OD James Tone Stack

[10thTx]

I have this Carolina Overdrive Special 5879 amp. I had been using a treble cut in the OD section. It worked OK and reasonably well but it wasn't very versatile. I've also used pseudo 5E3 tone stacks in overdrive channels in the other D-inspired amps I've built.

I loved the clean channel of the amp & I liked the OD channel really well as long as the drive pot was dialed down. To my ears, cranking the drive pot (& cranking the OD up a lot) began to give the OD more of a distorted tone that wasn't very musical. I could leave the drive pot cranked down and then turn up either the trim or level pot or both and get a smooth OD tone I liked.

Knowing the James Tone Stack has some "loss" to it (volume wise) and that it has quite a bit of tone shaping capability to it (given it's a 2 knob tone stack), I decided to try it out. Some of my thinking was that there was TOO much gain between the gain stages in the OD section.

I am VERY happy with the results. There are two major benefits for me what I am looking for: 1) I am able to dial in tone shaping in the OD so that either humbuckers OR single coils sound great using the overdrive channel. My guess is that in a band mix, one would be able to dial in an OD tone that allowed one to cut thru the mix well and 2) there is something about using the JTS that changes a cranked overdrive tone from heading down a distorted non--musical overdrive to a VERY musical overdriven tone. My guess is that it is allowing the "sweeter" frequencies to be cranked.

Just thought I'd share the results for anyone interested in trying this out. with respect, 10thtx

[10thTx]

Notice how the JTS can (sort of) simulate a mid scoop or a "pseudo" mid boost tone. I have found dialing the treble and bass pots of the JTS to give quite a range of tone for me from almost a clean jazzy oriented mid-scooped boost to a very pushed overdrive tone.

The JTS has allowed me to dial up any combination I like of the trim pot, drive pot and/or level pot without heading into a non-musical "distorting" OD tone.

Currently, cranking the overdrive up ……….. I am liking the treble set to about 7 and the bass set to about 4.5.

Using my clean/OD footswitch ………… I noticed the transparency of the clean channel and OD channel with this setting to be about the same. Meaning I could still hear all the notes playing a chord and they didn't moosh together.

With respect, 10thtx

[Reeltarded]

I am using a Fender single tone control like you described up top on a stage before my amps actually begin.

The higher settings of treble drive more, of course, but.. which OD stage were you using that on?

[10thTx]

Not sure I understand the question? IF you are asking what OD stage was I using the pseudo 5E3 tone stack on, the answer is AFTER the entire OD stage prior to the active FX loop.

In other words, I had the pseudo 5E3 interactive with the Level pot at the end of the OD section. I was using the treble cut between the OD stages.

with respect, 10thtx

[Reeltarded]

In my opinion, not the best place for it. It rules on OD1. It's really great for a person who is not an HRM fan. It also can be used just to shift the focus and drive so you can run OD1 UP and get excellent smooth stuff that can sound almost like a flute legato.

Dave told me you had done the single tone on OD and I forgot to ask where you put it. I am glad this came up.

My own amp design is a list of classic circuits with a center biased stage up front. Bright selections and a single tone for that stage, but my ODS Bandmaster has it on OD1. That amp is ODS only (no clean) and the tone control works best there because it doesn't dominate the tone from there to the output as it does on OD2.

[10thTx]

That's excellent information! THANKS for sharing it!

I've never cloned an amp so I appreciate hearing about others who are experimenting & finding some success and not just only following "proven" convention.

with respect, 10thtx

[Reeltarded]

There is something about letting a later stage obscure the dramatic effects of earlier stages.. at least that is how I work it out. I am glad something I said seemed useful to you. It's about time that I pay you a pence on a pound for all the guidance I have gained from your experience. Thank you for all that!

[10thTx]

I've done quite a bit of experimenting with my Carolina Overdrive Special using the James Tone Stack. I like this tone stack a lot and I'm impressed with how much tone shaping is available with two knobs. I'm finding I get more of a vowel tone in the overdrive with the bass and treble (JTS) set around 3 which accents the mids. Then adjusting the treble pot just a little more helps with the notes opening up even more.

I also increased the values of the trim pot, drive pot and level pot. This allows a wide range of using the OD as a slight boost to the clean ……… OR having it be quite overdriven. Again, there is considerable overdrive shaping with these recent pot values.

With respect, 10thtx

[Masco]

Are LIN or LOG pots commonly used for treble and bass in the James circuit? What are you using?
Thanks!

[dorrisant]

Pretty sure the Baxandall/James TS uses linear pots.

[wayshot]

The James tone stack (passive) uses log pots. The active Baxandall version uses linear pots.

[dorrisant]

Good to know.