Ultra arrived

[NCdan]

Hooray!! The ultra module arrived today. Wow, I must say this is the first time I have not turned a distortion knob all the way up :shock: ! This thing has outrageous gain . And the tone controls are quite good, although, I'm wondering what the midrange is adjusting, because it seems a bit high, maybe even 2 KHz? Between this and the 3 band (passive) EQ on my Kustom head (being used as a power amp), I don't know if I really have a need for an external EQ, aside from maybe sucking out the subs for recording. Good job Randall!! I was a bit worried that the high gain modules might be too syrupy and thick, but it thins out excellently. And it absolutely rocks with the level cranked all the way up! Now I can't wait for the blackface to arrive .

 

[NCdan]

After listening to many clips online, I'm having trouble deciding which module to get to fill the gap between my blackface (yet to arrive) and my ultra. I'd like a spanky sound with some light distortion, sort of a spanky, stratish, modern pop sound with plenty of high chime. Since there's no orange module (hint, hint Randall), it looks like it'll be the top boost, deluxe, or tweed. So, would the deluxe or tweed have too much bottom end? The pickups I'm using aren't really high output: extra hot neodymium p90 in the bridge with a vintage alnico II humbucker in the neck. So, what do you guys think?

btw, I take it there aren't many punk players on the forum 8) ?

 

[Gee Donner]

Haha, Punk players??
I stopped playing punk 15 years ago, when everything started to change too far away from Explointed and Sex Pistols to turn into something that later came through with the Offspring kinda sound or Green Day. I sure love listening to the old kind though!!!! ALOT!!! (Nevermind the Bollocks is one of my favorite albums)


GOD SAVE THE QUEEN!

8)

 

[NCdan]

Yeah, I have to agree with you there, Gee Donner, I don't care for modern "punk" in the least. I play mostly 80's punk: RKL, original Suicidal Tendencies, old NOFX, DRI, with some ska thrown in.

As far as modules go, I've ruled out the Tweed, as I think that will have too much bottom end and not enough top end (unless you forum members suggest otherwise), so it's between the Top Boost and the Deluxe. I guess what it all comes down to for me is: which one has more clean headroom?

 

[SacredGroove]

Yeah, I have to agree with you there, Gee Donner, I don't care for modern "punk" in the least. I play mostly 80's punk: RKL, original Suicidal Tendencies, old NOFX, DRI, with some ska thrown in.

As far as modules go, I've ruled out the Tweed, as I think that will have too much bottom end and not enough top end (unless you forum members suggest otherwise), so it's between the Top Boost and the Deluxe. I guess what it all comes down to for me is: which one has more clean headroom?

Since you have a Blackface can you get close to the tone you describe here? Otherwise, the Deluxe is what you're looking for, it seems like.

The Top Boost doesn't have much clean headroom at all.

 

[GtrGeorge!]

TopBoost..really distorts easy...but it DOES have the chime. I would recommend using a TopBoost and putting a different tube in it, one with less gain. Theyre are like 4 to choose that can do that for you.
Otherwise, the Plexi is quite good for the inbetween stuff. It too distorts, but nothing like the Ultras. It has no chime, but man is it handy in all kinds of material.

 

[NCdan]

Thanks, GtrGeorge!, for the info.. I think I just might go with the Top Boost, because I received the Blackface module, and I can only get the thing to distort with the volume and gain all the way up, picking with my pointy metal pick as hard as I can, and then it's just sort of extreme breakup . So, considering people's complaints about the Blackface not being clean enough, and since my pu's really aren't hot at all by modern humbucker standards, I think the Top Boost should serve me well, unless another forum member has any other input. I may eventually decide to swap out the tubes in all the modules I get, but for now I'm more than happy with the Ultra and Blackface.

After a bit more research, I started leaning towards the plexi, for no other reason than it had more clean headroom and I didn't want to try replacing tubes when I had never done it before (although, it seems pretty simple). I snagged a plexi module for the total price of $138 on ebay; just when I swear I'll never use egay again, I snag a real bargain, oh the love/hate relationship :? .

 

[NCdan]

Well, I decided on the Plexi due to the fact that I don't want to mess around with DIY mods at this point, and I must say that the Plexi really is what I was looking for. I'm going for a low distortion, breakup, Johnny Ramone playing modern pop kinda sound, and this module really delivers. The settings I'm using are: Gain: 1:00, Bass: all the way down, Mids: all the way down, Treble: 2:00, Level: 2:00, Bright switch: on. Probably not common settings, but nails the sound I was going for. I think Randall really did a great job of nailing the classic tones each module is going for while making them incredibly versatile as well !