bubbaike Posted December 31, 2009 Share Posted December 31, 2009 Happy New Year to everyone and I pray we have a great 2010!! I love this Epiphone Blues Custom 30 tube amp but its seems to distort too soon. When I play in class A mode it doesn't sound as clean as I think it should like a Fendery clean. Do I need new tubes or a speaker change or is this the amps nature. In A/B mode it is pretty clean is that where I should play to have that clean sound? By the way I primarily use Fender strats, one with 57/62 pickups and the other a Highway 1 with Seymour Duncan SSL-1's. Even with the guitar volume at 6-8 and amp volume at 2-4 in class A there seems to be a little bit of breakup is that normal? I appreciate any help. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest icantbuyafender Posted January 1, 2010 Share Posted January 1, 2010 Happy New Year to everyone and I pray we have a great 2010!! I love this Epiphone Blues Custom 30 tube amp but its seems to distort too soon. When I play in class A mode it doesn't sound as clean as I think it should like a Fendery clean. Do I need new tubes or a speaker change or is this the amps nature. In A/B mode it is pretty clean is that where I should play to have that clean sound? By the way I primarily use Fender strats' date=' one with 57/62 pickups and the other a Highway 1 with Seymour Duncan SSL-1's. Even with the guitar volume at 6-8 and amp volume at 2-4 in class A there seems to be a little bit of breakup is that normal? I appreciate any help. Thanks.[/quote'] If the tubes are 12AX7 I'd replace them with a lower gain 12AY7... They allow a bit more headroom. But im no amp guy, so I may not be as right as I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peeper Posted January 1, 2010 Share Posted January 1, 2010 Class a will significantly lower your head room. A tube swap to a 12AU7 will lower the gain a bunch, but unless you want it really clean you may not like it. But for ten bones, order a JJ and try it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWANG Posted January 1, 2010 Share Posted January 1, 2010 the big fat cleans fender is usually noted for .. are class A/B.. so these guys are steering you right... less clean volume in class A for sure.. you might try two tube swaps.. that is, you can get an idea of power values.. www.tubestore.com or www.thetubestore.com I forget.. but have reviews of interchangeable preamp tubes and their effect.. interesting and handy! you could try one of each tube.. use them in different spots.. together and seperately, with your current preamp tubes as well.. and maybe find something very special! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cGil Posted January 1, 2010 Share Posted January 1, 2010 Technically, that's not really even "Class A", but just triode mode selected by a triode/pentode switch that takes the screen grids off their choke driven filter node and ties 'em to the plate supply. Hence, triode mode, and not at all even remotely related to true Class A operation any more than being cathode biased has to to with it. Weird, ain't it? Kinda like Fender's "Vibrato" being a tremolo. Gil... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubbaike Posted January 1, 2010 Author Share Posted January 1, 2010 Thanks everyone for the info its helping a LOT!!! Every time I play my Epi Blues Custom 30 the tones I get really makes me glad about the deal I made to get it. Great amp so far and I found out it was made in '07. Thanks again for all your knowledgeable answers. Happy New Year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
layboomo Posted January 2, 2010 Share Posted January 2, 2010 Well to be honest some of the advice given is not entirely correct! Some tube swaps will allow you to turn the volume knob up more before breakup,but they don't offer more headroom in a given circuit....more like a different gain structure or character really. Changing the actual gain stages has a lot more to do with headroom than a preamp tube swap IMHO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyroid Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 layboomo is right, the amp will break up the same, but with the knob in a different position. I've tried it. The only ways to get louder with less breakup are: Use more sensitive speakers, Get more output from your power valves by...silicone diode rectifier, fixed bias, over voltage, super-scaling (or is that just being silly?), mic the amp up, use weber speaker blockers so you can hear more of the sound!, can't think of anything else right now, anyone else? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K.E.B.1281734147 Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 layboomo is right' date=' the amp will break up the same, but with the knob in a different position. I've tried it. The only ways to get louder with less breakup are: Use more sensitive speakers, Get more output from your power valves by...silicone diode rectifier, fixed bias, over voltage, super-scaling (or is that just being silly?), mic the amp up, use weber speaker blockers so you can hear more of the sound!, can't think of anything else right now, anyone else?[/quote'] hmm... how about adding more speakers, an extra cab maybe? Would that give more volume? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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