***Club Verellen*** - Page 19

**mjac28** · #**361** 02-01-2013, 10:06 PM

I have mine as the last thing in my chain right after my tube buffer.

PWV · #**362** 02-03-2013, 06:51 PM

Just wanted to throw a pic out there for Plays For Dog....last night I ran just the MS Pre into the effects loop on the SL 900.
The MS sits almost flush on top of the head.

I started with Ron Now's 2-10-2 as flat settings from the Fender Tone Stack. That was couple of days ago in my studio, then just kept bringing everything up to around 7-10-7 or so, full on Master, Gain at 9:00....just straight ahead Meatsmoke tone, but plenty of clean head room...

It was a small room, only the used the boost for one song but color me happy.

**mjac28** · #**363** 02-03-2013, 08:20 PM

Very cool I had the carpet in my music room cleaned and I haven't set my board back up just my amp and Meatsmoke and it really sounds great makes me wonder why I have so many pedals.

Plays_For_Dog · #**364** 02-03-2013, 10:01 PM

PWV,

I did the same thing and I am happy with the results I'm getting. I'm in WA now and plan to go see Ben one day this week. I'll be sure to share any photos and possibly some tips I may get.

PWV · #**365** 02-04-2013, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plays_For_Dog

PWV,

I did the same thing and I am happy with the results I'm getting. I'm in WA now and plan to go see Ben one day this week. I'll be sure to share any photos and possibly some tips I may get.

Cool - yes, please ask Ben for any EQ tips on the Pre-amp only approach. So far, very easy to use - hope you're digging it with the Uber cab as much as I am.

*PS. If you see a "Dirty White Meatsmoke" Head in there, that should be mine getting its final mojo before leaving the station!

franksgbass · #**366** 02-08-2013, 07:23 AM

Just wanted to stop by and say hello to my Verellen crew. My band did some pre-production last night before going in to headroom studio in Philly to record our e.p. for the next few weekends. The Meatsmoke pre sounded massive. This is my first time recording my bass and having it sound like a massive wall of gain. Im curious on how it will come out. I was going to use the boss LS-2, to kinda have some clean in the mix. But last minute i decided it's all or nothing. If your gonna water something down whats the point, right. I will report back, and post a track as soon as it's finished.

NKBassman · #**367** 02-08-2013, 08:31 AM

Looking forward to hearing it! Did you mic a cab or use the speaker sim off the pre?

Plays_For_Dog · #**368** 02-11-2013, 08:45 PM

If you use your GPS to get to Ben's shop, it will take you to the road that runs out front. You can't see his business from there. You have to drive up the ally in the back and look for this little sign.

The humble entrance.

This is literally the entire shop. At least, where he and his employee build his amps and pre-amps. There was another small room attached to this one where Ben had a work bench set up, but that was Ben's "office" so I didn't intrude. Don't worry, you're not missing anything. He had mostly papers and a soldering iron and random electronics torn apart into unidentifiable piles.

Sadly, Ben was gone for the day when I stopped in. I didn't get to play through anything and really didn't stay long. His employee was busy soldering up a Loucks head, so I tried not to bother him. After all, he was at work and I was just a "tourist" in his way. He was very nice, but preoccupied.

Curious how Ben got started building amplifiers and such? He is a musician and has a bachelor's degree from the University of Washington in Electrical Engineering.

For those of you who know Seattle area, his shop is in the Fremont district.

**mjac28** · #**369** 02-11-2013, 08:49 PM

Very very cool thanks for sharing that I get to see the birthplace of my Meatsmoke.

PWV · #**370** 02-12-2013, 09:27 AM

Quote:

For those of you who know Seattle area, his shop is in the Fremont district.

Yep - The High Dive and The White Rabbit are above his shop and they all share the same alley.

Hey, PFG in case you're still in town next Tuesday 2/19/13: Russian Circles at The Showbox SODO. They're opening for Coheed and Cambria....I'll see you there if you go.

NKBassman · #**371** 02-12-2013, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PWV

Hey, PFG in case you're still in town next Tuesday 2/12/13: Russian Circles at The Showbox SODO. They're opening for Coheed and Cambria....I'll see you there if you go.

I saw that tour on Sunday night in Minneapolis. RC sounded fantastic, but Brian Cook seemed to be using his backup head instead of the Meatsmoke. I met him briefly but didn't have a chance to ask him what was up with that.

Plays_For_Dog · #**372** 02-12-2013, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PWV

Yep - The High Dive and The White Rabbit are above his shop and they all share the same alley.

