MrDowntown
Well-known member
I got my Origin 78 with clear bobbin and larger hex poles. Slapped it in my evh wolfgang .
RedPlated
Well-known member
All great points.
So far I've preferred running without channels jumpered. I usually run volume at 7-8 on bright channel. I actually did add a 22uf cap to the v2 cathode. I installed it on a switch in the extra speaker jack hole. It's pretty stealth, no extra holes drilled. Otherwise the amp is 100% factory. Can't remember if I had the fat cap engaged or not on that last clip but I don't think so.
My factory mid pot is on the high side and measures 30k. I don't get any of the treble "crash" with all knobs on 10. I think the mid pot is just enough resistance to prevent that.
I have a couple Duncan 78's. They are good but I don't love them so far in the guitars I've had them in. I also have a Motor City Black Belt 2nd degree that I really want to try in the Charvel. It's such a clear, articulate pickup with tons of punch for an 8k wind. Bright though.
Here’s a shot of the 69’ in the clip. And the switch for the 22uf v2 cathode cap. I love these jack switches. I’ve been using them on several of my amps. I’ve made them for super leads and 800’s. Saves drilling extra holes.
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Briman24
Well-known member
Michael does awesome VH tone mods.
RedPlated
Well-known member
I put the MCP 2nd degree black belt in the Charvel and made another clip. Same settings otherwise. I double checked and the 22uf fat cap is on in last two recordings.
I can definitely hear the A5 mag in the MCP vs the A2 in the Frankenstein. A2 is probably the way to go for accuracy.
I can definitely hear the A5 mag in the MCP vs the A2 in the Frankenstein. A2 is probably the way to go for accuracy.
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Kapo_Polenton
Well-known member
You know, I often wonder about whether or not they just did the tonestack lift on those old Marshalls to get that extra grind. Everything on 10 anyway, why not? Found an old clip of my 1987x with the tonestack lift. I need to get that thing back up and running. Love that grind and aggressive sound. Just random quick noodle but the tone popped out at me when listening to this old clip. Now add variac and maybe EQ boost. Plenty of gain for lead work. If memory serves me correctly, this was either a JB or 36 anniversary PAF bridge. (leaning towards PAF)
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harddriver
Well-known member
I'm not jumping channels, whether or not you jump channels the VII channel still affects the VI channel when using Channel I, Years ago on the Metro EVH section Robin L shared that Ed ran his Plexi's/Superleads that way for the 78 tour . When you run the VII channel on 2-3 it adds smidge of gain. Try it at zero then turn it up and see what you hear/feel, I think it adds something.
Does you amp have a .68uf mustard cap on V2A? 22uf on V2a is a great choice versus the Suhr/Friedman spec of 330uf which can get wooly and woofy, it does pass more gain though...
Years ago Mike Soldano stated that Ed's favorite Super Bass had a 25uf cathode cap on V2A for extra gain, that was how I built my 69 Super Bass, it was cool but I converted to SL when I sold it. In my 69 I was running a single .68uf on V2A but I do run a .68uf and 25uf in parallel on my Eds spec 68.
I like the sound of the MCP BB with the A5 but it has more of a Diver Down feel to it, curious to hear how the standard SD59 sounds by comparison. I think you will find the A-2 magnet is just chewier when you dig into it. You are well on your way to 1984 tone.
I hear more detune in you clip as well, yo must have cranked up the wet channels. BTW that's a darn clean 69!!!!!
I am assuming it still has both original Dagnal power and C1998 output transformers?
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jabps
Well-known member
I think that as well, as I believe he was running the Boss DC 30 rack chorus during the era before the detune stuff.
RedPlated
Well-known member
I'm not jumping channels, whether or not you jump channels the VII channel still affects the VI channel when using Channel I, Years ago on the Metro EVH section Robin L shared that Ed ran his Plexi's/Superleads that way for the 78 tour . When you run the VII channel on 2-3 it adds smidge of gain. Try it at zero then turn it up and see what you hear/feel, I think it adds something.
Does you amp have a .68uf mustard cap on V2A? 22uf on V2a is a great choice versus the Suhr/Friedman spec of 330uf which can get wooly and woofy, it does pass more gain though...
Years ago Mike Soldano stated that Ed's favorite Super Bass had a 25uf cathode cap on V2A for extra gain, that was how I built my 69 Super Bass, it was cool but I converted to SL when I sold it. In my 69 I was running a single .68uf on V2A but I do run a .68uf and 25uf in parallel on my Eds spec 68.
I like the sound of the MCP BB with the A5 but it has more of a Diver Down feel to it, curious to hear how the standard SD59 sounds by comparison. I think you will find the A-2 magnet is just chewier when you dig into it. You are well on your way to 1984 tone.
