What's the Best Setup for Clean Twangy Sound

[stratman323]

Originally Posted by Michael Ingram

I'm a thumbpicker who's used to playing as a single act with a set of 12's, using both pickups and a lot of bass. The guitar is a standard Tele from the early 90's. The amp is a MusicMan 112. I've recently joined a band playing traditional country (1950's and 1960's) and I'd like a clean twangy sound that's a lot brighter than I'm used to. I've tried just rolling on more treble but that just seems to get harsh and brittle. Any recommendations of strings, pickups, amp setting, or pedals I should use?

Sorry if this sounds obvious, but you have tried using just the bridge pickup haven't you? You only mention using both.

Ignore what some have said about the Musicman, it's only the pre-amp thats solid state, if you run it clean it's a very Fenderish small valve combo, which isn't surprising really. I used to have a 112RD 50, great little amp, & the lightest 50w valve combo I've ever found

Despite what somebody else said about using a bigger cap in the tone control, I'd say try a smaller one. A .022 cap (compared to a standard .047 cap) will roll off less of the mids, it only really cuts the top end of the tone - it's more subtle than a bigger cap. So you can roll it off a bit or a lot to remove any harshness, but you don't lose much volume. Since caps are so cheap it's an easy change to try. And on a Tele it's an easy wiring job - you don't even have to remove the strings.

[Happy Tele]

just to confuse things I was thinking of the vibroverb amp not the vibrolux

[Telemach_1]

Originally Posted by Happy Tele

just to confuse things I was thinking of the vibroverb amp not the vibrolux

The Vibroverb RI amp comes w. brown Tolex and is no longer available I think. I'm not too much into this amp, so I can't be specific. I might be wrong too. AFAIK it has a solid state rectifier and comes w. either one 15" speaker or 2X 10" speakers.. A solid state rectifier translates into a tighter, cleaner output for some clean head room. I don't know if it has a Reverb or a tremolo. Just check w. Google. I'm too lazy at the moment. I would strongly recommend the Deluxe over the Vibroverb. The Deluxe has it all. Multiple channels, reverb, tremolo etc. It is a compact all tube proven performance amp w. just the right output for almost any Club situation.

P.S. Did you ask for break up in your previous post? The Vibroverb is prob. not your amp for that sort of thing.

[Happy Tele]

Originally Posted by Telemach_1

The Vibroverb RI amp comes w. brown Tolex and is no longer available I think. I'm not too much into this amp, so I can't be specific. I might be wrong too. AFAIK it has a solid state rectifier and comes w. either one 15" speaker or 2X 10" speakers.. A solid state rectifier translates into a tighter, cleaner output for some clean head room. I don't know if it has a Reverb or a tremolo. Just check w. Google. I'm too lazy at the moment. I would strongly recommend the Deluxe over the Vibroverb. The Deluxe has it all. Multiple channels, reverb, tremolo etc. It is a compact all tube proven performance amp w. just the right output for almost any Club situation.

P.S. Did you ask for break up in your previous post? The Vibroverb is prob. not your amp for that sort of thing.

yeah there was a brown one but now they sell a custom bf one but its like $1600!

I saw Bob Boble of The Ventures play through this amp and it sounded great! Funny he went through this whole spiel about the first time he used Fuzz way back in 1960 IIRC and then they played the song, I was like 3 feet from him and he was using a boss sd1 for the fuzz. lol sounded awesome.

[65flh5326]

You did say "clean".
What works for me is an old Hiwatt DR103, with a pair of EVM 12s speakers in an open back cab, no pedals.
What I like about the Hiwatt is, the tone knobs actually do something.
For that set up to sound dirty, the volume would be unbearable.

[stratman323]

Originally Posted by Telemach_1

The Vibroverb RI amp comes w. brown Tolex and is no longer available I think. I'm not too much into this amp, so I can't be specific. I might be wrong too. AFAIK it has a solid state rectifier and comes w. either one 15" speaker or 2X 10" speakers.. A solid state rectifier translates into a tighter, cleaner output for some clean head room. I don't know if it has a Reverb or a tremolo. Just check w. Google. I'm too lazy at the moment. I would strongly recommend the Deluxe over the Vibroverb. The Deluxe has it all. Multiple channels, reverb, tremolo etc. It is a compact all tube proven performance amp w. just the right output for almost any Club situation.

P.S. Did you ask for break up in your previous post? The Vibroverb is prob. not your amp for that sort of thing.

I have a Vibroverb RI. These were RIs of the '63 Vibroverb - the 2 x 10, not to be confused with the '64 Vibroverb 1 x 12 as used by SRV. The '63 VV RIs were only made for a few years in the early 90s, & output is quoted at either 35w or 40w. It has reverb & tremelo, & it's gorgeous. With a Strat it's clean up to about 6 on the volume, & overdrives beautifully above 7. I've had it flat out a couple of times in an old church (now a bar), & it does everything I want.

Changing the Oxford speakers for Jensens is a smart move.

How different/similar is the Vibrolux?

[telemania]

To the OP, you see a lot of recommendations for Fender... pretty key ingredient... Marty Stuart is raving about his Princeton... a lot lower wattage than the others, but mike it to the PA if you need to get louder.

[Telemach_1]

Originally Posted by stratman323

.....How different/similar is the Vibrolux?

I don't know because I never had the chance to compare them side by side. About two years ago I was about buying one from the adds, but I didn't because of the solid state rectifier. I couldn't see a reason other than its' cool brown tolex cosmetics why I should buy it. The owner had converted it w. a 15" Weber speaker. The prize wasn'r exactly what I cal a steal, the screen was torn and I was broke anyway. I'll certaily give it one more chance once it pops up in the local papers.

[Telemach_1]

Originally Posted by telemania

To the OP, you see a lot of recommendations for Fender... pretty key ingredient... Marty Stuart is raving about his Princeton... a lot lower wattage than the others, but mike it to the PA if you need to get louder.

I know three local pros who use to gig medium sized clubs w. it. One has stuffed an EV speaker into his Princeton. He play a lot of 60ies covers and Stones stuff. The amp got a lot louder and gets pretty dirty w. the EV.