Jmod vs. Two Rock

Leif, you wanted to know what I thought was cold. Here it is:



What’s snarky and kind of nasty? The references to “paying for someone else[sic] name.” The reference to “flushing your cash down the drain.” The reference to mushrooms, strychnine and not being able to sleep.

Those are all a way of expressing disdain for something. There’s no need for that.

If you’d said, “Hey, I tried it and thought the TR was better,” or “I didn’t think it was worth the asking price,” fine. Nothing wrong with that.

The way you chose to express yourself was pretty nasty. If you’re going to dish it, you’re going to need to be able to handle the push-back.


LOL. OK I think I understand now.

The drug comment was kinda me just saying hello to you (I haven't been on in awhile) and in response to your previous post you made a comment on LSD and your generation, so I made a joke about mushrooms that had nothing to do with the amp. I was totally joking around! I also made a comment to you before I believe when I purchased the DG-30 that I try to usually initially stay away from signature stuff, yet I was buying the DG-30 anyway and love it. Remember that? Maybe not.

But yes I understand. I was tired. Sorry if I offended you. I have zero disdain for any high end amp. Zero. I like the JMOD. I do think there will be a price drop and I did like the TR better!
 
English is my first language however I do speak spanish quite well. I was very tired and had little sleep because I was up all night playing when I wrote that post but reading it back, I still do not see anything harsh. Im a very friendly guy and most people that actually know me like me quite a bit. Maybe if I was more wide awake at the time, I would have surely paid better attention and given more info. It was really early and technically late and I just popped on. Still I never am rude. Im the guy that defends PRS on the gear page especially when they are disrespected. Maybe...I just don't belong here?

Peace.
You’ll have to decide if you stay or not. Your original post was not explicitly harsh. I’ll try to make some suggestions:
- it would have been more helpful if you had given some indication of what you like (or didn’t like) about the two amps that the original post asked about.
- as I noted before, comments would have been more meaningful if you stated the nature of your use: playing each in a store with a friend for a few minutes is different than you and a friend putting them through their paces over the course of a weekend/week/month.
- the bulk of your post about Fenders on steroids might have had some context if you had directly addressed the question that was asked, particularly if you contrasted their merits to the amps that were asked about.

I don’t want to tell you how to express yourself, just making some observations.
 
LOL. OK I think I understand now.

The drug comment was kinda me just saying hello to you (I haven't been on in awhile) and in response to your previous post you made a comment on LSD and your generation, so I made a joke about mushrooms that had nothing to do with the amp. I was totally joking around! I also made a comment to you before I believe when I purchased the DG-30 that I try to usually initially stay away from signature stuff, yet I was buying the DG-30 anyway and love it. Remember that? Maybe not.

But yes I understand. I was tired. Sorry if I offended you. I have zero disdain for any high end amp. Zero. I like the JMOD. I do think there will be a price drop and I did like the TR better!

Yeah, sorry, I kinda misinterpreted what you meant by the drug/strychnine thing. I thought you meant that you had to be stoned to like it, or similar.

I do remember our correspondence about the DG - and I’m relieved as hell that you like it, because I’d feel terrible recommending an amp and have someone not like it!

I still have tons of respect for TRs - they’re all I played for about a dozen years! And of course, Fuchs are also great amps.

I apologize for assuming you were commenting without playing it as well.

On to bigger and better things! Did you get the cab for the DG? How’d you tube the amp?
 
You’ll have to decide if you stay or not. Your original post was not explicitly harsh. I’ll try to make some suggestions:
- it would have been more helpful if you had given some indication of what you like (or didn’t like) about the two amps that the original post asked about.
- as I noted before, comments would have been more meaningful if you stated the nature of your use: playing each in a store with a friend for a few minutes is different than you and a friend putting them through their paces over the course of a weekend/week/month.
- the bulk of your post about Fenders on steroids might have had some context if you had directly addressed the question that was asked, particularly if you contrasted their merits to the amps that were asked about.

