BigWheeledWagon

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

Wow. That does indeed inspire gear lust. Unfortunately, the upgrade costs more than the amp.

Wow, that's pretty cool. Do you have a champ? This would sound great mic'd up on stage but would look less than impressive.

Yeah, the amp I'm working on is a Champ 600.

This is a followup on my previous post about modifying my Fender Champ 600. So, I'm looking at replacement speakers (I'm forgoing the kit and just getting individual parts that best suit my needs -- I'm also going to grab some NOS tubes if I can find a good deal), and will probably go with a Weber -- the question is ceramic or AlNiCo? Thoughts? Suggestions? I'm leaning toward the AlNiCo because as I understand it, though my understanding is fairly limited, they tend to be warmer, more harmonically complex, and tend to break up a little easier.

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.

Yeah, I've been really happy with it. I put new tubes in the day I got it, and it has quickly become my primary recording amp due to the ability to get it to breakup at relatively low volumes. I can't imagine it would be much good in a performance situation, but I don't play out anymore. My old Bassman 10 has quickly fallen into disuse. I should probably look into selling it, but I can't quite bring myself to part with it.

We ran into several of the camera-folks near us at the show, and they gave us the impression that they had been taping the past several shows at that point for some sort of project. I certainly hope the footage of the Ryman show surfaces before too long -- it was a fantastic show. The band really tends to go all out when it plays the Ryman -- the St. Patrick's Day, 2006 show was pretty amazing, too.

I like all of those!

 

And y'know what, despite its title, Summer Teeth seems wintery to me. Cold and lonely. Funny the mood a song can create.

I've always had the opposite feel for the album -- it feels like lat spring/early summer to me (nothing to do with the name, though). I think this is largely a personal thing, though. I bought the album in May of '99 right around the time I graduated from college, and it became the soundtrack to that time period in my life. Thus, I've always associated it with warm May/June evenings and that bittersweet time period. Also, although the lyrics of the album are incredibly dark, the music contrasts the lyrics for the most part and is lush and warm. Also, the Beach Boys' influence gives me that summer feeling. Anyway, I find myself playing "Summerteeth" much more frequently in May and June.

I've always though of "Being There" as an autumn record; though, again, this is largely because this is the time of year I first discovered it. Still, something in the music seems autumnal (same with "YHF"). "AGIB" seems like a winter record to me -- as a whole, it feels cold, stark, and brittle. I guess I get a bit of a late summer/early fall feel with "A.M.," and "SBS" is all over the place for me. There are definitely some wintery songs on "SBS," though.

You know, this isn't the first time the issue of seasonal associations with Wilco songs has arisen on the boards, and I find it really interesting how many listeners have these associations with Wilco albums or songs. I make these associations with a lot of albums (for some reason I always find myself breaking out Matthew Sweet's "Girlfriend" when spring really gets underway), but probably more so with Wilco than with any other band/artist. Some of Jeff's lyrics suggest that his mood is very much affected by the changing seasons (and of course seasonal change can have a serious effect on depression), so perhaps this really translates to the listener as well. Good topic.

You concerns are valid, but id say if you have soldering and circuit experience, youll be fine with this mod...after reading your many posts, im sure youre not an idiot, which helps too

Thanks -- I'm still not sure if I'm going to try it myself or not, but it's nice to have a vote of confidence.

I use JJs in my AC30, i like them alot, and the speaker is certainly an improvement, but im not sold on those caps, i think you could do better, esp since all you are changing on the filter (polar) cap is the value, and not the composition of the element...

What caps would you recommend as an alternative?

Anyway, I appreciate the replies -- as usual, the regulars here in "Solid State Technology" have proven to be a valuable resource. When I post something here, I generally have a pretty good idea of who is likely to respond, and ya'll have never failed to offer solid advice or to help me look at an issue in a different light. I doubt I could have built my custom strat this past year without all the help. Thanks guys.

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.

That's my biggest fear as well (well, other than the whole electrocution thing). I've been pretty successful soldering inside guitars, but circuit boards scare me. Years ago, I attempted to mod a tube screamer TS9 with the old TS808 chip. It did not go well. Perhaps I can convince a more technically inclined friend to do this.

So, I'm considering taking my little Champ 600 practice amp up a notch, using this kit (the premium one):

http://www.specialtyguitars.com/champ-upgrade-kits.html

So, I know I can handle the speaker replacement and tubes(obviously) no problem. I've wired guitars, but this is a whole new level, especially considering that I'll have to deal with stuff like draining the caps (which could result in electrocution if I screw that up). So, is this something I should take on by myself, or would that be crazy? The kit would still be worth it for the speaker and tubes, but if that's all I'm going to do, it would surely be cheaper to just get the individual parts (and I've already upgraded the factory tubes).

