Version 3 - what do I do with it now?

[wedgeSG]

OK, I didn't realize how spoiled I'd become by the tone of my modded Version2.

I brought my Ver.3 home from GC as my Christmas present and I'm jaded so much

I'm less than thrilled with it. My Ver.2 had the Hammond ESE and Marshall mods

which got it near perfect for my ears and uses. This was run into a pair of cabs a

2x12 with Hellatones and a 1x10 with a RamRod together. The Ver.3 is using the

Epi/LadyLuck. Knowing that some mods don't transfer to Ver.3 and wanting more

punch and Brit tones outta this: what course should I take to head in that direction

using mods that will apply to the Ver.3 in order of most improving/bang for the buck?

Right now, it just seems a tad lazy comparied to my Ver.2 Is an OT enough, or will

it require additional mods to work with a OT? I thought the Ver.3 transformer had

been upgraded anyway? Someone had stuck a JJ and a EH tube in already but

nothing else seems to have been changed as yet.

One other thing I've noticed is a bad staticy hum with a G-400 I have. Touching

metal on the guitar quiets it down but doesn't eliminate it entirely. Moving closer

toward the amp makes it much less apparant. Still noticable in various outlets and

with different cables. Noise isn't there hardly at all with a different G-400. This obviously

points to the guitar: but this one hasn't ever exhibited this problem before so I won-

der what the deal is? Does the amp just not like this G-400? Is that even possible?

I'm pretty bummed by all of this hopefully some of the wonderously helpful folks here

can give me some insight as to how to work through this Christmas let down. Thanks

in advance to any and all who contribute in solving my l'il problems.

 

Wedgie

[m-theory]

Turret board Octal or Baby Will conversion.

 

Your amp has a ground issue of some sort. All the more reason to gut it and turn it into something better.

[cGil]

Yep. There actually is a downside to modding VJr's after all! You begin to discover all over again what your guitars really sound like.

 

Gil...

[wedgeSG]

So from what I've said you guys feel that it's a ground problem in the amp and not the guitar or

am I not understanding this? BTW is there something a little less drastic I could start with before

going Octal or Baby Will? Where can I find some more info on Baby Will: not heard of this much

other than a few awed mentions on here. If it is a ground problem in the amp where is the best

or most likely spot to start chasing it down? Thanks for any light you can shed on this series of

problems.....

 

Wedgie

[m-theory]

So from what I've said you guys feel that it's a ground problem in the amp and not the guitar or

am I not understanding this?

 

Obviously, if this one guitar has the issue, it's with the guitar. Check the grounding on the guitar, including the wire that runs from the bridge. Could be a bad pup also.

 

BTW is there something a little less drastic I could start with before going Octal or Baby Will?

 

Sounds as though you've already covered all of the less drastic mods (My Ver.2 had the Hammond ESE and Marshall mods which got it near perfect for my ears and uses).

 

I can tell you from personal experience that if you like the Marshall mods with el84 tube, you'll never look back once you've tried an el34. If you thought the ESE and Marshall mods improved the amp, you haven't heard anything until you've gone full boat octal.

 

Where can I find some more info on Baby Will

 

http://guitaramplifierpcbs.com/liteiib.aspx

 

If it is a ground problem in the amp where is the best or most likely spot to start chasing it down?

 

If other guitars aren't doing this, it's not the amp. Check the guitar...bridge ground, selector ground, jack, pot grounding, and finally, the pups themselves.

[Eracer_Team]

well you stated that you just brought it home so lets assume you spent more that 80.00 on it (new ones are 150) so you like the ver2 and find the ver3 isn't quite there..

Well to recoup your costs, mod it for a 6v6 tube instead or a combined el84/6v6.

to throw the 'baby out with the bath water' is probably not the first step to take here (sorry baby will).

 

you can still work with the most of the v2 mod's, the OT is not the first step on a rev3 now. but you can work with c3,c4,c5, r6,r7,r8,r9 etc... just like the v2.

 

check www.sewatt.com for the 6v6 mod