Vj: V3 stack vs. V2 combo

[Cole]

I have what i think is a V2 combo, it has the stripe running through the valve junior name

rather than the volume but it has lines on the on/off switch. I don't hardly ever get to play

it means i leave it at church. I recently got my V3 half stack and am so in love with the tone.

I left it at church tonight and brought home the combo. I was playing my combo now and

compaared to the V3 stack it sounds, i don't know just blah:^o. I was wondering if i am

now dissatisfied with its tone because it only has the 8" speaker or because it is a V2. If

i sold it and got a V3 combo for home practice would i be more satisfied with it. How would

a V3 commbo compare in tone to my V3 stack?

[TWANG]

You're certainly not going to get the bottom end out of an 8" speaker that you will from a 12".

Also, the 8" speaker will have a lower db sensitivity rating, in other words wont be as loud even using the same power at the same setting.

 

However. if you're prepared to say. well, I don't need that at home anyway.. then I'd suggest this.

Put a 1M resistor in R1. The V2 heads have 68K and it's a primary tone and volume sucking device at that value.

It's two solder points, right at the top of the board, marked R1.

 

Still. the V2 has the poorly matched OT.. but.. hey.. I really think you'd save yourself some money, and be pretty darn happy with just that component change.

It's fairly dramatic.. opening up the high end a lot.. letting a lot more guitar signal through.

 

You can even move that resistor to the input jack.. from the hot to the ground.. and just take R1 out completely.. this does a bit more for it by shortening the distance the guitar signal has to go before it hits the resistor, but serves the same function in that position.

 

R2 at 10K is another simple thing to do. just two solder points. You want 1/2 watt resistors, metal film better than carbon film.

 

The thing is, I'm not sure I could tell you that selling one, and replacing it with another would be much different than what I just told you.

That is, with the stock 8" speaker in, at bedroom levels.. you probably wouldnt' find the difference worth that much expense.

On the other hand.. resistors are like .25 cents!

So.. for fifty cents and a little patience and effort, you could sound very much like your V3 stack, but taking the smaller speaker into consideration.

 

That's my two cents!

[Cole]

Where would a good place to purchase these be at. I would like to order it all in a bundle.

I would also like to order a switch to do the standby. I've reard countless times to purchase

a Hammond 125ESE. would any of these simple mods you just reccomended be beneficial

to my V3 head or just a waste of money.

[TWANG]

The V3 head has some of the mods... Epi listened to folks modding the amps, and gave us what we were doing already.

(ex. R1 is set to 1M.. OT was made at 5K instead of the previous 7.5K)

 

You have to get values right.. like not putting in a cap that's 450V when 50V is all that it needs... etc.. so take your time!

 

Even the new amps will improve with the hammond 125ese... in fact.. I'd suggest you just swap the heads OT into the combo.. and replace the

combos OT with the hammond.. (for a money saver.. that's a pretty good OT and since it's your stay at home practice amp maybe you don't need to go whole hog and replace both.. )

 

 

There's another thread in here about where to buy parts.. "best place to buy parts".. check that out!

 

The simple mods are pretty varied.. you should read through some of the material and after you really get to know your V3.. ask yourself the same question.. which of these would you think make an improvement.

 

Some things, that extend tube life for example, you could find way more important than tone changes or pot additions..

*SGR... bigger cap at C6... good bias..safer heater voltages.. etc.*

 

Some things like mini switches and certain caps, can be bought at radio shack, but generally, they have few, and often not very good stuff, so you have to be careful there.

 

TWANG