EVH Variac Setup

flemingmras · Post by **flemingmras** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 2:31 pm

Here's proof that EVH did not use the Variac on the mains plug of the amp, which wouldn't change the volume anyway. He used it as a poor man's power soak...on the OUTPUT of the amp.

Here's the interview:

Flames1950 · Post by **Flames1950** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 3:32 pm

You're still relying on EVH to tell the truth, of course, something he doesn't always like to do for us........
Who wants to give it a try???

flemingmras · Post by **flemingmras** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 3:40 pm

I'm just saying, using a Variac to change the mains voltage is not going to change the volume of the amp itself. If EVH wanted to use a Variac to change the VOLUME of his amp, he would hook it up to the amp's OUTPUT just like you would a power soak, not the MAINS. It makes a hell of a lot more sense to do it that way than it does to use it on the mains.

Jon

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 5:20 pm

Other then the fact that EVH was a BS artist he also doesnt know @#$% about electronics. Havent we heard him mix up cap and resistor before?

Zoso · Post by **Zoso** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 8:34 pm

Just out of curiousity, how would you do this? Would you have to have speaker cable with an electrical plug on one end and a 1/4 inch on the other? Pardon my ignorance, I was under the impression that variacs only had outlets on them, so that is why I'm asking. I have no intention of trying this.

Flames1950 · Post by **Flames1950** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 10:49 pm

C'mon Zoso, you KNOW you wanna try this on a beloved Marshall.....tell us how you do......

Zoso · Post by **Zoso** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 10:55 pm

Nah, I'll pass. The "brown sound" is never a tone I was chasing after anyway, and I'm sure as hell not going to try some crazy thing like that to get it even if I was.

But is that the kind of cable you would have to have? Plus I'm also confused about how you would then get the signal from the variac to the speaker cab. I'm sure it's possible, I'm just not seeing it.

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Fri Jan 07, 2005 12:14 am

Zoso wrote:Just out of curiousity, how would you do this? Would you have to have speaker cable with an electrical plug on one end and a 1/4 inch on the other? Pardon my ignorance, I was under the impression that variacs only had outlets on them, so that is why I'm asking. I have no intention of trying this.

Yeah. Im curcious too (no i will never try this.) How the hell can this work???????? It sounds like pure VH BS like when he said to plug the normal input into the wall socket. Nice guy.

5150loveeddie · Post by **5150loveeddie** » Fri Jan 07, 2005 12:18 am

Might be just what you EVH freaks needs to do, but hey don't BLOW anything OK!!!!

And Jon you will have a volume change if hook on the mains (variac...) I tried it....it acts like a volume knob!!!!!!

moonshine · Post by **moonshine** » Sat Jan 15, 2005 9:33 pm

I've seen diagrams of his mid 70's rig floating around on the web that showed a dummy load soaking up the output of the amp, and then the signal goes through some of his effects, and then into a crown poweramp.. but I SERIOUSLY doubt he did anything like that.
A mains variac will definately act like a master volume, but don't you have to bias the tubes to a set voltage?

Country Boy Shane · Post by **Country Boy Shane** » Sun Jan 16, 2005 3:27 pm

Can you really trust the guy... i don't.

Here is the new secret to great tone:

Plug the output of your amp into the ass of a Doberman Pinscher. Put another lead in its nostril and then connect it to your 4x12. Talk about "snarling" tone!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Jan 23, 2005 3:12 am

The tecky's could have fun with that one!!! A variac (vary ac) is simply an auto transformer. It converts the voltage from your 120 vac to other voltages and it uses a transformer to do so and has an amperage rating also that vary's directly with the voltage. The key would be the impedance of the tranny .

Your output tranny does the same thing , converts a high impedance 1000's of ohms to a low impedance(16 ohms). It too is rated at so many watts.

Remember audio is an ac voltage of varying frequency and amplitude. It could probably be configured as a power soak. Hell maybe he shorts it across the primary of the output tranny providing a ****** mod safely...Hmmmm Turning the dial induces an inductive resistance much like the primary of the output tranny , however in paralell..as opposed to a simple resistor. Maybe a series resistor too provide a certain resonace with the inductor. Hmmmmm again.

Actually a variable inductor would work = variac