What makes a "great" mod

[Mattfig]

I would love to see the integration of ISP g technology in the future mts amps...the eggie armageddon is a Silent monster thanks to ISP and egnater...any partnership with top dogs can only turn out more amazing products...hope the relationship continues!

 

[crankyrayhanky]

*Core Tone #1
*I think the tight switch is also a top priority- and Eggy's already have a 3way, so that's covered.
*I love a well executed mid switch too- but the eq voicing selections have to be dead on- too many (stock) have 1 good side and 1 side that is a bit muddy.
*A great faceplate will do wonders for psychological impressions, it's a HUGE priority if I were making mods.
*Large thumbscrews are nice

 

[wesarvin]

Honestly, I don't mind plain eggie faceplates. I prefer a simple clean look.

 

[The Rossness]

I think that what makes a mod great is replication. I've been an on and off MTS user for years. I felt the stock randall tone wasn't good enough and sold my MTS Gear. I got back into the MTS world for the Modded Modules. To me, I want something that replicates the tone I hear on a recording as closely as possible, while maintaining the feel of the actual amp the module is replicating.

I had Anthony (salvation) build me a special version of his Stonverb (Rockerverb) module. I had been using a real Orange RV100 as my main amp and knew how to EQ it and the different scoops, mids and cuts I wanted in my FX loop. I talked to Anthony and had a great Salvation module built to replicate the tones I got from my real orange. When I got the module, it was so close in tone and feel to my RV100 that I sold the Orange amp and kept the MTS module. It had all the features and textures I wanted and FELT like I was playing my Rockerverb amp. The only thing that's different is the poweramp.

I don't care about what electronics are used in the module, (while I can build guitars, amps are another story) . I don't care about caps and transistorsd because it means nothing to me. I don't know circuitry. I just want it so sound 98% accurate and feel 100% accurate.

Also, with the exception of Jaded Faith's OD Special, I don't want "your take" on what a Marshall based module should sound like. I want the preamp of a marshall replicated and put into a MTS module.


Does that help at all?

 

[rblyn]

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.

Absolutely agree with this! I actually did mention feel in my post as well...

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

Also, with the exception of Jaded Faith's OD Special, I don't want "your take" on what a Marshall based module should sound like. I want the preamp of a marshall replicated and put into a MTS module.

THIS - replication not interpretation.

 

[audiomidijace]

Also, with the exception of Jaded Faith's OD Special, I don't want "your take" on what a Marshall based module should sound like. I want the preamp of a marshall replicated and put into a MTS module.

THIS - replication not interpretation.

I can certainly understand this view. The problem is that we all have our own unique frequency response. Our ears. The older we get and the more we're exposed to loud music the worse our hearing becomes. So we don't all hear the same amp the same way. So I'm not sure you can get around the "Your Take" on an amp sound.
For me, this has been a good thing. I've enjoyed many of the Marshall mods MUCH more than the actual Marshall amps.
Just my two cents.

 

[Rising Farce]

Another vote for the "interpretation" approach. While vintage-tone cloning certainly has its place, there are times when I'd much rather have Friedman's (or Voodoo's, or whoever's) take on a JCM800 than an actual JCM800.

In short, choice is good.

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

Hell it is all good... the choices right now are wicked. Now that Rob has found a way to use the duals in standard RM100 heads it means access to that many more amp settings on one module. I am salivating at the idea of the Quickrod but I guess it isn't as straightforward as some of the others..

 

[Whoopysnorp]

The other sticky bit with interpretation vs. replication, especially with amps like old Marshalls, is that no two of them sound 100% alike, so a faithful reproduction of somebody's specific amp might fall short of somebody else's idea of what a perfect Marshall reproduction should be.

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

There is however a difference between "this is how I hear it" and this is "how I feel it would be better and thus how it should be heard". That is what I am referring to.

 

[Daryl]

Bruce, your products have changed lives. MTS is the only amp system that I have been 100% satisfied with. If the underlying question that you are fishing for is, "How can you be competitive with the modders with stock modules?", I believe the answer is two-fold.
1: Your demographic wants mods that replicate famous amps with startling accuracy and with a good amount of switching options to allow seamless integration with different guitars/pickups, power sections and amp cabs.
2: Marketing is the one biggie that has been left out of the equation for Egnater and Randall mods. The interesting thing about what the modders are doing with the "clone mods" is generating interesting, colorful, and amp specific faceplates. Do not underestimate this marketing goldmine. You see, the marketing has already been done for these amps. They have product recognition in the minds of most players and represent exciting new possibilities for those that may not even heard of the amps being replicated. Though some might refer to this as a gimmick, the success of the modder scene is undeniable.
A great mod is a mod that has that extra level of attention to detail that sets it apart from the usual Chinese mass production. A great sound with tweakability to take the greatest amps of our generations and impart stomp box simplicity. And like the bright yellow and black stripes on a wasps body, the faceplate lets you know that something killer lies beneath.
PS. An M4 with ISP noise reduction and good speaker sims would be better than sex. :wink:

 

[MarcoR]

I think we all agree the platform is amazing but how do you come up with a business plan to mass produce modules when there is no one module that everyone must have?

I think Bruce?s original approach was the best by offering great versions of the most popular circuits. Although the modders work is amazing and we love what they do, I?d be surprised if any of them have sold more than a hundred units of their most popular mod.

I think Bruce?s best option is to re-release the MTS line with affordable dual channel modules based on the most popular circuits with the extra features he?s included with the recent batches. Some fancy faceplates would likely help sell individual modules as well. I don?t think it would be advantageous to produce much more than what would be needed to populate the new amps in the line.

