Express Combo Rehearsal Initial Report

[leaveitalone84]

As some of you may know I put together a Ceriatone Express and a Jeff Swanson styled 2x12 matchless cab. I finally got to really dig into it last night, very suprised! Specs right now as follows.

Stock Ceria Express: with tweaked lead dress.
Tubes: New Production Tung-Sol 12AX7 in V1 and V2. Sovteck 12AX7LPS in V3. JJ Tesla El34's.
Cabinet: loaded with Weber British Speakers - 16 ohm, 30 watt, with light doping, Blue Dog and Silver Bell. Wired for 8 ohms. Oval Back.
Additional Sound deadening/isolation: All tubes have 2 O-rings to dampen mechanical/microphonic vibration. 1/8" cork drawer liner w/self adhesive backing sandwiched between chassis and cabinet. 8"x1"x1/4" piece of weather stripping inside chasis behind V1,2,3 heater windings.

For rehearsal volume was set at 1/4 volume to 1/3 with a cloned airbrake on position 4,3,2 as the night progressed. TMBP were about 1/2 and the treble switch was on Hi for most of the night.

Guitar: '94 Gibson LP Classic, stock except for TonePros steel studs and aluminum stop bar.
Effects: Guitar -> RMC Wizard Wah -> Bypass Looper w/Dunlop Rotovibe --> Amp

Style of Music: Hard Rock with some Alternative and Blues/Country mixed in.

While I felt the Rig was a little bright (I think its a big factor of the pickups in the LP) with a little roll down of the treble + presence on the amp and care taken to setup up the guitar volume+tone she sounded great. Very dynamic and not much tube mechanical noise. I believe I heard a little bit at one point. The speakers being 100+ dB gave me a little more headroom I feel, without being too loud. I'm fortunate(?) enough to play with a loud drummer. The other guitarist is a little loud though sometimes and we have yet to get a bass player yet. Micing in a live situation would be no problem.

Dynamics were great, guitar volume/attack controlled clean/saturation. Feedback was musical and controlable, if I crouched, as the speakers were pointed at my knees. A combo stand is neccesary. The Wah sounded great, and the Rotovibe suprised me a lot. It sounded very musical from clean into moderate/high crunch but full on volume made it sound farty.

Maybe the bass can be tightened and made more punchy. Any recommendations? I was thinking a choke? Dunno yet. . .

There was still a bit of noise in the amp. I need to put a bottom chassis cover on. I may try grounding the speaker frames. Also a grid resistor on V1a as I get some RFI in some outlets.

All in all, the amp isn't fully reigned in yet. I need to do some cosmetic and functional tweaks. I will be adding a fast/gradual switch, NOS RCA 12AX7's in V1 and V2, GT EL-34Ms, and maybe a few other vibration tweaks/tuning.

The combo issue wasn't as big a hurdle as others have had. It could possibly be the "Matchless style" as my chassis is farther away from the speakers as in other combos. I'll keep you all updated. Will try to get pics and sounds soon.

[iwo]

about the RFI... i had same issue with my ceriatone. First I tried the capacitor from input jack ground to the chassis nearby and it solved the problem. At another time I tried the input grid resistor (22 kohms in my case and the capacitor mentioned was also in its place) and I felt that something had changed the way amp responded/sounded and somehow i thought that not to the better so I personally removed it. But try and listen for yourself and see if you notice any difference. good luck.

[leaveitalone84]

Hmm, thanks for the heads up!

[John C]

I'm surprised the wah worked for you. My Express-inspired amp makes my wah sound pretty terrible. I'm glad it works for you!

The Wah sounded great, and the Rotovibe suprised me a lot.

[leaveitalone84]

What type of wah are you using? I made sure to get one that was voiced for single coils and humbuckers. Also how much time have you put into trying them out?

My express has taken most effects I've put into it. Even my shitty homemade Ge Fuzz Foot. It didn't sound bad either I just can't wait till I try a better fuzz. A good setting with the express is Fuzz on full, volume at unity, and then set the bias of the transistors. Good fuzzes will clean up with the volume control so you can still get some fuzz "color" and still play like an express. I'm not sure how silicon fuzzes would sound, they are brighter with higher gain.

IMHO; effects use with an express (read: heresy) is difficult. I've found it's very dependent on the quality of the pedal and takes a lot more tweaking with the pedal settings themselves. But in all it comes down to changing your attack. I can't slam my wah and guitar at the same time like on a Marshall.

While KF's designs arn't pedal sloots like Dr. Z's they can still work so don't give up! YMMV

[drhulsey]

... My Express-inspired amp makes my wah sound pretty terrible...

A Teese RMC3 seems to work well with my Express

[John C]

I'm using the Dunlop 95-Q. I have really liked that wah on other amps, but wasn't too surprised when it didn't sound so great with my Express-type amp. Maybe I should clarify - the wah doesn't sound so great when I crank the amp's gain up to 12:00 or more. I'd always heard the that the Express amps weren't effects-friendly, but I found that the rest of my effects don't sound too bad. It's just the wah that sounds poor. A Tube Screamer sounds pretty good, for example, and even a delay or Uni-Vibe can sound good.

[drhulsey]

... I found that the rest of my effects don't sound too bad...

I agree with Captain Rusty when he said the TW's let you pare down your pedal board. I have a wah, chorus, and delay, but mostly use only the delay. I have a VooDoo Labs Sparkle Drive, but don't need it often.

[leaveitalone84]

... I found that the rest of my effects don't sound too bad...

I agree with Captain Rusty when he said the TW's let you pare down your pedal board. I have a wah, chorus, and delay, but mostly use only the delay. I have a VooDoo Labs Sparkle Drive, but don't need it often.

Tim what delay are you using?

I'm looking at picking up a Mad Professor Deep Blue