What makes a modification great?

I see lots of comments about how some modifications are the greatest. What makes them great? Compared to what? Or.......is it personal preference as is often the case with most things

I had modules modded by Dave Friedman and Trace from Voodoo Amps. Both cases they really took the sound of the existing modules and enhanced it to make everything "more". Friedman made the Brahma sounds more like a vintage Marshall plexi. Trace made my EG5 sounds warmer and rounder while adding a gain switch for even more gain. in both cases, I felt they didn't completely alter the core sound, but "hot rodded" it.

The clone mods tend to copy the sound of existing amps very well. They allow us to afford those tonal options at a price pont that is much lower.

The Salvation Xtacy for example, is a near identical match in tone, articulation, and feel to the red channel on my Bogner Ecstasy (that I later sold). Other than the switchable options that it provides, it had a depth of tone and response that was much more authentic than the Randall XTC module (which I was able to compare side by side, of stock module, modded module, and then the authentic amp, all through the same cab).

i think the biggest thing is the fact that all these mods can come with several different switches so that we can shape the tone the way we want. The step up in versatility compared to the stock mods is what i like about them. And also like wesarvin said the clone mods come a lot closer to the original amps. I can't really say that from experience b/c i haven't made any comparisons but plenty of members have.

Modders like Anthony and Rob have put many, many hours into research and development of these mods to make them as perfect as they can be. The hard work shows. I am never getting rid of JF's Super Clean and i am biting at the bit to get the XMG. IMO the modders have saved the MTS series. They have taken something that was already great and made it better. It also helps that we have this great network of people on this forum. I hope that this forum stays here for a long time. A lot of us have been having random connection issues over the past couple months. Fortunately it is intermittent.

I love the modules that give me something I'd never get a chance to see otherwise.

Barring some unforeseen miracle I probably won't ever own a Diezel or a Marshall Jubilee head, but a module is much more in the realm of reality for me. I think its fantastic that just because I play "in my bedroom" I don't have to miss out on much at all.

Oh yeah... and switches. I love options. Mid shifts, boosts, clipping, voicings - I love them all.

bruce egnater said:

I see lots of comments about how some modifications are the greatest. What makes them great? Compared to what? Or.......is it personal preference as is often the case with most things

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It's all sooooo subjective. So much of the time people are comparing a mod they currently have to their memory of a mod they've had in the past. There can't be many MTSers that only buy, collect and never sell custom mods. Most of us own a few (12? ) at a time and still compare those with our memory of others we've gotten rid of. So what do we have now and does it make us smile more than that other one?

Versatility in a module is great. But how do all those switches, caps, pots, wiring and other components effect the signal?

In the end, for me, its what tones make me smile, make me want to play more. Then there's what tone fits the mix I'm playing in. OR is my tone killer enough they work to fit around it! LOL

So yeah, personal preference.

Bruce,
good question. I think a great mod is one that makes the module more versatile (like another gain stage, or a width control for the mids)
It makes that particular module more VALUEABLE to me, because it can do more in the same space. It will also sound good in MORE situations (single coils, HBs, active Pickups etc).
Of course the basic sound has to be there, that goes without saying. A Plexi should sound like a plexi, a Twin should sound like a twin. etc etc
Also, a module made in the USA has an added value: it is built by skilled workers who give ****,and it is also a point of pride to own gear that supports American workers.

GtrGeorge

I think there are 2 or 3 things about modded modules that make them "great".

1) cloning the tone of a desired amp (specific model or overall characteristic of a brand)

2) versatility.

A module like the MashAll (which I have never tried but read a lot about) covers a wide variety of Marshall tones.

I have a custom module that Trace at Voodoo did for me that covers tons of Marshall tone from a Plexi to JMP to JCM800 - with gain and voicing options that take it from mild gain to over the top high gain with a few flips of some switches. This is great for a live rig because I can totally change the character of that module in 5 seconds so its like having 2 modules in one space. So...this one covers cloning and versatility in one module.

Also, many of the stock modules simply dont sound very good so even a basic mod can take a module from unusable to exceptional. I have only owned one Egnater module (an EG3) and no offense Bruce but it was pretty dead sounding compared to my modified modules. I had Voodoo do their Jose UG mod to it.

...but ultimately, tone is subjective. There are many people on the forum who have stock modules and see absolutely no reason to get them modded.

For me, what makes the modifications great are the endless possibilities.

I am not one to be able to afford one of the "boutique" amps ala Cameron CCV, Freidman Naked, etc., etc. The MTS series allows me to get a Camerock, a Rhoadie, an SLO OD-100, etc., etc.

So for the price of one of the above mentioned amps, I am able to get about six or more amps (modules). And the best part of all of that is that the modules are VERY close if not dead on to the tone of the amp it was intended to replicate.

