New Express clone first impressions

[stevek66]

I lined up all my amps this weekend to do a little sonic evaluation and see how my Express measured up to my other amps.

My main amp is a 1970 50 watt Marshall,I've had it since 1981.It is a great sounding amp.I run it through a 2x12 with Heritage Greenbacks.

My backup to this is a 50 watt marshall clone that is mostly Metro parts with Sozo vintage caps.I basically copied my 1970 but it has Heyboer trannies.This was my first ever build and it came out really good.I run this through a 2x12 as well but with normal greenback and a 12h30 annv.

The Express,I tried all my cabs with it and settled on a 2x12 with Scumbacks in it.It has a H75 and a H55.I didn't like this cab with my marshalls.It seemed to congested,However the Express really shines with this cab.

Well...I'm kinda disheartened in a way...
The Express just sounds bigger than either Marshall.It's not as loud as either 50 watter but to a piont it just sounds richer.My Marshalls kinda sound muffled in a way.The Express has a sweeter top end even though it's a little brighter.Kinda suprising for a new build with no time on it.
At medium volumes I'm running the 100pf position on my bright switch.When I crank it up to say 2 or 3 oclock I switch in the 250 pf cap.I installed a 250 pf to try before I put in a 500pf.I think I might put in the 500pf.
The Express doesn't clean up as well with the guitar volume as I thought it would but it is not bad.

I think as I play it more and burn it in it will probably mellow a bit and then it may like the celestion cabs more.It just sounded a little to strident with either cab.

I'm totally excited with the way it turned out but I guess I didn't expect it to make my 70 hide under the porch.

well sorry for the long post but thier you have it...

Steve[/b]

[lewilson]

I didnt put a bright switch in my wreck, but its sound like maybe I should put one, The louder I turn mine the more it seems to need highs, sounds like yours is the same.

[skyboltone]

I didnt put a bright switch in my wreck, but its sound like maybe I should put one, The louder I turn mine the more it seems to need highs, sounds like yours is the same.

Just for the heck of it lewilson, try loosing the 50pf plate to plate cap at the PI and see what happens. I dunno personally.

Dan

[lewilson]

I will do that. stevek66 said he runs his amp at 2 or 3 o clock. My amp is plenty overdriven strait up at 12 oclock, mine seems pretty uncontrolable and compressed at around 2 or 3 oclock with a humbucker guitar, with a tele bridge pickup it works, im gonna play more with the .001uf cap and grid resitor after pulling the 50pf cap

[skyboltone]

I will do that. stevek66 said he runs his amp at 2 or 3 o clock. My amp is plenty overdriven strait up at 12 oclock, mine seems pretty uncontrolable and compressed at around 2 or 3 oclock with a humbucker guitar, with a tele bridge pickup it works, im gonna play more with the .001uf cap and grid resitor after pulling the 50pf cap

sounds good. Keep us posted.

Dan

[declan]

Just for the heck of it lewilson, try loosing the 50pf plate to plate cap at the PI and see what happens. I dunno personally.

Dan

id like to see what happens here too, mine was runaway trainwreck without this cap

sorry for threadjacking, glad you are enjoying your new build Steve, my own build cleans up very nicely but i have to get down a lot lower on the guitar volume than i thought i would, I am thinking it may be time to look at new guitar vol pots with a more gentle taper

[stevek66]

[quote="lewilson"]I will do that. stevek66 said he runs his amp at 2 or 3 o clock. My amp is plenty overdriven strait up at 12 oclock, mine seems pretty uncontrolable and compressed at around 2 or 3 oclock with a humbucker guitar, with a tele bridge pickup it works, im gonna play more with the .001uf cap and grid resitor after pulling the 50pf cap[/quote

Hey Lewilson,
My 2 main guitars are a 85 62 reissue Strat and a 56 les paul Historic.So single coils all the way around.With the Strat I can push the volume more before it starts to over compress.
Just put it the 3 way bright switch.I didn't Have a bright switch in mine for a few days .It was the last item I was waiting for the postman to bring.I think it would cure your problem.

Steve

[lewilson]

Im going to jumper in a cap accress the pot and test. I never use the bright channel on fenders nor the bright switch, so I just never planned on the switch on my tw layout. I think I like it I can slip it in under my input jack though. or maybe a PUSH PULL volume / bright pot might be nice

[geetarpicker]

For what it's worth I think I get a better range from dirty down to clean by using the bright switch in the full 500pf position. Without it the clean just doesn't chime and sounds dirtier. Then I darken the amp back up a little with tube selection, speaker selection and mic placement.

[lewilson]

Thats great info, I have been checking out you videos and reading your posts. they have helped amensly. I put in a .001uf ceramic in parallel with the orange drop .001 and it seems fine with single coils. Im goona go back and jumper a 500pf across the volume pot now. Ive been putting that off.

[declan]

been trying different preamp tubes tonight and would agree with Glen. Some of the brighter sounding tubes sound good, but a darker sounding one seems to allow more use of the bright switch which brings on the dirt more.

Strangely I prefer a Brimar in V1 over the couple of mulards I have. A phillips came close.

[lewilson]

I had a mullard in v1 and took it out, Put in an rft

[lewilson]

I think ive got mine nailed. I put in a 10uf cap on v2 cathode and upped the grid resistor on v3 to 100k. Has a nice bite now without being to bright. thanks for all the input!

[strato17]

I finished up my express last night. I ran through all the power tests today and everything checks out great... but on the v1 tube socket, some of the solder leaked through to one of the pin sockets. Looks like I am going to have to wait for a new socket to come in the mail.

DOH!

[stevek66]

I had my Express at rehearsal Sunday.We had to keep the volume to a minimum.I brought my pedal board to use thru it,which I hadn't done yet.On my Pedal board I have a older Fulltone OCD,it's a ver1.I gotta say that the OCD thru the Express is one of the best tones I have ever heard.Simply amazing.
We play mostly classic rock,Allmans,ZZ,Mule ect.Not alot of clean tones needed.However it still cleaned up pretty well with the OCD on.I had the volume about 8 to 9 oclock,barely cracked.
Cheers Steve