Jonesing for the Sheevs!!

[Ventura]

I think my first acquisition of 2012 is going to be a 20thA Shiva, or a regular Shiva.

Anyone who has one, can you please chime in - what are the sonic differences between the tubes being used in this amp (I know the default is KT88s, but what about 6L6 or EL34??). What am I looking for?? That metallic kerranging gnarl with burbling sustain for days. I'm trying to get a sense of the sound through clips and YT, but it's always a bitch knowing how they're mic'd and what's being lost in translation.

Thanks cats
Mojo

 

[just42dave]

I love mine both ways the kt88 have to be good not sovtek

 

[Ventura]

I love mine both ways the kt88 have to be good not sovtek

Both ways... Did you get a mod done to allow you to swap different powertube formats?

[note: nice Crowley avatar ]

 

[sinestro]

FWIW I would pickup the 20th. It can easily do everything the original did, and a little more.

 

[Ventura]

FWIW I would pickup the 20th. It can easily do everything the original did, and a little more.

As a completely satisfied (if not kinda 'blown away') owner of the 20thA-X, I'd have to agree. Just the KT88s make me kinda cringe, but hey, if the amp was voiced to have them in it, my guess is they wouldn't do it for any other reason than to kick all kinds of ass in the process

 

[sinestro]

Whatever they did to the redesign pretty much left the clean channel the same, but brought a lot more range to the higher gain sounds. Order it stock, live with it for a bit, and if you need some EL34's pop em in with a resistor change.

 

[Ventura]

Whatever they did to the redesign pretty much left the clean channel the same, but brought a lot more range to the higher gain sounds. Order it stock, live with it for a bit, and if you need some EL34's pop em in with a resistor change.

Yep. Not to mention, I've had some success with 88s in the right context and circuit. I'm hoping to get that Fortin'esque kerrang out of it - should there be such a possibility

 

[sinestro]

Heard a Fortin modded Marshall Vintage Modern that sounded a lot like the Shiva.....

 

[fishyfishfish]

Go with the 20th. I have had the regular Traffic green version as my main gigging and while it is good I would say that the 20th Shiva fills in all the gaps where the old Shiva is lacking (lot more gain, voicing options, better clean and kind of a "Plexi" voicing)
Also remember that the loop kind of sucks ass on the regular version unless you run a rack processor, and even then it is sub par for what the amp costs.
My .02

 

[Ventura]

20thA is now leading by a long shot

Hell, it'll match my 20thA-X, right?? So this makes it that much more sensible...

 

[se7en]

The 20th is the way to go. Try some good 88's or SED 6550's. Similar vibe to the 20th XTC, but more of a JCM800 meets Bogner Fish brown channel sound...focused and somewhat dryer, raw/abrasive in comparison to the older Shivas. 34's might smooth it out a bit, though for more of a singing midrange.

 

[Ventura]

The 20th is the way to go. Try some good 88's or SED 6550's. Similar vibe to the 20th XTC, but more of a JCM800 meets Bogner Fish brown channel sound...focused and somewhat dryer, raw/abrasive in comparison to the older Shivas. 34's might smooth it out a bit, though for more of a singing midrange.

Naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah, 'raw and abrasive' sounds like music to my ears

 

[se7en]

The 20th is the way to go. Try some good 88's or SED 6550's. Similar vibe to the 20th XTC, but more of a JCM800 meets Bogner Fish brown channel sound...focused and somewhat dryer, raw/abrasive in comparison to the older Shivas. 34's might smooth it out a bit, though for more of a singing midrange.

Naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah, 'raw and abrasive' sounds like music to my ears

What are you naaaaaaaaaaaaahing about?

 

[Ventura]

The 20th is the way to go. Try some good 88's or SED 6550's. Similar vibe to the 20th XTC, but more of a JCM800 meets Bogner Fish brown channel sound...focused and somewhat dryer, raw/abrasive in comparison to the older Shivas. 34's might smooth it out a bit, though for more of a singing midrange.

Naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah, 'raw and abrasive' sounds like music to my ears

What are you naaaaaaaaaaaaahing about?

Oh I think you know. I'm being a touch facetious as I kinda DIG raw and abrasive, in the right contexts of course.

 

[just42dave]

how much you talkin?? I have the white matching set
cab/head

 

[se7en]

Good deal on a 20th Shiva in the classifieds right now... viewtopic.php?f=6&t=107934

 

[RockStarNick]

I've owned a regular EL34 older Shiva. Silver back plate version. Amazing amp, but like the other said, very finicky loop.

I now own a 20th Anny Shiva, and modded mine to accept EL34s.

20th with KT88's: Glassier, stout cleans. Very punchy, not forgiving at all. Drier, harder sounding drive channel. Lots of kerrrrrrang. More aggressive.
20th with EL34's: Hazier, more vintage cleans. Less Glassy presence, but more upper mid chime. Drive channel becomes rounder; brings in the extreme lows and highs a bit, more vintage midrange focus.

To be honest, the 20th Anny Shiva, loaded with EL34s, sounds very, very, very, very similar to a standard one with EL34s. But now you have the options with the mode switch, midrange cut, and of course, fine tuning the bass with the excursion knob on the back.

 

[just42dave]

I had gotten 6550 that would bias within range and also had the kt88, all you do is clip the resistor if you want el34

 

[Ventura]

how much you talkin?? I have the white matching set
cab/head

What, you selling too??

Mo

 

[Ventura]

I've owned a regular EL34 older Shiva. Silver back plate version. Amazing amp, but like the other said, very finicky loop.

I now own a 20th Anny Shiva, and modded mine to accept EL34s.

20th with KT88's: Glassier, stout cleans. Very punchy, not forgiving at all. Drier, harder sounding drive channel. Lots of kerrrrrrang. More aggressive.
20th with EL34's: Hazier, more vintage cleans. Less Glassy presence, but more upper mid chime. Drive channel becomes rounder; brings in the extreme lows and highs a bit, more vintage midrange focus.

To be honest, the 20th Anny Shiva, loaded with EL34s, sounds very, very, very, very similar to a standard one with EL34s. But now you have the options with the mode switch, midrange cut, and of course, fine tuning the bass with the excursion knob on the back.

Sounds to me like I'll dig the KT88s best - I like the idea of drier and harder sounding... KERRRRAAAANG hell yeah!!!

All this Shiva talk...