Anyone else using a Fender Greta?

[wshines1892]

I was at work tonight, checking out the new Pawn Shop series Greta amp from Fender. I've been away for a couple months, so I hadn't had time to sit down with it and really try it out. My buddy at work told me that he had been using one for a few months now as a tube pre-amp, just running it in line to his amp.Being ever curious, I took one out as a loaner to try on my rig at home.

My rig is an Ampeg SVT 215 with an Ampeg PF500 head sitting on top. I set this thing on top of the head and began experimenting with different ways of using it. I tried using in the blendable effects loop, but it didn't want to work correct. I then tried it in the rack loop, but with the same results. Only once I connected it inline to the front of the amp, with the bass going into it first, did it really start to sing.

It's like it scratched an itch tone-wise that I didn't know was there. It was nice, clear, punchy, and articulate, with just enough compression from the Greta's tubes to make it have that nice attack. If I wanted some grind, I could turn up the volume on the Greta to overdrive it, and dial in the tone to taste. It sounds fantastic. It basically did what I've been trying to find a pedal to do for a while now.

I didn't see anyone else post about this cool little amp, so I thought I'd throw this out there. Has anyone else tried hooking up one of these guys as a preamp? I think I might have found a crown to sit on top of my head!

 

[blindrabbit]

I thought about it as soon as I heard about the Greta, but I have not yet tried it.

I'll be paying some close attention to this thread...

 

[andvari7]

Not on bass, no. However, while waiting for a trade deal at my local Guitar Center, I tried one with a Strat, and was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. I loved the fact that I had to crank it in order to get any real crunch, and that thanks to the small speaker, I wouldn't have to worry as much about losing my hearing, or disrupting the other occupants of my house. But because my primary concern that day was for the Ampeg I was trying to acquire for my brother, I did not buy one. I probably could, at some future point, but I have that English Muff'n, so I have no burning need to do so.

 

[wshines1892]

Mods, please move this to the amps section. I accidently posted it in effects.

 

[blindrabbit]

I actually think it makes more sense in effects, because if I'm getting you right - and if you are thinking about it the way that I have been - this is a discussion about the idea of using the Greta as essentially a tube overdrive unit. I don't even think its about using the Greta as a preamp or a practice amp, but rather getting some colour/overdrive/grit by running a bass into and through the Greta before into whatever amp you have.

Up to mods and others more powerful than me though.

 

[wshines1892]

Yeah, I was a bit on the fence myself. You can use it with overdrive, or you can use it clean to just add compression, and warm things up. Then you can slam the front end of it with a boost to overdrive it and it turns into a gnarly overdrive.

 

[father of fires]

I jammed on a Marshall JCM1 the other day and I thought it would make a killer distortion pedal. The Greta seams like it's worth checking out. Zvex and some other pedal guys make pedal sized amps like the Greta that should fit easily on a pedal board.