It is currently Mon Mar 16, 2020 10:06 pm

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 50 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2, 3, 4  Next
Go to page 1, 2, 3, 4  Next
Author Message
Post subject: Excelsior is still surprising me.
Posted: Fri May 31, 2013 10:30 pm
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician

Joined: Wed Oct 10, 2007 1:07 pm
Posts: 427
I liked it from the beginning, but it was a little rattley and never sounded good with my P90 Les Paul (sounded fantastic with PAF clones in a LP.
The other day I did the super easy tone control mod. I had everything I needed on hand 500k audio pot, a tiny file and a soldering iron.
It really transformed the amp. It not has access to the sweet spot between right and dark where my LP P90 likes it. I was going to upgrade the speaker, but I'm having second thoughts now because it sounds so good.
I light a bit of grit.

the rattle was gone after putting some sorbothane
under the board of the bottom chasse


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: Excelsior is still surprising me.
Posted: Sat Jun 01, 2013 4:11 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Fri Nov 09, 2007 7:46 am
Posts: 1019
Location: State of Confusion
And if you like its sound now, you'd love the major change following swapping the speaker for a Legend 1518. Go for it!

_________________
The quintessential sound of 60/70's R&R:
Fender Tube Amps
Gibson Guitars


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Excelsior is still surprising me.
Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2013 9:17 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Sun Aug 05, 2012 9:50 am
Posts: 1399
Getting an Excelsior tomorrow. Have new tubes coming from the Tubestore. All Tung-Sol. I am undecided between the 1518 and the Weber 125A Chicago series speaker. The Emi is louder and cleaner but the Weber might have the right tone and it is an Alnico. The compression of Alnicos is magical. I have found pairing a ceramic with an Alnico produces a synergy that is quite pleasing. That is not going to happen with the Excelsior. Unless.................. :?:

The Weber ceramic 15" Blue Dog also looks like it could be a very interesting pairing. Some chime and late break-up might work for me.

_________________
I have some Fender gear.
(Telecaster, Jaguar, Villager 12 String. Mustang l, Bronco, SCX2, Rumble 350, HRDIII, Rumble 2x8 Neo Cab)
http://www.reverbnation.com/modwiz


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Excelsior is still surprising me.
Posted: Thu Jun 06, 2013 11:40 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2007 2:19 pm
Posts: 8827
modwiz wrote:
Getting an Excelsior tomorrow. Have new tubes coming from the Tubestore. All Tung-Sol. I am undecided between the 1518 and the Weber 125A Chicago series speaker. The Emi is louder and cleaner but the Weber might have the right tone and it is an Alnico. The compression of Alnicos is magical. I have found pairing a ceramic with an Alnico produces a synergy that is quite pleasing. That is not going to happen with the Excelsior. Unless.................. :?:

The Weber ceramic 15" Blue Dog also looks like it could be a very interesting pairing. Some chime and late break-up might work for me.


I'd go Weber any day of the week. I have a Weber 12A125A Alnico in my Tweed Deluxe clone and it's just drips tone. Don't get too wrapped up in the whole which one is louder, but which speaker cuts the mix better. That's the important thing. My clone is only roughly 18 watts, Tube Depot's Specs, not mine, but I believe them. They call the amp a Tweed Deluxe Plus and this amp keeps up with much higher wattage rigs, with an extension cab it can do anything.

_________________
Life...... It's sexually transmitted and always fatal


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Excelsior is still surprising me.
Posted: Thu Jun 06, 2013 7:29 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Sun Aug 05, 2012 9:50 am
Posts: 1399
63supro wrote:
modwiz wrote:
Getting an Excelsior tomorrow. Have new tubes coming from the Tubestore. All Tung-Sol. I am undecided between the 1518 and the Weber 125A Chicago series speaker. The Emi is louder and cleaner but the Weber might have the right tone and it is an Alnico. The compression of Alnicos is magical. I have found pairing a ceramic with an Alnico produces a synergy that is quite pleasing. That is not going to happen with the Excelsior. Unless.................. :?:

The Weber ceramic 15" Blue Dog also looks like it could be a very interesting pairing. Some chime and late break-up might work for me.


