I don't need no stinkin' overdrive....

[burntfrijoles]

Well, not exactly....
I am a home player. I tame the volume of my amp and use pedals for dirt and beyond.
Today around 11 AM when I know my neighbors aren't home I decided to turn the volume of my PRRI (12" Jensen) to 6 to 8 and finally settles on just a skosh past 6. Oh what a glorious sound with such rich texture. It was plenty of breakup and grit for my needs.

I think this settles it. I'm going to try an attenuator. The Tone King Ironman II Mini is my choice. I had a Tone King Gremlin with the built in Ironman and I thought it did a good job without squashing everything until you got to the 4 or 5th level.

PS: my pedals aren't going anywhere. They obviously have their place. Fuzzes sound better with the amp opened up a little more.

 

[gridlock]

These two work for me. My vintage 50 watt Marshall is running through a THD Hotplate Attenuator and my JCM800 has a good Master Volume.

 

[ChicknPickn]

Reminds me of a bar story.

A guy at his usual seat at the bar one morning says "I've had it. This is it. I can't stand it anymore. The smell of it, the hangovers, the things I say and do and can't remember. It's disgusting and I just don't like it."

Another regular looks over and says, "Well, none of us LIKES it."

 

[kuch]

Isn't it great when you can "open up" and amp to get that natural "crunch". It's really great if you can do it with a Twin and not have the neighbors call the cops.
I don't do it too often with my PRRI but I do get there with my SFVC quite a bit. Strats, teles, LPs, 335s.
IMHO the VC gets some of the best jazzy/soulful sounds from the neck pickup on my 330 with the volume around 4-5 and the tone rolled back a touch.... just wish I could play well enough to really make it sing....

 

[Dan German]

*sigh*

I so rarely have the opportunity to get my PRII up there. But yeah…

 

[68goldtop]

Hi!

Yes - that´s why I´m a big fan of power-soaks/attenuators!
The fun I had so far more than makes up for the shortcomings they tend to have

Right now I´m enjoying my new/old brownface Bandmaster turned up to "8" (at sensible volume-levels)

cheers - 68.

 

[burntfrijoles]

Isn't it great when you can "open up" and amp

I so rarely have the opportunity to get my PRII up there.

Yes - that´s why I´m a big fan of power-soaks/attenuators!

I just ordered the Ironman II Mini. I also ordered two speaker cables and the 1/4" female coupler so I should be set. I'm going to find the most reasonable level of attenuation to run the PRRI between 6-8 and let it rip (in accordance with the limitations of my meager skill level).

 

[Dan German]

I just ordered the Ironman II Mini. I also ordered two speaker cables and the 1/4" female coupler so I should be set. I'm going to find the most reasonable level of attenuation to run the PRRI between 6-8 and let it rip (in accordance with the limitations of my meager skill level).

Nice. Sadly, that’s more than I’ve ever spent for an amp.

 

[MilwMark]

It's actually a really great attenuator. If you have to squash a lot it does of course limit the dynamics and feel. But if you only need to knock 3-6db off it's hard to tell the difference.

When I had a PRRI I could play small clubs with a second guitar, bass and acoustic drums. I would guess mine on 6 would be around 100-105 dB. I'd have to squash quite a bit to bring down the the 75 dB peak where my ears and neighbors are comfortable for practice.

 

[Back at it]

It's actually a really great attenuator. If you have to squash a lot it does of course limit the dynamics and feel. But if you only need to knock 3-6db off it's hard to tell the difference.

When I had a PRRI I could play small clubs with a second guitar, bass and acoustic drums. I would guess mine on 6 would be around 100-105 dB. I'd have to squash quite a bit to bring down the the 75 dB peak where my ears and neighbors are comfortable for practice.

If you’re only knocking off 3-6 db any attenuator will be fine… it’s the - 20 that all attenuators have an issue

 

[telemnemonics]

*sigh*

I so rarely have the opportunity to get my PRII up there. But yeah…

Kill all neighbors?

 

[telemnemonics]

Seriously though, my condolences to all who must suffer with lower than feedback volume more than once a week.
Just cruel unusual punishment for a guitar player to endure.

 

[Back at it]

I love my basement nothing special but I can turn it up occasionally

otherwise 70ish db is always ok 80 ish + is my fav unless I don’t need to hear for a bit then 95+ db… oowee what fun

 

[BB]

WHAT?????!!!!