2 channel custom/TGS mod

[vchizzle]

The newer 2 channel has really piqued my interest as well as Brent's 100w limited run. I've only played one 2 channel at a GC and I'm convinced something was up with it. Well and one in the demo room at EXP last year, but hard to gauge something playing thru a headphone/iso cab setup. These newer versions really make me curious, I just can't find any to try.

anyone share experiences with either of these newer ones vs the older design?

 

[Em7]

The 2-Channel "H" has been a work in progress. There are many different revisions of the circuit.

 

[vchizzle]

I knew there were a few but didn't realize there were that many revisions. Still, I'm interested in the TGS 100w and this 2 channel custom. The mid shift and depth are what I'm most curious about.

 

[Em7]

I knew there were a few but didn't realize there were that many revisions. Still, I'm interested in the TGS 100w and this 2 channel custom. The mid shift and depth are what I'm most curious about.

The mid-shift feature more than likely changes the slope of the tone stack, which changes the mid-point of the scoop in the equalization network. It is a common feature in the amp world.

The depth mod affects the global negative feedback loop. Global negative feedback is used in an amp to increase bandwidth and make the output stage less speaker dependent. Global negative feedback sacrifices gain for linearity. What the depth mod does is make the strength of the negative feedback signal frequency dependent. It basically makes the amp run closer to "open loop" at low frequencies, which is the opposite of how a presence control operates. This type of circuit is commonly known as a "resonance" circuit in the guitar amp world.

 

[vchizzle]

Thanks for the detail on the technical end of it. I'm really looking for how they affect this particular amp. Does the mid shift seems to scoop high mids, add low mids? Go from a flat mid to a scooped mid sound? The "depth" pull out control - does it just add an overall depth while keeping the presence knob active?

I kind of wish in the video they would've done an A/B type thing with the mid shift in/out and depth on/off with both clean and dirty settings so there was a clearer picture of how they affected this amp.

 

[Egads]

Let's ask 11Top for a demo...

Paisley..............right?

 

[vchizzle]

Well, I played one yesterday for a little bit at a volume lower than what I would've liked. Used a SC-58 thru a PRS deep back 2x12. Here are my 1st impressions.
Clean channel...to die for. I had the settings in the vicinity of where Steve's is in the picture above. I couldn't really get it to break up much at that volume, even turning the volume way up keeping the master real low.
Lead channel...also set up close to Steve's setting(we maybe have similar taste), but with the mids more around 10:00. It's a little bit different than my normal tone(Bad Cat hot cat), I'm still thinking about it today. It sounded really good. My only niggle is the mid knob. I'll admit, I'm very picky about the voicing of mids on high gain channels. It felt a bit too bright for me as I turn it up. Which brings us to the mid shift (pull out mid knob)...
...Maybe it was the limited volume or the amp/cab/guitar combo - but when I pulled the knob out, it definitely darkens the mids but it felt like it got muddy sounding. The same kind of went for the depth active(pulling out presence knob). Maybe it just needed to be a little louder? I may not have messed with the other tone settings when pulling these 2 knobs out.
I loved the reverb defeat on the lead channel side. I didn't plug in the footswitch, so didn't get a taste of the boost or anything.

I may have to go back and try it again, somewhere not on the floor where I can let it rip. Through a 4x12 cab. I think I could make this amp work for me.