Demeter TGP3 Preamp info?
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Jaded Faith
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Oh the hours I have wasted on that hunt. Good luck finding anything, more or less anything you can trust. It's nearly impossible to hunt the amp down as well.
speed2dirt
Well-known member
Sorry for the ignorance, but what is the Demeter sound? There is a TGA2.5 head for sale locally that I've been watching, but don't know what to expect so I haven't pursued it. It looks like a modified Marshall. If so, how does it compare to other modded Marshalls?
alowerdeep
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speed2dirt said:
Listen to Core,STP's first album........
I thought I'd ask 
. From what I've seen online you're right about no info. The only thing I've found is the name of some guy in NYC (Matt Wells?) who is supposed to know the amp guts well...
Doesn't seem like any internal pics are available but maybe someone has some?
The tone is best heard as descriptions tend to just say Marshall and Fender hybrid with best of both... The first Stone Temple Pilots album (although I've read it's a mix of the Demeter and Vox AC 30), Sonny Landreth live, and some others, but it has a unique full, rockin, yet lush sound.
Demeter is making the 2.1 amps to order according to their company site, but the TGA3 seems to be relegated to the past.
. From what I've seen online you're right about no info. The only thing I've found is the name of some guy in NYC (Matt Wells?) who is supposed to know the amp guts well...Doesn't seem like any internal pics are available but maybe someone has some?
The tone is best heard as descriptions tend to just say Marshall and Fender hybrid with best of both... The first Stone Temple Pilots album (although I've read it's a mix of the Demeter and Vox AC 30), Sonny Landreth live, and some others, but it has a unique full, rockin, yet lush sound.
Demeter is making the 2.1 amps to order according to their company site, but the TGA3 seems to be relegated to the past.
Totally possible - it can be hard to dissect a tone from the studio sometimes... Combinations of microphones, multi amp use, multi tracking to layer (either for thickness or combining gain amounts etc.).
And then you get the guys who misdirect in interviews too - it can be frustrating to think you have the "key" to a tone you heard and assemble the gear, only to never achieve it cause you don't have their secret EQ unit, or frankly don't have their hands...
Eddie VH used to be pretty obtuse about his tone, Ty Tabor hid his sold state amps in Marshall cabs... I remeber seeing Starship live and walking behind the stage in a colloseum ans behind the old Carvin stacks was a single Marshall head on a 4x12... Yngvie, Nuno etc have done some funny interview misdirecting... You have to chuckle at it sometimes.
And then you get the guys who misdirect in interviews too - it can be frustrating to think you have the "key" to a tone you heard and assemble the gear, only to never achieve it cause you don't have their secret EQ unit, or frankly don't have their hands...
Eddie VH used to be pretty obtuse about his tone, Ty Tabor hid his sold state amps in Marshall cabs... I remeber seeing Starship live and walking behind the stage in a colloseum ans behind the old Carvin stacks was a single Marshall head on a 4x12... Yngvie, Nuno etc have done some funny interview misdirecting... You have to chuckle at it sometimes.
What would you like to know about the TGP-3. I'll help the best I can. It is also being considered up for sale. You can PM me if you are interested. It is in VERY GOOD condition! I don't know the rules as far as posting about a piece of gear for sale on this site yet. Please correct me if this is Taboo.
Thanks,
Endorphin (John)
Thanks,
Endorphin (John)
I've hoped (so far) in vain to get a schematic concept of the guts so we might have a go to make a module based on this preamp. Or at least the two dirty channels?
Also, you have to have 10 or more postings to be able to post in the classifieds (a way to keep the forum based on mts users I would think?).
The sound from the Demeter preamp seems to be one of those golden tones.
Welcome to the forum man.
Also, you have to have 10 or more postings to be able to post in the classifieds (a way to keep the forum based on mts users I would think?).
The sound from the Demeter preamp seems to be one of those golden tones.
Welcome to the forum man.
Yes, the Demeter is golden indeed! I too am in the process of building my own tube amps. A good place to turn is a book by Glencowe entitled "Preamps for Guitar and Bass". The title may be incorrect, but it's close. My guess is you probably have this book, if not, I highly recommend it! I'm an electrical engineer so I understand alot of what is presented. However, if you are not, that's o.k. because the concepts are pretty much spelled out how any design concepts he is presenting effect the tone. In this book, he has a few examples of Demeter preamp approach. I'll see if I can look into them and post here in the next couple of days. Other than that, good luck! I did speak to Jim Demeter today (he answered the phone at his shop) and asked him the going price for used TGP-3's. I figured it couldn't hurt to ask. So we discussed that for a bit. However, I did not ask him any of his trade secrets, he doesn'tknow me, so I'm sure I would get limited information. But he does seem to be approachable, so perhaps you can give him a call. His number is 805-461-4100. It's not a secret number! The same number is posted on his website. I did however ask him about the Deleo Mod. He said all the TGP-3's are not exact, so the Deleo mod is simply an exact copy of the components in Deleo's TGP-3. So, I was surprised it was not something more simply like a tone cap mod or something like that. For example, the Warren Haynes mod on the SLO-100 (Soldano) is simply to lift the capacitor off the Lead Drive pot, The reason I know this is I called Mike Soldano and he told me! So, these guys are not always inaccessable.
Very cool to hear and it sounds like you know your stuff too.
I know enough to be creative conceptually, but don't have the know how or experience to do any real execution. Don't get me wrong, I'll take a torch to the front of a chrome faceplate... Lol but that's as far as I've gone.
So right now I have a groovy looking Modern mod that I'm hoping to Demeterize eventually.
I know enough to be creative conceptually, but don't have the know how or experience to do any real execution. Don't get me wrong, I'll take a torch to the front of a chrome faceplate... Lol but that's as far as I've gone.
So right now I have a groovy looking Modern mod that I'm hoping to Demeterize eventually.
I'm no expert either, but I do enjoy tinkering with stuff. I'll read through the book and see what I can find about the Demeter design. Unfortunately, anything I come up with will not be a complete design, but might allow for us to head in that direction. I have not tried to find much information on the schematics for demeter, but if you've tried and haven't found, then they must be highly proprietary, which is a smart thing! I'll be in touch,
John
John
Don't let all the math scare you. I don't know where you are as far as your math skills, but you don't necessarily need alot. You just need to know which value you are looking for, then plug and chug so to speak with the equation that is given. The word "calculus" simply means "math made easy"! :idea: Although his math is primarily algebra based. The cool thing about his books is he explains what the vaule you are choosing does to the overall tone of the preamp or power amp. That kind of information is a comfort to me. There are many books out there that don't explain how the change will effect the tone. But this aside, good luck on the schematic hunt. As I said, I'll look into what I have read before and share that with you when I get a few moments to read. I'm not sure what value it will hold, but it would be cool to read into it again
