• Registered: 2008-10-27
  • Posts: 176

Topic: Total change of setup

Hi everyone!
Here's the crux: I'm currently playing my strat and Les Paul through a MetroAmp JTM45 head and a EVM-12L loaded 2X12 cab. It sounds awesome at medium and high volumes. The problem is that even with the THD Hotplate I can never play it at these levels beacuse I play small venues (50 to 100). It's like a total waste of gear, I'm like driving a Porsche but forced to stay at 40 mph... bummer... I can never turn it up more than 4/10 at -4dB... It's so frustrating. God it must be so thrilling to be able to turn it up to ten and not get bad stares... but that's not going to happen to me anytime soon, I'll be stuck in bars and small clubs for a while...

So since I know that Joe's favourite "small" amp is a Fender Princeton Reverb, I was considering selling all my big stuff and getting a silverface or blackface Princeton Reverb. Do you think I can still coax Joe's sounds out of this small box at a lower volume of course or am I going to be disappointed?

I'll still keep my pedals though: FD2, DD-3, Tremolo (useless with the Princeton), Reverb (useless with the Princeton), Hot Drive 'n' Boost.

I need your insight before I get crazy and sell everything!
Thanks a lot!

  • From: South England
  • Registered: 2009-04-23
  • Posts: 154

Re: Total change of setup

Tried a plexi baffle? might help u get a bit more out of ur rig

  • Registered: 2008-10-27
  • Posts: 176

Re: Total change of setup

No I haven't but:
1. I'm tired of spending money trying to bring down the volume (THD) and
2. I don' think it will allow me to ditch the THD and turn the amp up to 8/10, will it? If you tell me that it will then I'll go for it, but if it's just spending 100$ more for turning the amp from 4 to 5 it's not what I'm after...

  • From: Florida, USA
  • Registered: 2008-06-04
  • Posts: 1,420

Re: Total change of setup

twistingcrow wrote:

No I haven't but:
1. I'm tired of spending money trying to bring down the volume (THD) and
2. I don' think it will allow me to ditch the THD and turn the amp up to 8/10, will it? If you tell me that it will then I'll go for it, but if it's just spending 100$ more for turning the amp from 4 to 5 it's not what I'm after...

You'd be surprised on how much volume you can decrease with a baffle.  In some cases I would say about a third to almost half depending on how far you are away from the amp.  Clearsonic sells them and also offers something called "sorbers" which are foam sound absorbtion pads that you can line inside your baffle for even more sound reduction.  The baffle and THD should get you where you need to be.  That said, I would not overlook the smaller amps either.  Yes you are right Joe has mentioned that the Princeton is one of his favorite Fender amps and uses it at home in his practice rig.  I can get a very good Joe tone with my Super Reverb set clean with a Fulldrive II and echo (Line 6 DL4).  The fact that you have a Fulldrive puts you way ahead of the game because they love Fender amps and IMO is a "Joe in a box" type overdrive unit.

'67 and '74 Fender Twin Reverbs, '74 Marshall 1987 lead mkII, Metro Superlead 100. Pedals from TC Electronic, Ibanez, Dunlop, BK Butler, Electro-Harmonix, Fulltone, Maestro/Gibson, Loopmaster switching, VoodooLab, Boss. Gibson and Fender guitars, Dimarzio pickups.
  • Registered: 2008-10-27
  • Posts: 176

Re: Total change of setup

Yes, I watched your "Stop" video lesson with your super reverb, it's frighteningly close to Joe's sound...

  • Registered: 2006-04-22
  • Posts: 1,168

Re: Total change of setup

try this.. 
1.       A shield for one that will bring it down to the front by 50 percent..
2.       turning the cab around backwards and using a open back...
3.       using a open amp and one with a hotplate.  ( this will give u headroom and the saturation you desire.)
4..      govern your amp by using your volume on your les paul.. Strats are not so hot for that.  Strats and I dont mix anymore.. Im kinda bias..
5.  good old fashion blankets from IKEA  ( hate that store..  your trapped !!!!!!!!  buy something or your dooomedDDDDDDD)
6. try these things called Tone-bras.. not a great name but good for front end dissapation on a low wattage amp..  Over a hundred watts. they rattle. 

good luck
      Joe B

  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2008-04-23
  • Posts: 553

Re: Total change of setup

Well, there is nothing to add...
I also would put some more effort in trying to bring the volume
down instead of changing to acomplete new amp as you are happy
with your sound.