I don’t want to tell you how to express yourself, just making some observations.

Yeah..Again I totally get it. I was very tired laying tracks down all night and I was off point.
 
Yeah, sorry, I kinda misinterpreted what you meant by the drug/strychnine thing. I thought you meant that you had to be stoned to like it, or similar.

I do remember our correspondence about the DG - and I’m relieved as hell that you like it, because I’d feel terrible recommending an amp and have someone not like it!

I still have tons of respect for TRs - they’re all I played for about a dozen years! And of course, Fuchs are also great amps.

I apologize for assuming you were commenting without playing it as well.

On to bigger and better things! Did you get the cab for the DG? How’d you tube the amp?

Great! :)
Actually Ive been meaning to ask you about that but Ive been off the forum for a bit and I got side tracked. I never did buy the cab but played it through a few, but after looking and playing it, I was meaning to hop on here and ask you if you thought they were the "perfect match" or merely an aesthetic thing. I played it through several and it sounded fantastic through all of them. They really do look nice together though lol, so I am seriously considering it just for that purpose alone and its really not going to take up much space anyway!

--
Oh forgot to add I did not change any of the tubes. It came with stock tubes from sweet water I've never heard of before actually. Why do you have a reccomendation? I really am still exploring all the great things this amp can do. Its voiced very much like a vintage amp but is no one trick pony. Its surprisingly versatile IMO. Im still messing around with it and enjoying the vintage gain using my guitar volume. Ive been using it on the neck pup with a Suhr and the bridge with my custom 24 with the different settings. Sounds amazing! IMO. I should make a demo or video and post it! Like a raw unmixed demo or something. Not that you don't already know. I really should thank you for turning me on to this amp. :)
 
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Great! :)
I was meaning to hop on here and ask you if you thought they were the "perfect match" or merely an aesthetic thing. I played it through several and it sounded fantastic through all of them. They really do look nice together though lol, so I am seriously considering it just for that purpose alone and its really not going to take up much space anyway!

--
Oh forgot to add I did not change any of the tubes. It came with stock tubes from sweet water I've never heard of before actually. Why do you have a reccomendation?

The DG Cab -

I didn’t buy the cab at first; I bought the head as one of the “first 20” (it came with NOS Brimar 12AX7s, so how could I resist?), and used it with a couple of Mesa cabs I had in the studio, a Recto 212 horizontal cab, and a semi-open back oversized 112. Sounded great, I had no complaints, but I had a hankering to try the DG cab, because it’s ported, solid pine, larger than most 212s, and I figured it might be cool.

I find the pine construction and porting really accentuate the warm tones and vintage vibe of the head. In fact, I’ve toyed with the idea of getting a second one and loading it with a pair of Celestion Alnico 90s, just to have another option! Another nice thing is that this pine cab is really light!

I thought the DG cab improved the overall sound I was getting over the Mesa cabs I was using previously, but they were probably not the best choice in the first place. I’d bet that the amp would also sound good with something like a Divided by 13 open back, or some other vintage style cab.

I used the Mesa cabs mainly because they were already here. I also tried the DG30 with a PRS pine closed back 112, and a PRS birch closed back 212, but it really sounds better with the ported pine cab that matches it.

So yes, I like it a lot. Now I’m spoiled.

Tubes -

My head came with NOS Brimar 12AX7s from the factory, and NOS EL84Ms. It has a JJ 12AT7 as the reverb driver. The Brimars are great with it. I did experiment a little with a JJ in the phase inverter position, and it’s a bit more raw that way, which isn’t a bad thing, but I think I like the Brimar in that position a little more.

