My turn to ask DC questions.......

[Monsta-Tone]

I haven't had a DC-3 for a while. I just picked up another one. Boy did I miss my old DC-3!

I have a couple of questions though for the regular DC-3 users. Since I haven't had one in a while, I figured it was quicker to ask than to experiment.

1. What preamp/power tubes are you guys using for more metal tones?
- I want brutal distortion, but I want to keep the cleans very nice and chimey

2. What speaker are you guys using if you have a combo? Mine still has the Vintage 30 in it.
- My last DC-3 had a Black Shadow C-90, the one before that had a MojoTone BV30H (Heritage 30 clone)
- I will also be using this with an open back (because I don't own a Thiele) Mark series 1x12 with either a C-90 or EVM-12L

3. Have any of you DC-3 owners done the volume pot mod on your amps? The pots on the 5 & 10 are 1 Meg, so the volume mod makes a huge difference. Not sure if it will be that noticeable on the DC-3 since the pot is a 100K.

 

[Monsta-Tone]

Well.....
I answered 1 & 3 myself.

1. Still not sure about which power tubes, but the Ruby branded JJ high gain 12AX7's from Doug's Tubes sound phenomenal!

3. Volume mod made a little bit of a difference, but the amp was still way too loud for low volume jamming. I used it for band practice last night, and with the EQ in the "Classic V" setting on the lead channel, the amp was on 2 and easily drowned out our drummer.
- I swapped the 100k linear pot for a 1M audio push/pull pot. I installed the 220k resistor on the push/pull switch, so now the amp has "Indoor" (switch in) gig volume, and "Outdoor" volume (switch pulled - 220k resistor across Output Volume pot).

I would still like to get opinions on speakers and power tubes from some of the DC-3 guys out there.

 

[MJ Slaughter]

I am far from a tube connoisseur and only change the power tubes when they wear out so my priority is something that lasts a while and sounds fine. To me the JJ EL84 works great. I've read a number of positive reviews on how they tend to last longer than many other EL84s. My speaker of choice for all my amps of late has been the EVM 12L which is kind of ridiculous for that amp but I'm too lazy to buy and test different speakers. If I were to change it I thought about the Eminence Wizard which I really liked with a little Ampeg I use to own.

Did you ever settle on a MFX box?

 

[Monsta-Tone]

Thanks MJ,
I used to use JJ's in my last 2 DC-3's. Guess I'll order a quad next week.

I hafe an MC-90 and an EVM that I will try. I bet I end up with the C-90 in the amp and either the EV or the V-30 in the extension cab.


I didn't get a multi FX unit after all. I ended up buying a Rocktron Patchmate Floor and some really nice pedals.
I got:
TC Corona Chorus
TC Flashback Delay
AC Booster
MXR EVH Phase 90
Boss GE-7 (Sniper mod makes a world of difference)
And, I still have my trusty Fulltone Clyde Deluxe Wah

 

[MJ Slaughter]

I think the DC-3 is a great sounding amp but does it do metal ok? I took my DC-3 and Thiele to a jam with a very loud rock band and though it kept up it just didn't have the full presence I wanted for that situation.

 

[Monsta-Tone]

:mrgreen: Send it to me and I'll make it do metal! :mrgreen:
I have a set of mods that will make the DC blow a Stiletto out of the water!

My band is recording a CD in July, I'll be using my DC-5 & 3 with these mods for everything. Well...the studio has a Mark IV that I might use for something....

 

[Monsta-Tone]

One thing that you can do to get more headroom/presence and still keep the same relative tone......

Replace the output transformer with a Mesa DC-5 output transformer (part # 562051) or even better would be the Mercury Magnetics DC-5 direct replacement output transformer.
You will have to drill 1 hole (actually Mesa used self tapping screws, so you just move the screw to a slightly different location.
I sold a few Mesa transformers on flea bay. They all went for less than $20 each. If you can find one, it's an incredible upgrade for the amp!

The stock OT is much smaller than the OT that came on my son's Peavey Classic 20!
It is severely undersized and has very little headroom.

4 EL84's have almost the same impedance specs as a 2x6L6 amp does.
Impedance is 4,000 ohms.
These transformers are really high quality and made in America: http://www.allenamps.com/parts.php#transformers
The TO35MT would most likely fit. Space on a DC-3 chassis is pretty limited.

