Name: Tim
Email: tpf@iserv.net
Subject: Thanks
Thread: 44
Time: Mon, 7 Jan 2002 22:55:44 UTC
1. What kind of guitar & pickups are you using? Humbuckers typically lack the sparkle of single-coil pickups.
I use several different guitars but my current favorite is a reissue tele with Texas Specials. You are right in that the amp was probably "voiced" for SC PU's. I do not like the sound of a Les Paul thru this amp.
2. Is the rear-panel impedance switch set to match your speaker impedance?
I change this occasionally when I plug in an external cabinet (open back w/ 6 C10Q's). Sounds much much better than with the single twelve!
3. Are you also using any external speakers (if so, see item 2)?
See item 2
4. Are the Deep and/or Bright switches being used? Do they make a noticeable change in the tone when switched?
Yes, they work very well and I use them both depending on the guitar and the volume I am playing at.
Since the Music Man really doesn't have comparable overdrive distortion you can't really compare them in this department. The Music Man distortion circuit is simplistic and not an attempt to simulate tube distortion performance.
Also, the Music Man "lead" channel is NOT the high-gain channel most modern amps and preamps are so you HAVE to pre-amplify to get equivalent channel gain.
Some of your interstage coupling and other electrolytic caps in the preamp may have dried out as well, changing the tonality of the amp.
I would replace EVERY electrolytic capacitor in the amp before I touched the speakers (although these can get tired with age as well).
I prefer a really warm clean sound with a good tube driven reverb. My benchmark for a really good clean tone is a Deluxe Reverb at at low volume (before clipping). I wish that the combination of the Music Man and the Reissue Reverb unit could approximate this tone. As-is, the amp just sounds cold or stale to me.
Thanks for the advice. I will explore having a cap job performed.