I'd go Weber any day of the week. I have a Weber 12A125A Alnico in my Tweed Deluxe clone and it's just drips tone. Don't get too wrapped up in the whole which one is louder, but which speaker cuts the mix better. That's the important thing. My clone is only roughly 18 watts, Tube Depot's Specs, not mine, but I believe them. They call the amp a Tweed Deluxe Plus and this amp keeps up with much higher wattage rigs, with an extension cab it can do anything.


Agreed about tone being above all else. Part of my decision making process involves the possibilty of it being used as a low volume bass amp. I may drop that concept. I figure a talk witht he Weber people is in order. I know they will steer me right and end up with my business. I have 1 Weber speaker now and 2 Emi's. I owe Weber 1.:D

_________________
I have some Fender gear.
(Telecaster, Jaguar, Villager 12 String. Mustang l, Bronco, SCX2, Rumble 350, HRDIII, Rumble 2x8 Neo Cab)
http://www.reverbnation.com/modwiz


Last edited by modwiz on Thu Jun 06, 2013 7:44 pm, edited 2 times in total.

Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Excelsior is still surprising me.
Posted: Thu Jun 06, 2013 7:37 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2007 2:19 pm
Posts: 8827
I don't think it's a good idea to use it or any guitar amp as a bass amp.

_________________
Life...... It's sexually transmitted and always fatal


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Excelsior is still surprising me.
Posted: Thu Jun 06, 2013 7:43 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Sun Aug 05, 2012 9:50 am
Posts: 1399
63supro wrote:
I don't think it's a good idea to use it or any guitar amp as a bass amp.


Only bass amps as guitar amps? 59 Bassman :D

The stock Excelsior is underwhelming, sound-wise. I like it, it is a honky-tonk sounding amp, but the old amps had some good tubes in them. This amp is going to get some, tomorrow, if I have the time. I have 2 TS 6v6's for power, 1 TS a12ax7 and 1 JJ 5751. I'm thinking the JJ for V1. I'll try them in each position. Stock tubes suck. Even the tremelo sounds lamer than my Danelectro cool cat pedal.

I put some Preferred Series Tubestore valves (12ax7/7025 and an El84/7189) in my Bugera V5 and it is astonishing the improvement . The amp now sounds amazing.

_________________
I have some Fender gear.
(Telecaster, Jaguar, Villager 12 String. Mustang l, Bronco, SCX2, Rumble 350, HRDIII, Rumble 2x8 Neo Cab)
http://www.reverbnation.com/modwiz


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Excelsior is still surprising me.
Posted: Fri Jun 07, 2013 11:25 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2007 2:19 pm
Posts: 8827
The only thing I dig about that amp in the cabinet. I wish I could get an empty one and put my little 5 watt Mod DIY in there with a Weber 15" speaker. Modding stuff can cost a lot more than the amp itself.

_________________
Life...... It's sexually transmitted and always fatal


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Excelsior is still surprising me.
Posted: Fri Jun 07, 2013 3:33 pm
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 12:48 am
Posts: 26417
Location: Tombstone Territory
63supro wrote:
Modding stuff can cost a lot more than the amp itself.



Often that's true. But DIY alterations can help pare the cost(s) down to manageable proportions.

Arjay

_________________
"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Excelsior is still surprising me.
Posted: Fri Jun 07, 2013 7:19 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2007 2:19 pm
Posts: 8827
Where it gets out of hand is when it becomes turd polish. Doing it yourself is really the only way. I personally know guys who can't do a speaker or tube swap, and keep running back to a tech and pay for a bunch of bench time and still not be happy. It's a shame. I pull the plug after a tube change or speaker swap.

_________________
Life...... It's sexually transmitted and always fatal


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Excelsior is still surprising me.
Posted: Sat Jun 08, 2013 6:56 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Wed May 25, 2011 12:45 pm
Posts: 1169
I test drove an excelsior at a local guitar center.

The tone was ideal for my style of playing but it had to be cranked fairly loud to get in the zone.

It may have been a bad apple in the guitar center but the one I played was very noisy.

While I was in there I didn't think to turn down the guitar volume so the guitar may have been the source of the noise. However, it was much more of a scratch hissing than the hum you get from single coils.

