Used the Thiele & DC-3 at practice tonight....

[Monsta-Tone]

I haven't dialed in the tones that I want just yet, but the leads are singing with a Maxon compressor in front of the lead channel.


We ended with 'Just Got Back From Baby's' from ZZ Top and it sounded amazing.

I played my McCarty all night and never picked up the Strat, which is odd for me.

I did notice that the sound cut out too quickly when I rolled the Volume off for the vocals. On my DC-10 combo, I usually put the guitar's volume at 7 for the vocals and it is still really gritty. I had to put it at 9 with the DC-3 & Thiele combination.

Can't explain that one just yet.


It is hard to get used to the projection that this little cabinet has too. I don't sound that loud when I stand next to the amp, but 10 feet away, I'm killing the bass player. :lol: Good thing he's already deaf. :lol:

 

[Russ]

Maybe that's why they can't keep their volume in check ever... :lol:

 

[JOEY B.]

It is hard to get used to the projection that this little cabinet has too. I don't sound that loud when I stand next to the amp, but 10 feet away, I'm killing the bass player. :lol: Good thing he's already deaf. :lol:

Which speaker did you end up using in the thiele? There was some discussion about trying out different drivers in the cab. The 10 feet sounds about right, any closer and the sound will just hit you in the knees.

 

[Monsta-Tone]

Right now, I have the EV in the Thiele and the V-30 in the combo.

I have a really great lead tone, very singing and completely articulate.

The rythm crunch tone is very nice, but there is the issue of the tone completely disappearing when I roll back the volume on the guitar.


I haven't dialed in the clean tone, although by the end of the night it was getting better.


One thing that I noticed is that I have to turn the gain up on the lead channel. On the DC-10, I have it on 6.5-7. On the DC-3, it's on 9. I did notice that the higher I turned the gain, the better the rolloff got with the guitar, but it never really got where I liked it.


The McCarty has a capacitor across the volume pot, so that's not the issue.



As for the bass player's volume, believe it or not, I have to constantly remind him to turn up. He's using my SWR with a 4-10 cab and it sounds great, but I can barely hear him.

 

[JOEY B.]

Right now, I have the EV in the Thiele and the V-30 in the combo.

I have a really great lead tone, very singing and completely articulate.

The rythm crunch tone is very nice, but there is the issue of the tone completely disappearing when I roll back the volume on the guitar.

One thing that I noticed is that I have to turn the gain up on the lead channel. On the DC-10, I have it on 6.5-7. On the DC-3, it's on 9. I did notice that the higher I turned the gain, the better the rolloff got with the guitar, but it never really got where I liked it.

One would think the lower wattage amp at the same overall volume would have more "grit" with the same preamp settings. I am going to assume the DC-10 has a pair of Celestion 90's. You could try putting the preamp tubes from the DC-10 into your DC-3 (in the same positions, of course). You could also try using the DC-10 to drive the V-30 and EV thiele. It may be that the DC-10 will break up the speaker cones easier. This will eliminate some variables. Have fun .

 

[Monsta-Tone]

I moved the tubes from the DC-10 to the DC-3 a few days ago. Then experimented with higher gain preamp tubes in the Lead channel of the DC-3 after that.

I will look at the drawings a bit closer, it may be that there is a voltage difference on the preamp tubes between the 2 amps. From what I remember though, they are pretty much the same in the preamp section, with the exception of the 'Pull Gain,' on the DC-10 Clean channel.



I think that definitely the DC-10 can push the speakers harder.

I bet that in the end, I end up using the C-90 in the Thiele instead of the EV. I'll keep tweaking it and see what happens. We are practicing again tonight, so I can twist a few more knobs.

 

[Monsta-Tone]

Dude, it's true.

Our drummer has a higher pitched voice and the bass player can hear him just fine, but I have to repeat everything I say at least once.

I've started talking to him through the PA, this seems to help.


I thought only drummers & guitar players went deaf. :lol:

 

[phyrexia]

I have that problem too sometimes. You can always suck it up and falsetto.

 

[Monsta-Tone]

You can always suck it up and falsetto.

:lol: :lol: :lol:


I used the amp again last night but changed the pedal layout.

