Last November I had all the transformers (PT, OT, Reverb & Choke) in my Roadster changed to Mercury Magnetics iron http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=56810.
Now that I’ve had a chance to really play the amp over time and break in the transformers I wanted to post a thread about how happy I am with this all. While the changes are not "night and day" different, I cannot believe the overall difference in the feel and response of the amp, and especially the clarity. The amp still sounds like a Rectifier (which is what I wanted), but man does she play and project 100X better. String definition in high gain chording is also improved, as well as lower frequency tracking, especially in the Modern high gain mode in Ch4 (red channel). Before the transformer swaps I always fought the bass knob in this Mode/Channel. Now I can get the bass up to ridiculous levels (for a guitar amp) without flubbing out or making the amp extremely loose feeling (which is now well beyond the levels I’ll ever use).
I only use clean sounds for about 25% of my music, and was already happy with the Fat clean mode in the Roadster. The big improvement that I did notice in my clean tones is the Reverb. It is hard to describe without sounding cliché but words like “lush”, “full”, “warm”, and “3D textures” come to mind. There just seems to be this halo of reverb around every note I play now, as opposed to a reverb that previously kind of just sat on top of my tone. Again, not a "night and day" difference as the reverb was good to start with IMO, but noticable none the less.
The biggest surprise for me however is Vintage high gain mode in Ch3 (orange channel). When I first played the amp in this mode I really thought it was a “placebo effect”. There is a huge change in response and midrange clarity, as well as what seems to be (what I can only describe as) improved dynamic response/reaction with the speaker cab allowing an entirely new level of expression in my playing. Again, I'm not saying this has transformed my amp into something it is not, but not to sound cliché, pinch harmonics just “leap off the fretboard” (I don’t know how else to express that), and legato runs require less effort and are more fun to play. Pick attack dynamics are much easier to manipulate. Pushing the Mid knob results in sweet harmonics. Before the transformer swaps I was actually beginning to question my own skills at setting up my guitars. There were positions on the fretboard that just would not give up good harmonics or clear sustaining notes with the Roadster, no matter how hard I tried or how much volume I used, but not anymore! Don’t get me wrong, the Roadster could never replace the Mark I & Mark IIC+ lead sounds of my MKV, but I am no longer considering a two amp setup for any future live use. I’m sure that in the long run the $$ investment in a two amp setup would have exceeded the cost of the upgrades to the Roadster, not to mention the extra gear to lug around (no roadies here LOL).
I really can’t get over the difference in the amp, it has gone from an amp I really liked to play to an amp I love to play. The guys in the band tell me I’m nuts, and that the things I am describing are because I’ve improved as a player over the last couple of months. I believe the real improvement here is the relationship between player and instrument because I really enjoy playing my guitar so much more now, which in turn has created an overall improvement in my playing.
And to top it all off, this is with mostly stock Mesa tubes! The only changes are a 1950's RCA longplate in V1 and my trusty RFT in V2. The rest are a mix of Mesa Russian-2 (EH) and current Mesa (JJ) 12AX7's and (GRN) Mesa STR-440's biased at about 60% MPD (around 33mA @ 475V B+, Bold/Diode).
As I have stated earlier, this is not a night and day difference, but it is a noticable change for the better in the areas I mentioned. The amp just plays better, and does not sound as dark in the mid to high freq's.
Here are a couple of recent pics.
On both Recto 4X12's
(I think this will become my new Avatar 8) )
On the shelf (there's a phaser on the far right, not in the pic)
The "Brains" of the operation (it sure the hell ain't me)
I need to update my signature as I'm back to using the X2 wireless due to space in the rack, as well as a few pedal changes and using the STR-440's.
Dom
Now that I’ve had a chance to really play the amp over time and break in the transformers I wanted to post a thread about how happy I am with this all. While the changes are not "night and day" different, I cannot believe the overall difference in the feel and response of the amp, and especially the clarity. The amp still sounds like a Rectifier (which is what I wanted), but man does she play and project 100X better. String definition in high gain chording is also improved, as well as lower frequency tracking, especially in the Modern high gain mode in Ch4 (red channel). Before the transformer swaps I always fought the bass knob in this Mode/Channel. Now I can get the bass up to ridiculous levels (for a guitar amp) without flubbing out or making the amp extremely loose feeling (which is now well beyond the levels I’ll ever use).
I only use clean sounds for about 25% of my music, and was already happy with the Fat clean mode in the Roadster. The big improvement that I did notice in my clean tones is the Reverb. It is hard to describe without sounding cliché but words like “lush”, “full”, “warm”, and “3D textures” come to mind. There just seems to be this halo of reverb around every note I play now, as opposed to a reverb that previously kind of just sat on top of my tone. Again, not a "night and day" difference as the reverb was good to start with IMO, but noticable none the less.
The biggest surprise for me however is Vintage high gain mode in Ch3 (orange channel). When I first played the amp in this mode I really thought it was a “placebo effect”. There is a huge change in response and midrange clarity, as well as what seems to be (what I can only describe as) improved dynamic response/reaction with the speaker cab allowing an entirely new level of expression in my playing. Again, I'm not saying this has transformed my amp into something it is not, but not to sound cliché, pinch harmonics just “leap off the fretboard” (I don’t know how else to express that), and legato runs require less effort and are more fun to play. Pick attack dynamics are much easier to manipulate. Pushing the Mid knob results in sweet harmonics. Before the transformer swaps I was actually beginning to question my own skills at setting up my guitars. There were positions on the fretboard that just would not give up good harmonics or clear sustaining notes with the Roadster, no matter how hard I tried or how much volume I used, but not anymore! Don’t get me wrong, the Roadster could never replace the Mark I & Mark IIC+ lead sounds of my MKV, but I am no longer considering a two amp setup for any future live use. I’m sure that in the long run the $$ investment in a two amp setup would have exceeded the cost of the upgrades to the Roadster, not to mention the extra gear to lug around (no roadies here LOL).
I really can’t get over the difference in the amp, it has gone from an amp I really liked to play to an amp I love to play. The guys in the band tell me I’m nuts, and that the things I am describing are because I’ve improved as a player over the last couple of months. I believe the real improvement here is the relationship between player and instrument because I really enjoy playing my guitar so much more now, which in turn has created an overall improvement in my playing.
And to top it all off, this is with mostly stock Mesa tubes! The only changes are a 1950's RCA longplate in V1 and my trusty RFT in V2. The rest are a mix of Mesa Russian-2 (EH) and current Mesa (JJ) 12AX7's and (GRN) Mesa STR-440's biased at about 60% MPD (around 33mA @ 475V B+, Bold/Diode).
As I have stated earlier, this is not a night and day difference, but it is a noticable change for the better in the areas I mentioned. The amp just plays better, and does not sound as dark in the mid to high freq's.
Here are a couple of recent pics.
On both Recto 4X12's
(I think this will become my new Avatar 8) )
On the shelf (there's a phaser on the far right, not in the pic)
The "Brains" of the operation (it sure the hell ain't me)
I need to update my signature as I'm back to using the X2 wireless due to space in the rack, as well as a few pedal changes and using the STR-440's.
Dom
