a.miller

Nice combo, love vintage tubes...im sure the 6l6 is beefier...I know the 6l6 takes more power from the transformer, and the transformer that comes in the Champ is already at its capacity with the smaller 6V6-----id really like to know, do you hear a big difference? You might need a new trany to really take advantage of that switch...

I did a fair amount of research to make sure it was "safe". It seems to be okay, given the transformer, etc. I certainly hear a huge difference. The sloppy, fuzzy breakup that I was hearing with the 6V6 is gone. This sounds better, warmer -- bluesier...

I thought about getting a new transformer, like Mercury Magnetics or something, but this is just for bedroom use and I ain't got any extra cash

BTW, I just replaced the stock preamp and poweramp tubes. I put a JJ 12AX7 in the preamp and changed from a 6V6 to a 6L6 in the powertube. It's a vintage Sylvania. Sounds super.

Wooohooo!! I just joined the Fender Champ Club!!! Pretty cool little amp!

Yeah, I heard this too. Big mistake by Fender. Frankly, their equipment is a pale comparison to what it once was. I simply can't justify spending that much cash on one of their models. Anyone who does a little research can put together a far superior sounding instrument out of parts located over the internet.

if you drive to work, take a different route. Or better yet walk. If you like your peanut butter creamy, buy chunky. if you write on guitar, try plunking some notes on the piano. call up someone you've lost touch with. get up and hour earlier. grow a moustache. listen to chinese traditional music. cross the tracks. go buy a short you don't like and then wear it. change your level of personal hygeine. perform random acts of kindness to complete strangers. experiment with paper clips. buy a goldfish. play games with salt. seek and destroy your routines. establish new ones and then destroy them too.

Well if that's not a song right there....

I think the high-end Garmin units will do this, but they are a little pricey.

I hate to be one to promote gear lust....but really. Check this out.

Hey Marko, it was a pleasure meeting you and playing music with you at the SoCal Wilco Jam. Very cool documentation of your trip. I hope everything works out for you.

I doubt that would cause any neck issues. That just looks like the surface cracked all the way to the binding and then with the binding.

Muchas Gracias.

I've had pretty bad cracks and dings repaired in guitars before and it's usually not too bad in price. It's just a matter of gluing the crack and using a small piece of wood (called a "cleat") to stabilize the crack. I had it done and it was $75.

I know it was mentioned, but I would really get a humidifier. I've had the best success with the "water wienie" type -- usually a green tube with a sponge inside.

I have a top crack on my J-45 that I had a pretty reputable luthier inspect and he said that it would "settle" back down if I kept the guitar well-humidified.

I've had some pretty decent results with Rode NT1-A microphones. Take a look at those too. They're around $250. I've paired them with a Shure SM-57 on guitar cabs and also used them for lead vocals, acoustic guitars, etc. Pretty versatile mic.

Sooo....I made a trip to Guitar Center today to get my dad an Xmas gift and took time to play the Champ 600 while was there. HOLY SHIT. What a cool amp. I'd heard great things, but you know -- people talk a lot. This is really a neat little amp. I can imagine, with a little tweaking that this thing would just slay. I think just a new speaker (after the obvious new tubes) would make it a super little amp. Damn I want one.

one thing that isnt readily visable is bellying under the bridge...this can occur in a situation where the environment changes and is perfectly natural in the lifespan of an instrument...personally, i think you just bumped or something without knowing it and it was just enough to put it out of whack...with no obvious structural issues, id say a quick neck adjustment is the fix...and dont forget, just cause the neck looks straight doesnt mean it hasnt twisted somewhat ...the progression of the buzz makes me think the frets are fine

+1

PM me too, please :-)

My ability to screw things up with a soldering iron is the one step that has always made me not get into amp modding. Lately, I've been really wanting a little amp that I could keep under my desk -- like the Champ or a Gibson GA-5. All these little amps seem like everyone is modding them to make them super awesome -- I fear I would make it super notworkanymore.

Wow, what lousy games for Turkey Day. Note to Detroit: get with the program.

Can't wait until Jan. 21.

soo...did you ever buy anything to record with?