I took the Maxon Compressor and the Boss TU-2 out.

What the hell do you know!!!!! There was the gain I had been missing. Now I have to turn it down to 6, where I had it maxed before. Pretty funny, it's hard to practice and tweak at the same time.

 

[JOEY B.]

I moved the tubes from the DC-10 to the DC-3 a few days ago. Then experimented with higher gain preamp tubes in the Lead channel of the DC-3 after that.

I bet that in the end, I end up using the C-90 in the Thiele instead of the EV. I'll keep tweaking it and see what happens. We are practicing again tonight, so I can twist a few more knobs.

The old signal chain monster was hard at work making you chase your tail :? . Since you have a spare C90, you could try it in the thiele, but it will be hard to beat the SPL and bass of the EVM. Good to know that the preamp issue is solved .

 

[Monsta-Tone]

At 1st I thought that the ticking in the DC-3 was back. I had some seriously damaged power tube sockets that were causing a ticking noise. I didn't have any exact replacements (have to order them from Mesa today), so I just cleaned and re-tensioned them, but the Power Tubes don't really stay where they are supposed to. They sort of sit in there at a slant.


I changed amps and started using the DC-10 and still had the same problem, so I started swapping things out.

The TU-2 sucked all the tone out, although I know people who swear that this does not happen. This will now be on an A/B switch.

The Maxon was making the ticking sound this time. I was plugged straight into the amp when it had the original ticking, but this sounded just like it, which is what led me to believe it was the amp again.

Maybe the battery is low in the Maxon, it's never done this before.



This is the 1st time that I have played on a regular basis in many years and am a bit unfamiliar with most of my gear, so it will take a few jams to iron the bugs out.

 

[edward]

I've been using an EV-loaded Thiele with my DC5 Combo for some time now and am absolutely sold on the tone! I noticed that I do, indeed, have to adjust the bass and gain just a bit with the Thiele cab vs without, but once you get that down, its a powerful combo (along with the Mesa MC90 in the DC5). The cleans, too, are beautiful: deep, tight bottom, clear mids, and singing highs. Add a tiny bit of grit and you've got a blues tone that can make you cry

Edward

 

[waassaabee]

I know what you are going through.. I've owned a Thiele for some time now and usually only used it for moving more air at larger gigs. Recently I started setting it up at rehearsals... even the drummer noticed a Mark(ed) improvement.:? It's a permanent part of the setup now.

 

[Monsta-Tone]

I've been using it for a couple of weeks now and don't plan on looking back. The tones that I get with my McCarty are so great that I haven't touched my Strat since then.


Still trying to dial in the cleans though.

 

[JOEY B.]

I've been using it for a couple of weeks now and don't plan on looking back. The tones that I get with my McCarty are so great that I haven't touched my Strat since then.


Still trying to dial in the cleans though.

Consider yourself an EV thiele junkie, enjoy.

 

[Monsta-Tone]

I'm using it tonight, and tomorrow at our grand opening gig. Can't wait.

 

[Monsta-Tone]

I love my tone. This is the 1st time that I have ever said that.

 

[waassaabee]

I've been using it for a couple of weeks now and don't plan on looking back. The tones that I get with my McCarty are so great that I haven't touched my Strat since then.

That reminds me... I have a Strat somewhere too.. :lol:

 

[Monsta-Tone]

I used the amp at our Music Store's grand opening on Saturday.

Great Lead tones, but the cleans are still missing something.

We played outside, so it was a bit different than our normal inside jam sessions.



I used a Maxon Compressor in front of the Cleans and it really made them shine, but it was completely by accident. The sun was so bright, even under the canopy, that I couldn't tell it was on. For the life of me, I couldn't figure out why the Cleans were so loud for at least 10 minutes.


The amp also got used by some local musicians that are fairly well known and it got great reviews.

 

[waassaabee]

I've been using it for a couple of weeks now and don't plan on looking back. The tones that I get with my McCarty are so great that I haven't touched my Strat since then.


Still trying to dial in the cleans though.

OK so I test drove the Strat tonight .. minor tweaks and BOOM! Crystal cleans to raunch and punch like you wouldn't believe.