Any tips for the XTC?

I think the real Ecstasy is a great amp but it's not for me. So it's no surprise that the XTC isn't my favorite module. It came with my amp as a bonus extra. Doesn't seem like everyone is climbing over themselves to buy one, so rather than trying to sell it I'm considering modding it. I've seen a lot of "the XTC isn't a suitable donor" comments. SLO'ish seems to be pretty straightforward and that's a lot more to my liking, but I'd like to maybe try something a little different. What else is being done with the XTC? I'm not really asking for specific step by step directions or anything. Just looking for some tips or ideas.

Check this out: http://mtsforum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?t=9669&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=xtc+mods&start=0
It's a link to a good discussion on the XTC mods. I did these to my XTC and it sounds really tight and warm. Just scroll down a bit and the discussion leads to a couple of easy mods that really work. I put a .001u Orange Drop cap in C1 and a 43k resistor in R14.

Thanks for the link. Not sure how I missed that one. R14 is already 43k and C1 is 2n2 on mine. I'm not sure that changing C1 is going to be enough to get me where I want to be.

Neighbor kid had some killer tone blasting out of it yesterday. It immediately went back to sounding average every time he handed the guitar back to me. I think I'm going to just have to accept the fact that this simply isn't the module for me. Love my others but I just can't make it happen with this one.

You can sell it to me!

I think if you don't like the base tone/character, than modding it is just going to ruin the value of the module IMO.
In my experience at least, that's how it works. Modding is tweaking, so tweaking something you don't like into something you do will take quite a bit of work ... and is probably not going to turn out great.
But modding something you already like will just help bring out the good parts of it, that should be the focus (again: IMO)

Personally I love my XTC.
I'm dying to get one to Anthony for a pro mod, but really I'm scared that it might lose it's magic. (that's why I'd like a second one so I can compare)
There's something about it, it just screams out harmonics and searing leads ..
I guess that's something that has to fit with your style of playing

Hey paradox, I bought an XTC that was modded (tsunami mod) by Trace at Voodoo and it sounds amazing. I don't know what the module sounded like before hand, but I highly recommend contacting him (plus its way easier to get mods to him than to Salvation).

nsafchuk said:

Hey paradox, I bought an XTC that was modded (tsunami mod) by Trace at Voodoo and it sounds amazing. I don't know what the module sounded like before hand, but I highly recommend contacting him (plus its way easier to get mods to him than to Salvation).

Click to expand...

That's great to hear nsafchuk and if you need any thing or would like it tweaked more to your liking, please do not hesitate to let me know. The most important thing to me is that you are happy with the tones.

All the best to you;
Trace

I have a one-off Hilligan XTC that I'd like to tweak. The mids are placed in an odd position, more like upper mids than the thick lower mids of my Bogner. Anybody have any ideas? I've tried contacting Jeff and haven't heard back in a couple of days.

33k slope resistor is what i've read on bogner XTC schematics....