What makes a "great" mod

[bruce egnater]

I see lots of comments about how some modifications are the greatest. What makes them great? Compared to what? Or.......is it personal preference as is usually the case with most things?

 

[drewiv]

I see lots of comments about how some modifications are the greatest. What makes them great? Compared to what? Or.......is it personal preference as is usually the case with most things?

First, I would say it's personal preference. Secondly, I'd say there is an added clarity in most cases and seemingly a closer "clone" than the stock versions. Now, the big one, the options that are available on most modded modules is what most people love.

 

[MarcoR]

Top 6 reasons a mod is great?

#6. A clever name; something that relates to what the circuit is based on or a song, band or person that made the sound famous.

#5. Use of ?boutique amp components? like SoZo, Mallory, Orange Drop, etc. It has to sound good if these components are used, right?

#4. Market with buzz words like ?Cascading Gain? or ?Structure? and it must be ?Tight?.

#3. Cover components in random places with paint or goo to hide the values because nobody has ever thought of this circuit before and it must remain a secret!

#2. Put as many switches on it as possible so the user is sure to make it sound ?good?.

And finally the #1 reason a mod is great?
It must have a slick faceplate with cool graphics because it really doesn?t matter what it sounds like; we?re all deaf from playing too loud.

This was all in good fun and I mean no disrespect to any of the modders that use these techniques.

 

[rhequiem]

For me, most of the mods seem to remove "negative" aspects of certain modules (like muddiness, thinness, sharp highs, etc), and improve the overall tone of the module - often making them clearer, more articulate, more responsive, etc.

I think the mods are popular because they seek to replicate amplifiers that many of us have probably never owned as closely as possible. I think this is a primary draw of the MTS line - the ability to have several mostly-authentic amp tones in a single amp.

In the end, I think it's all about usable, high-quality tone, but I think how closely a module resembles it's genuine counterpart is a significant factor.

Also, even though MarcoR's post seemed pretty snarky, having the modules look "cool" (again, like they amps they are modeled after, if they are such) is certainly a value-add

 

[MarcoR]

even though MarcoR's post seemed pretty snarky

It was just for fun FWIW, I wish I could have every mod from every modder in a rack of M4s. I love it and what they do! Make me a module with blinking LEDs, I'll buy it!

 

[Whoopysnorp]

I think there are a few different reasons why I would think of a module as great:

1) It is particularly versatile. Some of the modded modules are kind of MVPs, in that you can get an impressive range of tones out of them. The JF XTC is a great example. It has nice cleans, a mid-gain sound, and a high-gain sound all accessible by using the right settings. What's more, they all have their own voices. You can cover a huge amount of ground with just this one module.

2) It does a smaller variety of tones REALLY well. I would put the SG MK22 and the Salvation Stonerverb in this category. These modules just have that magic thing that makes you want to play them all the time.

3) It offers unusual tones you can't find in lots of other modules. The Salvation Mandarine Graphic is in this group for me. Both its clean and its overdriven sounds are not quite like anything else.

I will also admit that I gravitate to modules with nice-looking faceplates as well. I wouldn't choose a module just because of the faceplate, of course, but an ugly one can kind of put me off. I would also add that just because a module is modded doesn't mean it's the bee's knees. I've definitely experienced modded modules that I didn't like.

 

[ricky]

yeah, it depends what I am looking for. I had the stock tweed and after playing on the real thing for a long time, I found the stock Tweed to be woofy and inarticulate. I had Rob do the base mod on it and it completely changed it for the better.
I have other mods that went beyond improving the basic tone by giving them a gazillion tonal options like the above mentioned XTC by JF.
Figure out what it is you are looking for and then you can come up with all kinds of suggestions from this forum.
ricky

 

[rblyn]

Bruce- A lot of this is personal preference as one person here may treasure a mod that another hates. Ive had all of the different modders work..had all the switches/features too- But now have realized I didnt use the extra features much and have gone back to the best sounding/playing mods with no bells or whistles.... I find the tone I seek on that module and leave it-Not too concerned with the cosmetics anymore either- Tone, clarity and feel (I personally hate "stiff" feeling mods) Those would be the most important to me. If getting a mod, I'd like to keep the base tone of the module but maybe at most upgrade some of the parts etc for clarity etc (Trace at Voodoo does this, called a "purist mod" as does Jaded Faith)... As previously mentioned, the draw to MTS is the ability to get one amp covering several of your favorite botique sounds/tones. With that being said, many here would also say that capturing the flavor of certain popular amps is also important (Marshall, Mesa, Soldano etc)

 

[djd100]

Hi Bruce...

In general I'd say personal preference, and the pursuit of sounds similar to a popular artist etc even though the choice of cab/speaker/mic-pre usually influences the sonic quality as much or more than the preamp specs.

In our case we build our own so as to have accurate representations of vintage amps that haven't been done in MTS, like the Orange OR120 with Bauxendal/FAC, the AC30 with Cut (yes, technically not in the power amp but functional in the preamp nevertheless), and others with unique tone-stacks such as the Matchless Chieftain and Hiwatt DR-103.

