Electra Dyne Is A Hit!

[rabidinus]

Ok first: I need to thank J.J and Yellowjacket, ok and screamingdaisy too

Had my first true gig with the Dyne last night.
(I played an outdoor thing with her when I first got her but it was really constricted and I hadn't learned how to use her.)

Room was all wood, YES!, with a low ceiling over the band only. This had the effect of creating a punchy bass and drums driven effect. Very nice by the way!

Anyway, following advice, I raised the mids on the amp and made sure the amp had room to breathe in the back, and we got to it. First thing - our drummer starts playing and I immediately realize I need to turn up, YES! The room has great tone but seems to absorb sound - this is gonna be fun!

Fun it was! The chirp I wanted was all there and I had the definition I needed with the reverb off. - (it is a great reverb though!)
A drummer in the audience loved the tone! He just loved my playing too! - the Dyne was so happenning I could just relax and play.
A guitarist I really respect said the tone was very full-bodied (my words).

And even more important - the club wants us back! How better to top off a really enjoyable night!

By the way, raising the mids really ties the treble and mids together and bass needs to be set low. Raising the mids also changes the character of the amp. Despite what the manual says, if you find the amp a bit stiff I think raising the mids can help solve it.

 

[J.J]

Glad to hear you got the tone you wanted and had a great night. Some amps are more forgiving, but once you get those few simple things sorted the ED shines.

Iv'e been caught out with the reverb a few times. I like to use it at home when practicing, but live I turn it off. If the room is a bit dead I use my Flashback delay set for a short slapback effect and adjust the delay time and level to suit the room.

 

[YellowJacket]

Yes, this is pretty much it. This amp rocks hard and it is one of the best sounding ones I have ever heard. I was scared Mesa was going to discontinue it due to low sales so I snatched one up before that could happen.

 

[rabidinus]

Thanks again guys! I didn't know anything about the sales , but I have been thinking about getting another myself - have to keep a lookout for sales!

 

[YellowJacket]

Thanks again guys! I didn't know anything about the sales , but I have been thinking about getting another myself - have to keep a lookout for sales!

http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=58572

Yup!

 

[rabidinus]

O man you're killing me YellowJacket! That's what I want! Well I have to wait till my next paycheck (March 16) to be able to afford it
If it's still available then I'll jump on it!

Thanks! (I think....)

 

[YellowJacket]

I'm just trying to help a brother out. Or two....

XD

 

[papersoul]

I was going to pick up a used Rectoverb for my 90s cover band but something about the Electrodyne keeps calling me back. A few local guys are selling Electradynes and one is a head in mint condition for $850! I might buy it cause it is a good deal although I have seen em typically go for $850-$950 on ebay but I like that I can try it local and pick it up.

Only problem with the ED to me is volume. It is like a Plexi and hard to manage at home and even small gigs. I may have to run it clean and use pedals for gain, but luckily it takes pedals sooooo well. With pedals and this amp I think I could get any tone even Rectifier tones.

 

[YellowJacket]

As much as I dislike Pedals, I've been thinking about this, or maybe even an attenuator. The Electra Dyne isn't unmanageably loud but it just needs a bit of volume to do its thing. I have found that it works perfectly well with a drummer.

 

[papersoul]

Yellow, do you gig? How loud do you set it for gigs and what type of music? What size venues do you play?
I play a lot at home and gigs are bars and small clubs. Other amps are 20th Anniversary Bogner Shiva and PWE Event Horizon. Both are capable of perfectly good bedroom tones to stage tones. The PWE has a built in attenuator like the Royal Atlantic.

 

[YellowJacket]

I don't gig regularly (In School) but I've taken the 'Dyne out to a few places.

Generally, for a reasonable band, the MV was between 8:00 to 8:30 at 45 watts for indoor small club stuff.
I played outdoors on the back of a semi trailer and 9:00 on the MV on 90 watts was positively earth shattering. The amp TEARS at 90watts but the sheer power is a bit over the top.

The 'Dyne does not do bedroom tones but it can do the next best thing. It sounds very good from reasonably low volumes and it sounds incredible at gig levels, ESPECIALLY in a mix. I really love it.

 

[jeffp]

I wish mine would have been "NORMAL"!

 

[YellowJacket]

I wish mine would have been "NORMAL"!

I haven't even been using the Clean channel lately. I find it to be a bit boomy so I rely on Vintage low and my volume pots instead. Playing exclusively on Vintage Lo does wonders for playing technique!

 

[papersoul]

I don't gig regularly (In School) but I've taken the 'Dyne out to a few places.

Generally, for a reasonable band, the MV was between 8:00 to 8:30 at 45 watts for indoor small club stuff.
I played outdoors on the back of a semi trailer and 9:00 on the MV on 90 watts was positively earth shattering. The amp TEARS at 90watts but the sheer power is a bit over the top.

The 'Dyne does not do bedroom tones but it can do the next best thing. It sounds very good from reasonably low volumes and it sounds incredible at gig levels, ESPECIALLY in a mix. I really love it.

That is what bothered me about it......not as good as my Bogner or PWE at lower club volumes. I sold my VHT ST50 because it needed to be at 9:00 or higher to wound good.

 

[YellowJacket]

That is what bothered me about it......not as good as my Bogner or PWE at lower club volumes. I sold my VHT ST50 because it needed to be at 9:00 or higher to wound good.

That's what the '45 watt' mode is for, unless you are wanting power section overdrive. Come on though, you aren't clipping the power section without a substantial amount of volume with almost any amp! For my tastes, the Electra Dyne sounds awesome once there is a drummer involved. This is the case 100% of the time.

 

[papersoul]

That is what bothered me about it......not as good as my Bogner or PWE at lower club volumes. I sold my VHT ST50 because it needed to be at 9:00 or higher to wound good.

That's what the '45 watt' mode is for, unless you are wanting power section overdrive. Come on though, you aren't clipping the power section without a substantial amount of volume with almost any amp! For my tastes, the Electra Dyne sounds awesome once there is a drummer involved. This is the case 100% of the time.

I do love the dyne! However, my Bogner and PWE do sound killer...at bedroom volumes!!!!

But I like variety so the Dyne it is.

I need to see what other amps I can find like the ED, lower gain than are very dynamic that I only need an OD pedal to boost for very higher gain tones.

One thing I struggle with all these amps is the ability to get crunchy cleans.....I don't like super clean cleans and none of my amps have gain on the clean channel. So, I am stuck only being able to do this by using amps with less gain and rolling back my volume for cleans with grit and using a pedal for higher gain by goosing the amp. With the Electradyne it could be a pain if I use an OD on the clean channel with a little grit and then use it to boost the high gain channel for mega gain...unless I have two OD pedals.