Here is a picture of the DC-5 OT next to a Maverick OT (same as DC-3):
The DC-5 OT barely fits if you line up the mounting screw that is toward the outside of the amp.....

 

[Laskyman]

Send it to me and I'll make it do metal!

How about turning the DC5 into a complete flame thrower...what would you do to it and what kind of cost? Just curious...

 

[Monsta-Tone]

Send it to me and I'll make it do metal!

How about turning the DC5 into a complete flame thrower...what would you do to it and what kind of cost? Just curious...

PM Sent!

 

[MJ Slaughter]

Unfortunately I sold the DC-3 just recently once I got my DC-5 head. From the start of my whole DC amp cycle it was a DC-5 head I wanted but couldn't find. Two amps at a time is all I can manage financially and space wise at this time so it had to go.

 

[MarshMesa]

1. I'm still using the JJ's I bought less than a year ago. To be honest, I don't notice a huge difference in sound from the regular Mesa tubes. The gain on this amp is interesting, and some have claimed it's a more vintage type of gain. I recently compared it to the Mark V, and the DC-3's gain is more fuzzy and is more dark/less bright. It's especially noticeable when palm-mutting. The gain on the Mark V is much higher, but it also is much more tight and focused than the DC-3. It also sounded a lot less fuzzy than the DC-3. Palm-mutting works much easier on the Mark V. I think I'll eventually try to track down a Mark IV, but at least not for a while. The DC-3 is very useful for many other things though. Great clean, great tones for jazz and lead, great tones for slightly muddy indie-rock tones. I don't think you can really get "brutal distortion" from the DC-3, unless you use an overdrive in front. The Mark V definitely had brutal distortion with the gain at 6 or 7.

2. I'm using a Marshal 2X12 speaker, but I'm not sure what's inside of the cab.

3. No. I have no interest in mods. If I need a change in sound, I'll add an overdrive pedal.

Monsta- you aren't allowed to ask questions. You're supposed to only be answering them! :lol: I wish there was a mod to tighten up the DC-3 tone on the gain channel. Is there one?

 

[Monsta-Tone]

1. I'm still using the JJ's I bought less than a year ago. To be honest, I don't notice a huge difference in sound from the regular Mesa tubes. The gain on this amp is interesting, and some have claimed it's a more vintage type of gain. I recently compared it to the Mark V, and the DC-3's gain is more fuzzy and is more dark/less bright. It's especially noticeable when palm-mutting. The gain on the Mark V is much higher, but it also is much more tight and focused than the DC-3. It also sounded a lot less fuzzy than the DC-3. Palm-mutting works much easier on the Mark V. I think I'll eventually try to track down a Mark IV, but at least not for a while. The DC-3 is very useful for many other things though. Great clean, great tones for jazz and lead, great tones for slightly muddy indie-rock tones. I don't think you can really get "brutal distortion" from the DC-3, unless you use an overdrive in front. The Mark V definitely had brutal distortion with the gain at 6 or 7.

I keep coming down to Mark V or Roadster. I had one of the original Roadsters and really liked it, but wasn't playing in a band at the time, so I ended up selling it. At the time, I had about 10 Mesa amps, a Soldano and 4 or 5 vintage Fender amps. The joys of having an amp repair shop.

2. I'm using a Marshal 2X12 speaker, but I'm not sure what's inside of the cab.

I've been using a narrow body 1x12 cab with an EVM in it with the DC-3, but my DC-5 won't stack on it. I will probably pick up a wide body 1x12 too.

3. No. I have no interest in mods. If I need a change in sound, I'll add an overdrive pedal.

Monsta- you aren't allowed to ask questions. You're supposed to only be answering them! :lol: I wish there was a mod to tighten up the DC-3 tone on the gain channel. Is there one?

:lol: :lol: :lol: Now I have even more questions......
I never came up with a tighter gain mod. Most people wanted me to add gain, which makes the DC a little bit looser sounding.
I do use a boost in front of the lead channel to get more gain, but I've always liked crunchier sounds with liquid sustain.
My band isn't quite metal. We're somewhere between early Maiden, Rush and Incubus. Heavy, but not crushingly so.....

