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Post subject: Blues Delux Reissue modification kit
Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2011 8:32 pm
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I am thinking about buying a new or slighty used Blues Delux Reissue amp. Most of what I've read is that the amp sounds great but I've seen a modification kit for sale that has been promoted as a necessity to get the best sound out of the amp. Can anyone tell me if these kits are really needed or is this just someones attemp to make a buck. Apparently these kits contain a few different caps, and change the wiring around a little with jumpers.


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Post subject: Re: Delux Blues Reissue modification kit
Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2011 9:06 pm
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Waste of money in my opinion. Some good tubes and better speaker are all a BDRI needs to sound great. I replaced the stock speaker with an Eminence Cannabis Rex. Very smooth sounding. For tubes I have tried the following:

V1 - NOS JAN Phillips 5751
V2 - JJ 12AX7
V3 - Balanced JJ 12AT7
V4/5 - JJ 6L6GC

My current tube configuration is:

V1 - NOS JAN RCA 12AY7
V2 - JJ 12AX7
V3 - Balanced JJ 12AX7
V4/5 - JJ 6L6GC

Adjust the bias to about 80 to 85 mv (its more complicated than that, but we can cover that at a later date). Great Blues sound. I am sure others will have additional suggestions.

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Post subject: Re: Blues Delux Reissue modification kit
Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2011 9:53 pm
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Hi jtmoss,

I would say that any modification is not necessary, or required to get good sound from this amp. The BDRI sounds pretty darned good stock, and new tubes, as well as new tone stack caps, can change the sound of the amp. These changes can be for tailoring the sound away from original, for the improvements that you might want, such as cleaner, more distortion, less low-end, or whatever to suit your taste. You should get to know the amp a little, before considering mods. Not everyone mods their amp, many enjoy as-is.

Mods to most amps are best saved until after the shine wears off of the amp somewhat (exceptions of course). I played my HRDlx for probably 10 years before I "modded", and only after I changed the way that I used the amp, ie not using pedals anymore.

If you are a tinkerer, and like to experiment, changing the caps is cheap, but difficult to disassemble the amp to make the changes.......unless you really like doing that sort of thing. :wink: The quality of the stock components aren't always the best, but that doesn't always mean that they are necessarily bad either. My filter caps lasted 10 years, some will last less, some will last longer.

For great information on the BDRI, search the site and check out threads by bluesky636, which he summed up quite well above ^

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Post subject: Re: Blues Delux Reissue modification kit
Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 6:27 am
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shimmilou wrote:
Hi jtmoss,

I would say that any modification is not necessary, or required to get good sound from this amp. The BDRI sounds pretty darned good stock, and new tubes, as well as new tone stack caps, can change the sound of the amp. These changes can be for tailoring the sound away from original, for the improvements that you might want, such as cleaner, more distortion, less low-end, or whatever to suit your taste. You should get to know the amp a little, before considering mods. Not everyone mods their amp, many enjoy as-is.

Mods to most amps are best saved until after the shine wears off of the amp somewhat (exceptions of course). I played my HRDlx for probably 10 years before I "modded", and only after I changed the way that I used the amp, ie not using pedals anymore.

If you are a tinkerer, and like to experiment, changing the caps is cheap, but difficult to disassemble the amp to make the changes.......unless you really like doing that sort of thing. :wink: The quality of the stock components aren't always the best, but that doesn't always mean that they are necessarily bad either. My filter caps lasted 10 years, some will last less, some will last longer.

For great information on the BDRI, search the site and check out threads by bluesky636, which he summed up quite well above ^


Shimmilou, do you know anyone who installed a mod in their Bls Dlx to get the drv ch to drv like a Hot Rod? I've had my Deluxe for 12 and it really bothers me that the drive channel only gets loud as hell as opposed to giving a good over driven amp tone.

