Something strange happened with my rhythm channel.

[injected]

I got my DC-5 like 2 weeks ago and it was great. I transport it covered with a sheet or something, rolled on a retractable dolly. Somehow the power tranny came loose, a screw fell off. I noticed it when i took the sheet off, it was wobbly as hell. I screwed it back in, but not enough apparently. After rolling it again, both screws were gone, and the PT was just hanging by the colored cables. ****, I though. Luckily though both screws were sitting at the bottom near the reverb tank. I REALLY screwed them in this time. Hasn't been a problem since.

But right after i screwed it in the second time and fired it up my rhythm channel was different.

Before, with the rhythm channel pushed, I would have to barely put it to 2-3 to get some nice clean tones. Still pushed, if i took it past 6 it was quite gainy. Pulled was another story altogether. Pulled on 8 had nearly as much gain as my lead channel! I thought thats just the way it was. Gain passed 7 on the pulled channel made horrible squealing noises that made it unusable.

After this whole PT incident, my rhythm channel has much less gain. In order to get a usable clean sound, pushed i need the gain 5 or more. Pulled, on 2 maybe. I can get all the sounds I could before, crunch, santana-esque lead tones, works great. However, I am wondering if this incident somehow "fixed" my dc-5? It had enormous amounts of gain on the rhythm channel.

How much gain does your guys' dc-5 have? The way mine is now, is it normal? I certainly like it better than before.

 

[MusicManJP6]

The clean channel isn't supposed to have nearly as much gain as the rhythm channel! It sounds like something was going on before. Keep an eye on the transformer! Sorry I can't offer any technical advice. If it sounds good then you should consider yourself lucky!

 

[injected]

Well I guess what I'm really asking is how much gain did you other dc-5 owners have to have the rhythm set at to get a clean tone? (Pushed)

 

[LTE]

My gain is set on 3-4 to get a good jazz clean tone, and pushed on 3-4 its just a light-med crunch. It can get pretty high gain though, but its a total diff. voicing than the lead channel. Rhythm is more crunchy and the lead channel is defined and saturated

 

[Casper]

You might consider where you have your mids, I know with mine anything above 4 or 5 gets you into pushed+ gain. (relative to bass and treble, of course) i am recently a fan of cutting your GEQ sliders out of the rhythm channel. It made a HUGE difference in useable, tweakable tone for me
just my .02
Shaun

 

[Vojin]

Pushed,clean is at about 4-5,with the little cut down on the guitar's volume.

 

[Monsta-Tone]

I usually run my Gain at 5-7 and my Master at 4-7.
This gives me a really great, punchy clean with some hair on it if I hit the strings hard.

My EQ settings are usually:
Treble 5-6
Mids 4-7
Bass 6-8
Pres 0-4

I have noticed though that the Presence and Mids knob make a huge difference in overdrive on the clean channel.
If you have the mids and Presence cranked, it is much easier to overdrive the amp.

You might try experimenting with these settings and writing down which settings give you more overdrive.
With the 'Boost' pulled out and the Mids & Pres high, I can get a lot of distortion out of channel 1.


As for the Transformer, it sounds like the amp is being subjected to massive amounts of vibration while in transit.
I would try putting it toward the front of the truck bed or trailer. The back part of the trailer or bed will have way more movement.
You might also try transporting it in the backseat of a car.

It might be that the vibrations will kill your tubes eventually.



I use removeable Lock-Tite (the blue one) or the Wicking Lock-Tite (green one). This way, the screws can't vibrate loose, but I can remove them if I need to.