I also have a set of NOS GE 12AX7s stashed away, and a NOS Mullard 12AT7 that I’ll try if the Brimars ever wear out, which so far they’ve shown no sign of doing. I did replace a Brimar that became microphonic shortly after I got the amp. PRS sent out a Brimar replacement, no issues, which was cool. I got the GEs because I had good luck with them in my old Two-Rocks, have an NOS GE set in my Mesa Lone Star (where they took the amp from “pretty nice amp” to “Wow, really nice amp!”), and because the Brimars are tough to find.

The only NOS EL34Ms I’ve found are 80s Russian tubes, and I think that’s what the amp came with, so I got a spare set. But EL84Ms are rated for 50,000 hours, and after nearly 4 years, my original set are still going strong. Granted, most of my sessions aren’t like a 3 hour show, I only play for an hour or so max, so my amps don’t get a lot of hard use. I’m pretty easy on them, so tubes tend to last a bit longer.

In the HXDA I’m using NOS Mullard 12AX7s and NOS Siemens EL34s. I know I should probably go with the double-getter NOS Mullard EL34s, but I keep shying away from pulling the trigger on a $1000 pair of tubes! The Siemens are awfully close to the Mullard sound, and I have a few sets as spares. The Siemens are probably OEM from RFT East Germany, though the box doesn’t say, and tube identification is kind of a mystical topic for me! However, it’s said that Mullard did a lot of OEM for Siemens back in the day. In any case, Siemens used their tubes in pretty sophisticated equipment, like medical applications, etc., where tube quality mattered, so I have some trust in these.
 
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In fact, I’ve toyed with the idea of getting a second one and loading it with a pair of Celestion Alnico 90s, just to have another option!

I know I’m not really your “tone tip guru” but you really need to do this. That is all.
 
I’m having a telethon this weekend to fund this and other gear “research”; for a $500 donation you get a really nice mug.

Think it over. :cool:

I know, I know. I have no delusions of grandeur. But I've been reading your posts for several years. Every single thing about how you approach guitars, amps and tones SCREAMS Alnico. At the very least, a mix of alnico/ceramic in a 2x. But I'm telling you that everything I hear you say EVER makes me believe you need alnico speakers. To be honest, after being here a year, I was wondering how it was even possible that you didn't have any. I figure somewhere along the line, someone else would have already convinced you of this. I couldn't believe you didn't have at least a couple.

From the amps you use, to the way you dial them, to the tones you seek and the way you seek them, EVERYTHING says you need Alnico! It would change your life.

That is all.
 
From the amps you use, to the way you dial them, to the tones you seek and the way you seek them, EVERYTHING says you need Alnico! It would change your life.

That is all.

Alnico speakers and I go back to 1966, young fella! And had ‘em in the 90s when you were just a lad. Alnico speakers are my benchmark.

;)

“Then why don’t you have any now, Les?”

“Every time I think bout changing out speakers I get a little sick and need to lie down.”

“Then how would you get a set into a second DG cab?”

“I haven’t got that figured out yet. How’s about making a donation on my telethon and getting that mug? It says ‘Les’ Telethon 2018’ on one side, and ‘I Just Finished Another Meeting That Should’ve Been An Email’ on the other side. For $1000 you get both the mug and a Les’ Telethon 2018 novelty puzzle, plus a keychain that says, ‘I gave to Les’ Telethon 2018’. And $5000 gets you the mug, the keychain, the novelty puzzle, and two tickets to a Detroit Lions playoff game.”

“The Lions aren’t going to the playoffs, pal.”

“Oh, that’s kind of a shame, isn’t it? OK, then a T-shirt that says, ‘I gave to Les’ on one side, and ‘Les Plays Nice Guitars’ on the other side. You can’t say I don’t give good prizes.”
 
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Alnico speakers and I go back to 1966, young fella! And had ‘em in the 90s when you were just a lad. Alnico speakers are my benchmark.

