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Post subject: Channel Jumping
Posted: Thu Dec 29, 2011 8:10 am
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Hey Amp Gurus. The wife is out of town so I'm getting to really dig into my new '61 Tremolux cranked up. I like the clean clean it gives me, but I've been trying to push it into distortion a little more that what I have been getting (guitar all the way up, amp volume on 7-8). I tried a tube screamer, which made it louder and added distortion, but also changed the tone significantly (not in a terrible way, just made it different from its natural voice). This AM I think I made a break through though; while my guitar was plugged into input 1 in the normal channel, I jumped input 2 on that channel to input 1 on the bright channel. When I turned both channels up to 7 the thing really started to growl and got noticeably louder. I've never done this before, though I have heard that it works on tweeds. Can anyone explain it a little? Here are also a couple of shots from the inside after my tech gave it back.

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Post subject: Re: Channel Jumping
Posted: Thu Dec 29, 2011 10:55 am
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Hi s3mamill,

Nice amp, congrats. :)

Each channel uses separate preamp tubes, or halves of preamp tubes, used only for that particular channel, the tubes in the unused channel are not in the signal path. When you jump the channels, you add the unused tubes to the signal path, therefore adding gain stages to the signal path. I am not sure which circuit that your amp is (6G9B?), so you are either adding an extra half of a preamp tube, or a whole extra preamp tube to the signal path when jumping channels.

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Post subject: Re: Channel Jumping
Posted: Thu Dec 29, 2011 12:02 pm
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shimmilou wrote:
Hi s3mamill,

Nice amp, congrats. :)

Each channel uses separate preamp tubes, or halves of preamp tubes, used only for that particular channel, the tubes in the unused channel are not in the signal path. When you jump the channels, you add the unused tubes to the signal path, therefore adding gain stages to the signal path. I am not sure which circuit that your amp is (6G9B?), so you are either adding an extra half of a preamp tube, or a whole extra preamp tube to the signal path when jumping channels.


http://ampwares.com/amplifiers/fender-blonde-tremolux/

Tremolo in all three circuit versions is of the bias modulation type. Both normal and bright channels use a single 7025, so the preamp outputs are in phase with each other. Otherwise jumping would not sound so good.

http://ampwares.com/schematics/tremolux_6g9b.pdf

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Post subject: Re: Channel Jumping
Posted: Thu Dec 29, 2011 8:30 pm
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Thanks for the info guys. The circuit is 6G9-A. So what you're saying is I'm adding some gain not by driving the output tubes as much as by adding 1 or 1/2 a preamp tube into the mix, is that right?

Also, I know on my DRRI the effects aren't available on both channels, but the trem is available on the normal and bright channel on this amp. I found that interesting too.

Bluesky, I lived in Manassas for a while in High School. Centerville is a nice town.


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Post subject: Re: Channel Jumping
Posted: Thu Dec 29, 2011 9:57 pm
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Looks like a whole tube is added to the preamp section with this amp when channel jumping. The extra preamp gain can drive the output tubes to earlier distortion. It is cool that the tremolo is available on both channels.

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Post subject: Re: Channel Jumping
Posted: Thu Dec 29, 2011 10:23 pm
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s3mamill wrote:
Thanks for the info guys. The circuit is 6G9-A. So what you're saying is I'm adding some gain not by driving the output tubes as much as by adding 1 or 1/2 a preamp tube into the mix, is that right?


Here's the 6G9A schematic. I didn't compare them closely but I doubt there is a big difference between the A and B versions. Probably some minor component changes.

http://ampwares.com/schematics/tremolux_6g9a_h-fa.pdf

Yes, you pick up a whole tube's worth of gain.

s3mamill wrote:
Also, I know on my DRRI the effects aren't available on both channels, but the trem is available on the normal and bright channel on this amp. I found that interesting too.


The trem modulates the power tube bias so it is available for both channels.

s3mamill wrote:
Bluesky, I lived in Manassas for a while in High School. Centerville is a nice town.


