Simon Says
Cathode Follower
just moments after she will cut mine off
Myths
- Thread starter Simon Says
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ViperDoc
Plugged In.
You are correct. "Maintenance free" is a fancy way of saying "non-adjustable fixed bias". The bias resistance in the Fillmore amps is set with a fixed resistor per vintage Fender protocol. The unfortunate thing about that is you're unable to adjust bias when switching tubes. Still a decent sounding amp in all hands except my last band's other guitarist. He made it sound like a kitten being disemboweled by a chainsaw. Worst tone I've ever heard LOL.
Which would only reduce one's need to view Actual Porn, not one's need to view Gear Porn.
Therefore, it would be only a half-way solution. I'm against that on principle.
Simon Says
Cathode Follower
This is just my experience. László may have different, although we both have the same amp. I found the Mesa/Boogie EQ acting differently from other brands' amps.
Maybe it's another myth, but I believe the bands Boogie's TMB is working at are shifted towards the trebly side. Let me explain. The treble was always too bright for me, and I kept that reasonably low on the overdriven channel. The midrange, though, always sounded trebly, too, like mids mixed with highs. For that very reason, I had the midrange fairly low for the first year of owning Fillmore. I always kept the bass low on every amp I ever had, adding just a touch so the amp could breathe and have some base, but not enough to make things flabby when boosted.
Fast forward a year later, I spent way too much time on the Boogie Board, and someone in a Dual Recto thread advised to zero the treble. According to him, the moment you go down to no treble, the EQ will get a kick and shift the frequency so that the midrange will add non-buzzy treble, and the bass will then add upper midrange, too. I did just that: Treble on zero, added midrange and bass, fiddled a moment with the presence, which before had no use with me on the OD channel, and that day I got the best tone ever from this amp. I would never set a treble (or any other amp TMB control) down to zero; here, it just worked wonders, and I plan no amp change in foreseen future.
Maybe tell the other guy about it
Photo of my OD channel settings with marked old settings I used to use. It's worth mentioning that I have at least one Chase Tone Secret Preamp always on with another one for boost. This is a base for my tone over the past two years.
On the other hand, the fortunate thing about that is that you don't have to adjust bias when switching tubes.
Your band's other guitarist must have had a real talent for making an amp sound bad. The Fillmore is a terrific amp.
Simon Says
Cathode Follower
Components drift, Les. As much as it may be cushy now, it may create issues down the line. I still have two more years of warranty on my Fillmore. After that, it's getting a trimmer.
My usual settings are certainly different, but a lot depends on the room's acoustics, the speaker cab, and what I'm trying to accomplish. There's no right and wrong to this stuff, whatever works, works!
This is where I set it yesterday. The amp is set to an 'Edge of Breakup' tone in clean mode:
Simon Says
Cathode Follower
My clean channel is set like I would set the Blackface Twin—all TMB controls on 6(ish), excluding the gain. I like my cleans clean. I don't think I have changed it since I bought it. I will try your settings when I wake up. I'm actually quite excited to do it; I have never experimented much with cleansMy usual settings are certainly different, but a lot depends on the room's acoustics, the speaker cab, and what I'm trying to accomplish. There's no right and wrong to this stuff, whatever works, works!
This is where I set it yesterday. The amp is set to an 'Edge of Breakup' tone in clean mode:
They do drift. If mine ever do to the detriment of the amp's tone, I'll deal with it. For now it ain't broke, I ain't fixin' it.
On the other hand, my body's components are going fast, and need to be serviced constantly. Just ask my doctors!!
Seriously, I've had good luck with Mesas over the years, going back to the early '90s. While in my studio none have ever needed service or re-biasing.
I prefer having the adjustable external bias points on my PRS amps so I can account for different tubes, but I understand why lots of folks would prefer not to have to deal with it.
By no small coincidence, I had planned to try your settings tomorrow, too! Why not, right?
One thing I'll mention is that my amp is connected mostly to a 4x10 cab that's in a corner in a carpeted room, and that will exaggerate bass, which is why my bass is turned down quite a bit.
Simon Says
Cathode Follower
Let me know how you like it
Remember that the front end is always boosted with a Secret Preamp (approx 3dB). I hope you won't hate it.
Simon Says
Cathode Follower
I need to burn it on my forehead so I can see it every time I look in a mirror.
ViperDoc
Plugged In.
Quite an easy mod.
DreamTheaterRules
I'm sailing!
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I mean, at your age, do you really need them anymore?
Alnus Rubra
Loving nature’s wonders
Simon Says
Cathode Follower
I wouldn't say far; I've been buying alcohol without ID for a while nowYes, but Simon Says is a far younger man than us
As soon as it's late enough this AM to not disturb the world, I'm trying it - with the 3 db boost!Let me know how you like it
Also, re: my settings, I forgot to mention another thing -- I run my guitar with the volume between 6-8 most of the time, depending on how much grit I want, and the tone between 7-8, Then I control the amp from the guitar.
So my settings might be a little bright unless you do that.
Simon Says
Cathode Follower
Oh, I tried it on 10, and I still liked it. It was not my usual clean, but I had much fun playing that way. Blast to the past, I used to use Orange AD30TC for that type of thing. The AD30 was crunching, even if you look at it funny. I did your settings with my Secret Preamp on, as I removed the switch and couldn't bypass it. I took a notch of drive down to compensate for it. I could work with the TBM settings; I still would add the edge of breakup with a Nordland, though. Thanks for letting me have some fun with your settings. I think you may find mine a bit too dark
Bogner
Redwood Original - Pure Blood
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Mesa Controls Interact With Other Controls And I Have Learned That "Normal" Like settings On Other Amps Will Never Work The Same On Mesa Amps. I Will Say A Rectifier And A Peper's Dirty Tree Boost Are A Match Made In Heaven.This is just my experience. László may have different, although we both have the same amp. I found the Mesa/Boogie EQ acting differently from other brands' amps.
Maybe it's another myth, but I believe the bands Boogie's TMB is working at are shifted towards the trebly side. Let me explain. The treble was always too bright for me, and I kept that reasonably low on the overdriven channel. The midrange, though, always sounded trebly, too, like mids mixed with highs. For that very reason, I had the midrange fairly low for the first year of owning Fillmore. I always kept the bass low on every amp I ever had, adding just a touch so the amp could breathe and have some base, but not enough to make things flabby when boosted.
Fast forward a year later, I spent way too much time on the Boogie Board, and someone in a Dual Recto thread advised to zero the treble. According to him, the moment you go down to no treble, the EQ will get a kick and shift the frequency so that the midrange will add non-buzzy treble, and the bass will then add upper midrange, too. I did just that: Treble on zero, added midrange and bass, fiddled a moment with the presence, which before had no use with me on the OD channel, and that day I got the best tone ever from this amp. I would never set a treble (or any other amp TMB control) down to zero; here, it just worked wonders, and I plan no amp change in foreseen future.
Maybe tell the other guy about it
Photo of my OD channel settings with marked old settings I used to use. It's worth mentioning that I have at least one Chase Tone Secret Preamp always on with another one for boost. This is a base for my tone over the past two years.
JasonE
New Member
I can verify this... It took me a good while to learn how to dial in my Mesa Roadster. I had a night that I got out in front of the band and absolutely hated the sound of my guitar and haven't gigged the Roadster since. Some day I will get back around to messing with it. It has been setting idle for a good handful of years now. I had thought about selling it because I have a few other amps that I tend to gravitate toward. My whole issue is how the controls interact with each other. I am a little impatient and don't like it when I get something dialed in then make one little change and lose the magic I had.