_________________
In my opinion Leo Fender had essentially perfected the guitar amplifier by 1964.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Excelsior is still surprising me.
Posted: Sat Jun 08, 2013 9:20 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Sun Aug 05, 2012 9:50 am
Posts: 1399
Still working with mine. Got the new TS 6v6's in. I love the self biasing aspect. The new tubes warmed up the sound as did the JJ 5751 in V1. I like the calmer gain of the 5751. Tried a TS and Groove tube 12az7 in V1. TS is glassy clean and wrong for a retro amp. The Groove tube had great warmth and bottom with very clean distinct highs that did not bite or sound harsh. However the full gain was there. If I played out with it the GT 12ax7 would be preferred because the gain and tone would all work well. My v2 socket will only work properly with the Chinese stock tube. All other 12ax7's resulted in no tremelo and sometimes massive gain loss. Sounded like a half watt amp.

I'll have to talk to my Sweetwater "sound engineer" about this. :shock:

_________________
I have some Fender gear.
(Telecaster, Jaguar, Villager 12 String. Mustang l, Bronco, SCX2, Rumble 350, HRDIII, Rumble 2x8 Neo Cab)
http://www.reverbnation.com/modwiz


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Excelsior is still surprising me.
Posted: Sun Jun 09, 2013 8:07 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Sun Aug 05, 2012 9:50 am
Posts: 1399
Played my Modern Player Jag through it tonight. The P-90's sound great with the amp. Tele is good and my LP also sounded very food through it. I use a Danelectro chorus and a TC Electronics Hall of Fame reverb pedal with it. The reverb pedal has the most musical sounding reverb I have ever heard. It is like having a harmonic choir. The wet/dry mix and the chorus allows me to get just the right shimmer to my sound. I really enjoy the deeper tones that come out of the 15" speaker. I still have to get the V2 tube thing figured out. It works just fine with the Chinese tube, and since it came with two, I have an extra. :D It is a Shuguang 12AX7-B. Defined thusly:
Quote:
The Chinese 12AX7B tube is a good choice for high gain guitar amps. The 12AX7B tube has a little more overdrive than the standard 12AX7A tube and lower noise.


Perhaps the tremelo requires this extra boost, for this amp. I have not heard of this issue in any Excelsior thread I have read. Here or on other sites. My "engineer" gets back to work tomorrow. I am dealing with Sweetwater instead of typical knuckleheads at GC. I am hoping for some resolution. Perhaps another Excelsior. I like the amp and want to finish the modding the speaker. The Weber I like should make it a very versatile and great sounding amp. I will do the tone control mod too, but I have found and use the middle tone position between dark and bright and it is a very useful setting. Goldilocks would approve. Not too dark, not too bright. LP sounds great with the bright setting though. For the price, this amp works for me. Did I say I love the self biasing part? :wink:

The P-90's gave it a really old school rock sound. Very musical and full of attitude

_________________
I have some Fender gear.
(Telecaster, Jaguar, Villager 12 String. Mustang l, Bronco, SCX2, Rumble 350, HRDIII, Rumble 2x8 Neo Cab)
http://www.reverbnation.com/modwiz


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Excelsior is still surprising me.
Posted: Tue Jun 11, 2013 10:08 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Sun Aug 05, 2012 9:50 am
Posts: 1399
I seem to have a penchant and talent for buying equipment that generates little interest. I have the Bronco 40 and SCX2. The threads for those amps are like graveyards. I apparently have purchased another cadaver. :lol:

One of these days I'll get that Victoria Regal. :D

_________________
I have some Fender gear.
(Telecaster, Jaguar, Villager 12 String. Mustang l, Bronco, SCX2, Rumble 350, HRDIII, Rumble 2x8 Neo Cab)
http://www.reverbnation.com/modwiz


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Excelsior is still surprising me.
Posted: Wed Jun 12, 2013 2:03 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 12:48 am
Posts: 26417
Location: Tombstone Territory
modwiz wrote:
I apparently have purchased another cadaver.


Just pray that you don't have to "autopsy" it too soon.

:mrgreen:

Arjay

_________________
"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 50 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2, 3, 4  Next
Go to page 1, 2, 3, 4  Next

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: