I'm Back

flemingmras · Post by **flemingmras** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 2:24 pm

Hey guys...been off these boards for quite some time.

I'm currently taking time off from playing due to an unfortunate incident that happened a few months ago. I had a 6x12 cargo trailer to haul my PA and gear around in and some fucksticks broke into it and stole damn near everything! Left me with my Metro clone 4x12 cab, 1 Cerwin Vega Earthquake sub, 1 JBL SRX725 main, and my guitar rack stand. Luckily my beloved Les Pauls were here in the apartment with me.

However, they got away with most of my 9,000 watt PA system, along with my Marshall JMP-1 preamp and all pedals, and the worst of it!? My Metro ST2 (Spinal Tap #2) head!!! The one I had the drink spilled in not long after I built it...the one I had to swap the OT in...the one I used extensively after I got rid of all the issues I had with it...is now gone.

What pisses me off about that is for some reason that head out of the 5 that I built had the best tone for some reason. Could never figure it out...had exactly the same parts, circuitry, Sozo caps, the whole 9...and that head seemed to grind better than all the others. And now she's gone.

So after that happened I decided to take some time off and finish the jet boat I was rebuilding from last winter, which I finally finished and got on the water. So far I've had her up to 62mph...she's loud and proud...just like my Marshalls. Aside from a Marshall cranked to 11...there's just nothing that sounds better than a Chevrolet 454 with open Bassett headers. Flames I'm sure you'll agree with me on this one. ;D

Anyhow...so my next project is a Metro Plexi kit I bought over a year ago that I started on but never finished. This one's a purple plexi...hopefully she'll sound every bit as good as my main ST head (and it has the 11 panels...numbered correctly this time...thanks George!). Also this one has the dual secondary tranny with the 3 way standby switch for low and hi B+...along with the Dagnall clone OT...can't wait to hear how this one sounds.

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SB Monster · Post by **SB Monster** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 3:09 pm

sorry about your gear man. jesus that's some boat!

Flames1950 · Post by **Flames1950** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 3:40 pm

Flames I'm sure you'll agree with me on this one.

Can't, 'cause nothing sounds better than an old pre-'62 Chevy six cylinder with open pipes -- kiss any plate glass in the area goodbye........
Close second -- flathead Ford V8. Modern OHV V8's just don't have the upper end character of the oldies. Kinda like new Marshalls, oddly enough.......

zaphod777 · Post by **zaphod777** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 4:00 pm

that head out of the 5 that I built had the best tone for some reason

The one I had the drink spilled in not long after I built it..

I think you've solved your own mystery, as Sherlock would put it "when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth? "

Now for the important question, exactly what drink was spilled inside the head? vintage? color?

St August · Post by **St August** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 4:07 pm

http://forum.metroamp.com/viewtopic.php?t=12790

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 4:07 pm

Damn man I hope you were insured!

All ther sound guys I ever knew were packin

mwm523 · Post by **mwm523** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 4:17 pm

St August wrote:http://forum.metroamp.com/viewtopic.php?t=12790

flemingmras · Post by **flemingmras** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 4:20 pm

St August wrote:http://forum.metroamp.com/viewtopic.php?t=12790

OH SHIT! I totally forgot about that pedal...

Actually after I posted that thread I never bothered to check back up on it...been really busy with work and other shit...on top of my gear getting stolen. Just thought I'd get back on with the site since I was gonna get going on this Metro kit.

Gainfreak...send me your number bro...I apologize about this and would more than love to get the pedal back to you.

flemingmras · Post by **flemingmras** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 4:34 pm

Flames1950 wrote:
Flames I'm sure you'll agree with me on this one.
Modern OHV V8's just don't have the upper end character of the oldies.

No but they damn sure got that beef!!!

Just for Flames, here's the specs on the motor:

Motor came out of an RV with only 30,000 miles on it, never been overhauled
Mark IV 454 punched .030" over 2-bolt main block
Stock crank and rods
TRW L2465F Pistons (9.6:1 comp ratio w/ 120cc combustion chambers)
Large oval port heads (casting #353049)
Heads were machined for bigger valves (2.19" intake/1.88" exhaust SS valves)
Plasma moly rings
Iskendarian 280H Mega Hydraulic flat tappet single profile cam -
280 seat - seat/232 .050" duration
.549 lift (w/1.7 rocker ratio)
60* seat - seat overlap/12* .050" overlap
110 lobe center
Isky Super Lifters (anti pump up type)
Comp Cams 1 piece 3/8 pushrods
Scorpion 1.7 roller rockers
Double valve springs w/damper (135lbs seat pressure/395lbs open pressure)
Comp Cams double roller timing chain
Clevitte 77 main/rod/cam bearings
Melling 77G oil pump
Edelbrock RPM Air Gap intake manifold
Holley 4150 Marine 750cfm double pumper carb
MSD Ready to Run distributor, 6M-2 box and Blaster 2 high vibration coil

In theory I'm thinkin' close to 500HP/500 ft lbs of torque. The cam is set up specifically for a jet boat...the ramps on the lobes are steeper and the HP peaks out at about 5500 RPM, while the torque peaks out at 4500 RPM.

thousandshirts · Post by **thousandshirts** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 5:34 pm

A good friend of mine, now in his 70's, has been working on his boat for about 20 years. Though he's built his own boats all his life, this last one is the grand pappy. It's a 45 footer. Douglas Fir/Mahogany. All wood. All surfaces radiused. Allison 1710 V-12, 1800hp. He has a backup engine as well. I'll try to remember to get pictures and post them here. Sounds like you could use some cheering up bud.

Will

OnTheFritz · Post by **OnTheFritz** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 6:08 pm

Hey Jon!!
Good to see you back, sucks about your gear though.

When I saw you play that one night, it was right after you replaced the blown OT. The amp sounded fantastic.
As I recall a waitress spilled a Jager-bomb into the vent.

flemingmras · Post by **flemingmras** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 8:53 pm

Yep...it definitely was a Jager Bomb.

fillmore nyc · Post by **fillmore nyc** » Sun Dec 09, 2007 1:58 pm

Flames1950 wrote:
Flames I'm sure you'll agree with me on this one.
Can't, 'cause nothing sounds better than an old pre-'62 Chevy six cylinder with open pipes -- kiss any plate glass in the area goodbye........
Close second -- flathead Ford V8. Modern OHV V8's just don't have the upper end character of the oldies. Kinda like new Marshalls, oddly enough.......

(WAY) back "in the day", I had (and wrecked

) a full chassis, roll caged, tubbed Chevy Vega (fastback) with a 427 Rat motor, all roller cammed up, with (2) 4 barrels on a tunnel ram sticking out of the hood, with those big, nasty chrome 4" side pipes running the full length between the front and rear wheel wells, no baffling in those pipes at all. Talk about an aural earthquake!! When she hooked up, you didnt see the ground for 3 or 4 seconds. Only sky. Mother-eff'er I miss that car. TRIED to run a local guy with a BB Chevelle SS, and wrapped it around a tree when it didnt hook up straight. Shit happens, you move on.

Flames1950 · Post by **Flames1950** » Sun Dec 09, 2007 5:01 pm

Yep, that's a big V8's sound -- lots of low end rumble. They just don't have the upper end crack that the old sixes have, you can tell that sound from miles away. (The sixes don't have the low-end rumble to them like the big V8 though, so you gotta go with what you like.)
The worst are new computer-controlled fuel injected V8's, they just sound hollow and empty to my ears, no richness to the tone at all.