Those modder guys do a lot of R&D to make those modules and the results are stunning. And they are also looking for new mods (Splawn, etc.). That's what makes modifications great. Just my $.02

GtrGeorge! said:

Also, a module made in the USA has an added value: it is built by skilled workers who give ****,and it is also a point of pride to own gear that supports American workers.

GtrGeorge

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Lots of MTS'ers (including myself) aren't from the USA so that doesn't matter so much to us.

Thanks, but to me and some people it matters alot.
It matters when the product can be shipped faster from its point of origin to its consumer (many,many in the US)
It matters that the company is making a commitment to make the product in the US..in my experience, if a product is made in asia it can be very tricky to get replacement parts..it seems parts that are used are one of a kind and vary lot to lot.
And yeah, its great when the local economy is working,as well.

GtrGeorge

Greatest is subjective. I think what makes them great is the 1on 1 tone consultation. Other than that, the multitude of tweaking options is awesome. But what it really comes down to is the tone.

Ampoholic said:

bruce egnater said:

I see lots of comments about how some modifications are the greatest. What makes them great? Compared to what? Or.......is it personal preference as is often the case with most things

Click to expand...

It's all sooooo subjective. So much of the time people are comparing a mod they currently have to their memory of a mod they've had in the past. There can't be many MTSers that only buy, collect and never sell custom mods. Most of us own a few (12? ) at a time and still compare those with our memory of others we've gotten rid of. So what do we have now and does it make us smile more than that other one?

Versatility in a module is great. But how do all those switches, caps, pots, wiring and other components effect the signal?

In the end, for me, its what tones make me smile, make me want to play more. Then there's what tone fits the mix I'm playing in. OR is my tone killer enough they work to fit around it! LOL

So yeah, personal preference.

Click to expand...

Alibi - The "great" part is the amp. Swap out a pre-amp or three and completely change the flavor of the amp and my tone.

All good info................thanks ! ! ! !

Bruce, make sure to check out the other thread you started on this topic in the other forum section. There's a LOT more feedback on that one. Here's a link to it: http://mtsforum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?t=15854

For me:

1. Personal Taste
I might like the tone of say 'X' module but I want it tighter or shifted mid frequency or more aggressive.

2. Versatility
The switches built into modded mods that allow my OCD to take over to achieve #1

3, Improved Tone
This is way subjective but it seems with aeven a few choice component changes a module can be made to be more clearer/less flabby or whatever.....there's only a small number of stock modules that I actually kept stock and am sure I'm not the only one.

What I'd like out of the MTS amp line is more tweak ability in the power section:

I'm sure there are a few things can be done here to tweak the output, different pres/density circuits.

The half power on MOD50 is wonderful....

What about adding power scaling from the Egnater line?

Maybe even tube rectifier option...

Friedman had/has some killer mods for the amps power section....I'll get my hands on a version one day.

I don't think it's subjective at all. I've owned probably 6 stock Randall modules and even the simple clarity and warmth mods are much better sounding than the stock mods. The stock mods sound dull and somewhat bloated compared to the work that Jaded Faith, Sacred Groove and Gigmods does. Ive never tried any Salvation mods cause they are to expensive and I'm not a metal player.
For Marshall tones my Sacred Groove Plexi basic mod and my Hot Rodded Brahma Jaded Faith mod rivals the best Marshall amps I have ever owned and then some. I've been playing everything from small clubs to large concert venues since the early 70's and I have fans and musicians come up to me every time I play and ask me what that the hell that amp is I'm playing.. when I tell them it's an Egnater designed Randall 50 watt Modular amp with custom preamps.,...They then look even more confused .
I smile.
the finest guitar tones I've ever had. I suppose I should buy a few RM 50'S for spares since the amp line is now gone

I agree.. I think stock mods often sound congested and almost blanketed. These modules with a few part swaps are already more open sounding and clear. sacredgroove gave me some ideas for my brahma and man alive this thing is now a contender. Simply the best modded Marshall I have heard in an amp and I keep coming back to it. The Friedman correct spec brahma is also wicked. Would love to try a sacredgroove MKII or JF brahma but at this point I don't feel the need to mess with the friedman. I have a theory that friedman put just enough into the randall mods but left out some important tweaks which really bring them to life. I mean, why give away your BE or HBE in a module or license Randall to mass produce it? I have read about him tweaking scary, ultra and ultra + modules by ear to where he liked them so I suspect this is the case.

This isn't really a mod suggestion... but as a former owner of a Rebel 20, and someone who just traded out of an RM22 because it was almost super cool, but kind of not what I needed...

I would absolutely love to see an Egnater small head that would combine the 2 module slots with the power amp on a Rebel 20 or 30. I was really impressed with how the tube blend changed the character of the amp in my music room. Seems like it wouldn't be a super large amount of engineering and it would solve some of the annoying things Randall did with the RM22.

Ideally the footswitch would be MIDI, but if not, just a trs option that could go between the mods.

Does anyone else like this idea?