Diezel VH4 Blueface revisions with pics, Peter can you help?

[EXPcustom]

Since I have owned two Bluefaces I noticed something so I wanted to share with you guys here especially the Adam Jones Tonez chasers like me.

Sometime in late 96 or early 97 Peter had made a revision to the VH4 Blueface and you can see it went from "Old script" to "New script". Look at Adam's Blueface and you can see it has the "Old script". Note no bright switch for channel 2.

What I do know is the Power transformers maybe different? On the back of my "old script" there is a switch to go from 110v to 220v. On the newer script and modern silverface the conversion has to be done by using a soldering iron.


Peter if you are reading this can you tell us what year was Adam Jones VH4 Blueface? Also when did you go from the Old script to Newer style script and was there anything else major about this revision. Is the later Blueface with the new script much more similar to the silverface?

Now for pics.

New script 97 blueface which now belongs to another member of this forum.

Note the back and serial numbers are done just like the silverface VH4.

Old script 95 this is number 25.

Note the back, serial and power outlet:

 

[MOOSEHEADS]

DAMIT I forgot to send you a pic but I see you still got it anyway
Still got dibs on yourn right

 

[MARK2C]

What a sight !!!

I can tell you that not long after the VH4 made it to the US the switchable voltage was removed.
At the time, you could buy a VH4 in Germany for about $1900 Marks which was half of what
the US distributor was selling them for in US dollars. Needless to say, almost had a Blue Face but
Salwender told a few lies about the power transformer. DAMN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Piero the Guitarero]

At the time, you could buy a VH4 in Germany for about $1900 Marks

never

even on the used market you coudn't grab one for that money.

here's the first test in a german magazine

 

[EXPcustom]

What a sight !!!

I can tell you that not long after the VH4 made it to the US the switchable voltage was removed.
At the time, you could buy a VH4 in Germany for about $1900 Marks which was half of what
the US distributor was selling them for in US dollars. Needless to say, almost had a Blue Face but
Salwender told a few lies about the power transformer. DAMN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Please explain, what kind of lies was he telling about the transformer?

 

[EXPcustom]

I also got to add: Peter you have to do a reissue in a small limited number because these original blueface VH4 amps are AMAZING not that the new VH4 is bad but the channel 3 gain on these are to die for.

 

[stefvorcide]

 

[MARK2C]

What a sight !!!

I can tell you that not long after the VH4 made it to the US the switchable voltage was removed.
At the time, you could buy a VH4 in Germany for about $1900 Marks which was half of what
the US distributor was selling them for in US dollars. Needless to say, almost had a Blue Face but
Salwender told a few lies about the power transformer. DAMN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Please explain, what kind of lies was he telling about the transformer?

That it was only a 230V unit when it could do 120V and 240V.

If my memory is bad from 13 years ago I apologize. If it was $4900 marks it was only about $ 2000 US at the time.
My uncle in Munich was going to pick it up and ship it to me, so there !!!!

 

[EXPcustom]

What a sight !!!

I can tell you that not long after the VH4 made it to the US the switchable voltage was removed.
At the time, you could buy a VH4 in Germany for about $1900 Marks which was half of what
the US distributor was selling them for in US dollars. Needless to say, almost had a Blue Face but
Salwender told a few lies about the power transformer. DAMN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Please explain, what kind of lies was he telling about the transformer?

That it was only a 230V unit when it could do 120V and 240V.

If my memory is bad from 13 years ago I apologize. If it was $4900 marks it was only about $ 2000 US at the time.
My uncle in Munich was going to pick it up and ship it to me, so there !!!!

Check out the one in the article from 94 it does not have a switch on the back like mine, so maybe some did have a 230v only unit?

 

[stephen sawall]

Interesting thread.....

 

[MOOSEHEADS]

I also got to add: Peter you have to do a reissue in a small limited number because these original blueface VH4 amps are AMAZING not that the new VH4 is bad but the channel 3 gain on these are to die for.

I don't think he would if he could (those exact parts are not available anymore)
But if he does sign me up for 2

 

[glassjaw7]

I also got to add: Peter you have to do a reissue in a small limited number because these original blueface VH4 amps are AMAZING not that the new VH4 is bad but the channel 3 gain on these are to die for.

How does the tone/sound differ from the blueface models to current? I LOVED the newer model VH4 I played.

 

[bronz79]

I also got to add: Peter you have to do a reissue in a small limited number because these original blueface VH4 amps are AMAZING not that the new VH4 is bad but the channel 3 gain on these are to die for.

How does the tone/sound differ from the blueface models to current? I LOVED the newer model VH4 I played.

Here you can read the differences between 2004 (maybe also 1996) VH4 and 2007+ models.

viewtopic.php?f=14&t=64992&start=0&hilit=Differences+between+04+Vh4

 

[Peter Diezel]

Adam has a 1995 blue face. I don´t remember when
we changed the script. The following first silver face
edition had the same circuit except the clean channel.

Mark2C is right. Uwe Salwender was asking to remove
the voltage selector. Also because of the 115 volt setting
they have a very high plate voltage in USA. I remember
we crashed some filter caps at the show in Austin. They had
125 volt on the mains.

 

[EXPcustom]

Thanks for the reply Peter, I edited the wiki on Adam Jones to show he has a 1995 Blueface, it was stated that he had used the Marshall and Diezel since 1994 which was incorrect.

I refrenced this thread.

 

[FourT6and2]

Adam's tone is definitely unique. I think his Marshall has more to do with it than the VH4, though. If you listen to any of the clips from the live show at JC Dobbs on Youtube, you can hear just how much his tone relies on the Marshall. You can get a similar sound with just a VH4 by cranking the master and running channel 2 really hot. It's beefy, mid-heavy and not over saturated with gain. Channel 3 would cover the stuff on Lateralus and 10,000 Days. But there's an eerie, spine-tingling character to the Aenima guitar sound that you just can't get without a cranked Marshall and Mesa Boogie. I don't think Aenima was recorded with a Diezel.

 

[EXPcustom]

Adam's tone is definitely unique. I think his Marshall has more to do with it than the VH4, though. If you listen to any of the clips from the live show at JC Dobbs on Youtube, you can hear just how much his tone relies on the Marshall. You can get a similar sound with just a VH4 by cranking the master and running channel 2 really hot. It's beefy, mid-heavy and not over saturated with gain. Channel 3 would cover the stuff on Lateralus and 10,000 Days. But there's an eerie, spine-tingling character to the Aenima guitar sound that you just can't get without a cranked Marshall and Mesa Boogie. I don't think Aenima was recorded with a Diezel.

It was used on Aenima he got it in late 95, You can hear it well on the song Jimmy from what I was told it may have not been used on all the songs but someone would have to ask the producer or Adam.

 

[stephen sawall]

According to a friend of Adams I had a conversation with Aenima and everything before it was only the Marshall and no other amps. I have come to believe this is the truth. But who knows ?

 

[EXPcustom]

That's pretty much what I heard from another person "in the know", claims the Diezel was not used on the record untill the first month of Aenima tour then another person who is pretty reliable said that it was used on a few songs on Aenima then it was later added to Adam's touring rig during the Aenima tour.

 

[stephen sawall]

One thing is for sure .... this stuff is a lot like figuring out how the great pyramid was built ....