Bluesmaster CLEAN optimized for STRAT 2 (fender cap values)

[bluesfendermanblues]

Have spent a lot of time this past week, tweaking my 50w bluesmaster and testing these tweaks with three different bands.

This is a small follow up on my previous post regarding Bluesmaster tweaks for nicer (IMO) strat tones. I think I've got now.

Goal: Get it to sound like the Billy Yates bluesmaster clip AND/OR the tones that Henry Heisthl (Redplate) is able to get for Tommy Castro ('Let me love you baby' clips on myspace).

Before:
The amp was setup like the layout presented by Tony in the files section. Only with a small couple of Dogears tweaks, 20n on CL2 (V1B) and 2n on OD1 (V2A). OD Trim set at 20k, HRM T:90K, B:30K, M:4.3K, Megaboost (22m).

This configuration is great - for PAF like humbucker equipped guitars - and do provide you with the tones Dogears presented on youtube with 'VLAD' playing through his Bludo Bluesmaster. Great legato rock tones.

Now:
However, this amp was not really happening for me and my strat (with SD twangbanger -telesound bridge PU and SD antiquity Neck/Mid) - not the sound I was chasing.

After a LOT of tweaking I have arrived at the following values:

Tone stack (Black Fender Super):
Mid cap 33n
Bass cap 100n
Slope resistor 100k

PAB: 68k
Midboost: 500p + 1000p (390p + 2n works fine on skyliners, but not for BM, IMO)

OD trim: 17.5K

HRM tone stack: Stock, except for
Midcap 5.6n
Trimmers: T: 160K, B: 82K (messured to ground), M: 2.5K

Tones now

Clean:
With tone controls at noon, bright off, mid off, Rock on. (Tone stack measuring; T: 104k, Mid: 6.8K, B: 71K),
I get great Blackface Fendery clean sounds with no excessive highs or lows. Just a moist tone that I want to stay up all night to play. I usually hit the OD right away.

OD:
Voiced to equal the clean sound...aka its not darker or brighter or mid humped - just more overdrive - like a Super Reverb on 4. Great for blues solos on the neck pickup and spanky leads on the bridge.

PAB+OD:
Nice lead tones on the bridge pickup - pretty standard Dumble and not a far cry from the OD+PAB on #102.

Conclusion:
The Bluesmaster is a great platform for tweaking to your own taste/guitar.

[greiswig]

That's great. Hey, what's that little cap across the feedback resistor for?



Okay, seriously...I'm glad you put this thread back up, since your other thread got completely hijacked. Sounds like you've done some neat stuff on your amp. Wish I could hear it in person!

[bluesfendermanblues]

That's great. Hey, what's that little cap across the feedback resistor for?

Now, the small cap across the feedback resistor is for.............

[jelle]

Hey, I apologize! Sorry for the derail, just made an observation...

Glad it's working well for you.

Jelle

[Dr d]

Hey Blues, great work! How does your amp sound now with humbuckers? Also, are you using any caps to bypass the OD entrance?
Cheers.

[bluesfendermanblues]

Hey Blues, great work! How does your amp sound now with humbuckers? Also, are you using any caps to bypass the OD entrance?
Cheers.

It sounds great with one of my strats equipped with a seth lover in The bridge pos.

Re input cap, yes, I'm using the 47p input cap, IMO it it adds a nice flavor, but its pretty subtle.

[Dr d]

Blues, thanks for the reply. I am in the middle of trying out your mods, and to complicate things, lowering the plate values in the OD to match the preamp at 150/120K in an attempt to tame the bass response !!! I am finding this a difficult amp to nail.
Cheers.

[bluesfendermanblues]

Blues, thanks for the reply. I am in the middle of trying out your mods, and to complicate things, lowering the plate values in the OD to match the preamp at 150/120K in an attempt to tame the bass response !!! I am finding this a difficult amp to nail.
Cheers.

Try a logarithmic 500k or 250k bass pot - a linear gives too much bass too soon and give very little room for regulation.

Also lowering the CL2 cap from 20n to 10n or from 10n to 5n, might be your secret recipe for 'better' bass tones, coming out of your amp.

[Dr d]

Blues, thanks for the reply. I am in the middle of trying out your mods, and to complicate things, lowering the plate values in the OD to match the preamp at 150/120K in an attempt to tame the bass response !!! I am finding this a difficult amp to nail.
Cheers.

Try a logarithmic 500k or 250k bass pot - a linear gives too much bass too soon and give very little room for regulation.

Also lowering the CL2 cap from 20n to 10n or from 10n to 5n, might be your secret recipe for 'better' bass tones, coming out of your amp.

Hi Blues, i'll try that!!!!! Bit of along shot,perhaps, but trying to get close to a Carlton "Last Nite" tone on my strat. Still a way to go!!!
Cheers.

[bluesfendermanblues]

Hi Blues, i'll try that!!!!! Bit of along shot,perhaps, but trying to get close to a Carlton "Last Nite" tone on my strat. Still a way to go!!!
Cheers.

I dont think carlton like tone is that hard to do with the mods in the top of this post + dumbleator + strat in pos mid/bridge.

[Dr d]

Hi Blues, i'll try that!!!!! Bit of along shot,perhaps, but trying to get close to a Carlton "Last Nite" tone on my strat. Still a way to go!!!
Cheers.

I dont think carlton like tone is that hard to do with the mods in the top of this post + dumbleator + strat in pos mid/bridge.

Thanks...looking forward to trying.