We go for realism worts and all, though these usually involve cutting traces and lots of hand wiring to do (these are for personal use only, we don't sell to the public so we don't have any production worries etc). For the usual Marshall and Fender flavors we've been happy with the Egnater/Randall offerings for the most part (maybe tweaking plate-cathode/bright cap/coupling cap a little for personal preference, but nothing fancy).

Glad to hear you guys will be keeping MTS alive, as it's simply the best IMHO!

 

[Mike P]

Bruce, for me, it comes down to one word: Accuracy.

The MTS series is the most unique amplifier design in history because of the ability to accurately reproduce the sound of other amplifiers and the wide ranging tonal palette available in one single amp.

I don't need a room full of amps anymore. The RM100 is the only amp I need because I have the option of Marshall, Soldano, Mesa/Boogie, Fender, Vox, Cameron, Orange, etc. modules available that, to my ears, accurately reproduce amp models from those manufacturers.

I think it's a brilliant concept that's even more brilliant in the hands of our resident modders. I am immensely grateful to you and Anthony, Scott, Rob, et al.

 

[Mattfig]

A great core tone along with usable features.

 

[alowerdeep]

Great mod comes down to the clarity and quality of the tone,features available and how effective they are..I like how Salvation will make his mods very close to the amps actual specs,like the gain pot on thetonerverb or the casscading gain on his Rhoadie mod to name a few...seems to gothe extra mile to get his mods as close to approximating the real amps as poosible regarding the smaller details....JF does some cool stuff as well,bu this approach seems different..more of a "I like this tone typre but I wanna trick it out" approach by adding features for more tonal varieties.......but it just comes down to the quality of the tone and the usability of the module...Ive had some I didnt like thetone,but they still sound great in regard to the quality....

 

[Nightdare]

A great mod is like a stock sportsbike that's been souped up for track use
Done right it's a night/day difference from what it was like before

It breaths better, it gives more power, better handling, better feedback

(No it won't ever be able to enter the MotoGP, but it sure as hell could be a contender for the Superbikes)

 

[audiomidijace]

A great core tone along with usable features.

Matt, you more than anyone should know by now; it's all about the face plate! :lol:
It's obviously all personal preference. Not to belittle the hard work and high quality components that the guys put in to their modifications. They make ALL the difference in the world. But there are SO many other considerations to make. Which amp? What tubes? What speakers? What pickups? How loud are you playing? Etc.
I think the last time I counted I had played and/or owned around 30 different modules. I currently own 6. But THIS is what we all love about this system! The sky is the limit! 3 of my current 6 were made just for me. I can have nearly anything I want custom made for me! And without breaking the bank. If it doesn't turn out like I hoped, I put it up for sale and let someone else try it. The fact that we have guys dedicating time to these modifications and a great community of users here is what makes this modular system so unique in the industry. To keep it going strong it will make a HUGE difference if you (Bruce) will sell stock modules to the modders at dealer cost as Randall did. For those of us ordering mods from Salvation, this can save us 30 days of time or more.

 

[Rising Farce]

One quality that isn't mentioned often enough is feel. The best modules (my favorites, anyway) tend to be smooth and easy to play, a trait that becomes more noticeable as the technical difficulty of the material increases.

 

[LoD21]

Hey Bruce

As much as I love a module that has a ton of versatility, I would rather have a module that serves one primary function extremely well and is extremely accurate. Some modules cover a lot of ground but often seem to miss that 10% extra something that us gearheads spend so much time chasing. If I want a clean, I find a great clean, if i want high gain I buy high gain.

The personalization I think is all about each players rig. The guitar, pickup, cables, cab, speakers, head, power tubes, preamp tubes. This is where offering each player the ability to really dial in the eq frequencies means a lot. Sweepable mids, cuts/boost, multiple Density knobs, tight/loose.

Aside from that what makes a great module-great customer support. There are a few modders out there like Rob-jaded Faith that are outstanding. There are some others that seem less than dependable.

 

[ricky]

Bruce,
I have 12 modules and I have a use for each one - all kinds of gain, cleans - I don't sell off my mods as each becomes useful. If a producer asks me for a tone, I can pretty much nail it. Just like if I am asked for a "tele" tone, I have a tele. I have 22 guitars, everything from an L5 to a JEM. I find certain amps go with certain guitars. If you keep building the stock modules and getting them to dealers at a reasonable price, I will keep buying them and having them modded to what ever else I may hear and want. I figure I am good for another 12 at least! So Please, you make em' we will buy 'em.

 

[drewiv]

You want to know what excites me about this post? It seems like Bruce is "digging" for information. not in a bad way! This excites me about the future of mts. Seems like Bruce (Eganter) is serious about taking this to the next level. \m/

 

[drewiv]

Oh, while digging for information... I know the E2 is highly desired, but what I would like to see is a four module, dual channel, 50 watt head. MOD450? Just saying. :wink:

 

[wesarvin]

I'd like to see a mod50 with the kind of switchable power section of the tourmaster.

And some communication with the modders. Such a great system.

Has Bruce studied any of the modders' work?