;)

all makes sense. I mean, of course you had them. Back then they weren't even a luxury item. They came standard in many amps. But that's what makes it so hard to believe that you don't have any now. A lot of guys prefer ceramic for their more "modern" gain tones, but you often wax poetic about new amps that are like vintage amps, and vintage tubes, vintage TONES, but with one of the main tonal components, you're using a modern driver. So, you get us young whippersnappers telling you "you need alnico" as if we were authorities on the subject of tones that YOU grew up with.

After all, this is the internet and we can pretend to be experts on things we've never even used before. That's what I like about the internet. I can pretend to be all the things I'm not! (handsome, athletic, internet comedian, great guitar player, tone connoisseur/guru, Speedo model, etc.)
 
all makes sense. I mean, of course you had them. Back then they weren't even a luxury item. They came standard in many amps. But that's what makes it so hard to believe that you don't have any now. A lot of guys prefer ceramic for their more "modern" gain tones, but you often wax poetic about new amps that are like vintage amps, and vintage tubes, vintage TONES, but with one of the main tonal components, you're using a modern driver. So, you get us young whippersnappers telling you "you need alnico" as if we were authorities on the subject of tones that YOU grew up with.

After all, this is the internet and we can pretend to be experts on things we've never even used before. That's what I like about the internet. I can pretend to be all the things I'm not! (handsome, athletic, internet comedian, great guitar player, tone connoisseur/guru, Speedo model, etc.)
Didn't you post a photo of yourwelf wearing a Speedo? On this forum? A public forum? In my book, that makes you a Speedo model, no pretending about it.
 
all makes sense. I mean, of course you had them. Back then they weren't even a luxury item. They came standard in many amps. But that's what makes it so hard to believe that you don't have any now. A lot of guys prefer ceramic for their more "modern" gain tones, but you often wax poetic about new amps that are like vintage amps, and vintage tubes, vintage TONES, but with one of the main tonal components, you're using a modern driver. So, you get us young whippersnappers telling you "you need alnico" as if we were authorities on the subject of tones that YOU grew up with.

After all, this is the internet and we can pretend to be experts on things we've never even used before. That's what I like about the internet. I can pretend to be all the things I'm not! (handsome, athletic, internet comedian, great guitar player, tone connoisseur/guru, Speedo model, etc.)

Well, your heart is in the right place!

What I like about a good alnico speaker is that airy, almost ‘papery’ sound that the best ones have. Right now, in addition to the Celestions, Fane is making a nice alnico, as is Scumback, and there are probably others.

The upside of a truly vintage alnico speaker is that you can actually make it catch fire. I mean, how can you beat that? ;)
 
The DG Cab -

I didn’t buy the cab at first; I bought the head as one of the “first 20” (it came with NOS Brimar 12AX7s, so how could I resist?), and used it with a couple of Mesa cabs I had in the studio, a Recto 212 horizontal cab, and a semi-open back oversized 112. Sounded great, I had no complaints, but I had a hankering to try the DG cab, because it’s ported, solid pine, larger than most 212s, and I figured it might be cool.

I find the pine construction and porting really accentuate the warm tones and vintage vibe of the head. In fact, I’ve toyed with the idea of getting a second one and loading it with a pair of Celestion Alnico 90s, just to have another option! Another nice thing is that this pine cab is really light!

I thought the DG cab improved the overall sound I was getting over the Mesa cabs I was using previously, but they were probably not the best choice in the first place. I’d bet that the amp would also sound good with something like a Divided by 13 open back, or some other vintage style cab.

I used the Mesa cabs mainly because they were already here. I also tried the DG30 with a PRS pine closed back 112, and a PRS birch closed back 212, but it really sounds better with the ported pine cab that matches it.

So yes, I like it a lot. Now I’m spoiled.

Tubes -

My head came with NOS Brimar 12AX7s from the factory, and NOS EL84Ms. It has a JJ 12AT7 as the reverb driver. The Brimars are great with it. I did experiment a little with a JJ in the phase inverter position, and it’s a bit more raw that way, which isn’t a bad thing, but I think I like the Brimar in that position a little more.

