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Post subject: attenuators
Posted: Sat May 02, 2009 5:42 pm
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Hi,
Im looking at a Weber Attenuator for my Hot Rod Deluxe. Have any of you had experience with this brand, or (I guess) any brand for that matter?

Thanks,

Bill

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Posted: Sat May 02, 2009 5:49 pm
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Personal Opinion:

I have tried most of the available attenuators and have found that I don't like any of them. While they did take volume levels down nicely they also changed my tone too much.

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Posted: Sat May 02, 2009 5:52 pm
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Crap, I was afraid of that...well I haven't ordered anything yet. Is there anything to do to reduce volume, but keep tone???

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Posted: Sat May 02, 2009 6:01 pm
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I turned the guitar all the way up, turned the amp down and then did some fine tuning on the amp settings until I found something I liked.
Of course with my recent lowering of pickups I have to do amp settings again....... It just never ends. :lol:

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Posted: Sat May 02, 2009 11:26 pm
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I cranked up the bass and mid controls almost to full. I had the drive setting very low and the volume therefore a bit higher when using the drive channel. This was for my old HR Deville, which I don't have any more, but I do the same with my Blues Deluxe. It all really depends what sound you're after (I don't like too much overdrive) and what your guitar is. I use the volume control continually on my Strat to alter the amount of drive I get.

I too have considered getting an attenuator but have never taken the plunge. I've acheived a similar effect using a wireless system where you can lower the output from that and so up the amp's volume, but I wasn't happy with the result. Seems a bit fake somehow.

But Iknow others swear by their attenuators. Ideally we'd all try one out but they're so expensive ... Btw steer clear of any of the cheap stuff on ebay claiming to do the same job.


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Posted: Tue May 05, 2009 3:00 pm
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Why not try building one of these little volume boxes first?
http://www.fortunecity.com/marina/newland/2081/id3.htm

It works great and I see no change in tone... just volume! It is easy (one 100k pot and the box plus the jacks) to build. The best part is there are no mods to the amp itself and costs a heck of a lot less than an attenuator! :wink: It plugs inbetween the Preamp out and the Power Amp in jacks on the amp.

I know someone on Ebay sells these premade so I'm not sure if that is what Tom De Ville meant by "the cheap stuff on Ebay" but I can say that I've been using this one I built for almost a year with no problems at all. That being said, if you are ok with soldering, do it yourself. Its a fun little project. I can crank the volume up on the amp and get some natural tube breakup but keep the volume down enough that no one is bothered by me playing.... of course if you heard me playing, you would think differently... :roll:

Just my .02 cents....

Keith

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Posted: Tue May 05, 2009 5:37 pm
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Thanks Keith,
That does look like something I could build myself, and IT IS a lot less than a full blown attenuator. So what amp are you using this on?

Thanks again for the info

Bill

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Posted: Tue May 05, 2009 6:03 pm
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Hi Bill,

I use it on my Deville 410 which is very similar to your Hot Rod. I have mine plugged into my amp probably 99% of the time.

The best part is if for some reason you don’t like it, the most you lost was the cost of a milkshake and fries at Burger King! :D

BTW, I bought all the stuff to build mine at Radio Shack.

Keith

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Posted: Wed May 06, 2009 11:02 am
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I have used a 50 watt Weber Load Dump with my Hot Rod Deluxe for several years. Works great. I never understand why people who say an attenuator changes the tone of their amp don't just lean over and re-adjust the eq knobs on their amps.


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Posted: Wed May 06, 2009 11:20 am
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prolux wrote:
I have used a 50 watt Weber Load Dump with my Hot Rod Deluxe for several years. Works great. I never understand why people who say an attenuator changes the tone of their amp don't just lean over and re-adjust the eq knobs on their amps.


I did try readjusting settings on the amps I used with attenuators and still didn't like what I was hearing tone wise.
I'm just not a fan of attenuators and give my personal opinions.

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Posted: Wed May 06, 2009 11:45 am
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Here is a link to a great one!!
http://www.drzamps.com/airbrake.html 8)


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Posted: Wed May 06, 2009 12:40 pm
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Something that is being missed here is that there is a difference between an attenuator and a volume box.

The attenuator sits between your amp and speaker. This allows for the full overdrive effect from your amp and simply lowers the output level to the speaker.

Any other method of reducing volume does not allow for a full signal through the amplifier path. Even reducing the level at your guitar volume control has this effect.

Not that one way is right but it must be noted that the only way to achieve a lower volume and still maintain the full amp effect is to use an attenuator. It should also be noted that some of the tone of an overdriven amp is the effect on the speakers - which you will lose regardless of what method you use to decrease volume.

Choose what works best for you but understand the differences.

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Posted: Wed May 06, 2009 10:38 pm
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For what it's worth, I havebeen using a THD hotplate now for about a week (see my thread "my amp cam to life").

All I can say is that it is like chalk and cheese using the hotplate, as I can crank up the volume knob to over 8 and not shake the place down.


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Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 10:39 am
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tomk62 wrote:
Something that is being missed here is that there is a difference between an attenuator and a volume box.


Great info Tomk62, and that is something to consider. :) There is no doubt the attenuator would be the better way since you have the whole amp circuitry in play. My point of bringing up the volume box was only to have another option that costs less then $10 bucks. I'd love to have an attenuator, but it’s just not in the pocket book and it works for me. If the volume box doesn’t work out, no harm no foul..... :wink:

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Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 5:30 pm
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I just built one of the Bitmo 10-uators for my Blackheart ($50), and I am quite pleased with the results. Took about a half hour to solder together, and now I have no problem taming that ferocious 5 watts of screaming tube power, not to mention a post-amp line out that I can use for recording. :wink:

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