Jacking up the amp, turning down the bass sometimes

So Low Bass · #1 07-06-2010, 03:57 PM

I’ve been playing with my P up full and adjusting the volume with my GBX solid state amp for about 2 years now. The sound is sometimes fuzzy, REALLY fuzzy when the amp is cold and then is clear as a bell after it warms up a bit. Now I’ve been experimenting with turning the amp volume way, way up and keeping the bass way down. I find that there is a different, richer quality with more sustain but, of course, more background noise from the amp.

Is it good to sometimes jack up the amp- take it jogging if you will- like that, almost 80%, and adjusting the bass volume ? Is there such a thing as using a different part of the power supply?

I know my fingerboard much, much better than electronics.

RickenBoogie · #2 07-06-2010, 04:54 PM

It's all about the speakers, which you didn't mention.

So Low Bass · #3 07-06-2010, 05:38 PM

So the speakers can come and go like that? I thought once they blew thet were gone for good. These sound fine a lot of the time.

Growly Lytes · #4 07-06-2010, 06:38 PM

Nah i dont do that. BOB from QSC says its better to have the amp level not much more than half.... 3/4 at the most. I read a post where he mentioned that you shouldnt have your amp up much more than about half way or you can get clipping ?? Im cranking my Preamps on full & using the amp volume to adjust the levels with the bass volume on full also & i get a very clean big sound.Its no good to stress the amp out when you dont need to.Turning the level up on the amp brings noise & makes the amp work harder than it should.

So Low Bass · #5 07-06-2010, 06:53 PM

Understand that I'm not trying to play louder. I'm focusing on quality, not quantity. For example, I cranked my amp about 70% when I practiced this morning. I started a practice session this evening the same way, then turned the amp back ro where i usually have it... about 30%. It sounded clean and smooth. This I know. What I want to know is...why?

craig.p · #6 07-06-2010, 07:18 PM

This is a total, TOTAL guess, because I know NOTHING about those amps, but it almost sounds like the output transistors, when cold, are biased too low, and that "fuzz" you're hearing is crossover distortion. When warmed up, the bias self-fixes due to the temp increase, and things are normal.

Could also be the value of a component involved in biasing has drifted over time due to age and/or heat.

Sounds like it needs to visit the tech bench.

JonnyAngle · #7 07-06-2010, 09:05 PM

My guitar player has an old VOX tube head and he loves to record with it. He says the trick is to max out the volumes and turn up to notch one on the guitar. It's a tube amp, but it's not the first time I've heardof doing that I guess.

johnk_10 · #8 07-06-2010, 09:30 PM

it sounds like with your bass turned all the way up, it could possibly be clipping the front end of the amp, rather than its output section. in which as lowering the output at the bass and turning up the amp should make it cleaner sounding. IMO, there is no hard rule as to where the best setting is that suits your bass and playing style, so i would just set it where it sounds the best to you. and BTW, many guitarists run it that way.