I also have a set of NOS GE 12AX7s stashed away, and a NOS Mullard 12AT7 that I’ll try if the Brimars ever wear out, which so far they’ve shown no sign of doing. I did replace a Brimar that became microphonic shortly after I got the amp. PRS sent out a Brimar replacement, no issues, which was cool. I got the GEs because I had good luck with them in my old Two-Rocks, have an NOS GE set in my Mesa Lone Star (where they took the amp from “pretty nice amp” to “Wow, really nice amp!”), and because the Brimars are tough to find.

The only NOS EL34Ms I’ve found are 80s Russian tubes, and I think that’s what the amp came with, so I got a spare set. But EL84Ms are rated for 50,000 hours, and after nearly 4 years, my original set are still going strong. Granted, most of my sessions aren’t like a 3 hour show, I only play for an hour or so max, so my amps don’t get a lot of hard use. I’m pretty easy on them, so tubes tend to last a bit longer.

In the HXDA I’m using NOS Mullard 12AX7s and NOS Siemens EL34s. I know I should probably go with the double-getter NOS Mullard EL34s, but I keep shying away from pulling the trigger on a $1000 pair of tubes! The Siemens are awfully close to the Mullard sound, and I have a few sets as spares. The Siemens are probably OEM from RFT East Germany, though the box doesn’t say, and tube identification is kind of a mystical topic for me! However, it’s said that Mullard did a lot of OEM for Siemens back in the day. In any case, Siemens used their tubes in pretty sophisticated equipment, like medical applications, etc., where tube quality mattered, so I have some trust in these.

You truly are spoiled in the PRS department :). I heard great things about your HXDA as well. Anyway Ive tried the DG30 through an avatar cab 212 with one greenback and one alnico with an open back which sounded really sweet (maybe the best), an orange closed, a fuchs cab and this old 4x10 peavy scorpion speaker cab built into a flight case I had since I was a kid, and a couple others not worth mentioning but also sounded good through. The avatar had the win actually but yeah Im gonna order the matching cab with pine. Sounds nice! Maybe Dreamtheatre guy (hey I think Ive seen hime on the gear page) is right about the alnico speakers. Ive used alnicos in a lot of combo amps and there is always something very distinct and sweet about them. Nonetheless Im matching the cab!

I had these Russian military grade tubes put in this JCM 900 amp I was selling on ebay from someone that owed me cash because I overpaid him on a job and we became friends. He said they were worth over 1k...Im going to ask what they were because it totally also went from ehh to wow on the clean side of an old JCM 900. That was 20 years ago though so Im gonna ask him what they were. I ran to take the amp off of eBay right after but it was too late. I gave away an amp head with hardcore tubes in them. Ill get back to you. I think they were old Sylvanias but not positive.

I printed this up for future reference.You put a JJ in the phase inverter huh? I don't think Im gonna try that but I printed up what you wrote for future references when Im ready to change tubes in this amp. Hopefully that won't be for awhile. I often leave that stuff to my tech guys who are geniuses IMO. They are funny..You walk in and there is junk everywhere in boxes etc but their work stations are emaculate. You think they would be embarrassed but the work they do is impressive.

Since Ive got the DG-30 Ive heard great things about the HXDA as well. Then again I heard great things about the Archon which there is one at the local GC used right now and I didn't like it nearly as much as the DG30. Then again.... I can't tell that much about amps until they are home and cranked up. FYI the DG30 is a loud and sweet one! Definitely love cranking it and the house shakes lol. I have no clue what the differences are between DG30 and HXDA. One guy said he prefers his DG30 after some time as he played with it and preferred it over his HXDA but then he said that was saying a heck of a lot! Others seem to just love the HXDA. Nonetheless, Im very happy with this amp!

I hate when a tube goes microphonic! Argh! My Sonzera 20 did that after 2 weeks.

Hey thanks for the info!
 
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