[Major Tom]

The Gain control controls the signal level after the first preamp tube stage. The master volume controls the signal level after the final preamp stage, in front of the phase inverter (V3) which "drives" the power tubes.

Another little "hint" for tube amps - the eq controls (bass, treble, mid) are like another gain control; for example turning them all on 8 (or of course, 7, 9, and 8 if that's how you would shape it) will yield more overall gain in the preamp than, say, having them all on 5 and it should have approx. the same freq content.

Congrats on the new amp !!

[RipVanWinkle]

Thanks tom...I didnt know about the EQ thing.

I was getting some pretty harsh sounds (at lower volumes), so I lowered my EQ settings to all around or under 5, and it helped alot!

Tomorrow I will be buying some NOS 12ay7's!

[RipVanWinkle]

And here is a little clip I have recorded for you guys to listen to. I'll probably re-record this with a better mic and crank the thing a little more, but this is what Ive got.

Everything is just the charvel straight into the HRDlx...no effects were added except reverb on one track...you will know which one.

[RipVanWinkle]

I posted a WTB: 12ay7 on the criagslist, because pretty much everybody in town either carries NO TUBES or only 12ax7 tubes. A few amp repair guys responded, saying they have thousands of tubes...only to reply back later saying that out of all the tubes they own, they dont have any 12ay7's.

So...I had to bite the bullet and go to Guitar Center. They only had the 12at7 in stock...I wanted the 12ay7, but I had to compromise. It is Mesa brand...I was worried at first because I thought that this may make my amp sound more "mesa-ish" but then I figured it was just the same as any GT or EHx, chinese made and rebranded.

I havent had much time to mess with it, but I have to say, it is already a much MUCH more versatile amp. The gain control actually works past 4, and the distortion is just much smoother.


Now...another question I have is; What does the presence knob actually do?
It seems that when I turn it up, It turns up the middle-hi's, and makes a difference that I dont particularly care for.

[Ryan Freeland]

Originally Posted by RipVanWinkle

I posted a WTB: 12ay7 on the criagslist, because pretty much everybody in town either carries NO TUBES or only 12ax7 tubes. A few amp repair guys responded, saying they have thousands of tubes...only to reply back later saying that out of all the tubes they own, they dont have any 12ay7's.

So...I had to bite the bullet and go to Guitar Center. They only had the 12at7 in stock...I wanted the 12ay7, but I had to compromise. It is Mesa brand...I was worried at first because I thought that this may make my amp sound more "mesa-ish" but then I figured it was just the same as any GT or EHx, chinese made and rebranded.

I havent had much time to mess with it, but I have to say, it is already a much MUCH more versatile amp. The gain control actually works past 4, and the distortion is just much smoother.


Now...another question I have is; What does the presence knob actually do?
It seems that when I turn it up, It turns up the middle-hi's, and makes a difference that I dont particularly care for.

Ahem.

[RipVanWinkle]

But I wanted this for tonight...I play @ church, so shipping would have taken longer...It was the same price though...$12+3 for shipping...the tube I bought was 15 bucks.

The difference is enough for me for now. I acutally have the gain (when using drive) cranked to 6 or 7. Thats ALOT for me! I might eventually go even lower with the 12ay7, but for now, the 12at7 is working wonders.

btw...Ive been at the tubestore.com ALOT.

This has probably been one of the single-most helpful things Ive read:
http://tubestore.com/gainfactor.html

[Rainer.]

I bought a Fender branded 12at7, it's just an EHx.

[Rainer.]

And you're right about the presence. Middle-his, high mids... something like that.