My wife and I have lived in Centreville since 1985. It's a giant shopping center surrounded by thousands of houses, townhouses, and condos. Not really much of a town. :(

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Post subject: Re: Channel Jumping
Posted: Thu Dec 29, 2011 11:49 pm
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Bluesky, you're right about Centerville. You actually described almost all of Northern Va. It seems to be more dominated by stripmalls and condos everytime I go back.


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Post subject: Re: Channel Jumping
Posted: Fri Dec 30, 2011 2:13 am
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s3mamill wrote:
Bluesky, you're right about Centerville. You actually described almost all of Northern Va. It seems to be more dominated by stripmalls and condos everytime I go back.


I've lived in Northern Virginia since 1956 and have seen it all. :(

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Post subject: Re: Channel Jumping
Posted: Fri Dec 30, 2011 6:29 am
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That Tremolux is a great looking amp...it's pretty much the same circuit as the '62 Vibrolux that I own,channel jumping on mine darkens the tone more than I want,I like to run the treble and bass up into the 7-9 range and the volume thickens it as it gets higher.
I play cleaner than most people I guess,and get plenty of chime on the top end while that mid and bass on the brown circuits give a full tonal response,and they're fairly touch sensitive giving way to lots of pick techniques and cool overtones. to enhance the mood of your playing.

compare the Tremolux and Vibrolux schematics.
http://www.webphix.com/schematic%20heav ... 6g11-a.pdf


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Post subject: Re: Channel Jumping
Posted: Fri Dec 30, 2011 6:52 pm
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Yeah, Reb its in really nice shape. I'm still just trying to figure out what the amp can do. I'm used to playing a DRRI and that amp I use one way, turned way up, driving it into that great distortion. This thing is a totally different animal; great, just different. I'm just trying to figure it out. For one thing its quieter than I expected, I actually think the DRRI is a little louder. I was channel jumping to thicken the tone and volume, which it seemd to do. Like you said it is very touch sensitive and I find it's a lot more articulate than the DRRI. The notes come out cleaner and more defined, though it can be a little brittle or harsh in certain ways. It also has NOS tubes, and I wonder if those more robust tubes contribute to the brittleness and if new tubes would be a little softer or have more give.

I got "soul of tone" for christmas and the autor says the only circuit difference between the trem and vibrolux is the OT. My OT is actually the vibrolux OT (not sure how it got in there, but its there), so I guess I have a head version of your amp.

Is the trem available on both channels on your Vibro? I get the trem on both.


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Post subject: Re: Channel Jumping
Posted: Fri Dec 30, 2011 7:29 pm
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Yep,the Trem is on both channels and always on,you just have to turn it up....pretty cool effect although I don't use it much at all.
I own three DRs and they all sound different,one of them,a '66 is as loud as a Brown '60 Super I have that's 40 watts,that Deluxe is just about the best sounding amp I have.
This Vibrolux isn't as loud it seems,and the tone is thicker,it's one of my favorites.
I've posted a pic before,but will again,we like amp porn here.


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Post subject: Re: Channel Jumping
Posted: Fri Dec 30, 2011 7:32 pm
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Here it is with an original '63 Reverb on top,that's a '59 Reissue Strat from Wildwood guitars....this is one of my favorite rigs.

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Post subject: Re: Channel Jumping
Posted: Fri Dec 30, 2011 7:35 pm
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A shot of the inside.
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Post subject: Re: Channel Jumping
Posted: Fri Dec 30, 2011 7:58 pm
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Nice rig! I'm looking at those reverb units but they are pretty pricey on ebay. People are asking for more than I paid for the Tremolux head. To get some reverb I play through the Tremolux and the DRRI with a a/b/y pedal and turn the DRRI's reverb all the way up. It sounds pretty cool!

Also, I don't see any vintage ones in blonde/oxblood. They all seem to be brown or blackface.


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Post subject: Re: Channel Jumping
Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2011 9:23 pm
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Yeah that reverb was pricey,it was just a thing I wanted,I don't take it out to gig much it depends on the place,if it's extremely smoky or not.
I know they made the blonde with the oxblood unit but I think they're considered the rarest,BMW here might know about that.
The Boss '63 Reverb pedal sounds good for gigging or playing at home,not as good as a spring reverb,but not bad at all,that's what I was using before I bought the reverb unit.


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