Jimi Hendrix' Gear and Mods at West Coast Organ and Amp

[mathd]

Well, there is not much difference with the vibe and clone..

the forum "Vintage" vibe is pretty much the same as the neovibe, except for the lamp drive input resistor (4k7 vs 47k for the original and vintage vibe)
the forum "not the vintage vibe" vs neovibe have the same resistor 4k7. but the forum vibe has different emitter resistor for the 3rd preamp transistor feedback/gain.

The forum and neovibe do not have the same power supply as the megavibe and uni-vibe.

Pretty much the same. but am wondering what the 4k7 vs 47k resistor for the lamp driver is doing.. going to try it

So 3 changes from the original vs the clones are the power supply, the preamp gain, and the lamp driver input resistor.
They also show different value for the speed pot and resistor in serie with it.. prolly just affect min and max speed.
And different transistor and component but you guessed it.

we have to discuss this when i'll endly build ( after years i started lol ) my jc maillet vibe. but one thing : vibes sound better at 24 volts. the offset bias mod and a few other mods are important to have better control on some crucial zones of the original univibes, which differ from one to another. the old preamp vs the jc maillet preamp, it's a choice, and the preamp is very important. i'm sorry for what i said on the neovibe, i know you have one, but the various clips i've heard on youtube didn't convinced me, maybe it was under bad conditions.

Ahh no problem, that got me looking around to the other vibe lol.
I did build and try only the neovibe so i can't tell wich one is the best. i was just pointing the differences.
When you say 24 volt, do you mean 24volt dc or 24 volt AC(rms)? Just want to make sure .
In the original uni-vibe i think its 24volt ac, half wave rectified?
Now i think we are getting off topic anyway.

[daveweyer]

Did you ever wonder why, with all the attention to detail, and accuracy in production, that the reissue devices still don't quite sound like the original? Close sometimes (and better in my mind), but not quite.
So what do you suppose is the reason?

[matriarch]

I think anything Roger Mayer made for him, fuzzes, Octavias, he won't exactly reproduce for the public.

[Tone seaker]

Did you ever wonder why, with all the attention to detail, and accuracy in production, that the reissue devices still don't quite sound like the original? Close sometimes (and better in my mind), but not quite.
So what do you suppose is the reason?

Supposedly the octiva that Dunlop sells was cloned from one owned by Hendrix that was in the experience music project museum in Seattle

[daveweyer]

I think Matriarch might be on to something.
I have a nagging feeling that folks haven't really provided the public with the whole story about these devices, and that they might not even remember themselves what they did from device to device.
These pedals and amps were prototypes, and we all were constantly trying out new twists to see what would happen, and what kind of response we would get. If someone copied a particular device that was supposedly an original, they might have a device that made its sound on one night in one performance, and possibly never, because you never knew what pedal Jimi would pick.
I talked to a museum curator one time about a supposed "original" Jimi amp which they were going to present to the public as an actual illustration of what Jimi was playing through, and he told me they removed a West Coast sticker from the back so the amp would be "original". He also told me the amp was completely stock.
Okay, fine, but was that really what Jimi was playing through? "Close enough" came the answer. To him, the fact that West Coast Organ and Amplifier Service had replaced all the power tubes in Jimi's amps with 6550s and run them in class B operation, and made various other changes in the amps was of no concern or significance to him because "who would ever know or care?" Well, you guys would, because you are using your ears, eyes, hearts, and fingers to do a hugely detailed forensic analysis of Jimi and his sounds.
Maybe the greater public really doesn't care, the guy might have been right.

So "close enough" might be what all the clones and reproductions are based on. Who knows what they actually were, and if someone does know, are they really willing to share it, or do they have some possible plan in mind which they protect by not quite revealing all they know?
It could be either way, but if you were able to go back in time and pick one of the twenty FF units out of the big metal box that the Experience toted around with them, and disassemble it, you'd probably be surprised what you saw inside. And if you opened another one, it would likely be slightly different, or hugely different.

