Diezel VH4 Suggestions

[QueenCityGuitars]

I'm pretty happy with my '09 VH4S as is - loaded with 6550's and 12AX7B's. No issues whatsoever. I can't bring myself to think that a resistor could make things any better. After reading this thread, it once AGAIN made me think of one of my fave guitarist's/musician's/composer's CD title "Shut Up 'N Play Yer Guitar" (FZ, RIP)

Seriously, Diezel's rip - WTF is going on here??

V.

Ventura - The intent of my post was to get a feel from other VH4 owners about what they'd done to tweak the voicing of their amps more to their liking. I just want certain aspects of the amp to be more "me" by changing tubes and possibly a resistor. If I didn't like the amp, I would have just sold it and gotten something else (and I think I gave it plenty of compliments too). I do like my VH4, it's just the tubes had been changed from 6550s to EL34s and I wanted to change them back to what Diezel had originally put in it(per my initial VH4 Tubes post) as a baseline; a starting point. That led to this post and it just progressed and evolved. It's not a rip on Diezel amps at all.

Rest assured that I "shut up 'n' play my guitar" plenty...that's how I came to this conclusion (although I did get a good laugh from the quote). That being said, you don't think that Frank Zappa, or his protege Steve Vai, ever changed the tubes in their amps or tweaked their gear?

 

[MARK2C]

I'm pretty happy with my '09 VH4S as is - loaded with 6550's and 12AX7B's. No issues whatsoever. I can't bring myself to think that a resistor could make things any better. After reading this thread, it once AGAIN made me think of one of my fave guitarist's/musician's/composer's CD title "Shut Up 'N Play Yer Guitar" (FZ, RIP)

Seriously, Diezel's rip - WTF is going on here??

V.

Ventura - The intent of my post was to get a feel from other VH4 owners about what they'd done to tweak the voicing of their amps more to their liking. I just want certain aspects of the amp to be more "me" by changing tubes and possibly a resistor. If I didn't like the amp, I would have just sold it and gotten something else (and I think I gave it plenty of compliments too). I do like my VH4, it's just the tubes had been changed from 6550s to EL34s and I wanted to change them back to what Diezel had originally put in it(per my initial VH4 Tubes post) as a baseline; a starting point. That led to this post and it just progressed and evolved. It's not a rip on Diezel amps at all.

Rest assured that I "shut up 'n' play my guitar" plenty...that's how I came to this conclusion (although I did get a good laugh from the quote). That being said, you don't think that Frank Zappa, or his protege Steve Vai, ever changed the tubes in their amps or tweaked their gear?

E-Mail sent.

 

[MARK2C]

Modder's note. If you don't like the 100K or 470K, you will only be out of the 20 cents to replace the 47-68K that's in it now.
If you don't order from mouser or digikey etc, Radio Shack has a $ 5.49 Kit of .5W metal film's with the 100K to get you started.
I'm sure 95% would keep at least the 100K with 6550's.

One other thought, if you like 8 Stringers or play drop B tuning, leave your amp alone. You can try the 6550's though.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index ... Id=2062305

 

[Ventura]

I'm pretty happy with my '09 VH4S as is - loaded with 6550's and 12AX7B's. No issues whatsoever. I can't bring myself to think that a resistor could make things any better. After reading this thread, it once AGAIN made me think of one of my fave guitarist's/musician's/composer's CD title "Shut Up 'N Play Yer Guitar" (FZ, RIP)

Seriously, Diezel's rip - WTF is going on here??

V.

Ventura - The intent of my post was to get a feel from other VH4 owners about what they'd done to tweak the voicing of their amps more to their liking. I just want certain aspects of the amp to be more "me" by changing tubes and possibly a resistor. If I didn't like the amp, I would have just sold it and gotten something else (and I think I gave it plenty of compliments too). I do like my VH4, it's just the tubes had been changed from 6550s to EL34s and I wanted to change them back to what Diezel had originally put in it(per my initial VH4 Tubes post) as a baseline; a starting point. That led to this post and it just progressed and evolved. It's not a rip on Diezel amps at all.

Rest assured that I "shut up 'n' play my guitar" plenty...that's how I came to this conclusion (although I did get a good laugh from the quote). That being said, you don't think that Frank Zappa, or his protege Steve Vai, ever changed the tubes in their amps or tweaked their gear?

Oh MAN!!! I can't IMAGINE how much Frank musta tweaked his gear... I was going through a catalogue of some of his gear, and man, he had SO many tweaks - it was sick!! As his son Dweezil has often said when asked if "he plays a lot of dad's guitars and uses his dad's gear", Dweezil chuckled and said "he wouldn't know how to use half the mods on the guitars let alone the amps!!". So granted, ya, we tweak and mess around - it wasn't a slag to you whatsoever. I just find that the pursuit for tone online seems endless, and some of my best days playing are when the inet's down, my FX are stashed away, and I'm just alone - one with my guitar and my amp - and that whole "simple is awesome" concept comes to mind every time.

On a side note, a couple of Frank's main ax's actually had pickups placed underneath the 18th to 20th frets - under the fingerboard - totally incognito. I also saw a few of his Lesters with an additional 5th pot in the centre of the typical 4, along with about 3 micro toggles under the pick guard, and a few pre-amp (I'm guessing) and EQ slides along the backside of the guitar just up from the strap post. CRAZY!!

Anyway, tweak away man, I was just kinda chucklin' about how we sit here tapping away on the keys, and for the most part, the real music makers don't even spend time on the 'net - they'd rather be playing (of course, this is my distraction while at work - )

Namaste,
V.