I'm also going to upgrade the strat I built earlier this year (I haven't been very happy with the Torres kit I installed at the time), but I've done that before, and soldering for guitar wiring is minor league compared to the amp stuff:

http://www.specialtyguitars.com/kits/strat.html

I also had sinus surgery, and it has had some impact on my migraines, though I still get them. Of course, I didn't get the surgery to help with migraines -- I got it to deal with a chronic sinus infection. The surgery was great at getting rid of the infection and preventing future ones by clearing away all the scar tissue from previous infections that blocked my sinuses and created repeated sinus infections (and eventually one that wouldn't go away). At times, sinus pressure seemed to trigger a migraine, so that trigger is no longer in play, but I still get a migraine once or twice a month (which really isn't all that often compared to some). I've just come to accept migraines as part of my life. I've got an unusually high pain tolerance (or threshold really -- I generally don't feel pain in situations where others would; for instance, I often don't notice that I've accidentally cut myself until I bleed onto something), so it's not so much the headache that gets me but instead the nausea and sensitivity to light and sound.

Anyway, sorry to ramble, but I wouldn't look into getting sinus surgery unless you actually have a sinus problem (although it's an extremely minor and relatively painless outpatient surgery)

Another vote for the computer. I've struggled with the 4-track, and the computer is much better. In this day and age, some software and an interface can be had for not much more than the 4-track and will allow you so much more freedom.

I've been there too. Don't give up. I often find that just playing an instrument without really thinking about it often yields some results (sort of the like the musical version of stream of consciousness writing). Also, playing an instrument with which you're less familiar can often inspire a new song (same thing goes for alternate tunings -- I think the older thread mentioned that). Who knows, maybe you'll just wake up some morning soon with a melody in your head. Anyway, good luck.

FWIW i use this http://www.alesis.com/multimix16firewire in my studio...i can recommend it almost unconditionally...they make a smaller version

 

in general i dont care for behringer products, their cheap prices yield cheap results, but yes it'll 'do the job'...i didnt find those reviews particularly helpful

 

that said id consider these factors:

 

firewire is generally a better way to go compared to usb

 

i use Garageband and Cubase...no reason to change that at this stage id say

 

those Xenyx preamps sound like hype, all mixers have preamps (usually called 'gain')...most comparable units have burr-browns preamps circuits which meet or exceed those in transparency...and most 'tuned' preamps like these xenyx are coloring your sound,

 

no clue what the hell 'british EQ' adds, usually at this price level, 'warmth' really means a small bit of distortion intentionally added...you get warmth from your microphone and performance

 

be aware, many mics need more clean gain than that board will offer in any case

 

preset effects are crap, not adjustable, and NOISY...you should record clean and add reverb, etc afterward with the recording software which offers fully adjustable parameters on all effects

 

All your EQ capability is really there for live applications, youll use EQ afterward with the recording software during mixing

 

 

 

Id highly recommend upgrading your mic (i dont know what youre using now) FIRST...an OK mic through cheap preamps sounds at best OK...a great sounding mic through cheap preamps will at least sound good and eventually when you upgrade your interface/preamp, will sound great...if you dont need more than 2 channels at a time, you dont need this mixer, get a dedicated interface

I have been considering upgrading my studio with this particular mixer -- your endorsement may have just sealed the deal. Thanks.

Tell me about these. Especially the 1W and 5W models.

 

Alternate thread title: talk me out of buying a new 1W/5W Blackheart amp

Looks like musician's friend has a scratch and dent sale going on for the 5W model. Don't know much about Blackhearts, though. If you're looking for a 5W amp, though, and if you have a little more cash, may I recommend the Swart Space Tone?:

http://www.swartamps.com/amplifiers_tweed_tone_6v6se.htm

I brought it up last week when it first aired in the "Wilco Heard Out and About" thread (yeah, I know, it's not really out and about, but . . . ), and I think at least one other person mentioned seeing it -- not sure what that indicates about the ratings for the show. I agree, it's always cool to hear Wilco, but hearing "Being There" era Wilco stuff made me particularly happy. Not sure if I'm going to stick with watching "True Blood," (it's no "Buffy") but playing Wilco doesn't hurt.

Not out and about, but "Far, Far Away" is playing in the background of the HBO show "True Blood" as I type this.

Why you got to break my heart, junebug??

 

I actually just got the lap steel today, I bought a supercheap one for $80. It sounds a zillion times better than I expected, actually. I played one of my guitars in an open dobro-type tuning for a long time, and didn't like the sound half as much as the C6 I put this lap in. I think I like how the two- and three-note chord frags sound through the amp / with more sustain. I didn't try lap for a long time because I didn't really get into that dobro...