 

[talltxguy]

Andy,

MarshMesa said he wanted to tighten up the tone on the gain channel. Wouldn't adding a choke help with that?

 

[Monsta-Tone]

I'm not really sure to tell you the truth.
I have never had time to experiment with adding a choke to an amp that doesn't already have one.

Everything that I have read about chokes and their purpose says the opposite to an extent.
Supposedly, amps that use a large power resistor to simulate a choke (poorly) tend to sound more harsh and "breathe" less.
This article from Aiken Amps might suggest otherwise: http://www.aikenamps.com/Chokes.html
I have a Fender 75, and have had a Twin II. Both of those amps have huge 25 watt resistors instead of chokes and both of them are sterile sounding to my ears.


I have a DC-3 and several Mercury chokes. Maybe I'll try one out in my amp on Sunday and report back.


After thinking about it, you might try changing all of the filter caps in your DC-3 to make it tighter sounding. The ones that are in the amp are supposed to be good for another 10 years or so, but I have noticed a huge difference in the amount of bass and focus these amps have after changing the caps.
You could also try adding another 30mf cap in the preamp power supply circuit. If you add it right at V2 pin 1, this should not have much affect on the clean channel.
I think I will try adding a cap to my amp and see what happens.....

 

[talltxguy]

Andy,

That'd be cool to hear about how the Merc Mags choke affects the DC-3. I sold my TA-15 last night and will be getting my DC-3 at the end of the month! 8)

 

[Monsta-Tone]

I saw that!

I won't be installing it this weekend. My band has it's 1st gig this afternoon at Kalama Park in Kihei!
It's been about 15 years since I played original music in front of people!

I'm taking the DC-3 & 5. I'll probably try the 5 out 1st and then the 3, after the 1st break.

I made a cable so that I can use the speaker (in the combo amp that I am not running through) as an extension cab.
This way, if one amp fails, I still have another one! Bringing a backup and an ext. cab in the same unit!
Hope it works out!

 

[talltxguy]

Sounds cool, Andy. And the fact that you're playing original music is totally cool. 8)

 

[Monsta-Tone]

Sounds cool, Andy. And the fact that you're playing original music is totally cool. 8)

:mrgreen: Original music on one of a kind amps.... :mrgreen:
The mods I did to my amps haven't been done on anyone elses!

 

[MarshMesa]

So if I get my amp serviced, it might sound tighter on the distortion channel? Andy, you need to move to Petaluma, since you know so much about fixing these things. I'll consider sending my amp to you in Hawaii when I'm a little more well off.

But here's the weird thing about my DC-3 - it responds so different depending on the pickups. For example, my telecaster with a JB humbucker sounds slightly muddy with the amp, no matter where the gain is place. Even on lower gain settings (5 for example), the gain is still slightly dark. But if I plug in my EMG SA- equipped strat, the DC-3 is never muddy on the gain channel. It's as tight as my Marshal DSL. The drawback though is that their is much less gain with the SA pickups than with the JB telecaster. If I plug the tele into my Marshal DSL, it's not muddy at all. So my point is, you never know what something is going to sound like until you plug it in. Different guitars and pickups have different ways of responding to different amps.

 

[Monsta-Tone]

Well...you would be surprised at how affordable it is to ship just the chassis and tubes. I get chassis from all over the Northern Hemisphere and the South Pacific.
I would love to work for the mothership! That would be awesome. Pretty sure that I would make more just being a humble contractor though......

I have noticed that the DC's are very odd in the way that they react to different guitars.
Like I said, mine are nowhere near stock though, so I can't really compare them to yours.
Mine basically have the same amount of gain as the stock DC with the EQ set to the V. Then, the EQ is just icing on the cake!
I'm a gain head, can you tell?

I have a JS1000 with a PAF Pro in the neck and it sounds very full and fat with high gain settings.
I have an older Ibanez 540R with Lawrence L250's and a Tone Zone. It sounds like a Strat at high gain settings.
I think the DC's really help hold a guitar's character. Some amps just sound the same to me no matter what guitar I use.

I can't immagine a Tele with a JB getting muddy on any amp though. I bet it's time to change the tubes.