Looking for a Youtube clip Dlite bluesmaster and strat?

[Muttleyboy]

There was a great clip posted on you tube a few years back with someone (I believe an L.A. based amp tech) playing awesome country-fied blues licks on a real 50's strat through what I think was a Brown note bluesmaster.

It's the only "D" type amp demo that I've seen/heard with that kind of a sound. I think that the guy playing used to post on 18watt.com.

Anyone familiar with what I'm yapping about?

[boldaslove6789]

The fellow you're referring to is William Yates. i don't think the vid is up anymore.

[Muttleyboy]

Yes, that's the name...GREAT GUITARIST. It's too bad that video is gone.

To me, it demonstrated a tone that I didn't think someone could get from a Dumble style amp

[exocet]

I loved that clip as well and it's driven me to build a Bluesmaster spec amp to try to get close with my Strat.
There's been a few You Tube clips over the years that I have really liked and wrongly assumed would always be there. I wish I'd investigated the 'unofficial' download options to preserve this one......maybe someone here has?

[Structo]

I can't find that clip anymore either.

Here is a clip of the BN Blue Monkey 44 Reverb (Bluesmaster)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtFSRND0cdA

Probably not the style you want but it's a pretty versatile amp.

Here is Mark Duke on his Blue Monkey

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1r9WP3ge1QQ&NR=1

[alvarezh]

@ Stucto:

Hi Tom, thanks for the layout and for always being ready to chip in with your valuable help.

I have a couple of question for you:

Do you by any chance know (or can identify) what part sits to the left of the diodes on the relay board underneath the words "Rel.1, Rel.2 and Rel.3" ?

Two, some people hold true that single tube reverbs are not the best. Do you have any personal experience on this specific design (works, doesn't work), or have you heard or read any opinions from people that have used this design? If so, what is their conclusion?

Thanks much in advance.

@ Muttleyboy:

Please accept my apologies before hand if this considered a derail.

[boldaslove6789]

Henry H (redplate) has a great 2 tube verb circuit that's probably more versatile that the BN one tube verb. The schema' is floating around here on TAG somewhere.

[alvarezh]

Thanks Greg for bringing that up, I have seen Henry's reverb circuit. I was just curious to find out about the effectiveness of the single tube variant as I am inclined on making small sized amps (hence de one vs. de two tube design).

Henry is noted for his ability to cram a lot of circuits in a small chassis and make them "sing". I am new to these endeavors and I am running away from getting crosstalk, intermodulation, parallel induction (or whatever it's called) which is difficult to control in a tight space. Furthermore, once I build the amp, my only fix (unless I had the knowledge and experience) is a bigger chassis.

Again, appreciate your input.

All the best.

[Structo]

:

Do you by any chance know (or can identify) what part sits to the left of the diodes on the relay board underneath the words "Rel.1, Rel.2 and Rel.3" ?

Two, some people hold true that single tube reverbs are not the best. Do you have any personal experience on this specific design (works, doesn't work), or have you heard or read any opinions from people that have used this design? If so, what is their conclusion?

Thanks much in advance.

@ Muttleyboy:

Please accept my apologies before hand if this considered a derail.

That is a resistor to limit the current to the LED on the relay board.
I never saw a reason to have an LED there so my boards do not have that, just the diode which is a quenching diode to counter and noise from the relay coil.

I havn't messed around with tube reverbs as of yet.
I just use solid state reverbs in my effects loop and it works well.

I will say this, my first D amp was a D'lite and while that amp certainly sounds good now, it was a journey to get there.
Also, as much as I resisted it, a Dumbleator is really required equipment for these amps.
You can build it into the amp but it requires a fourth preamp tube so if the chassis doesn't have room for it then you have to build an outboard unit which I did.
It really enhances the whole tone of the amp as well as providing a buffered effects loop for effects such as reverb, delay, chorus, tremolo, etc.

If you PM me your email address I can send you what files I have for both the Dumbleator and reverbs.

[alvarezh]

Thank you Tom for your information.

I don't particularly care much about in-amp tube reverb. If I am wrong, please someone correct me, but I have come to the conclusion that in-amp reverb came about because there was no practical (size, weight, cost) reverb box at the time the first amps with reverbs came out to the market (probably around the late fifties early sixties).

Here are some of the disadvantages I have read over time regarding in-amp reverbs:
1) Higher noise level.
2) Lack of adjustment flexibility (Spring type only. No tone adjustment, etc.)
3) More expensive amp (bigger PT, more parts and more man hours to build).
4) More items to go bad (tubes, spring reverb tray, just to name a few)

Fender's famous Stand Alone Reverb is a fine example of a big, heavy and for the times, expensive reverb. Furthermore, it was designed with the intent to be used in line with the guitar (there were no effect out/in jacks at that time) so it's not even considered a correct alternative as far as the delay/reverb signal chain is concerned, as it placed pre-preamp as opposed to post-preamp which is considered (by most) the correct place to be. Actually, tons of recording artists (think Dogears) place their reverb at the recording console (or with computer's Pro Tools).

Either transistorized analog or digital reverbs work mighty well IMO (and in some pro's mind also). You know that there is a notable forum member who swears by his T-Rex (he actually prices it as much as his recently acquired "183"). And although it's tube based, it is an outside box.

I personally use a Strymon, here is their reverb's webpage:

http://www.strymon.net/products/bluesky/

I do have a 'lator (thanks to you, I use a copy of the PS diode/filter arrangement you posted, together with a Fender Reverb Stand Alone PT). But according to the Strymon's specs, it adjusts automatically to input impedances. To tell you the truth, I can't seem to notice degradation in it's intensity or tone when I play it without the 'lator, although I am far from having "Dogear's" ears. BTW I am not a musician, I play my guitar in my room with backing tracks. I'm too bad a "player" and it's not in my mind to insult people, nor to give them a good reason to trash me.

Problem is that most every musician I talk to seem to have the notion that internal tube reverb is the "must have" reverb, this only because that is what they are used to seeing without really testing and making a meaningful comparison. When they ask you if you have a reverb in your amp and they hear it doesn't, you can read the dissolution in their faces as if because there is no in-amp reverb the amp is not up to "PRO" standard. I read somewhere that Dumble thought that nothing should interrupt the interaction between the pre and the power sections. Of course, I am betting this fellow knew what he was talking about. Yes, he built a few reverb included specimens, but for me it will be difficult to find out if it was built for a (stubborn?) customer he could not convince to do otherwise.

Thank you for the schematic offers BTW, but as you can already tell, I have no need for them as I have them already. I know for a fact that you are an expert at finding things on this forum, next time I am in trouble I will be counting on this (not your only) expertise!

All the best.

[boldaslove6789]

Yeah I was consirering getting one of them Strymon El'Capistan jobbies but didn't know if it would work correctly in the loop with a D-lator.

[alvarezh]

Hi Greg, my BlueSky works either way as I posted, I have used it in front also (just to test). They have a PDF user manual here (bottom LH side of page):

http://www.strymon.net/products/elcapistan/

Best yet, call them in case you want to reassure yourself, they are in L.A.

Yours truly.