Question about Lab Series.

Scott M · January 8th, 2005, 11:59 AM

I hear such great things about these amps. There is a 4x10 model in a local store, and it has a built in compressor. OK, I guess I have two questions.

1. Was there a compressor in all of these amps?

2. Is the compressor a key ingredient in the overall sound/feel of the amp?

Maybe I should just go play throug the thing and see for myself. I know I would never buy it (unless I could put and engine on it and drive it to the gig.)

-Scott

Wally · January 8th, 2005, 12:32 PM

The guitar amps from Lab Series all had the compression function. They also have a multifilter control which deals with harmonic overtones. This function, imo, is very much a part of what allows the Labs to yield the sounds that they do. The compression can yield huge amounts of 'sag' or go the other way and yield very stiff, punchy sounds. The Moog people who designed the amp knew what they were trying to do. Side by side with a Twin Reverb, one can hear that the Lab still does not quite get tube sonics, but imho they surpass any other SS amp in the attempt. The harmonic overtones are a big part of their secret.

Ben Harmless · January 8th, 2005, 12:45 PM

Wally pretty much covered it, but I'll just add that I've played through two seperate Lab amps which featured broken compressors, and they still sounded excellent.

Also, honestly, I think the Lab amps give the Twin Reverb a run for its money.

Wally · January 8th, 2005, 02:36 PM

My experience is that is you have a TR that is biased to the cold side and is running through some thin-sounding speakers, a Lab 5 might just win the game. However, a good TR vs. a Lab 5 through the same set of speakers will expose the difference between the two amps. My Lab 5 was dead mint with paperwork and schematic, which is an almost 3'X3' very busy piece of work, after sitting it side-by-side against my '65 TR. I can understand why BB King plays through one, but it doesn't match a good TR. It does however beat any other SS amp that I have heard.

Billy Claire · January 8th, 2005, 03:20 PM

B.B. had new knobs on his LAB the other night. I guitar-tech'd for John A. when he opened for B.B. on Wed.- meant to take a picture to post but forgot. However, every knob was at 2:00 on his amp so a picture was kind of uneccessary... There's a plexi shield around the back of the amp but the drummer's sidefill monitors were SLAMMIN'... You should have heard the two sidefills just to the left of his highhat and the snare sound was the best I've ever heard...

Wally · January 8th, 2005, 04:33 PM

Cool, Billy. If he had all the knobs at 2, the compressor was no in the cmopression mode. The '0' on the dial is at about 1 o'clock. Clockwise from there stiffens the hit even more...sort of anti-sag. Mr. King is a joy to hear. I envy you. I caught him once some years ago, and he is magnificent. He was on a TR that night.

SteveY · January 8th, 2005, 10:23 PM

The L3 (60w 1 X 12) does not have the compressor.
The speakers in the L5 (2 X 12) are not my favorites.

The way the compressor releases into the reverb is KILLER!

angelo · January 8th, 2005, 11:56 PM

Wally's right. The compressor was NOT the heart of the amp. (It was my #1 for probably 5 years).

The Multifilter is the key. It works in conjunction with the mid knob. If you go one way, it gets nasaly like a notched wah. When you take the multifilter the other way, the amp really gets some of the best SS sounds I have ever played or knowingly heard.

Bill Ashton · January 9th, 2005, 08:49 AM

Sorry to hijack this thread...I went to that show in the Lowell Auditorium with friends, what a night! Johnny A was cruisin', not at all what I expected from him but really, really enjoyable.

B.B. King. Ladies and Gentlemens, if you EVER have the chance to see this man, do and do it NOW! Just unbelievable. When he came out on stage, my first impression was that he looked kinda...well, sickly...the minute he started to sing that impression went out the window. You know, I always knew he was a good player, but basically when you see him on TV or whatever, really all he does are fills between lines. I think he played more guitar Wednesday night than he sang! Really came away with a whole new vision of the man.

OK, Lab Series amp content. Saw the plexi shield go up, and figured it was for the drummer, yikes was he loud...real good, but loud. From our seats, 11th row, the amp really had that "woman tone" going on, though great for the leads kinda mushy for the chords. I kinda expected the amp to sound brighter. Interestingly, the second guitarist was playing through a tiny amp. What was that Billy, a Polytone or something?

