sound that tone purists crave - but the BDRI totally does in spades and is a great amp imho)

thanks  

ICBM

[Pedant alert] Why do people call the Blues Deluxe a "Reissue"? It isn't. It's a totally modern amp first made in the 1990s, not a reissue of anything. [/Pedant]

johnhe

ICBM said:

[Pedant alert] Why do people call the Blues Deluxe a "Reissue"? It isn't. It's a totally modern amp first made in the 1990s, not a reissue of anything. [/Pedant]

Mine is a reissue of the first Blues Deluxe. I’m not a expert on this, but I believe that mine has a different circuit board than the original 1990’s Blues Deluxe. As far as I’m aware there are some other small changes from the original amp - for example the addition of the bird adjust pot?

I distinctly remember when Fender reissued the Blues Deluxe series, so I’m pretty sure it in, in fact, a reissue.

in any case, BDRI is what everyone I know, and just about everyone on every amp forum globally, call them. So I’m not about to try to change it. Especially when I’m convinced it actually is a reissue.

EricTheWeary

ICBM said:

[Pedant alert] Why do people call the Blues Deluxe a "Reissue"? It isn't. It's a totally modern amp first made in the 1990s, not a reissue of anything. [/Pedant]

The word Reissue is part of the name that Fender gave to the current version isn’t it? Wether it’s daft or not is down to Fender and not anyone else who calls it that. 

johnhe

Placidcasual79 said:

johnhe said:

My main gigging amp for several years has been a Fender Blues Deluxe reissue, modded into a head shell, with a separate 2x 10 cab. Before that, I played exclusively valve amps for the past 30 years. I definitely qualify as a valve-snob. But about 2 years ago, I bought a Tonemaster Deluxe - just to make carrying to and from rehearsals easier.

worst thing I ever did. Now my lovely valve amp is sitting unused. I’ve used the Tonemaster for every gig, recording session and rehearsal since. It’s stunningly light. My sore back/broken shoulder/tennis elbow thank me every time I lift it.

the odd thing is that I am actually preferring the sound of the Tonemaster in the majority of situations, if the BDRI sounded better, I would insist on using it for gigs, no mattter what the weight penalty.

thats really interesting @johnhe - thank you for sharing that..... that sounds VERY appealing..... would you mind if I asked a couple of quick questions?

Can the Tonemaster Deluxe be DI's into the PA?
What sort of stuff do you use it for? Material wise I mean? I'd use it clean (with a bit of reverb) and then do anything else with pedals.....

(Edit - I should say to anyone reading this - I loved my BDRI - I gigged it for years - I looked after it and had is serviced - and it never broke down or let me down - it sounded great - I have honestly only ditched it because its too heavy for a fella with a bad back - and because I play reggae/ska - I am not a great player and cant claim I need that break up sound that tone purists crave - but the BDRI totally does in spades and is a great amp imho)

thanks  

Actually, the DI is one of the main appeals for me. I’ve totally stopped using a mic on the amp when playing live. I also use the DI for all my recording, because it’s just so convenient, and sounds really good.

i play blues and rock. I use the amp only for clean sounds. I then use an always-on overdrive pedal for all my sounds. My clean sounds are 100% obtained by rolling my guitars volume knob down. Having a great base clean tone is a key part of the tone for me.

Honestly, IMO the amp’s clean sounds are fantastic. I did wonder about buying a DRRI but I often play in churches at very low volumes, and IMO, the DRRI needs to be working at a decent volume to start sounding really good.

So for that reason, the variable output on the TMD is fantastic. In my experience, the fender amps sound excessively bright at very low volumes. But the mid range increases as you up the volume - the sound becomes much warmer, rounder and beefier. So the adjustable power output on the TMD allows you to run the amp right on the verge of overdrive - right at the magical 4/5 on the volume knob. At that kind of setting the “clean” sound might not be totally crystal clear. But it sounds excellent to me.

ICBM

johnhe said:

ICBM said:

[Pedant alert] Why do people call the Blues Deluxe a "Reissue"? It isn't. It's a totally modern amp first made in the 1990s, not a reissue of anything. [/Pedant]

Mine is a reissue of the first Blues Deluxe. I’m not a expert on this, but I believe that mine has a different circuit board than the original 1990’s Blues Deluxe. As far as I’m aware there are some other small changes from the original amp - for example the addition of the bird adjust pot?

I distinctly remember when Fender reissued the Blues Deluxe series, so I’m pretty sure it in, in fact, a reissue.

in any case, BDRI is what everyone I know, and just about everyone on every amp forum globally, call them. So I’m not about to try to change it. Especially when I’m convinced it actually is a reissue.

In which case every Hotrod Deluxe made after the first version is a "reissue" as well.

Bizarre.

Oh well.

Placidcasual79

ICBM said:

[Pedant alert] Why do people call the Blues Deluxe a "Reissue"? It isn't. It's a totally modern amp first made in the 1990s, not a reissue of anything. [/Pedant]

I have to confess that I am just repeating what it says in the paper work and advertising that came with mine - I really have no idea what actually qualifies it as a reissue other than thats what it says on the box and in the ads - that really is terrible isn't it!!!! I putting my ignorance on full display here lol 

Placidcasual79

EricTheWeary said:

Placidcasual79 said:

who was it @EricTheWeary? on the fateful night in December 79?
How old were you? I was born in September 79...
My first gig - and I know this isnt cool - was Ocean Colour Scene at the Tiv in Buckely - I think in would have been 1996 - I was 16 and me and my friend did acid for the first time before walking the twenty odd miles home as we couldn't get it together to get the bus lol 

My sister took me to see Thin Lizzy on my 15th birthday. Stafford Bingley Hall which was used for a lot of big gigs in those days but also as a livestock market so it was famously smelly. The NEC arena opened in 1980 so big gigs coming to the West Midlands started taking place there instead and by the mid 1980s there were no more concerts smelling of sheep poo. 