I hear more detune in you clip as well, yo must have cranked up the wet channels. BTW that's a darn clean 69!!!!!
I am assuming it still has both original Dagnal power and C1998 output transformers?
Yes, I agree with that. I have experimented with adjusting the channel II volume when straight in to bright channel. I think I hear a difference but I'm not 100% sure. I run mine from 4-6.
I do have a .68 mustard on v2. With the 22uf in parallel on the switch in the speaker jack. I actually run this combo on a lot several of my amps. The 22uf sounds really great. I leave it on most the time. Having the flexibility of adding or removing the cap is great for brighter or darker guitars as well. I also use Sprague 25uf's sometimes. For some reason those ones feel tighter than the 22uf. It's weird but definitely does. Great for more modern tones.
The BB is a killer, killer pickup. But definitely tighter than the Frankie, which in this scenario is counter-productive. Looking forward to the 59 for sure. I'll test it in both A5 and A2 configurations.
Yes, more detune!
Transformers are original to the amp. Power transformer is standup on this one.
Here’s a gut shot of the amp. When I bought the amp, it had a MV installed and was missing the .68 on v2 and 500pf peaker on 470k input resistor to second stage. Had some cheap aftermarket PI caps. Also the channels were tied together internally. I reversed it all and it’s back to all stock, other than the 22uf cap on v2. Luckily no one ever permanently modded the amp or drilled holes etc... I have a Lemco 4700 bright cap on volume I.
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Rdodson
Well-known member
Look at that pickup!! This was posted on FB in the Charvel group.
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harddriver
Well-known member
That chassis is super clean as well as the circuit board.
Here's a pic of the 69 build board after I converted it from SB to SL. The RS mica caps on the 470K mixer resistor really made alot of difference compared to running a ceramic, I installed another Cornell Dublier NOS mica cap on the SB bright 470K mixer and it sounded like the RS. The ceramics can get harsh over the years. I was running a Mallory NOS 5000pf bright cap they sound identical to the Lemcos. I had the inputs wired so that I still had the bright SB channel using the lower bright channel jack so the amp was technically a SB and SL depending on what jack you were plugged into.
Here's a pic of the 69 build board after I converted it from SB to SL. The RS mica caps on the 470K mixer resistor really made alot of difference compared to running a ceramic, I installed another Cornell Dublier NOS mica cap on the SB bright 470K mixer and it sounded like the RS. The ceramics can get harsh over the years. I was running a Mallory NOS 5000pf bright cap they sound identical to the Lemcos. I had the inputs wired so that I still had the bright SB channel using the lower bright channel jack so the amp was technically a SB and SL depending on what jack you were plugged into.Attachments
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RedPlated
Well-known member
The Duncan 59 came in yesterday. I installed it today and tested it with both the factory A5 and an A2 mag. I also did a clip with the Black Belt 2nd degree before I swapped it out for the 59.
The following clips are all the exact same settings, volumes, iPhone camera placement etc... All done today. The last clip I did several hours after the first two but nothing changed.
I’ll attach them in order. Stock Black Belt 2nd degree, stock Duncan 59b with Alnico 5 and Duncan 59b with Alnico 2.
The 59 is a fantastic pickup. I prefer it over the Black Belt, oddly enough. At $79 you can’t beat it. The harmonics are better and it seems to have slightly more output even though it’s only 7.9k.
Really liking the 59 w/A2.
The following clips are all the exact same settings, volumes, iPhone camera placement etc... All done today. The last clip I did several hours after the first two but nothing changed.
I’ll attach them in order. Stock Black Belt 2nd degree, stock Duncan 59b with Alnico 5 and Duncan 59b with Alnico 2.
The 59 is a fantastic pickup. I prefer it over the Black Belt, oddly enough. At $79 you can’t beat it. The harmonics are better and it seems to have slightly more output even though it’s only 7.9k.
Really liking the 59 w/A2.
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SpiderWars
Well-known member
Doesn't that second mixer cap serve as a bleed to ground (or rather 'towards' ground thru the other pot's wiper-to-ground resistance)? With it setup like that, the unused volume control should have way more effect than stock. Your clips sound great so whatever the case, it's working. Just trying to make sense of it since I know I tried that years (decades) ago and didn't like it as much as stock.That chassis is super clean as well as the circuit board.
You are so right about that mixer cap type making a huge difference in the character of the high end. Those dogbones in RedPlated's sound different than those micas in yours even if they were the same value.