January 8th, 2005, 11:59 AM	#1 (permalink)
Scott M Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Vincennes, IN Posts: 135	Question about Lab Series. I hear such great things about these amps. There is a 4x10 model in a local store, and it has a built in compressor. OK, I guess I have two questions. 1. Was there a compressor in all of these amps? 2. Is the compressor a key ingredient in the overall sound/feel of the amp? Maybe I should just go play throug the thing and see for myself. I know I would never buy it (unless I could put and engine on it and drive it to the gig.) -Scott __________________ Scott M

January 8th, 2005, 12:45 PM	#3 (permalink)
Ben Harmless Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Albany, NY US of A Posts: 3,375 12 Photos	Wally pretty much covered it, but I'll just add that I've played through two seperate Lab amps which featured broken compressors, and they still sounded excellent. Also, honestly, I think the Lab amps give the Twin Reverb a run for its money. __________________ "I think I'll go for the life of sin, followed by the last-minute, presto-change-o, deathbed repentance." - B. Simpson

January 8th, 2005, 02:36 PM	#4 (permalink)
Wally Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Lubbock, TX Posts: 4,212	Lab versus TR... My experience is that is you have a TR that is biased to the cold side and is running through some thin-sounding speakers, a Lab 5 might just win the game. However, a good TR vs. a Lab 5 through the same set of speakers will expose the difference between the two amps. My Lab 5 was dead mint with paperwork and schematic, which is an almost 3'X3' very busy piece of work, after sitting it side-by-side against my '65 TR. I can understand why BB King plays through one, but it doesn't match a good TR. It does however beat any other SS amp that I have heard.

January 8th, 2005, 03:20 PM	#5 (permalink)
Billy Claire Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Marlborough MA Posts: 940	B.B. had new knobs on his LAB the other night. I guitar-tech'd for John A. when he opened for B.B. on Wed.- meant to take a picture to post but forgot. However, every knob was at 2:00 on his amp so a picture was kind of uneccessary... There's a plexi shield around the back of the amp but the drummer's sidefill monitors were SLAMMIN'... You should have heard the two sidefills just to the left of his highhat and the snare sound was the best I've ever heard... __________________ www.myspace.com/sherylamour www.theallens.theallens.com tear off my arms and beat me to death with them...

January 8th, 2005, 11:56 PM	#8 (permalink)
angelo NEW MEMBER! Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 8	Wally's right. The compressor was NOT the heart of the amp. (It was my #1 for probably 5 years). The Multifilter is the key. It works in conjunction with the mid knob. If you go one way, it gets nasaly like a notched wah. When you take the multifilter the other way, the amp really gets some of the best SS sounds I have ever played or knowingly heard. __________________ Far west Chicago

January 8th, 2005, 12:32 PM	#2 (permalink)
Wally Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Lubbock, TX Posts: 4,212	The guitar amps from Lab Series all had the compression function. They also have a multifilter control which deals with harmonic overtones. This function, imo, is very much a part of what allows the Labs to yield the sounds that they do. The compression can yield huge amounts of 'sag' or go the other way and yield very stiff, punchy sounds. The Moog people who designed the amp knew what they were trying to do. Side by side with a Twin Reverb, one can hear that the Lab still does not quite get tube sonics, but imho they surpass any other SS amp in the attempt. The harmonic overtones are a big part of their secret.

January 8th, 2005, 04:33 PM	#6 (permalink)
Wally Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Lubbock, TX Posts: 4,212	Cool, Billy. If he had all the knobs at 2, the compressor was no in the cmopression mode. The '0' on the dial is at about 1 o'clock. Clockwise from there stiffens the hit even more...sort of anti-sag. Mr. King is a joy to hear. I envy you. I caught him once some years ago, and he is magnificent. He was on a TR that night.

January 8th, 2005, 10:23 PM	#7 (permalink)
SteveY Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Santa Cruz, CA Age: 58 Posts: 1,422	The L3 (60w 1 X 12) does not have the compressor. The speakers in the L5 (2 X 12) are not my favorites. The way the compressor releases into the reverb is KILLER!

January 9th, 2005, 08:49 AM	#9 (permalink)
Bill Ashton Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Central Massachusetts Posts: 512	Billy, you snake! Sorry to hijack this thread...I went to that show in the Lowell Auditorium with friends, what a night! Johnny A was cruisin', not at all what I expected from him but really, really enjoyable. B.B. King. Ladies and Gentlemens, if you EVER have the chance to see this man, do and do it NOW! Just unbelievable. When he came out on stage, my first impression was that he looked kinda...well, sickly...the minute he started to sing that impression went out the window. You know, I always knew he was a good player, but basically when you see him on TV or whatever, really all he does are fills between lines. I think he played more guitar Wednesday night than he sang! Really came away with a whole new vision of the man. OK, Lab Series amp content. Saw the plexi shield go up, and figured it was for the drummer, yikes was he loud...real good, but loud. From our seats, 11th row, the amp really had that "woman tone" going on, though great for the leads kinda mushy for the chords. I kinda expected the amp to sound brighter. Interestingly, the second guitarist was playing through a tiny amp. What was that Billy, a Polytone or something?