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Post subject: Re: Blues Delux Reissue modification kit
Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 9:16 am
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Adding the unused half of V2 to the circuit will give you more gain in "Drive", and if done as below, will keep the clean channel sound the same. Not really for a beginner, but not extremely difficult, and there are other ways to do it. You will probably get more gain doing this mod than with most any other change that you can make. It won't add the "More Drive" function to the amp, it just increases the gain in the drive mode. You can always back the drive pot down to reduce drive channel gain after the mod.

http://duncanamps.com/technical/bluesdeluxe.html

You can go further through the BDRI amp and replace the preamp tubes' Cathode caps with the same value that the HRDlx uses, if you want closer to the HRDlx sound. This would affect the low-end more than gain though.

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Post subject: Re: Blues Delux Reissue modification kit
Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 12:04 pm
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Why? IMO the fizz more fizz channels are horrible in the HRDlx. The III isn't all that much better. You'd be better off looking for a good pedal. I went with BYOC and modded the pedal to taste. It's a clone of the Marshall Blues Breaker pedal and IMO sounds way better then any of the Tube Screamers I've ever owned. We all have different ears and different tastes. I'd try a bunch and leave the amp stock except for tubes and maybe a speaker change. Tubes can make a huge change in gain and distortion. :wink:

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Post subject: Re: Blues Delux Reissue modification kit
Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 12:37 pm
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That might be the best idea of all, use effects pedal(s) for distortion. It would certainly be the easiest thing to try, especially compared to mods. I use a POD XT, works great with every amp I've tried. The amp models and effects are nearly infinitely adjustable, and sound very good. Of course, I'm a modder-focker, so I like to mod and tinker. :lol:

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Post subject: Re: Blues Delux Reissue modification kit
Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 5:59 pm
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shimmilou wrote:
That might be the best idea of all, use effects pedal(s) for distortion. It would certainly be the easiest thing to try, especially compared to mods. I use a POD XT, works great with every amp I've tried. The amp models and effects are nearly infinitely adjustable, and sound very good. Of course, I'm a modder-focker, so I like to mod and tinker. :lol:


+1

Using a 12AY7 in V1 like I do turns the Drive channel into a second clean channel with reduced bass response perfect for PAF type humbuckers. I use use the clean channel for my Strat and Tele and set the tone controls for them. I use the drive channel for humbuckers and don't have to touch the bass knob to get non-boomy bass. My Fulltone FD-2M does the rest. :D

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Post subject: Re: Blues Delux Reissue modification kit
Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2011 2:14 pm
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These guys sell all kinds of mods for the HotRods
http://torresengineering.stores.yahoo.n ... itmor.html

Know nothing about them, never did any mods that cost cash before disposing of the amps

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Post subject: Re: Blues Delux Reissue modification kit
Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2011 12:47 pm
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I had a microphonic tube in V2. I swapped a JJ 12AX7 out of my Peavey Windsor Head. I really couldn't tell a difference, except that I hear that bad tube in the Windsor when I play my BDRI at about 3.

Personally I love the way the BDRI sounds stock. The only thing I'm planning on doing it changing the tubes for more clean headroom. And possibly the speaker later on. And while I have the amp apart, changing the volume and reverb pots out to audio tapers.

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Post subject: Re: Blues Delux Reissue modification kit
Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2011 8:18 pm
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BLUESMAN1904 wrote:
And while I have the amp apart, changing the volume and reverb pots out to audio tapers.


The clean volume and drive controls are already audio taper. The master volume and reverb pot are electrically correct as linear taper for the functions that they perform.

http://www.blueguitar.org/new/schem/fen ... eissue.pdf

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Post subject: Re: Blues Delux Reissue modification kit
Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2011 10:23 am
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I read something, somewhere about modding the reverb. :? For better control. For my tastes, I can't get mine past 2. Sounds too much like surf.

