Clean Mods distorting

[ricky]

I am experiencing some distortion while using my clean mods. It is not the modules as it happens on my Texas Special,SuperClean, Twin, etc. It is hard to say if it is distorting the high gain mods as I don't really notice it there. Someone suggested that I might be over driving the tubes in the RM4. If that is the case, what would be the cleanest tubes I could buy for the RM4? Or any other ideas as to what might be doing this?
Thanks in advance

 

[zepplin490]

Are you using active pickups?
-mp-

 

[Whoopysnorp]

Is this constant, or is it just when you really dig in? I mostly play a Les Paul copy with Seymour Duncan passive humbuckers, and when I had my Super Clean, I could get it to break up a bit if I played the lower strings with a sharp attack, especially up around the 9th or 10th fret. I think that's just part of the deal with higher-output pickups. This was with the gain around 10:00, but with the Touch and Spank (tee hee) switches enabled, which admittedly does put the thing closer to the edge of breakup from the start.

 

[zepplin490]

If u are looking for a module that will not distort even under the high output of emg's or seymour duncan blackouts(in my case) grab a kh-1 it was specifically designed for active pickups and designed not to distort at any volume or gain setting, and i have tried my hardest to make it distort and it will not even go to a mild breakup stays clean with any guitar!
-mp-

 

[gag halfrunt]

I am experiencing some distortion while using my clean mods. It is not the modules as it happens on my Texas Special,SuperClean, Twin, etc. It is hard to say if it is distorting the high gain mods as I don't really notice it there. Someone suggested that I might be over driving the tubes in the RM4. If that is the case, what would be the cleanest tubes I could buy for the RM4? Or any other ideas as to what might be doing this?
Thanks in advance

Is there an ouput knob on the RM4?

I know on my Egnater modular preamp, you had to watch the output pot. Set it too high, and everything would distort, even the cleans.

 

[ricky]

I am using passive PUPs, but high gain in my JEM. It does happen when I bear down on the low strings as suggested. It almost sounds like a speaker kind of distortion, except that it happens through headphones also.
The frustrating thing is having to set my clean mods so damn low if I want them clean at high volume. This then makes my high gain mods real loud when I kick one on.

 

[Jaymzrock]

Someone suggested that I might be over driving the tubes in the RM4. If that is the case, what would be the cleanest tubes I could buy for the RM4?

It may not be the tubes, but that they're overdriven, or biased real hot. Not sure, but that may be the case.

 

[ricky]

So how does one find out if they are biased too hot?

 

[wakeguitar]

what is the gain of your clean module?

try gain@9 Volume @ 3-5 and boost off
hope that's what you mean...

IF you can monitor the FX send somehow, you can make sure that the level of the preamp is set correctly. I have found that generally clean sound has far more energy (volume) when coming straight from the module, much more than the equal loudness of high gain (because high gain is very compressed).

 

[Jaded Faith]

Ricky: I am going to stand by my thoughts from the last time we discussed this. I believe there might be an issue with your RM4, not the modules. Is there any way to get a second MTS rig to A/B against right there?

As for overdriving the amp, that's highly unlikely. You aren't pushing the front end with anything. If I remember the last time we discussed it on the phone correctly, you are running all the module and RM4 levels reasonably as well.

Jaymzrock: The issue he is having is with an RM4, which only has 3 preamp tubes. Since the bias on these are fixed, there no possibility of the tubes running hot.

Zeppelin490: The KH-1 is padded for higher output pickups, but the Super Clean he has is even more so.

 

[ricky]

Thanks Rob,
I am still trying to isolate it. I have two RM4s and it does it on both and only with clean modules, both JF and VooDoo. I am checking some stuff in my loop controls also, but glad to hear that it is probably not the RM4 tubes, as that eliminates one possibility. I will keep searching.
thanks again.

 

[MarcoR]

So if you turn the master volume on the RM4 down all the way, at what point do the modules start to break up? What's in the loops? I had a decimater cause some nastiness in a loop until I reduced the signal hitting it. My Space pedal doesn't like too hot of a signal either.

 

[Nightdare]

Where is your module level set at?

 

[Jaymzrock]

Jaymzrock: The issue he is having is with an RM4, which only has 3 preamp tubes. Since the bias on these are fixed, there no possibility of the tubes running hot.

Hahahaha Duh! Face palm!

 

[Jaded Faith]

Thanks Rob,
I am still trying to isolate it. I have two RM4s and it does it on both and only with clean modules, both JF and VooDoo. I am checking some stuff in my loop controls also, but glad to hear that it is probably not the RM4 tubes, as that eliminates one possibility. I will keep searching.
thanks again.

Never a problem Rick. I am sure we will get to the bottom of your issue.

The loop issue sparks my interest and I don't think we discussed that before. Exactly what are you using in your loop (on the RM4 I assume)? I have a hunch that's the problem.

 

[Hamner1]

I had a similar problem with the KH1 & Clean. My problem was I was distorting the input tube on the RM4. When i replaced it with a 12AU7 the problem went away. Downside was I didn't really like the high gain tones with the 12AU7.

 

[ricky]

So which tube would the input tube on the RM4 be? What does Randall put in there stock and what is the difference btw and AX7 and AU7?
thanks in advance!
ricky

 

[stormrider66]

So which tube would the input tube on the RM4 be? What does Randall put in there stock and what is the difference btw and AX7 and AU7?
thanks in advance!
ricky

Let's say that the gain level for a 12AX7 is 100, in comparison the gain level for a 12AU7 is around 17.
If you want to diminish a little the input gain level of your RM4's V1 tube, you can swap the 12AX7 by a 5751 (gain level around 70) or a 12AT7 (gain level around 60).

 

[ricky]

So you are saying that the 12AU7 may be a little too low gain, but an 12AT7 or 5751 might be the ones that would clean this up?

 

[stormrider66]

So you are saying that the 12AU7 may be a little too low gain, but an 12AT7 or 5751 might be the ones that would clean this up?

Yes, and i'm not sure that you can swap a 12AX7 for a 12AU7 without a risk for the amp/preamp.
But I'm not a tech, it's what I have read here and there...

First, try to go with a 5751, it's about 30% less gain than a 12AX7. But remember that all your modules will be affected by this swap.