 

[Mailman1971]

I tweak my VH4S sound with a clean overdrive in front....and other "goodies" in the chain!

Best amp out there!!

Experiment and find YOUR SOUND! That is all that matters!

Have fun Brother..........

Danno

 

[Ventura]

Related but not really, I'm in LOVE with the sound of my ax through my Big Muff Pi and EHX Cathedral Stereo Reverb... It's soooooooooooooooo smooth and silky, and juicy and rich. Crazy. Sounds so good to my ears.

Just my 2 cents, I guess I'm saying, I'm happy. Still learning all the dynamics of the 3 Eventides I recently picked up - those things are over the top for making amazing tonal and ambient changes... Pure sound, no suck - just awesome in front or in the loops.

Peace,
V.

 

[bronz79]

Related but not really, I'm in LOVE with the sound of my ax through my Big Muff Pi and EHX Cathedral Stereo Reverb... It's soooooooooooooooo smooth and silky, and juicy and rich. Crazy. Sounds so good to my ears.

Just my 2 cents, I guess I'm saying, I'm happy. Still learning all the dynamics of the 3 Eventides I recently picked up - those things are over the top for making amazing tonal and ambient changes... Pure sound, no suck - just awesome in front or in the loops.

Peace,
V.

Time/Mod/Pitch factor?

 

[Ventura]

Related but not really, I'm in LOVE with the sound of my ax through my Big Muff Pi and EHX Cathedral Stereo Reverb... It's soooooooooooooooo smooth and silky, and juicy and rich. Crazy. Sounds so good to my ears.

Just my 2 cents, I guess I'm saying, I'm happy. Still learning all the dynamics of the 3 Eventides I recently picked up - those things are over the top for making amazing tonal and ambient changes... Pure sound, no suck - just awesome in front or in the loops.

Peace,
V.

Time/Mod/Pitch factor?

You know it!!

V.

 

[DiezelDale]

So for a while now everybody has been saying how much better the post 2007 VH4 sounds over the pre 2007. Does the mod take the amp back to pre 2007 specs? It seems like a lot of folks have been complaining about this "sizzle" I have a 2005 model and it does not have any sizzle to it at all, nor have I ever lacked any clarity in my sound.I have had countless soundguys compliment my tone and tell me how much clarity there is, even with a good dose of gain being used. When I first bought the amp I really had to practice to get my chops up to par since there was no saturation to hide behind with the VH4, you can hear everything, including every mistake.

Ditto that, my 2005 sounds great with the original RUBY EL34B-STR tubes

 

[LightsOfSorrow86]

Modder's note. If you don't like the 100K or 470K, you will only be out of the 20 cents to replace the 47-68K that's in it now.
If you don't order from mouser or digikey etc, Radio Shack has a $ 5.49 Kit of .5W metal film's with the 100K to get you started.
I'm sure 95% would keep at least the 100K with 6550's.

One other thought, if you like 8 Stringers or play drop B tuning, leave your amp alone. You can try the 6550's though.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index ... Id=2062305

Man, there's a change we can talk about this mod? I have a "special" VH4 but I'd like to have more info. Let me know if you need my e-mail. Thanks

 

[Techdeth]

Man, there's a change we can talk about this mod? I have a "special" VH4 but I'd like to have more info. Let me know if you need my e-mail. Thanks

This message you commented to is 13 years . Just incase you get no response

 

[LightsOfSorrow86]

This message you commented to is 13 years . Just incase you get no response

I know man, but as I search for something, others do, so maybe the man is watching Thanks a lot.

 

[guitarobert]

Hello gentlemen, nice to be back in this thread again. Update from my side is I have since learned to love EL34s in my VH4. I hereby revoke my comment from 2010 regarding them. I’ll check in again in another 13 years.

 

[Techdeth]

Hello gentlemen, nice to be back in this thread again. Update from my side is I have since learned to love EL34s in my VH4. I hereby revoke my comment from 2010 regarding them. I’ll check in again in another 13 years.

Why you not hang out anymore?

 

[LightsOfSorrow86]

Hello gentlemen, nice to be back in this thread again. Update from my side is I have since learned to love EL34s in my VH4. I hereby revoke my comment from 2010 regarding them. I’ll check in again in another 13 years.

I know what you mean. I've ever used 6L6s on my amps, ever used rectos and Mark IVs so my sound was a little bit different, I received the amp with KT77s, almost dead. Changed them for 6L6s and biased at 35mA as Peter suggested me. After a while I wanted to try EL34s and I have to admit, they sound really good but they don't have the omph of a 6L6s and the clarity. So I came back with 6L6s but this time I biased the amp a little cooler, at 30/31 and it sounds even better now, less compressed, more tight. Try if you can you won't be disappointed. But take into accound that my amp even if it's a 2015 has old specs, don't know if it was a custom order but it's never been modded and has old values in it.

 

[Pain]

Though this is 13 years old, no one recommended the OP to get rid of the mixed drink of tubes first, get new ones he prefers, biased and then listen. This might cost more but getting the amp back to how it was designed would be ideal before changing it up. Because if you mod a Frankenstein of issues what happens when you eventually tube swap it out but did your mod, it's definitely not going to sound like what you've been hearing after the mod with rando tubes in it.

I'd return back to solid ground, then if the amps sound is still x or y, then mod it.

I did a Channel 4 mod (it was a new amp) to help tighten it for fast leads, it worked. Peter D has the capacitor to swap with pictures, easy and effective.