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2011 Gibson Les Paul Trad Pro 50's
2007 Epi Les Paul Custom
90's ESP Eclipse
JH-1B Jimi Hendrix Crybaby
Analogman KOT
Korg Pitchblack
Boss NS-2 PH-2
Blues Deluxe Reissue
1999 & 2007 Marshall TSL 100 w/1960BV cab


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Post subject: Re: Blues Delux Reissue modification kit
Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2011 11:07 am
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BLUESMAN1904 wrote:
I read something, somewhere about modding the reverb. :? For better control. For my tastes, I can't get mine past 2. Sounds too much like surf.


Yes. You remove R103. Reduces the highs in the reverb channel a bit. I liked the mod, some people don't.

http://www.blueguitar.org/new/schem/fen ... eissue.pdf

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Post subject: Re: Blues Delux Reissue modification kit
Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2011 9:17 am
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Yeah! That's it. Of course, when I get ready to do anything with my amp, I'll always check in the "bluesky636 encylopedia" right here on this forum! Thanks again.

Why did you change V3 from a 12at7 to a 12ax7?

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2000 American Deluxe Stratocaster
2011 Gibson Les Paul Trad Pro 50's
2007 Epi Les Paul Custom
90's ESP Eclipse
JH-1B Jimi Hendrix Crybaby
Analogman KOT
Korg Pitchblack
Boss NS-2 PH-2
Blues Deluxe Reissue
1999 & 2007 Marshall TSL 100 w/1960BV cab


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Post subject: Re: Blues Delux Reissue modification kit
Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2011 3:20 pm
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BLUESMAN1904 wrote:
Yeah! That's it. Of course, when I get ready to do anything with my amp, I'll always check in the "bluesky636 encylopedia" right here on this forum! Thanks again.

Why did you change V3 from a 12at7 to a 12ax7?


Different preamp tubes have different amounts of gain (called "gain factor"):

12AX7 = 100
5751 = 70
12AT7 = 60
12AY7 = 45

The stock BDRI uses three 12AX7s which in my opinion and for my use gives too much gain and makes it difficult to control the volume levels.

If you normalize the gain to "1", than the three 12AX7s in the stock BDRI give a total gain factor of 1 (You multiply the tube gain factors together. Note that gain factor does not represent the actual gain of the tube in dB or anything).

I wanted a lower gain and different sound than I was getting stock. So I first tried the following combination:

V1 = 5751 (GF = .7)
V2 = 12AX7 (GF = 1)
V3 = 12AX7 (GF = 1)

This gives a total preamp gain factor of 0.7 (0.7 x 1 x 1)

I liked the sound, but still too much gain.

Then I tried:

V1 = 5751 (GF = .7)
V2 = 12AX7 (GF = 1)
V3 = 12AT7 (GF = .6)

This gives a total preamp gain factor of 0.42 (.7 x 1 x .6)

Sounded really good and the overall gain was where I wanted it, allowing me to turn up the volume into a smoother part of the volume pot's control curve.

Finally I tried:

V1 = 12AY7 (GF = .45)
V2 = 12AX7 (GF = 1)
V3 = 12AX7 (GF = 1)

This gives a total preamp gain factor of 0.45 (.45 x 1 x 1) and was the sound I was looking for.

Note 1: Some sources list the GF of the 5751 as 0.6 and the 12AT7 as 0.7. Either one is close enough for government work. :lol:

Note 2: All the literature that I can find refers to TUBE gain factor which I have interpreted to be the total tube. If it actually refers to the individual sections of the tube (a dual triode has two amplifying sections) than the results would be 1.0, 0.49, 0.34, and 0.2 for my four examples. In either case, the method of calculation is the same, there are just more factors.

Note 3: I need to do some more research on this subject. I'm wondering if one should add the gain factors rather than multiply them. In that case and using the numbers on a per tube basis, the values would be 3, 2.7, 2.3, and 2.45. The only thing that really matters, though, is that there is a decrease in gain using other than three 12AX7s in the amp.

Anyway, that is the engineering answer to your question. The musician answer is "because it sounded better". :lol:

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