To IKEA, Joe I agree! Not only you have to walk miles
of roundwalkings through their store before you find the exit
also you definately WILL go out with a piece of useless anything
that you find on your odyssee and most likely almost starving
you end up in their restaurant with a tasty KÖTBULLAR... lol

Alex

...it's a musical journey
www.u2-experience.de

Stratovari's Website

8 Reply by jgalvan8804 (edited by jgalvan8804 2009-11-05 16:43:59)

  • Registered: 2007-11-04
  • Posts: 404

Re: Total change of setup

I would avoid getting rid of your Metro mainly because you love the tone.  Your going to be disappointed if you buy another amp and you'll get caught up in trying to reproduce your tone at lower volumes.

I'd try a few things in addition to Joe's great advice. 

1. A friend of mine bought a cabinet that is completely sealed.  It has a speaker in it and a mic holder. He plays a 100 watt Plexi in small gigs and can turn it up as loud as he wants. The only drawback is he only hears what he gets thru the monitors.  He added a 1x12 of the board to point up at him as a personal monitor and he has a volume switch on the monitor so he can adjust his stage amp volume.   Its not that complicated. But its not having your amps behind you which might take some getting used to.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/IsolationCab/

2. Maybe try the Marshall 18 watt Head or Combo. They are handwired and I've heard them cranked and they rock. That may be a solution.

Keep in mind if you go from a Marshall to a Fender you are going to have a completely new sound that you are going to have to get used to.

  • From: Lancashire
  • Registered: 2008-02-26
  • Posts: 700

Re: Total change of setup

jgalvan8804 wrote:

2. Maybe try the Marshall 18 watt Head or Combo. They are handwired and I've heard them cranked and they rock. That may be a solution.

Keep in mind if you go from a Marshall to a Fender you are going to have a completely new sound that you are going to have to get used to.

Aye they rock cranked but they are still bloody loud :x

10 Reply by Partial2Marshall (edited by Partial2Marshall 2009-11-05 17:24:38)

  • Registered: 2008-10-10
  • Posts: 180

Re: Total change of setup

Joe Bonamassa wrote:

try this.. 
1.       A shield for one that will bring it down to the front by 50 percent..
2.       turning the cab around backwards and using a open back...
3.       using a open amp and one with a hotplate.  ( this will give u headroom and the saturation you desire.)
4..      govern your amp by using your volume on your les paul.. Strats are not so hot for that.  Strats and I dont mix anymore.. Im kinda bias..
5.  good old fashion blankets from IKEA  ( hate that store..  your trapped !!!!!!!!  buy something or your dooomedDDDDDDD)
6. try these things called Tone-bras.. not a great name but good for front end dissapation on a low wattage amp..  Over a hundred watts. they rattle. 

good luck
      Joe B

I'm really afraid to put "Tone-bras" into my search engine at work  lol.  Great suggetions for a problem I am currently facing but won't jack the thread to discuss here.  I noticed your shield are polycarb when you played in Flagstaff last year.  Any benefit to that material other than being able to see the cabs?  Would probably make my own as I am anal and cheap!

Will probably start a new thread outlining my issues ( it will be a long entry...  smile )

Where the hell does one get a black-backed gold top anyway?
  • Registered: 2008-10-27
  • Posts: 176

Re: Total change of setup

Well... the master has spoken. It looks like I'm bound to keep my beast and put some more money into a shield. I've contacted clearsonic and requested a quote for an A3-3, is this what you guys use for a half-stack rig?

God, I'd just found a guy who wanted to buy everything from me at a reasonable price and I was already looking at Fender vintage amps on eBay...

I'm back on tracks...
Cheers and Joe a million thanks, it's totally incredible that such a talented and well-known musician like you spends his time answering stupid questions and concerns of minor axe-slingers like me... You're so awesome! cool

  • From: Ridgeland, MS
  • Registered: 2009-08-12
  • Posts: 1,248

Re: Total change of setup

I believe one A3-2 will do what you need for one 4x12 cab.

13 Reply by ken

  • ken
  • ken
  • Titanium
  • Offline
  • From: Orlando, FL
  • Registered: 2007-05-28
  • Posts: 949

Re: Total change of setup

twistingcrow wrote:

Well... the master has spoken. It looks like I'm bound to keep my beast and put some more money into a shield. I've contacted clearsonic and requested a quote for an A3-3, is this what you guys use for a half-stack rig?

God, I'd just found a guy who wanted to buy everything from me at a reasonable price and I was already looking at Fender vintage amps on eBay...

I'm back on tracks...
Cheers and Joe a million thanks, it's totally incredible that such a talented and well-known musician like you spends his time answering stupid questions and concerns of minor axe-slingers like me... You're so awesome! cool

Check out this post, these seem very easy to make and much cheaper than having clearsonic build a sheild for you. It's just a couple of pieces of plastic and a hinge! wink
http://www.jbonamassa.com/forum/viewtop … 761#p95761