RelicStrat Posted March 9, 2008 Share Posted March 9, 2008 Change the 12ax7 to a 5751, this will lower the gain by 30%. The amp will still be loud, just won't break up so soon. Also get a JJ Tesla el84 for it if it doesn't have one now. The quickest cheapest fix is the 5751 though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
layboomo Posted March 9, 2008 Share Posted March 9, 2008 Install Negative Feedback Resistor and lift c-3 for clean headroom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strangedogs Posted March 9, 2008 Share Posted March 9, 2008 Change the 12ax7 to a 5751' date=' this will lower the gain by 30%. The amp will still be loud, just won't break up so soon. Alsoget a JJ Tesla el84 for it if it doesn't have one now. The quickest cheapest fix is the 5751 though.[/quote'] just change the tube? Or does it require rebiasing or soldering something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wpkg Posted March 9, 2008 Share Posted March 9, 2008 just change the tube? Or does it require rebiasing or soldering something? just change the tube. 5751 has less gain than 12ax7. a 12au7 will have even less. you dont have to solder, unless you have to rebias something, but im not sure if you have to do that. Im sure someone here will tell you. I have read that Gil likes the 5751, he will know. and the c3 lift, will reduce gain as well, taking some bass along with it. the NFB mod will give you more cleans as well, and it really sounds nice with your guitar volume rolled back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strangedogs Posted March 9, 2008 Share Posted March 9, 2008 I'm asking for the other dudes - mine has a gain switch and I LIKES DA GAIN I have plenty of clean amps. My VJ is my Gain baby. My 25-watt Ace Tone (avatar) stays clean almost to 10 - being made in 1963 the Japanese builders figured out how to keep it clean sounding as gain wasn't popular in 1963... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWANG Posted March 9, 2008 Share Posted March 9, 2008 you don't need to rebias. just swap the tubes out. tubesandmore.com or tubestore.com have a tutorial on the percentages of gain decrease for each tube compared to an ax7.. and good information otherwise. the nfb will cut your volume in half, but you're not going to really get more clean. want more clean? get another amp. you know it's funny.. they get knocked for being too loud to be a bedroom amp.. and not having enough clean.. yet have fine clean tones with a mic in front for recording.. yet it still boils down to people saying the amp has flaws! well here's the truth, fine volume for bedroom clean, with tone to go with it. Nice recording amp, clean or dirty. gig worthy gain. now, who's complaining? TWANG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RelicStrat Posted March 10, 2008 Author Share Posted March 10, 2008 I gig with mine regularly, mic'ed up of course. Have lots of amps, but my epi does a grat job in the small clubs I play. Love it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWANG Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 I gig with mine regularly' date=' mic'ed up of course. Have lots of amps, but my epi does a grat job in the small clubs I play. Love it. [/quote'] It's hard for me to tell.. since I only play at home now. It seems to me to be a bit weak on the cleans for small gigs.. but probably not all. For gain, no problem. If you say it's better than that, I believe ya! I thought with a drummer a bassplayer another guitar.. the cleans might be too weak. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schotness Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 Change the 12ax7 to a 5751' date=' this will lower the gain by 30%. The amp will still be loud, just won't break up so soon. Alsoget a JJ Tesla el84 for it if it doesn't have one now. The quickest cheapest fix is the 5751 though.[/quote'] Will this still be as loud but less distorted at all the way up ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWANG Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 pretty much yes.. the preamp tube having 30% less power will need the volume cranked to start pushing hard into the power tube.. but after you get to it's breakup point theres' very little difference in overall volume to a 12ax7. I use an old Siemens tube in my.. closer to a 12at7 which is not quite as much decrease as the 5751. I also use the 5751 sometimes because there's also some tonal characteristic differences that I like for things clean or dirty. I wont say less distorted 'all the way up'.. it breaks up later.. and kind of more suddenly I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokestack Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 asside from the gain angle, I've always found there to be something "woody" about the sound of a JAN 5751... which is very easy on the ear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
