Big Tex Rig underway

[qtone]

I am not a pro gigging musician this is mainly for home studio use.
A Dream rig if you will.

The vibe pedals and rack units are there for different applications and
I might be using just one of those before its all over.
Each do something well or better then the other so its an experiment in sound.

The mxr delays are something I spied Ej using and have owned them for many years I like them for the Ej thing.

We will make two setups one smaller practical grab n go setup
in case I get to play around here or gig and then the studio rig.

I am not a pro gigging musician but I want organized sounds
and ive been wanting to get this system together for years.

As for the SSS amp ive been after that amp for 28-30 years..

It was a pricy buy but I am glad I did it because nothing else sounds like that. Besides that how else could I ever know if it was hype or not ?

Its not hype they are amazing amps..

Let me say this Greg has great ears and is a great tech
his wiring is clean as Martha Stewarts panty drawer..

So ive basically turned him loose on this system and
my amps.

Greg replaced some tubes in my ODSR Quinn and the amp came
alive even more so instantly.


These amps indeed like old glass and I was skeptical about that too
but not anymore.

The second he got the tubes in the amp it came alive.

The glass indeed helps beyond what you might think I was shocked at how great it sounded with 3 tubes being changed.

Anyway thanks for the comments here and questions I want to say
the rack might change as it is being built and as we find things along the way we might discard doubles of say delays or vibes as they are not all needed.

It is more of an experiment in sounds to cull out whats not needed and keep what is..

So just because there are 3 vibes and 19 delays lol
does not mean they are mainstays..


The mxr stuff sounds great to my ears and its for the Ej thing.

If I find all of that through the strymon or other routes and its even better then Ill cull those out.

I just want to have my cake and eat it too.
Just to finally hear what it all sounds like together.


Greg is going to tweak the 69 plexi as well...
its getting the vintage glass as well and should really
improve after that..

More to come as things unfurl here...

I would like to thank Greg D and his amazing girlfriend for coming here to help me in all aspects here...

They are the dynamic duo and double trouble threat for the multitasking that is going on here...

I could not do it without them helping me and its really appreciated.

Most of the switching system is beyond me I set it up before with ground control and broke it all down again several times ..

So to have two people here both specialists in what they do is helping me
more then words can describe.


Greg has amazing ears and touch for his age he knows quite alot about this addiction we all have here in common which is tone..

Ive surrendered to the cause and am trying to stay out of their way in setting this all up..

We are getting very close now and each amp sounds amazing or will
by the time the glass gets here all my amps will be reglassed and touched to sound just amazing.

We are putting nos GE 6550s in the Bludo so that should come alive even more so...

Telefunkens going into the 69 marshall and we are running it at 50 watts
cause its LOUD. Rip Jim Marshall..
Greg will rebias that amp and get it tweaked.

There is one other amp on its way and its a bassman 50 which is going to be turned into a phoenix soon as it arrives. He is going to setup the studio here both mobile recording as well home studio so if in case I ever do get to gig this monster I can record live on the fly.


The goal is to have a mobile recording rig and home studio
and a system for each.

I do plan on playing and gigging but after this is all done and after ive practiced for about 6 months with it...

Where I am located there are not alot of players to be had so its tough
finding the right cats to gig with here.

Anyway thanks for the comments and questions Greg will be the one to ask
the technical stuff too and trust me he is dialing this all in to be quite something..

Quality clips and videos will be posted so stay tuned.

[rogb]

Wow, can't wait to see and hear more. What amazing gear and getting Greg to put it all together!

Good luck with this uber rig

[Colossal]

Great to see this project unfolding Qtone. Thanks for posting all of the eye candy. I love Eric Johnson's live clean tone; just spectacular. When I saw him, he was using a pair of Deluxe Reverbs with JBLs. In front of the amp, he used an MXR compressor, an EP-3 Echoplex, a TC stereo chorus, and a bit of Memory Man. Pretty much like he outlines in the various interviews out there. The sound was cathedral-like and he did an extended ethereal intro using his red SG then went into Cliffs of Dover. His Marshall sound was great as well. I saw him with Bill Maddox (before he was killed =[ .. very sad)

You should be well positioned for years of fun with that incredible rig! Something for every mood you might find yourself in. It should really spark some great creativity. Keep up the good work.

[Structo]

Man you ain't kidding about it being a dream rig!

I just got my smallish pedal board done for now.

You have tons of choices for tone now!

Thanks for showing us!

[Aaron]

R.I.P Jim Marshall. Met him once in Australia when he did a meet and greet.
He actually waited for me for 20 minutes to get to the store cause I got the times mixed up!!!! He gave me hard time about it when I eventually arrived.

Does the HPD come standard with 6l6's or 6550?
I would be interested to hear the difference between them.
Aren't Brandon's amps clones of the early SSS which were 6L6 based?
From the limited info, 6550's are were usually in Dumblelands or SSS that use the 12BH7 driver tube.

[qtone]

It came with 6550s and all 12ax7 preamp tubes..
It also came GOOPED. That stuff is a mess..

[vibratoking]

Gooped? Now that's funny...and rather sad. What section is gooped? As I understand it, Brandon was inside several SSSs. Seems like an interesting choice to goop someone else's design. Maybe he added his own design and just gooped that part?

[M Fowler]

It also came GOOPED. That stuff is a mess..

Oh how shameful that you would peek inside your amp No wonder Brandon gooped it.

[Mark]

The goop isn't cool the components won't be better for the goop and fault finding will be tough too, eventually the plate resistors will drift or go faulty, it is common fault.

[dreric]

It came with 6550s and all 12ax7 preamp tubes..
It also came GOOPED. That stuff is a mess..

qtone,

Congratulations on your "Dream Rig", looks awesome.

I have a question about the High Plains Drifter.

When you bought the amp from Brandon were you told in advance that it would be gooped? I've often wondered if HAD, now Brandon and other makers like Bruno (I think) disclose to the buyer prior to the sale that the amp will be gooped.

Not trying to stir anything up, but purchasing something which can't be serviced without compromising the finished state that the manufacturer delivered the item and therefore compromising the value of the item seems like something a buyer should be made aware of prior to the sale.

About ten years ago I bought three HP computers for my office. Two months later I wanted to upgrade their RAM only to find a holographic sticker on the back of the chassis stating that removal or compromise of the sicker by a non-authorized HP repair facility would nullify the warrantee. The repair facility charged $125 each to open the machines and plug a memory bank into the slot. I found this irritating.

I'm wondering how Brandon handles this issue.

Eric

[boldaslove6789]

the Bludo was bought second hand

[LeftyStrat]

the Bludo was bought second hand

Well, that's a "license to de-goop."

[dreric]

the Bludo was bought second hand

Thanks Greg.

[Structo]

Anybody see the irony here?

[amplifiednation]

Anybody see the irony here?

Cloning the clone?

Or having it be OK that it's gooped because it was bought second hand?