That said this is where Bruce should open dialog with the modders so that they may have the option to order large quantities of modules to be used as donors. Of course, it would be cool if Bruce did a custom shop as well!

 

[GuitarGuyLP]

My view on the MTS modules has changed a lot over the past few months. While it is very cool to have a lot of switches, and controls it is more important to have usable controls that have a clear explenation of the function. Most mods are pretty good, but some are not clear enough in the labeling.

I think my ideal module would be pretty simple, a tight switch, a single voicing switch (example red/blue on XTC) that makes a distinct usable change to the feel and sound of the amp. Other than that just the standard controls.

The modules that have a lot of options are great for finding the direction you want to go tone wise, or for bedroom players like me who like to have a good number of tones in a small package.

I almost forgot if the modders were able to buy circuit boards with faceplates, and the essential componants in place that might make the modding process easier since they wouldn't have to remove componants before doing the mod. If things go that way this would be a great oportunity to create a kit for want to be moders/builders to buy a kit with all the parts, and some schematics, and info about what changes different componants will make. This would be a great somewhat easy kit (no power amp, or power supply to build)

 

[nikki-k]

A great mod?
I think this thread supplies a lot, and as a whole supplies an unspoken response: individuality. We each have our own wants.. dreams.. when it comes to tone. For one it might be "really close to being the ultimate Marshall," for another, "several great Marshall tones in one module," and for another "like my Bogner, SLO, Boogie, and my dream amp had an orgy, and made this child with so many flavors of tone on tap in one module." Tons of overlap, but allowing for each person to have their own unique piece.

I have wondered if the musician who desires only, say, an AC30 tone would be attracted to the MTS paradigm? Take a musician with a similar taste, but hears a Matchless and.. then hears an MTS modded module that does both. Sure, it is neither, but has flavors of both.

And, IMO, that is the essence of MTS, and by natural extension, the essence of a great mod. Versatility, uniqueness, while still being relatively affordable. The affordable part allows for experimentation, and the ease of shipping for the modules facilitates that even further.

BTW- I was going to build my own multi-channel rack preamp, but got back into MTS instead. Why? Because after seeing what all of these modders have accomplished, I realized it would be easier to mod MTS modules for myself than start from scratch.

 

[wesarvin]

What is the current trend in amps these days?

In my neck of the woods, it's AC30's and boutique clones. Steamboat Amps, /13, Morgan, etc. are all names, designs, and visual styles that turn heads and perk ears. Randall had a stigma that it only belonged to bedroom players and metalheads. Many "purists" around here are beginning to [sadly] dismiss Egnater because of its attachment to Guitar Center.

I say a system that carries the boutique look of the smaller builders with the module versatility of the MTS system. Ample marketing and product endorsements with current artists would help.

Great modded modules are able to perfectly cop the tones of the amps they are emulating, and rather blatantly state what they are trying to copy.

However, if the simplicity is not taken into account, I feel that it would scare off many of these botique guys.

 

[wakeguitar]

You have to include the fact that, MTS is just a component in a larger product, which it brings life to. With the AMP with Modules, availability, reasonable price (especially now), ease to modify, different format (combo/head/rack) makes the whole line seem to come together.

I think one of the most important factor is that, perhaps, since the system has been somewhat dead lately, the 'price of admission' is very very cheap given what you can build with MTS System.

Just my 2c.

But yes, to me, Clarity, EQ, Gain Restructure etc etc, all seem to play a important part in the final result which can translate very well across many MTS setups.

However, when I initially demod the unit (stock Treadplate/XTC/KH) alongside other similarly priced Marshal/Mesa, I instantly gravitated to toward the sound of Randall and, because it sounded good at any volume, unlike some of the true AMPs that MTS models.

 

[Jacksauce]

Echoing a lot of what's said here, but power is in numbers. Superb A/B accuracy with quality components otherwise we would buy a Line 6 digital modeling amp (no offense to anyone). Switches for boosts, mid shift, tightness, tone stack, etc - we didn't choose modular for lack of tonal variety. I'm fine with plain black face plates. My personal taste is for a face plate and knobs characteristic of the amp - Randall Grail for instance.

Build it and we will come Bruce.

 

[InVirtue]

Dude how the hell does Anthony make the sweetest looking faceplates of all the mods? He's like the Apple computers of mods, even if they didn't sound as awesome as they do, I'd want one just for the look! He's got the marketing aspect down, and not to mention the mods to back it all up. Excited to get my first one tomorrow!!!!

So, for my 2 cents, I personally say accuracy makes a great mod, being able to call up my (multiple) hero tones at will makes it worth the investment (minimal in contrast with buying the real deal) and also to modify them to my will to make something new. The sweet look is just the icing on the cake to incite my GAS!!!!

 

[LoD21]

Someone asked what the trends in amps are these days. You have so many different genres and their respective communities. You have your classic rock guys that like JCM800s and AC30s. Most of the guys I know are modern hard rock or metal guys that want Splawn Nitro's, Framus Cobra's, 5150 III, VH4, Herbert, etc... I think there is a market for all of it...just a question of where to start and where the biggest current void is.

Also everyone keeps talking about accuracy. I could not agree more....BUT as Rob mentioned a 5150 III has 5 gain stages-you cannot do 5 gain stages in a module so he had to create something "close" with the Trilogy.

Or the Salvation Benzin-probably the closest Deizel, but the original amp is all about the power section. Thus you can get close but will never be 100% accurate like some of the other modules. So is it worth it to have Bruce or other modders try if 80% accuracy is the best they can do? or should they focus on only what they CAN nail 99.9% accurately?