This really took 14 years?

+1

Awesome, thanks again everyone.

 

Next question: I went into this endeavor half assuming that I'd be going analog. And that with analog, there'd be the usual tape hiss and imperfections. That was fine with me for many reasons -- first, my apt isn't soundproofed so nothing I record would be perfect, second, I know my way around a fretboard but I am no Nels Cline. I figured that the warmth and tape hiss of an analog recording would sit well with these two facts.

 

Now that I am leaning to digital recording with Mbox2 and Protools (or garageband or ntrack), I am wondering if those two factors above are like oil to my newly discovered water. I am assuming (maybe incorrectly) that with digital recordings comes much cleaner recordings. And with much cleaner recordings, comes the much more obvious distractions of a nonsoundproofed room (or perfectly placed mic). Not to mention, a flub here or there on the guitar or bass in my hands.

 

Can anyone weigh in with thoughts on this? In other words, I went in expecting to record some tunes with a rough GBV or eels feel to them. If I go digital, will I just be highlighting the unavoidable imperfections?

I don't think the "clean" sound of digital makes mistakes more noticeable. I think if a mistake is a big one, you'd hear it either way. A really cool thing about Protools is there are these things called "plug-ins". You can add a plug-in to any track or number of tracks to augment the sound somehow. There are a ton of these from amp simulators to compression and EQ...there are also "vinylizers" and other types that allow a more "tape" sound.

Keep in mind that a lot of warmth you hear on recordings is from the way the sound was captured -- the preamps, mics and mic placement that were used -- in addition to the medium used to record on.

I got a question that would fit in here. Anyone have any experience micing up a banjo? I'm talking distances, placement and the like. Also, homemade pop filter - I've seen designs that use nylon and a wire hanger. Do you guys think this would work just as well or should I shell out the 30ish bucks for a legit one?

Nylon will work.

The "standard" placement for a mic on an acoustic guitar is on the 12th fret, centered on the two middle strings (the D and G). You should try to place the microphone as close as you can to the strings without interfering with playing.

However, banjos sometimes sound better when miked on the rim of the body. Depending on the kind of mic you're using (dynamic or condenser), you can try anything between 8" and 3 feet. In many cases, the standard is a only a starting point and might sound like garbage. Do what sounds good to your ear. Depending on the musical passage, you might want a couple different takes using different mic placement and then blend them together in the mix.

Hope that helps some.

Thanks a.miller. Which Mbox would you suggest?

I have the first one, which is still going strong, though I don't think they make it any longer. For what you want to do, I think the Mbox 2 will do exactly what you need. This is a great little piece of gear. You can mic up anything and run it through there and even go direct with electric guitars, basses, etc.

The guys at Sweetwater (the place my link is to) are super helpful also. Maybe they could put some sort of package together for you to get your hands dirty with.

Also, I would get these accessories if your budget allows them:

6" Pop Filter -- keeps your "P" and "B" sounds from "popping" when singing.

A Good Mic Stand

Doing home recording is a very cool thing. My roommate has a degree in audio engineering, so I've done a fair bit of putting together my own "idiot's guide" to home recording from the stuff he knows. Feel free to ask any other questions you come across.

Go buy a Shure SM-57, a good mic cable and an Mbox. Protools will come for free with the Mbox. Protools will allow you to do sooo much. It's a program that a novice can use and do exactly what you want to do. Additionally, it is the software choice of professionals, so if you ever want to do "more" with your music, your options for expansion (in many ways) are endless. When I got my Mbox, there was a little booklet on "how to start now." Once everything was installed it took maybe 45 minutes before I was laying down tracks.

A huge advantage for protools (over tape machines, 4 tracks, etc.) is the ability to edit your mistakes out visually. This is far easier than trying to fix a mistake by listening to a measure count, etc. Check out some protools interfaces. You can makes some very professional and very easy recordings in your home.

Word is on the tempurpedic that they are very hot to sleep on, cause they do not breathe like a normal mattress. They're also really, really damn difficult to move them anywhere once they "deflate" from shipping.