Can we talk amp modding?

[blumuz123]

Isn,t that what Bruce did for years, modify pro name player's amps etc. His mods were a big part of the reason they sounded so good.
He would not have the rep he has today if it were not so.

mmmmmmm........... I wonder how he feels about modding amps

Yep, that's correct. I think modding stuff to taste is great and SHOULD be done, if that's what the user wants; just still can't understand why someone would buy an amp and have it modded out to the point where the only thing that's original are the chassis and the knobs. I mean, unless you want to conceal what you are really playing, I don't see the point of doing this and not just buying closer to the original amp of what the amp was modded into.

One reason is, I have $1150.00 total into my Vox AC30CC (bought it used) and it sounds as close as possible to a 63/64 AC30 that sell for $3900.00

I keep suggesting Egnater to come out with a GC Egnater Vox sounding amp.........maybe one day
that I would buy in a second.

 

[Jeff Hilligan]

Bruce came up with the modular idea because we were tired of modding amps. We did the TOL and were told it would be the end all amp. Well everyone wanted it modifed to do this or that and well now its just a small module and with very little time to get the module just the way the customer wants it.

 

[jmgman69]

Bruce came up with the modular idea because we were tired of modding amps. We did the TOL and were told it would be the end all amp. Well everyone wanted it modifed to do this or that and well now its just a small module and with very little time to get the module just the way the customer wants it.

BRILLANT!!!!!!!I'm in Got another mod for you to do Jeff

 

[Len Rabinowitz]

It's hard to know where that continuum begins or ends for any one person. For me, maybe it is "Is it undoable?" and "Is it designed to do that?" Tube amps are clearly designed for tube swaps as long as the bias is correct. Changing the internal wiring is beyond what I am willing to do, if for no other reason than that it probably makes it harder to sell if I ever wanted to do that. I also wonder about input vs output so to speak. Are you spending a lot of money and a lot of time and effort for minor improvements? That will vary based on the judgement of the individual of course.

It's all good, though!

 

[aeroic]

It's hard to know where that continuum begins or ends for any one person. For me, maybe it is "Is it undoable?" and "Is it designed to do that?" Tube amps are clearly designed for tube swaps as long as the bias is correct. Changing the internal wiring is beyond what I am willing to do, if for no other reason than that it probably makes it harder to sell if I ever wanted to do that. I also wonder about input vs output so to speak. Are you spending a lot of money and a lot of time and effort for minor improvements? That will vary based on the judgement of the individual of course.

It's all good, though!

That's not always true. As an example, Voodoo Amps modded stuff generally makes the amp increase in value. I've never had any issue selling any amp modded by Trace. I know a lot of Bruce modded stuff gets good $$$ on eBay too.

Eric

 

[Len Rabinowitz]

I guess if it goes to an educated audience- knows the amp, knows the mods, and knows the modifier- then it can work. It's not really something I am that familiar with.

You guys must have seen the article about Randall Smith in the new GW. How'd he get started? Modding amps. So it can be an outlet for real creativity and innovation.

This kind of thing is going on all over the economy- hybridization, modding, much more focus individual needs, etc... Look at bicycles. Trail bikes, road bikes, hybrids, street bikes, etc... Motorcycle guys mod all of the time, and car and boat guys.

I'm a teacher. Just showed a movie in class today about people modding their Prius's.

At 52, I am probably older then most people on this board. I remember 30-40 years ago- There was just so much less variety then today, and the quality today is so much better. In a way it made more sense to mod then.

Still, the limitations of the equipment back then kind of forced more out of you- and maybe that had some advantages? Maybe it is too easy to sound good these days? Maybe equipment that wasn't as good would force us to be better?

Are we too focused on equipment these days? Maybe. It's easy- The equipment is so good and so powerful. What would we have thought of an Egnater 40 years ago? I think we have flipped, not decided it was good but it needed a new transformer.

I'm rambling. Food for thought!

 

[blumuz123]

Egnaters vox module inspired me.

Its just so much fun taking my Vox AC30 CC and trying to get it as close as possible to the original vintage ones. And hearing that tone realized as you go. Somehow you feel like you are capturing an era of feel good( feel great music and sound). I am now working on adding an EF86 tube retrofit in addition to my Vox's normal and top boost channels. Another total dimension in tone.
(Hey, ive never heard anyone talk about that tube on this forum)

Some of my friends (same age as me 50 -52)are enjoying rebuilding their vintage cars ie mustang, chevelle. I never did the car thing though I enjoyed them.
I didnt realize it, but I am doing the same but with my vox AC30CC. And at 1/4 the cost of a vintage Vox
or a vintage car.... for that matter

 

[Len Rabinowitz]

Had an interesting experience watching the Concert for Bangladesh from 1971. Great musicians- Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Leon Russell, Eric Clapton and more.

The equipment used is so primitive looking!

Can you imagine anyone miking an acoustic guitar in Madison Square Garden today?

No footpedals, except for maybe a wah and a fuzz box.

Gibson, Fender, and Martin. That's it. No PRS, Jackson, Warmoth, Charvel, Dean, etc...

The sound quality does leave something to be desired- but the music was good!

That's kind of the quandary I am talking about. Crappy equipment and we got those guys. Modern equipment... and we still listen to those guys. Is there a young Bob Dylan out there? I don't know.

I'll ask it again: Have we made it so easy to sound good that we have de-emphasized being good?

I have heard some people complain about tuning machines- It's so easy to tune automatically that people are losing the ability to tune by ear, and that the music has lost a little of the richness that is produced by slight out of tune-ness. Don't know about that one.