layboomo Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 Yup I like the 5751's too in the Valve Jr. If you mic the amp it's fine for giging and most soundmen will love you for it! I played with another guitar player,bass and drums in small blues club settings and it was perfect for leads un-mic'd...but for clean funky stuff it's a bit weak in that setting. I agree with Twang though for bedroom level stuff more than enough clean gain....just turn your guitar down a bit and it cleans up nicely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokestack Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 Ah, now there's the rub ! This ties in with points raised in another thread. With an amp like the VJ, you have to use the guitar's controls. Many folks keep the guitar volume dimed for everything. They're missing out on lots of tonal variation... which can be coaxed from even the simplest of rigs ;^) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wpkg Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 Ah' date=' now there's the rub ! This ties in with points raised in another thread. With an amp like the VJ, you have to use the [i']guitar's [/i]controls. Many folks keep the guitar volume dimed for everything. They're missing out on lots of tonal variation... which can be coaxed from even the simplest of rigs ;^) yup. on my guitar there is a very noticeable loss of highs when I turn the volume down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djbmlp Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 Thanks Guys, I see what I need to do to get what I'm looking for. I've recently modded it with a stand-by, bright , and gain boost switches and couldn't beleive what it did for this little amp. I can't wait to hear it with the tube changes. And I agree use your guitar controls. Thanks again for the info. Dan (just an old time rocker) Milpitas, Ca. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RelicStrat Posted March 11, 2008 Author Share Posted March 11, 2008 I recently took Gils advice and bought the behringer DI for guitar with the 4x12 cab sim built in. Best 35.00 I've spent in a while, no stage noise from the mic, no stand to trip over, if you play live with the VJr, get one, your stage volume will be under control, and your sound guy will thank you for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bangbang Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 I am glad I read this....no Valve Junior for me...I was considering one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strangedogs Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 I am glad I read this....no Valve Junior for me...I was considering one. ? wassup - it's a great lil' amp right out of the box? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tunghaichuan Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 Yup I like the 5751's too in the Valve Jr. If you mic the amp it's fine for giging and most soundmen will love you for it! I played with another guitar player' date='bass and drums in small blues club settings and it was perfect for leads un-mic'd...but for clean funky stuff it's a bit weak in that setting. I agree with Twang though for bedroom level stuff more than enough clean gain....just turn your guitar down a bit and it cleans up nicely.[/quote'] Look what I found in my tube stash today: http://www.diycustomamps.com/images/IMG_2929.JPG Didn't even remember that I had these. tung Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
layboomo Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 Gil's gonna get a woodie seeing that pic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cGil Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 Muuhhhhahahahhaha! Oh yeah, gotta love that sweet stuff. Here's a pic of my last remaining fresh ones. Gil... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bangbang Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 ? wassup - it's a great lil' amp right out of the box? I have heard to many things about hum and people moding them because they did not like them right out of the box but I will probably still get one. I do want a little tube amp and looks like ya can't beat it for the money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokestack Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 Go ahead and get one. The hum problems of the early production have been ironed out in the more recent product. Recent production is consistant, good sounding out of the box, acceptably well built and reliable. The amp lends itself superbly to simple and affordable modding or or "hotrodding" . It's a tinkerers delight. That's why you see so much talk of VJ modding...not because it needs it . It's suprising how much it can be tailored to taste simply by the informed choice of different tubes too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWANG Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 yup. on my guitar there is a very noticeable loss of highs when I turn the volume down. in which case you put a cap on the guit vol control. because it's your guitar loseing highs through the pot that's the problem. with a cap on it.. you can turn down the pot without losing highs. TWANG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWANG Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 I have heard to many things about hum and people moding them because they did not like them right out of the box but I will probably still get one. I do want a little tube amp and looks like ya can't beat it for the money. the hum was on V1.. fixed by V2. V3 is out now with quite a few improvements. I liked my V2s straight out of the box, but they did need some kind of treble boost via pedal to sound best. this was largely no problem for a lot of people because these things love pedals. Even the V3 stock head I played at Guitar Clonker wasn't as nice as my modded head, but hey.. I did two V2 and spent a lot of money.. hardly a fair comparison. I have a V3 combo coming and I'm very interested in having a new stock version to compare to mine. No regrets on any of the three, I'll bet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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