Hey, PFG in case you're still in town next Tuesday 2/12/13: Russian Circles at The Showbox SODO. They're opening for Coheed and Cambria....I'll see you there if you go.

Doooooooooooood I'd love to be there, but I'm already back down south for work

I did apply to a few places while I was up there and my wife got some leads on a few as well. Hopefully soon my location will no longer be "missing mountains".

franksgbass · #**373** 02-12-2013, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NKBassman

Looking forward to hearing it! Did you mic a cab or use the speaker sim off the pre?

So I wound up with two mics on a 2x15 and also went direct with a radial. We tried the dedicated recording speaker sim, but to be honest, we could not get a good sound out of it. Also, for recording, I found the low gain setting much better. Alot more low end.
As far as the head. I was first going into the effects return on my Markbass for one track. Then we pulled out an old acoustic 370, and holy tone. Combined with the meatsmoke, it sounded incredible. I actually only used an extra overdrive (DemonKIng) on two tracks. The sound of the MS pre and the acoustic 370 was plenty dirty, but very defined and crisp. Overall, the engineer loved the pre, as did I. But it took me a while to accept that my live sound was not gonna work on the recording. Oh well, we learn something new everyday I suppose.

map34157 · #**374** 02-12-2013, 12:27 PM

I swear by that old Acoustic gear. The best vintage SS stuff around. Oh can I get a number? I ordered a MS pre (rack version) a while ago. Just got an email from Ben that the chassis will be at his shop next Wednesday. So hopefully it'll be in my hands within the next couple weeks. I'm gonna try it out with the Acoustic 330 I just bought

!!!!

straightedge79 · #**375** 02-12-2013, 03:00 PM

Me to the left with my #209, since this pic was taken i have sold the Big Spider(twice haha) and bought a MS pre for use at home/recording.

I bought the amp in 2010 just when it became standard with the OD-channel and before the spalted maple front.

Ben is the best and i love my amp!!!

mattj1stc · #**376** 02-12-2013, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron Now

Just for clarification, I'm saying that bass on 2 (as if you were using fender style 0-10 numbered knobs) mids on 10 (all the way up) 2 on treble is flat on the preamp.

That's not what settings I use, just a great starting point for finding the tone that works best for you.

Sorry for the late reply - I was refering to the EQ relative to the face of a clock, otherwise 11 would require a spinal tap amp. I feel the the Verellen has tons of mids already present, so I'm usually boosting the other frequencies, especially the low end.

horseblanket · #**377** 02-12-2013, 05:15 PM

Acoustic Love.
I am using the MSPRE into the Power Amp In of an Acoustic 122 Combo and it sounds pretty amazing. The funny thing is the amp on it's own I liked but not so much that it hasn't been sitting in storage forever. I only pulled it out to test the pre and now there is no chance in hell I would put it back.

twhitedc · #**378** 02-13-2013, 07:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by franksgbass

So I wound up with two mics on a 2x15 and also went direct with a radial. We tried the dedicated recording speaker sim, but to be honest, we could not get a good sound out of it. Also, for recording, I found the low gain setting much better. Alot more low end.
As far as the head. I was first going into the effects return on my Markbass for one track. Then we pulled out an old acoustic 370, and holy tone. Combined with the meatsmoke, it sounded incredible. I actually only used an extra overdrive (DemonKIng) on two tracks. The sound of the MS pre and the acoustic 370 was plenty dirty, but very defined and crisp. Overall, the engineer loved the pre, as did I. But it took me a while to accept that my live sound was not gonna work on the recording. Oh well, we learn something new everyday I suppose.

I've been running it with my acoustic 320... it's amazing.

franksgbass · #**379** 02-13-2013, 08:06 AM

1- MrThunderfoot
2- twhitedc
3- Mjac28
4- franksgbass
5- Plays_For_Dog
6- Crucified
7- DV6
8- XfredrikX
9- OldCrow
10- mattj1stc
11- NKBassman
12- helenforsdale
13- funkfaker
14- Horseblanket
15- skullservant
16- RonNow
17- map34157
18- straightedge79
253- PWV

If i missed anyone just let me know, or, just copy and paste yourself in, either way. Thanks guys.

franksgbass · #**380** 02-13-2013, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twhitedc

I've been running it with my acoustic 320... it's amazing.

Yeah, I am on the prowl for a an old acoustic head after using it with my MS pre. Does anyone know the difference between the old acoustics and the new ones? Like , is it that different? I guess I would be a bit nervous taking something 30 or 40 years old out on the road. I have read a lot of storys of them breaking.