Marshall AVT amps

Doctor J

Saturday 10am. The young uns haven't finished their Weetos at that time.

Zoton

Would sunday morning or a weekday be any better d'ya reckon?

Doctor J

I don't think any of them open on Sundays, except for the run-up to Crimbo. I think they all open around 10am, so head in then any weekday or Saturday and you should have the place to yourself and the staff's undivided attention.

Zoton

Cool. Instrumental was actually pretty quiet on saturday, but couldn't stay long. Musician inc and music maker were both crammed. Didn't bother with waltons.

fitz

Any time that the kiddies'll be in school, you won't have a problem...let us know how you get on.

disgruntled

Originally posted by Zoton
Cool. Instrumental was actually pretty quiet on saturday, but couldn't stay long. Musician inc and music maker were both crammed. Didn't bother with waltons.

Yeah, don't waste your time looking for amps in Waltons.

Zoton

Originally posted by fitz
Any time that the kiddies'll be in school, you won't have a problem...let us know how you get on.

Will do. Since i've managed to save more than expected, methinks the amp is looking very close now, so hopefully will try 'em out within the next few weeks.
The engl thunder 50 is going for €950 in instrumental, but for €760 on thomann.de
so methinks if it sounds as good as its supposed to then its a possibility.

Also in case anyone's interested, i saw a second hand jcm800 in instrumental for around €850 and a jcm 900 for about €750.

Zoton

woohoo! going amp shopping tomorrow.:D
Have to get in good and early to beat the rush of disgruntled teens though.

Zoton

Okay, its monday morning and the dust has setttled. Finally bought myself an amplifier on saturday.

Tried out the Marshall AVT 50, a nice clean tone, but the distortion was pretty weak. Next was the AVT 150 (very similar to 100), nice tone, much better distortion than the 50. But it's just too big to be luggin around, since i dont have access to a car.
I also tried the MGDFX100, and it pretty much sucked. So next tried out the Line 6 spider 2's.
The 210 was okay, the 212 was a beauty, gorgeous clean tone, bluesy tones too and a monster distortion. But too big for me to cart onto a bus, so opted for the single speaker version, the 112. Lovely amp, very happy with it. Still weighs a feckin ton and i advise you never to try bringing an amp onto dublin bus especiall boxed.

The onlt negative thing i have to say about the amp is the conection between the footswitch and the amp. The end of the lead has telephone type connecter rather than a jack, so its ridiculously delicate, and i'll have to b very careful with it. But i'm still delighted with it.:D
Thoroughly recommend.

fitz

Well, a far better option than a Marshall me thinks.

The Spiders record very well too.

The only problem I have with digital modelling amps is their lack of dynamic, which is abundent with a good valve amp.

But I'm sure they'll get the algorithms up to scratch at some point...

Enjoy the new toy Zoton!

feylya

BTW, I think the cable between the amp and the floor controller is just plain Cat 5 network cable. It's the same as between the POD and a floor controller afaik.

Zoton

So should it break it'll be easily replacable then? Thats a relief.

feylya

If I'm right about it, it should be easy enough to replace if it does break. And you can get longer ones for reasonably cheap. Get someone to make you a good long cable.

Zoton

Well they already supplied me with a ridiculously long cable as it is.

feylya

Then you're sorted. If the end plug looks like a massive phone connector, you should be sorted with an ethernet cable.

Zoton

Had a look at the lead last night, and it did indeed say cat 5 on the side of it.

Quick question, do most guitar shops stock spare springs? If so any idea of cost. Saw some online for $3.50, but this being rip off ireland i have n idea what to expect in €.

feylya

Spare springs? As in tremolo springs for your guitar? Aye, most should stock them. I think I paid £3 or so for a pack of 3 a few years back.

Zoton

Yup, thems the ones. My kid brother has a maverick. The floyd rose bridge keeps lifting up everytime the guitar is put into standard tuning, so me reckons possibly the tension in the springs is fecked an need to be replaced.

feylya

According to the main ESP guy in England, springs screw up after maybe 60 years! Just tighten the screws in the cavity. 2 should be sufficent for 10's although some people prefer 3 springs.

Zoton

Well i'm only thinking along the lines of the tension being gone in the springs cos, the high e string broke during playing and the release in tension might have fecked the spring (?), and now the bridge rises up to nearly a 40 degree angle, unless the guitar is tuned down to about a C

feylya

Na, breaking the high E wouldn't do anything to the springs. I was using Dean Markley Blue Steels on my floyd which are incredibly high tension, broke the low E and A strings and they didn't do a thing to the springs. Did he change gauge or string manufacturer when he restrung after the break?

Zoton

Don't think so. But that wouldn't make that much of a difference. (would it?) I think he's using a light gauge string anyway.

feylya

You be amazed tbh. If he changed gauge, it's just a simple physics calculation to get string tension based on string cross sectional area. As for manufacturers, they chagne too. DM Blue Steels are very very high tension where as D'Addario aren't as high. Just take off the spring cavity cover and tighten the springs. It's not a big job. Just make sure to slacken the strings a bit before tightening so you don't snap them and retune to pitch after tightening to see if the trem is level.

Zoton

Tighten those 2 screws on the left? they're further out on his guitar as i remember, not tight up aginst the wood like above pic.

feylya

Aye, the ones on the left. They shouldn't be against the wood. If they are and the trem isn't level, then more springs are required.

Zoton

Any idea why the bridge is lifting up like that?

feylya

Balance between the strings and the springs is wrong. More force on the strings means the trem will lift. Adjust the springs.

Zoton

But why lifting up now? Only happened after replacing that one string? Tis very strange.

feylya

Aye, strange but tbh, **** happens. Just try the suggestions.