Metropoulos Forum

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCFIbOj17J4[/youtube]
My hot-rodded plexi kit, into a Marshall 4x10 1965a cabinet. Strat using Bill Lawrence Keystone Singles and L90XL humbucker, 250K volume pot.
Recorded with an iphone, so sound quality could be better. Still, just wanted to capture the amount of gain from a non-cascaded plexi circuit with a LAR/MAR PPIMV, and how it cleans up pretty nicely, lots of different textures there.
Not really after the Van Halen sound, although I LOVE that sound, I also wanted to do other sounds, but if I dime all the knobs on the amp, it gets there easily.
Volume is quite low on the PPIMV. It's in the bottom 1/3rd. It really starts sounding good around 1/2, tighter, punchier, more dynamic, more sustain. The speakers start working and the amp just starts SINGING. This volume setting is not its optimal point, not by a long shot, but the PPIMV is awesome for what it does.

Good job, I'm sure it sounds way better in the room. Get some Telefunken 12Ax7 it's like dousing the amp with gasoline.

Sounds really good to me I guess I gotta check out the bill lawrence pick ups now.

The l90XL is a great rock pickup. It's got a high output but it is very articulate.

What are the "hot rod" mods you did there?

Yeah, explain your amp spec more. So is it a 1987 or 1959 ? What kind of tubes you got in there ?

aye, that sounds great !
Those pups compliment the guitar very nicely . Definitely have your steak & potatoes there.
I think filmore NYC like those 4x10's. I really like & prefer the 1966 B 2x12's' w/65's but, you make it sing nice.
Great Tone and great job on a very nice sounding rig. even through an iPhone

The amp is a 1987 clone. I internally jumpered the channels and put both to lead specs for more gain (props to Stuntdouble)
Lowered filtering, I also increased gain with a 150k resistor at V2a, and increased mids with .001 treble cap and .001 bypass cap over the 470k mixer resistor. Boosting those frequencies seem to work well with a strat, whereas it would sound anemic before.
I also used .1 caps at the output of the PI. I think CDE DME caps keep it sounding tight there, even though you're letting lower frequencies through, it doesn't get muddy because those caps sound so clean. I use those caps throughout the amp. They sound very clear and articulate but not harsh.
I like the 1965a cab, it's punchy and sounds great and is very easy to move. I got a custom small headcab from Sour Mash so the whole deal would look good on the cab.

I have ordered a Blue Mikey for the iphone so hopefully I'll get some better sounds uploaded.

Meanwhile, if you want to hear more of the amp with a live band, here's a really crappy recording of me jamming "The Wanton Song" with some friends. It's pretty sloppy, and of course, there's the iphone clipping, but that amp cuts through a band mix like a hot knife through butter.
Keep in mind, we practiced this song once, and then hit record.....
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MMGIXCDogU[/youtube]

Hi Eddie,

nice, and she sounds still like a Marsall. Did you also employ a cathode- cap on V2a?

Regards

Robert

Yeah, both cathode caps are Philips chicklets, .68.
The tubes are JJ E34Ls, and Tung Sol 12ax7 in V1 and V3. Not sure what I have in V2.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXkCezLy8xE[/youtube]

Here's a better sound quality video. I used a Blue Mikey with my iPhone and it worked like a charm. Sounds a lot better and I was able to crank the amp up to volumes I actually play at.

those are really good tones. I see you did the .001 bypass cap over the mix resistor and changed it t0 150 k ? ?
youve got the best of both clean and nasty,, nice setup.. im gettin one of those bill lawrence hums

Thanks Jerry,
I've got 4 Celestion G10 Greenbacks coming in, can't wait to try them in the 1965a cab, I find the stock Celestion G10L-35s are edgy and bright. The Greenbacks should smooth it out a bit and still let me turn up the presence and treble to get that response.

The .001 cap makes the notes jump out easier with a strat. I rocked my friend's Les Paul through the amp a few nights ago and it totally smoked! Sustain that goes on forever, until YOU stop it. I'm not usually a Paul player, but it was fun playing it through the amp. I kept the volume about halfway and turned it up for solos. Loved it!

jerrydyer wrote:those are really good tones. I see you did the .001 bypass cap over the mix resistor and changed it t0 150 k ? ?
youve got the best of both clean and nasty,, nice setup.. im gettin one of those bill lawrence hums

I changed the v2a plate to 150k, not the mix resistor, just want to clarify.

I have the BL L-500L, and always wanted a bit more ... with the L-90XL in my strat with a 250k pot, it's got the output of a Les Paul, but better string definition. Cleans up really well, great pickup for sure and the price is reasonable.

gotcha...funny..on my surreals i use 150 almost across the board...