[frenchie]

to daveweyer ...
Just a simple question if you recall : big ( KT88 style) bottle rca 6550 , or narrow bottle ?
Because if it's the narrow bottle we're in a deep shit to prove this point based on the woodstock pics ^^ ( EL34 and narrow 6550 have the same width , basically the width of the phenolic base )

[daveweyer]

We'll be alright. The El34 had a T9 bulb. The 6550 had a T12 bulb, if it was the straight version, the Tung Sol, which I used, had a variation of the ST16 bulb. The KT88, which I also used had a TT16 bulb.

Whether straight or bottle, the 6550 will measure differently, the minimum width will be 1 9/16 ". The El34 will be 1.188" in width max.

Get out your measuring lasers........

[Tazin]

Speaking of amps, it occured to me the other day that if you want to hear what a "basic" Hendrix's amp sounds like then listen to Larry Lee's guitar at the Woodstock gig (what little you can hear of it). He was using one of Jimi's amps with that Gibson Custom and I believe he was plugged straight in without any pedals in the chain.

[Tone seaker]

Speaking of amps, it occured to me the other day that if you want to hear what a "basic" Hendrix's amp sounds like then listen to Larry Lee's guitar at the Woodstock gig (what little you can hear of it). He was using one of Jimi's amps with that Gibson Custom and I believe he was plugged straight in without any pedals in the chain.

Larry Lee was using Billy Cox's bass amp. Billy was using the 50 watt stacks that were brought in just for that show. That is what Bill Cox told me himself.

[Tazin]

Larry Lee was using Billy Cox's bass amp. Billy was using the 50 watt stacks that were brought in just for that show. That is what Bill Cox told me himself.

I guess it's possible....But I find it odd that Billy's 100w amp would have "J.H. EXP." and "HANDLE WITH CARE" stenciled on it and also have a WEST COAST ORGAN AND AMP sticker on the back panel.

[frenchie]

We'll be alright. The El34 had a T9 bulb. The 6550 had a T12 bulb, if it was the straight version, the Tung Sol, which I used, had a variation of the ST16 bulb. The KT88, which I also used had a TT16 bulb.

Whether straight or bottle, the 6550 will measure differently, the minimum width will be 1 9/16 ". The El34 will be 1.188" in width max.

Get out your measuring lasers........

Ooops my bad , i haven't watched the spec sheets closely enough ....Fortunately there's a tube of which you can clearly the glass delimitation on the pic ( first of the daisy chained plexis in front of the bright cover of the transformer ) despite the back cover gold grill .... Will do a measurement tomorrow within a decent enough ( i hope ) margin of tolerance ....

[daveweyer]

Tazin,
Now THAT was a diplomatic reply! Bravo.

[Xplorer]

Very honored to display this amazing invention from Dave, for him. The Davophone ! Tube modulator.
it sounds like a terrific project that unfortunately we didn't hear in the hands of Jimi Hendrix.

Dave ? please, can you tell us the story of this amazing machine ?

http://imgur.com/a/mOQr2

[Tone seaker]

Larry Lee was using Billy Cox's bass amp. Billy was using the 50 watt stacks that were brought in just for that show. That is what Bill Cox told me himself.

I guess it's possible....But I find it odd that Billy's 100w amp would have "J.H. EXP." and "HANDLE WITH CARE" stenciled on it and also have a WEST COAST ORGAN AND AMP sticker on the back panel.

Why would it be odd. His bass rig went from show to show with Hendrix's. It would still need to be stinceled to keep all the Hendrix gear together with multiple acts playing at the shows. I would think the roadies knew who's was Hendrix's and who's was Billy's since they set them up night after night. And why would Billy's not be serviced by west coast to make sure it was up to touring.

[Blackburn]

I want a Davophone! How long before there's a Metro Davo Kit?