.50 caliber+ 112 combo mod question (chunky goodness)

[Ken Killion]

I hope I don’t offend any purists… but here it goes.

I have a Boogie .50 caliber+ 112 combo that is easily the best amp I’ve ever owned. I love the clean sound but really don’t have too much use for the lead channel. The lead channel sound is tight and all but it is just too distorted for my taste. What I would like to be able to do is go from the clean channel set at about 3-4 (very clean) to the sound of the clean channel at around 6-9 (chunky) using the footswitch. Currently I walk back and forth twiddling knobs.

I’m hoping somebody on this board can suggest a modification. (a different amp is not what I’m looking for) Of course, the simpler the modification the better, if there is a preamp tube that I could switch out that would be great. If it involves switching out components (caps, resistors)… well, I’m a **** fool musician/nerd and I know no fear.

If this topic has already been covered I’d appreciate a link to the thread.

Thanks.

 

[Zoner]

That might be a tall order to try to get the lead channel to be a tougher clean sound. I believe that you are engaging another gain stage and without having a lead drive control to put on a very low setting(I don't know if yours does or not, and it still might be too distorted) you are gonna have to look at some other way to get a chunky clean sound with one stomp rather than several steps and some twisting. If you have a switchable graphic EQ, you might be able to selectively boost some frequencies to toughen up the sound, but I have never tried that particular amp so I don't know how it might respond. I would recommend some variety of clean boost pedal into the front end as the easiest way to get there without knob twiddling - there are a ton of good options out there these days, like the Fulltone Fat Boost, BBE Boosta Grande, and many others. I would try to get hooked up with a music store that offers some kind of "test drive", where you can take stuff home and try it with your rig and have a return option. By the way, welcome to the 'Board, you will find a wealth of good info here about your boogie! Z

 

[JOEY B.]

If you can find out which preamp tube(s) handle the lead channel chores, it might help to swap in a lower gain repacement (5751, 12AT7, 12AY7 etc.) This would be easily reversed if you ever decide to sell your amp.

 

[Guitarzan]

If you can find out which preamp tube(s) handle the lead channel chores, it might help to swap in a lower gain repacement (5751, 12AT7, 12AY7 etc.) This would be easily reversed if you ever decide to sell your amp.

My vote is for a 5751.

 

[Monsta-Tone]

V1 is your guy.

If you look at the amp from the back, it should be the small tube that is closest to the input jack.


I usually lay the amp on it's face on a carpet or towel so that I can see the tube socket better. This helps me align the replacement tube easily. Getting them out is no problem, but getting them back in can be a royal pain.


12AT7 = slightly less gain
12AU7 and 5751 will give you much less gain



V1 is only for the Lead channel, so it should have no affect on your cleans at all.

Hope this helps.

 

[eltrain858]

or your guitar's volume knob...