 

I think this will be good enough for what I'm doing at the moment. Personally I'm a big fan of the Bucky Baxter school of steel anyway, just subtle swells here and there, not too many runs burning up and down the neck. Trying to add in some flavor to recordings, not land a job playing professional or anything like that. So ... even if the lap isn't quite the same tone as pedals, it is actually looking to work out. Thanks again for all the advice here.

While the two are very different instruments, it will still be helpful to have learned the lap steel before advancing to the pedal. While the pedals and knee levers will certainly add a whole new level of difficulty, learning the basics of playing with the steel bar, muting/dampening strings, etc. will surely have you in a better position to learn the pedal steel than you otherwise would be.

As for making due now, you can probably get a lot of the sounds you are looking for with the lap steel and a volume pedal, but there are just some aspects of the pedal steel that just can't be reproduced -- just think about some of the live situations where Nels tries to duplicate a pedal steel part with his lap steel. It sounds fine, but you wouldn't confuse it with the real thing. I wish I'd learned to play the thing -- so few people can play the pedal steel that even so-so players are practically guaranteed work. It's amazing how in demand and well-paid the session guys here in Nashville are, especially considering how relatively few modern songs, even in the country genre, use it anymore.

Those are some interesting-looking guitars. I must admit that I, too, am now curious about these guitars. I see that the company is based in Illinois, but I wonder if the guitars are made there or are assembled cheaply in China. Of course, at one time Sears owned the company and sold them through their catalogue. Anyway, my interest is piqued if anyone has any information.

I'm glad to hear that Jeff is returning to working on a more studio-based album. I love the performance aspect of the band, but I can get that when I see them on tour. After the last couple of albums, I miss the dense studio creations of YHF and Summerteeth, and I'm really curious to hear what kind of contributions the new lineup can bring to the studio.

I don't think Jay "tries" to do too much... I think he just "does" too much.

"Do or do not. There is no try."

Sorry, couldn't help myself.

wouldnt bother me all as much if they still made them domestically..

Putting aside any issues of national pride, I think that if they made them domestically, the same problems that bother you in the first place would not exist.

We also got a black lab puppy a few weeks ago. We named him Lennon. Before I even offered any suggestions, my wife said, "We are not naming him Wilco or Tweedy." The little guy loves music. Whenever I play guitar, he sits down at my feet and stares up at me with his head cocked to the side.

My 78 vibro champ will meet all your needs. A silver face 70's, 300.00-500.00

I think Oceanman has found the solution to your problem.

Despite now being a pretty worthless publication, Rolling Stone mentions Wilco playing a new song at Lollapalooza and has a nice picture of Jeff's Nudie suit (which appears to be different than the one he wore earlier this year in Nashville):

http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/inde...t-lollapalooza/

Maybe there should be something about this subject in the announcements section or some other appropriate place so that we can avoid this coming up on a regular basis -- just a friendly reminder that discussions of the address of the loft, personal residences, telephone numbers, etc. should be avoided (if this is already up somewhere -- I apologize in advance). I know lots of folks (many of them new to the board) who bring these subjects up mean no harm and have no intent of stalking, etc., but, as we've all discussed many time, we should be considerate to both the privacy and safety of the guys. While it may seem harmless enough for a well-meaning fan to track down the loft just to see it, these things can get out of hand, and the next thing we know, folks are posting about where kids of the band members go to school, where band members can be spotted a part of their daily routines, and other crazy stuff. I'm sure it seemed harmless enough at first to have fans hanging out around the Dakota to meet John Lennon, but . . . I know that sounds a little overly-dramatic, but one of the great things about this board has always been how respectful most people around here are about the band and how seldom things cross that line into, well, creepiness and stalker-like behavior. Anyway, I was just thinking that there must be a way to avoid having this same discussion every few months and thus avoiding people getting upset, posters having to defend their intentions, etc.

So, I've decided to give this a try as well -- I ordered a pack of acoustic strings. I think I'll try it out on my old Gibson Dove. It's got a really heavy low end (enough so that it can be a bitch to record and requires a little creative microphone placement), so I think it will sound pretty good high-strung. Hopefully this will inspire some new songs, but at the very least it should add a little texture to some recordings. Most of the discussion here seems to have centered around high-stringing acoustic; has anyone tried this with electrics? I've spotted packs of Nashville tuning strings for electrics as well. I was thinking that a high-strung electric might inspire some interesting rhythm playing that would be difficult on a 12-string (funkier chords higher up on the neck, etc. that could be difficult with the string-tension of 12-string). Not sure how it would translate to lead.