PDC
Well-known member
Red Plated - fantastic videos. Great tone. Really nice playing. And I love a simple mic in the room to hear what the gear is really doing. Give me pro tools and I can make just about anything sound way different than it does in the room. I could not agree more about the simple and often overlooked Duncan 59. Another real winner in the Duncan Line-up is The Whole Lotta Humbucker. I personally lean towards the A5, but I have found the Rough Cast, Unoriented version (RCUOA5) sounds closer to the A2 and just seems to add a bit of punch. The polished / oriented version has brighter highs, bigger lows and a more pronounced mid-scoop. None of which is necessarily bad and could easily compliment a specific guitar. But to my ear - if you like an A2, you will likely love an RCUOA5. Again, really dig your videos.
RedPlated
Well-known member
Wow I never thought about it that way but your 100% right. That control does affect the mixer resistor to ground. It’s just two resistors in series at that point.
I asked Dave Friedman, he said it does affect the total resistance of that mixer resistor, and best to leave volume 2 on zero when using bright channel only.
Thanks so much, I appreciate it.
I have a ton of mags here. I think I actually have a rough cast UOA5. Maybe I’ll try that one as well. I’m really having fun with the 59A2 currently. Great feel, a little spongy but still tight. A lot of fun. Probably my favorite Duncan so far in my Charvel.
I have the whole lotta humbucker neck in one of my Les Pauls. Those are great too!
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harddriver
Well-known member
My 68 Ed spec amp is input jacks and 470K mixer resistors are wired 100% stock Marshall. It was the 69 that I added the bypass cap on the SB 470K mixer resistor.
Both 470K mixer resistors were independent for each channel and each cap was a bypass cap for each 470K for the SB bright channel and the SL channel. You may be thinking of the JCM800 layout where they used the 470K/470K 500pf cap as a voltage divider where the unbypassed 470K does indeed go to ground bleeding some signal off to ground. I did not notice any issues running the bypass caps on those 470K mixer resistors, both channels worked fine.
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harddriver
Well-known member
Wow, the SD 59 was really good sounding but the 59 with the A-2 is definitely the sound for 1984 tone both had great clarity and that nice jangly PAF clank. I'm actually quite impressed with the tones you are getting with the 59A-2 but I'm not too surprised since I really love my SD78 model.
When compared to the BB that I always thought was a great pickup it almost sounds a bit congested when compared directly to the SD59. I don't think I 've ever heard the BB to be congested so that was surprising for me to hear that.
That's awesome that the SD59 is getting you closer to your goal of 1984 tone.
When compared to the BB that I always thought was a great pickup it almost sounds a bit congested when compared directly to the SD59. I don't think I 've ever heard the BB to be congested so that was surprising for me to hear that.
That's awesome that the SD59 is getting you closer to your goal of 1984 tone.
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harddriver
Well-known member
My 72 Marshall was still running the stock small diameter ceramic 500pf caps in the 470K mixer and tonestack caps and that amp was always kind of shrill in the highs compared to my 68 plexi that is running Lemco micas in both positions. After my findings in my 69 where I was running an RS mica in the tonestack but a modern ceramic 560pf cap that amp was more harsh in comparison to my 68 so I took out the ceramic disc cap and added the second RS 560pf and bammo the amp sounded as sweet as my 68. I was shocked that the ceramic mixer bypass cap could affect the tone so much.
After those findings I removed the old stock ceramics caps and replaced both the mixer and tonestack caps with NOS Cornell Dublier silver micas and I got the same positive results on my 72 SL. The 72 sounds more in line with my 68's tone where it used to be kind of ratty on the high end for years but it was stock and I didn't want to mess with it. I read some article where noting alot of ceramic caps in Fender amps tend to leak DC due to aging and contributes to a harsh and ratty tone. I general ceramic cap can impart more aggressive attributes like Camron using them in certain spots in his amps.
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harddriver
Well-known member
Are you still running the Siemens/RFT's EL34's in the latest clips? Out of curiosity what preamp tubes are you running in there?
RedPlated
Well-known member
Yes still the RFT’s. I really need to re-bias the amp at 90v. I’ve been running the amp at 98v in these clips but the tubes are at around 32ma @ 117v. So the bias is a bit low. However, it sounds great. 98v sounds much, much closer in tone to the album than 117. Really adds the sag.
For preamps I have a Jan Philips 12ax7 in v1 and Chinese in v2 and v3. Can’t remember but I believe they are 8th gen square getters. They really give the amp the drive.
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harddriver
Well-known member
I think my 68 plexi is biased hot at 40-45ma(as Dave Friedman explained) at 85-90 volts on the variac and 390-400 VDC on the plates. The tone will get browner and saggier as you approach 90 volts. I have experimented with voltages as low a 70-80 volts and it gets quite interesting... like WACF interesting. I found I am quite satisfied in the 85-90 VAC range for anything from VH1 to 5150. It you want it a bit tighter or modern just crank up your variac. Look up Mr. Twistyneck on YT.
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