top boost type mods....

[withmittens]

well, I sold my Salvation matchless because it didn't get me the tones I wanted and it had an over saturated rattly sound on my single coils. by over saturated I mean just distorted in all the wrong ways. I lowered my pickups and tweaked the tubes yet it still had this sound. The tone was not all there either.

I just got, off Ebay, a home-made Top Boost/Matchless mod called SuperVox. It's got all the same features and sounds much better to me than the Salv. It still does t the rattly sound though. and it's driving me crazy

Is this what this mod does? while i am way closer to the Top Boost sound that i wanted, I am still fighting this weird unnatural distorted tone. The gain is great but it's a different thing.

Anyone know what I'm talking about? it's a strat.

 

[hmic10]

I have super v that I like

 

[Jaded Faith]

Keep in mind both the AC30 and single coils have an EXTREMELY scooped midrange, so pairing them is going to present unique challenges. The other thing that is unique is the tone stack. On a Vox as you raise the treble, the bass and mids are rolled out of the equation by design. Try lowering the treble and bumping the mids to improve the ratty tone. I just did a base mod on a Super V and tested it with my Strat on Monday with much success.

 

[withmittens]

Thanks Rob, I'll give it a go. It may end up in your hands

the Cut takes out mids, no? so lowering Cut actually brings more mids? does it directly effect the bass response?

 

[Whoopysnorp]

I thought the Cut control on an AC30 lowered the high end.

 

[withmittens]

so it does. confusing tone stack. I've never really played with one, always heard other through them and loved the sound

what's the best way to drive up the mids? for that throaty tone

i think i have a handle on the raspy highs now, thanks Rob

 

[withmittens]

holy smokes, I get it. **** thats nice

 

[withmittens]

question fro Rob, when you do a base mod or replica mod, do you match the values of the pots to the specs of the particular amp trying to be matched?

 

[GtrGeorge!]

Just one man's opinion: I LOVE my SuperV but while it sounds great on it's own it never sticks to a mix...the lack of mids really makes it hard to stay put in the stereo filed,imho.
I still use a stock top boost for that similar tone, but with staying power. Similar, but with the needed mids.
GtrGeorge

 

[Jaded Faith]

Glad the advice worked and it made sense. I am a visual learner, so I made this for you in case it helps:



The line in white is the tone stack of your Top Boost with all three knobs at noon. The red line is what happens to the EQ if you turn the Treble knob up to 2:00. Notice what it does to the mids and bass frequencies in addition to boosting the highs. The real Vox does this as well. My AC30 combo is one of my favorites in my collection.

When I do a Base Mod, I like to talk to you to hear about what you like and dislike about the module in question. I take notes and make the required tweaks to address your requests, providing a customized solution for very little cost. If pot changes are part of that solution, then they are changed as well. I also upgrade all of the audio path components, so even if I made no changes at all it will sound better than stock.

This quote was from an email I received yesterday regarding a Mr Scary Base Mod I did this past Tuesday:

"Wow. Just... wow. I was expecting more clarity, but the tonal balance is just exquisite. This is really perfect for the stuff I do. THE best $100 I have ever spent! Thanks so much, Rob!"

George: Ironically, I also Base Modded a Super V that day and the owner had many of the same complaints as you.

 

[Jaded Faith]

I thought the Cut control on an AC30 lowered the high end.

It does, but the actual Cut control on the AC30 is a power amp feature. It's not part of the preamp. You can make a faux Cut circuit on the module (much like the Presence option I sometimes use), but it's not the same as what the real circuit would do.

 

[Whoopysnorp]

Just one man's opinion: I LOVE my SuperV but while it sounds great on it's own it never sticks to a mix...the lack of mids really makes it hard to stay put in the stereo filed,imho.
I still use a stock top boost for that similar tone, but with staying power. Similar, but with the needed mids.
GtrGeorge

I don't know about the Randall modules, but my first modded module was a JF Voxless, and it took me a long time to learn the secret of bringing the midrange out (keep the treble and bass controls on the low side). A little while ago I got a SacredGroove CC30, and that is about twice as tricky to dial in. But when I get it right, there is ample midrange.

 

[withmittens]

Rob, thanks for the visual, I appreciate the lesson

The mod is getting it done, no Brian May sound, which is fine, more like Keith. missing that woody tone though. might be appropriate for a V30

this is one tricky B

 

[withmittens]

I played a Matchless last night. It was set up just like an AC30 top boost but with 3 channels. Damned if that amp didn't sound great but, it had the same issue cutting through a very loud', busy session . The little blues JR was able to add more punch and round sound than what I was doing with the Mtchelss. the volume was there but the sound just got lost.

weird

 

[mikegyver]

Rob, thanks for the visual, I appreciate the lesson

The mod is getting it done, no Brian May sound, which is fine, more like Keith. missing that woody tone though. might be appropriate for a V30

this is one tricky B

I think I might offer a piece of advice when trying to get the Brian May sound. When I got my voxless I was a little disappointed because I couldn't dial in that sound and I did a little research. What you need besides the voxless to get that sound is:

- Adeson/Tri-sonic Pickups wired with phase in/out and in series
- Treble Booster pedal (NOT the same as turning up the treble on the amp, there are a few options, I use a "fireplace classic" pedal: http://www.covingtonguitareffects.net/Products.html)
- Celestion Blue or Greenback style speakers

When I had my voxless, I had zero problem nailing that tone using the setup above, and that's what you will need to get that woody tone as well.

 

[withmittens]

Hey, thanks for that tip, i was looking at the Guitar Fetish version of these pickups, did not know about these and think they might be a bit better.

I like the sound as a classic british rock/punk sound, leaving BMay out of it. I also have tele wiring on my strat so could be a god combo

I'll check em out.

I use a Keeley Blues driver as a treble boost. good saturation and can be varied a bit more that a straight treble boost, not as shrill to my ears

wondering what those pups sound like with other mods

 

[Jaded Faith]

Great point on the speakers. Blues or Greenbacks are a huge part of getting that woody knock in your tone. Nothing else does it quite the same. I run a Blue and a Gold in my real AC30 and it's bliss.