Need Help - Guitarists Fender twin is too damn loud!!!

Tony G · #1 02-10-2006, 01:27 PM

Anybody here with guitar amp knowledge? The guitarist in my band has a Fender Evil Twin, and when we play, he can barely turn his master volume past 1. It just gets so frickin loud. Any suggestions as to the problem? I know this isn't a lot to go on, but I really don't know much at all about tube amps.

phxlbrmpf · #2 02-10-2006, 01:36 PM

Yep, those things can be terribly loud mofos if you put an OD pedal in front of them, can't they? I know the pain, my band's singer who sometimes plays guitar owns one. It sounds great, though.
I don't really have any solutions to offer, but I can tell you I feel your pain. I eventually ended up buying a new amp to be able to compete with the Twin.

**cheezewiz** · #3 02-10-2006, 01:41 PM

An OD pedal with a Fender Twin? Sacreligious. Heresy.

phxlbrmpf · #4 02-10-2006, 01:45 PM

He knows that too, but that way he gets one of the most brutal guitar sounds I've ever heard. He set his knobs so that there's virtually no bass but loads of mids and treble. Gets rid of surplus earwax like nothin' else.

AaronS · #5 02-10-2006, 02:29 PM

I thought the "Evil Twin" had a switch for changing it from 100 watts to 25 or 50 watts. Another possibility I suppose would be to take out a couple of those 6L6 power tubes. There is a good reason that it is known as "the Evil Twin". It is my least favorite Fender amp, after the Cyber series of course.

Tony G · #6 02-10-2006, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aaron Schiff

I thought the "Evil Twin" had a switch for changing it from 100 watts to 25 or 50 watts. Another possibility I suppose would be to take out a couple of those 6L6 power tubes. There is a good reason that it is known as "the Evil Twin". It is my least favorite Fender amp, after the Cyber series of course.

I don't think this amp has that switch, but I could be wrong. I will suggest taking out a couple of tubes.

Philbiker · #7 02-10-2006, 02:50 PM

Have your guitar player spring for a Fender Blues Junior. He can jam that thing way up and it will sound freaking awesome. Save the Twin for recording and big outdoor events. Those things are freaking ear splittingly loud.

Tony G · #8 02-10-2006, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Philbiker

Have your guitar player spring for a Fender Blues Junior. He can jam that thing way up and it will sound freaking awesome. Save the Twin for recording and big outdoor events. Those things are freaking ear splittingly loud.

The problem with that is the money situation. He just doesn't have the money to keep this one, and buy another.

Thunderbird91 · #9 02-10-2006, 03:34 PM

Maybe I am misunderstanding the situation but wouldn't you just wabt to buy a new amp? or he could turn down the volume on the guitar...

Tony G · #10 02-10-2006, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thunderbird91

Maybe I am misunderstanding the situation but wouldn't you just wabt to buy a new amp? or he could turn down the volume on the guitar...

yeah, buying a new amp is probably what would happen, but I was just wondering why even at setting his master volume at 1 that he would be so screaming loud. Why he just doesn't turn down his volume on the guitar? Beats me...

Philbiker · #11 02-10-2006, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xgabriel

yeah, buying a new amp is probably what would happen, but I was just wondering why even at setting his master volume at 1 that he would be so screaming loud. Why he just doesn't turn down his volume on the guitar? Beats me...

That amp sounds GREAT loud, in case you haven't noticed....

My old band GUM we had one we used only for recording.

LarryO · #12 02-10-2006, 06:13 PM

If he is going to use it loud sometimes and he likes the tone of the amp buying buying a new, smaller amp would work, but he wouldn't like that. I recommend just buying a volume pedal. If you feel really experimental replace the tubes with some yellow jackets. But I'd definately try the volume pedal first

nicoli · #13 02-10-2006, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xgabriel

yeah, buying a new amp is probably what would happen, but I was just wondering why even at setting his master volume at 1 that he would be so screaming loud. Why he just doesn't turn down his volume on the guitar? Beats me...

That's just the way Fender guitar amps seem to be, at least IME. I have a little Fender combo I use on occasion, and at only 15 watts I still rarely have the volume even to '1'.

And yes, Fender Twins have a reputation as being LOUD amps, espeicially since you generally turn them up until they sound good instead of using pedals with them.

Figjam · #14 02-10-2006, 07:40 PM

My guitarist uses a Fender solid state 2 x 12 100 watt combo and i really like it.

AaronS · #15 02-11-2006, 09:44 AM

Yeah, the Stage 100 212 is one of the better clean SS amps. But the "Evil Twin" is something else entirely. Certainly not in the category of their other tube Twins.

davetakis · #16 02-11-2006, 11:01 AM

my guitarist has a MARSHALL POWER BRAKE. that seems to help with his volume issue.

**bassman314** · #17 02-11-2006, 12:00 PM

Power Brake is probably your best option. The problem is they cost about as much as a new amp.

A volume pedal will kill the crunch he's getting from overdriving the pre-amp tubes. As will adjusting the volume from his guitar.

I'm not overly familiar with the Evil Twin. Does it have an effects loop? Maybe sticking a volume pedal (with blend, if present, set to 100% wet) in the effects loop might keep the gain on the Pre-amp tubes at crunch level, but still be able to have a moderate volume.

DougP · #18 02-12-2006, 05:25 AM

i used to have an Evil Twin. it had the 100w/25w power switch on the back.

Some Fender amps use some kind of (and i know i am not getting the name of this right) non-linear fader pot on the volume knobs. meaning that between 0 and 1 they become very loud, very fast. the same with 1 - 4 or 5, after that you can barely tell any change in the volume knobs.

when i had mine i took it outside (in a rural area) and jammed on it about volume setting 5. my sisters friend called and said she could hear me playing guitar...a quarter mile away. so yeah, those things are loud.

Thunderbird91 · #19 02-12-2006, 06:53 AM

My guitarist has a *loud* mesa boogie mark IV. HELP ME!!!!!