Anyone playing the Pro Tube series amps?

[Doc]

I have the Pro reverb and really am liking it more every day. Anyone else like these things?

[Doc]

No one uses one of these but me?

[stantheman]

Ya oughta write a review for us...I see 'em all the time
and walk right by without tryin' them.

[Doc]

Originally Posted by stantheman

Ya oughta write a review for us...I see 'em all the time
and walk right by without tryin' them.

Well, I have sort of in previous threads. The PTPR is 2 channel 1x12 combo amp featuring seperat eq's for each channel. It has a tube driven reverb, teremolo and effects loop. The effects loop can be uses as a volume boost as well as to run various modelers into the power amp section. It also has a preamp out for running other amps, or to run into a moddler to go direct to recorder. There is a bright swithc for channel one.

Channel 1 is the clean channel. The clean is a very smokey between the blackface and tweed Fender tone. It handles pedals well and the effects return can be used easily as a boost pedal. It records well at conversational levels and sounds great cranked. You can run the preamp out can easily be used with a modeller and use the modellers amp sims to go direct to the recorder or board this amp. These recordings with the various cab sims should give you a great idea about which cab you would like best. It is a very nice clean channel that can do jazz, country and all the Fender clean type music well. This cannel, with the right speaker, can handle pedal very well.

Channel 2 is the drive or gain channel. Stock it does not really get totally clean. It has a fair bit of gain at tyour disposal but does not get into triple recto territory. The amp comes stock withe a Jensen C12N which does well with the clean channel but does not handle the gain channel very well. A speaker swap for those wanting to make the most of this channel is a requirement I would think.

It has a 1/4 power switch to cut the power from 40 watts to 12.5. It also has an externally accessable bias adjustment and power tube balance system.

The criticisms for the amp are usually in the gain channel. But, I think a speaker swithc (and maybe preamp tubes) it works great. Here are some clips of the gain channel as it sounds now.

The recording are made using SM57 3" from the center of the cone. This micing position tends to accentuate the fizzy/grainy elements of the amp. Guitar is a tele clone (Dual bucker) with a SD Custom Custom in the bridge. Volume and tone are at 10. The presence is off on the amp and reverb is at 4. Volume of channel 2 was at about 2 to 2.5 here.

The recording are the rhythms using channel 2. Leads seems easy to get from the amp, it is distorted or gain rhythmns that seems to be where the complaints are for this amp.

The rhythms are 3 verses. Verse 1 has the gain at 10, verse 2 the gain is at 5 and verse 3 the gain is at 3.

EQ so that the Bass, Mids and treble are at 10.
http://pietrzak7.home.mchsi.com/PTPR10R.mp3

EQ so bass and treble are 10 and Mid at 6 (Scooped).
http://pietrzak7.home.mchsi.com/PTPRScoop.mp3

EQ so bass and treble are 6-7 and mids are 10 (mid Bump).
http://pietrzak7.home.mchsi.com/PTPRMid.mp3

People say the Prosonic has a better drive channel but I honestly have not heard the clips to sell it to me so far. The major downside of this amp is the weight.

Dale