Last gig I saw before lockdown was Michael Ball and Alfie Boe ( my son works for a chain of venues and they sell off unsold tickets to staff for £5 ) so I need to see at least one other gig before I die so I’m not cremated to the sound of Phantom of the Opera. 

I guess Buckley is on the edge of Merseyside so it has decent catchment area for gigs. I’ve never seen OCS but I have seen Simon Fowler with his folk band as he turns up to Moseley folk festival. Oh, also seen Craddock play with The Specials - I watched him thinking ‘ I could do that.’

Ha ha - a venue that doubled as a livestock market?!?!?! lol... there is some deep irony there - given some of the newer purpose built town centre night-clubs....

Yeah - Buckley is half an hour from Liverpool, it was an established part of the touring circuit - the main room holds 1000... most bands would come through on their way up - saw some really good shows and some very average ones too - but I was of the view that it was worth watching something rather than nothing.... that was what got me through a Shawadaddywaddy (excuse spelling) show anyway!! We have the William Aston Hall - a bigger concert hall at the university in Wrexham as well - I saw one of my favourite bands there - the Super Furry Animals - the night Liverpool one the Champions League in Istanbul - such a strange gig - me and my mates watch the first half in the pub - though it was all over and went to watch the band - they kept going off stage throughout the show and providing the crowd with sore updates - it was a very strange and fun gig! Recently they have started doing shows at the local football stadium - the Racecourse (a stadium far grander than the team that plays there) - but I havent been to a show there yet - stadium gigs not really my bag so I skipped sterophoincs....

I like Steve Craddock as a guitar player - I think there is a lot of mod influences - early R & B in his playing etc.... I saw him with the specials - I think it was just Terry, Lynval and Horace - plus the long standing keyboard player..... I think they (sadly) really miss Mr Bradsbury who was an excellent drummer.... I quite liked what he was doing - he kept it simple....I know your into a broad range of stuff - I think I've seen you mention folk a few times? is that a passion of yours?  Not something ive ever really explored other than the newer Father John Misty, Weyes Blood stuff...  

EricTheWeary

Placidcasual79 said:

EricTheWeary said:

Placidcasual79 said:

who was it @EricTheWeary? on the fateful night in December 79?
How old were you? I was born in September 79...
My first gig - and I know this isnt cool - was Ocean Colour Scene at the Tiv in Buckely - I think in would have been 1996 - I was 16 and me and my friend did acid for the first time before walking the twenty odd miles home as we couldn't get it together to get the bus lol 

My sister took me to see Thin Lizzy on my 15th birthday. Stafford Bingley Hall which was used for a lot of big gigs in those days but also as a livestock market so it was famously smelly. The NEC arena opened in 1980 so big gigs coming to the West Midlands started taking place there instead and by the mid 1980s there were no more concerts smelling of sheep poo. 

Last gig I saw before lockdown was Michael Ball and Alfie Boe ( my son works for a chain of venues and they sell off unsold tickets to staff for £5 ) so I need to see at least one other gig before I die so I’m not cremated to the sound of Phantom of the Opera. 

I guess Buckley is on the edge of Merseyside so it has decent catchment area for gigs. I’ve never seen OCS but I have seen Simon Fowler with his folk band as he turns up to Moseley folk festival. Oh, also seen Craddock play with The Specials - I watched him thinking ‘ I could do that.’

Ha ha - a venue that doubled as a livestock market?!?!?! lol... there is some deep irony there - given some of the newer purpose built town centre night-clubs....

Yeah - Buckley is half an hour from Liverpool, it was an established part of the touring circuit - the main room holds 1000... most bands would come through on their way up - saw some really good shows and some very average ones too - but I was of the view that it was worth watching something rather than nothing.... that was what got me through a Shawadaddywaddy (excuse spelling) show anyway!! We have the William Aston Hall - a bigger concert hall at the university in Wrexham as well - I saw one of my favourite bands there - the Super Furry Animals - the night Liverpool one the Champions League in Istanbul - such a strange gig - me and my mates watch the first half in the pub - though it was all over and went to watch the band - they kept going off stage throughout the show and providing the crowd with sore updates - it was a very strange and fun gig! Recently they have started doing shows at the local football stadium - the Racecourse (a stadium far grander than the team that plays there) - but I havent been to a show there yet - stadium gigs not really my bag so I skipped sterophoincs....

I like Steve Craddock as a guitar player - I think there is a lot of mod influences - early R & B in his playing etc.... I saw him with the specials - I think it was just Terry, Lynval and Horace - plus the long standing keyboard player..... I think they (sadly) really miss Mr Bradsbury who was an excellent drummer.... I quite liked what he was doing - he kept it simple....I know your into a broad range of stuff - I think I've seen you mention folk a few times? is that a passion of yours?  Not something ive ever really explored other than the newer Father John Misty, Weyes Blood stuff...  

Yeh, Bradbury was great. Charlie from The Selecter drummed for one version of The Specials and they had the guy from The Libertines for a while, I’m not sure who they have now ( they are making another album).

I’ll see almost anything live, in Moseley they have a folk festival each year and a jazz one and it’s just a nice place to go and they have all sorts on. I was something of a blues obsessive for years and ska and reggae are part of that family tree so it all fits together ( in my head anyway).