Ever get one you KNOW is special?

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MarcoR

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I few months ago, I bought an Egnater SL2X (for a very fair price) that I intended to use as a donor. The first thing I noticed when I received it was that it didn?t use the carbon comp resistors that every other Egnater module I?ve owned had. I guessed it was more recently made? I was a little bummed because I thought it was the carbon comps that gave the Egnater modules that extra mojo.

Anyway, it sounded very good, especially good to my surprise and better than I remember the previous SL2 and SL2X I?ve had in the past. I really like it for a classic hot rodded JCM 800 sound. This one appears to have been built to SL2X specs from the start and not modded (the SL2X I had before was modded by Hilligan).

I?ve been playing it side by side with my spectacular custom tweaked JF Dual QuickMod and a Friedman modded Dual HBE. They each have something I really like but are all different voicings. I really should do a demo comparing all three. There is something sweet and magical in this particular SL2X and I don?t think I will have this one modded.

This makes me wonder, with component tolerances and slight variations, can two identical circuits really have a perceivable difference in tone and feel? I know tolerances on carbon comp resistors are looser and there is more variance. It?s probably just the tubes and a coincidence this one has film type resistors and not the carbon comps but I think I?ll choose to believe this one has some extra magic.
:)
 
I think it happens....I bought a dual VX and got it modded by JF into a Dual Voxless....cost me a small fortune but I was less than inspired by the tone, even after several tube experiments.

More recently I bought a Dual Voxless in a deal...it sounds way better than the one I had made for me...go figure.
 
pedal makers swear by the difference in components. Of the pedals I've built I've chosen nicer, (more expensive) parts and ended up with very nice pedals. All of my really nice pedals use carbon and top quality other components. They are special over the regular mass produced pedals I have. perhaps it's the circuit design.

I have often wondered why the modders don't buy the better components for their mods, My guess is that they would have to swap out everything, not just what is needed for the mod. If you look at some of the mods only a few things are changed. it wouldn't make a big difference if just a few items were improved....is my guess

Makes me wonder....if I took my modded Top Boost and replaced every component with top tear components.......Definitely thinking of the major caps going Zoso Yellow
 
One thing that I think Bruce tried to convey at his amp building class was that with very simple value changes in the tone stack, the flavor of the amp can change dramatically.

It was also very obvious he doesn?t buy into hype about the brand of components used. His comment about one modification I asked about; ?Can you hear a difference? Maybe. Is it worth $400 more? Well, that?s up to you? really sticks in my head.

Admittedly, I tend to buy into hype and think I can hear minuscule differences but putting a cost on what that difference is worth was something I tended to ignore.
 
JKD said:
I think it happens....I bought a dual VX and got it modded by JF into a Dual Voxless....cost me a small fortune but I was less than inspired by the tone, even after several tube experiments.

More recently I bought a Dual Voxless in a deal...it sounds way better than the one I had made for me...go figure.

Interesting. Yeah, the Dual VX is one that does not need modding! That is a great and unique sounding module. I regret selling mine. I love me some JF mods but the voxless was not one I really cared for. :cry:
 
MarcoR said:
JKD said:
I think it happens....I bought a dual VX and got it modded by JF into a Dual Voxless....cost me a small fortune but I was less than inspired by the tone, even after several tube experiments.

More recently I bought a Dual Voxless in a deal...it sounds way better than the one I had made for me...go figure.

Interesting. Yeah, the Dual VX is one that does not need modding! That is a great and unique sounding module. I regret selling mine. I love me some JF mods but the voxless was not one I really cared for. :cry:

Over time I've probably had 4, maybe even 5 Egnater Dual VX modules...they were clearly not all created equal.
 
MarcoR said:
Yeah, the Dual VX is one that does not need modding! That is a great and unique sounding module. I regret selling mine. I love me some JF mods but the voxless was not one I really cared for. :cry:

Hmm. I've heard better things than the Dual VX come from the bathroom after the lactose intolerant drank a tall glass of spoiled milk...

The JF Dual Voxless, on the other hand, is a wonder of tone.

One man's opinion, some would argue a stupid man.
 
drewiv said:
MarcoR said:
Yeah, the Dual VX is one that does not need modding! That is a great and unique sounding module. I regret selling mine. I love me some JF mods but the voxless was not one I really cared for. :cry:

Hmm. I've heard better things than the Dual VX come from the bathroom after the lactose intolerant drank a tall glass of spoiled milk...

The JF Dual Voxless, on the other hand, is a wonder of tone.

One man's opinion, some would argue a stupid man.

One thing I've come to realize drewiv, is that it starts with the fingers and ends at your ears. What's in between, is almost always completely different for each person. How does the saying go? "When I played through EVH's gear I sounded like ME playing through EVH's gear" ;) There are some things that I don't get (Like some Marshalls and etc that people seem to love) The reason being, is that certain things sound like **** no matter who is playing them. (Recently I realized/learned that what I dislike is the rhythm's and the lead's sound much better, and I'm betting that's why people like them and what the confusion is about but...) My point is.... I've heard some great tones in some of MarcoR's clips. If he says something has a great tone, I'd like to hear him play it before I write it off.
 
I picked up one of the Friedman HBE RRSS mods he did for Steve Stevens (Figg also had one), and it was not the prettiest in appearance (go Pepto), but it really surprised me. I picked it up as the HB and HBE's were mods I had not seen too much for sale (had to get at least 1 right? :)

Friedman did basic stuff, but apparently well done. Bottom line, it turned out to just be fun to play and is very responsive. Big ol' sounding mod.

I'd love to hear Marco play the Dual (so many ways for that request to sound naughty :)
 
I probably spend more on components for shop stock than most of you do on all of your gear annually. I've used it all and done extensive A/B testing with myself and others. Very similar to Bruce's sentiment, I tell you to not get caught up in marketing hype or what the internet tells you to think. Here are my thoughts:

1: Much more important than brand is the material and value of component. I have made the exact same circuit with different caps and the material makes much more difference than who made it. This is why you will see various caps used in my work throughout the years. It could be specific to the customers style or because something is just what works best.
2: Pedals use low voltage parts, some of which are total garbage. This is far less of an issue in amps where the parts need to withstand high voltages.
3: Knowing the characteristics, perks and shortcomings of materials and where/how to exploit them is part of the art.
 
suphuckers said:
drewiv said:
MarcoR said:
Yeah, the Dual VX is one that does not need modding! That is a great and unique sounding module. I regret selling mine. I love me some JF mods but the voxless was not one I really cared for. :cry:

Hmm. I've heard better things than the Dual VX come from the bathroom after the lactose intolerant drank a tall glass of spoiled milk...

The JF Dual Voxless, on the other hand, is a wonder of tone.

One man's opinion, some would argue a stupid man.

One thing I've come to realize drewiv, is that it starts with the fingers and ends at your ears. What's in between, is almost always completely different for each person. How does the saying go? "When I played through EVH's gear I sounded like ME playing through EVH's gear" ;) There are some things that I don't get (Like some Marshalls and etc that people seem to love) The reason being, is that certain things sound like s*&t no matter who is playing them. (Recently I realized/learned that what I dislike is the rhythm's and the lead's sound much better, and I'm betting that's why people like them and what the confusion is about but...) My point is.... I've heard some great tones in some of MarcoR's clips. If he says something has a great tone, I'd like to hear him play it before I write it off.

I think my original point was - Marco can make anything sound good and I need all the help I can get.
 
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