Interesting "Insider" Article On Jimi's Amps

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Interesting "Insider" Article On Jimi's Amps

Postby Brandon » 03 Sep 2010, 12:59

Check this article out guys, there's some really interesting info on Jimi's amps straight from the guy who worked on them.

http://www.musicplayer.com/article/the- ... ar-05/4046

I thought the thing about him switching out the el34s for 6550's was really interesting, not to mention the "extra high voltage plate" seem to sound particularly good to Jimi.

What do you guys think?

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Re: Interesting "Insider" Article On Jimi's Amps

Postby jboyjams » 07 Sep 2010, 11:18

Thanks for the heads up on the article.
I thought it was interesting about the speakers too. I know Greenbacks are well loved but they didn't work out for me in the 2x12 BluesBreaker combo - and I decided against putting up more money for the JH cab and stuck with my 1960AV with V30's that sounds very warm and full to me with all of my amps.
Amps - Marshall Super 100JH, 1987x, 2204 Master Volume, 4502, Bassman 59 LTD, Fender Champ (79), Fender 75
Guitars - Les Paul Standard, ES-335, 62 Strat RI, 85 MIJ Squier Tele, Guild D55
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Re: Interesting "Insider" Article On Jimi's Amps

Postby frank9310 » 07 Sep 2010, 14:38

Brandon wrote:Check this article out guys, there's some really interesting info on Jimi's amps straight from the guy who worked on them.

http://www.musicplayer.com/article/the- ... ar-05/4046

I thought the thing about him switching out the el34s for 6550's was really interesting, not to mention the "extra high voltage plate" seem to sound particularly good to Jimi.

What do you guys think?
That article is very old and highly inaccurate.
"It may take talent to play fast, but it takes SOUL to say something between the notes....."

"Most people are about as happy as they make their minds up to be..." ~ Abe Lincoln

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Re: Interesting "Insider" Article On Jimi's Amps

Postby Brandon » 09 Sep 2010, 14:31

Brandon wrote:
Check this article out guys, there's some really interesting info on Jimi's amps straight from the guy who worked on them.

http://www.musicplayer.com/article/the- ... ar-05/4046

I thought the thing about him switching out the el34s for 6550's was really interesting, not to mention the "extra high voltage plate" seem to sound particularly good to Jimi.

What do you guys think?
That article is very old and highly inaccurate.
Yeah I've been doing some looking around about it on other forums and it seems that there's a huge ongoing argument over some of the statements made about the 6550s and other things.

Some seem to swear by the 6550s, and others swear he used the stock el34s. :dunno

The only kind of evidence I've seen is some pictures of the back of his amps at woodstock where there seems to be identifable el34s (good news for me as hendrix at woodstock is my personal most beloved tone), but supposedly he swapped the tubes at the end of that tour. ???

Oh well, i guess it's just down to experimentation and "taste testing". :Stir

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Re: Interesting "Insider" Article On Jimi's Amps

Postby frank9310 » 10 Sep 2010, 00:39

Brandon wrote:
Brandon wrote:
Check this article out guys, there's some really interesting info on Jimi's amps straight from the guy who worked on them.

http://www.musicplayer.com/article/the- ... ar-05/4046

I thought the thing about him switching out the el34s for 6550's was really interesting, not to mention the "extra high voltage plate" seem to sound particularly good to Jimi.

What do you guys think?
That article is very old and highly inaccurate.
Yeah I've been doing some looking around about it on other forums and it seems that there's a huge ongoing argument over some of the statements made about the 6550s and other things.

Some seem to swear by the 6550s, and others swear he used the stock el34s. :dunno

The only kind of evidence I've seen is some pictures of the back of his amps at woodstock where there seems to be identifable el34s (good news for me as hendrix at woodstock is my personal most beloved tone), but supposedly he swapped the tubes at the end of that tour. ???

Oh well, i guess it's just down to experimentation and "taste testing". :Stir
Yeah too bad the EL34 Super Leads were Jimi's least favorite amps. If he ever did use 6550s on purpose, it was sheerly in attempt to get more volume on the bigger stages he was playing, but I would guess he used the EL34s when he got those several new amps just before Woodstock. Jimi played lots of rented amps also, so it's possible he played some that had 6550s but anytime he recorded in the studio, his main amp of choice was always his original '66 JTM 45/100 loaded with KT66s which the Vintage Modern is somewhat based on combining the tone stack of the Super Lead and the Power section of the JTM 45/100 and KT66 tubes which kick the crap out of EL34s tone wise.

If you ever played a real JTM 45/100 you wouldn't ever want to mess with a Super Lead. If you can't afford one of those or the Marshall Hendrix Super JH100, then your next best bet is the Vintage Modern (both designed by SteveD) I absolutely love my VM 2466. Come next week, my '66 JTM 45/100 build using New Old Stock parts will be finished. Can't wait to hear it and I will most definitely be running it and my VM 2466 in stereo. Yee Haw!
"It may take talent to play fast, but it takes SOUL to say something between the notes....."

"Most people are about as happy as they make their minds up to be..." ~ Abe Lincoln

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Re: Interesting "Insider" Article On Jimi's Amps

Postby Spitfire » 20 Oct 2010, 13:27

Live at Fillmore east is EL34's

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Re: Interesting "Insider" Article On Jimi's Amps

Postby KevinOConnor » 19 Jan 2011, 10:05

Hi Guys

Before his death, Jimi was experimenting with smaller amps. Loud sound takes its toll on your body.

If he were alive today, my guess is that he would be using something around 20W with EL-34s.

Have fun
Kevin O'Connor

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Re: Interesting "Insider" Article On Jimi's Amps

Postby frank9310 » 19 Jan 2011, 10:24

KevinOConnor wrote:Hi Guys

Before his death, Jimi was experimenting with smaller amps. Loud sound takes its toll on your body.

If he were alive today, my guess is that he would be using something around 20W with EL-34s.

Have fun
Kevin O'Connor
Not sure where you heard that because the last studio record he worked on was 3 full stacks suspended above the ground. Jimi LOVED loud. But, he could also dial in the softest cleans at low volumes and they even used a 1 inch speaker on a record player motor in the studio to emulate a Leslie. Those old amps and speakers were a different kind of loud than the loud heard today through highly efficient speakers like the Vintage 30, G12H30, etc. For example, my '66 JTM45/100 clone couple with Pre-Rola G12H30s sounds so warm and beautiful, even at loud volumes. It hits the ear completely differently than a modern amp. If I run it in stereo with my Vintage Modern 2466 through V30s, I need to dial the detail way back and body up to try to match them up or the VM will take your head off and drown out the 45/100. It's the efficiency of today's speakers that are probably more dangerous to the ears than everything else. That extra 2-3db efficiency of a V30 or G12H30 equates to about a 40 percent increase in volume with the amp at the same settings compared to a less efficient speaker like a Greenback. SteveD knew what he was doing when he put the G12Cs in the VM.
"It may take talent to play fast, but it takes SOUL to say something between the notes....."

"Most people are about as happy as they make their minds up to be..." ~ Abe Lincoln

http://www.facebook.com/frank93101
http://www.facebook.com/areyouexperiencedband

Band page http://areyouexperienced.net/RobinTrowe ... clips.html

Electronic Press Kit (EPK) http://www.gigmasters.com/presskit.aspx?id=62115

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