• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Diezel Lucy 400W Tube Head

F

Fuzzhead

Sep 26, 2005
266
0
Australia
#1
I emailed Peter about this, he said it'll be released this year and be a very simple head called Lucy.

It looks like it'll have 8 x EL-34B's in the power section, same type as in the SA-200. If it's anything like his Herbert guitar head, it'll be massively powerful, military specs, each tube pair should be individually biasable, (accept EL-34/6L6/6550/KT88 etc), and be dead reliable.

I actually own a Diezel Herbert and IMO he's a few clicks above Koch as far as hi gain switching guitar heads go, I never ever ran out of headroom with this amp plus it sounded great at low volumes too, so I would assume the overdrive sounds on the bass head would be stellar too.

Herberts and VH-4's run at 4K US,(obviously not for everyone although much cheaper in Europe), Salwender the US distributor is in Orange California. Here's the links:

Invalid Link Removed

http://www.salwender.com/Amps_Diezel.htm

Looks like the latest version of the head on the right pic. There's nothing about Lucy on the Salwender site btw.
 
#3
Should be pretty fine on top of my Bergantino NV610! I love tube bass heads that actually look like hot-rodded amps (like the V8). Lose the logo and you're sweet.
The original buyer gets a lifetime warranty (parts/labour) with Diezel also, in the unlikely event of a breakdown. :)
 
#11
Eric Cioe said:
Is there anyway you could buy it in Europe and ship it here? Seems like 4k, even for a top-notch head, is a bit steep.
Click to expand...

Play through a Diezel before you say that :)

Their guitar amps are amazing, so I can only assume that the bass amp will be, as well. Didn't see any mention of it at NAMM, but if it's still a prototype I wouldn't expect to.
 
#12
Ok, I just got my Berg NV610. Put the Eden WT-550 through it and it sounded great. I'm thinking I probably don't need a tube amp at this stage. But Tombowlus had me thinking with his SA200 review. I'd emailed Peter Diezel a few days ago to see if it was safe to use my Herbert's poweramp for bass...I thought it was but better safe than sorry...he emailed me back and in typical German form said "Bevan!! Please check out the Herbert Powerstage...go in through the serial loop input". So I thought why not, I'll see what the fuss is about Tube poweramps (for bass). Just for clarification, the Diezel Herbert is the best by far tube poweramp for guitar I've ever heard (6xEL-34B STR's @ 150W).

So I put the Eden preamp through the Herbert Poweramp. Instant increase in grit, dynamics and musical tones. This is really impressive.

Then I decide to try my Millenia STT-1 preamp through it on the solid state setting. This, through the Crown K2 and the El Whappo have been my favourite sound to date. Well the STT-1 + Herbert Poweramp + Bergt NV610 is absolute bulls**t!! Authentic Mudvayne and Helmet tones are all there, from the fastest slap to the grindiest pick grooves. All I can say is, if this is what the Herbert sounds like with Bass, then the new Diezel Lucy will be kickass to the power of 10!! I'm using a Fender MM4 through this with no EQ, and I don't feel any needs to be added. Now I get what the tube guys are going on about.

The Berg NV610 is better than any Ampeg cab I've used , trust me on this. I've had too much to drink but my ears don't lie.:D
 
#16
PCBs. I've looked inside a Herbert a few times and they are very tidy, military-spec wiring and neatly layed out, over-built transformers etc etc. Very low failure rates on these, plus he gives the initial owner a lifetime guarantee. I'm sure he would do a great point-to-point amp, but then only Tom could afford one! I've read Diezel's origins were in Hiwatts so I imagine Lucy might be voiced this way but who knows...

Apparently John Suhr will be making a bass amp too in the future, I'm sure that will be awesome! He makes the CAA OD 100 which is the other hi-gain head that's attracted rave reviews, the dirty channel is the open-sounding opposite of the Herbert, whilst the clean channel is considered the very best available. With everything else he's doing though we'll be lucky to see it next year. :)

BTW Herbert is Peter Diezel's father's name, Einstein is his dog, and Lucy...not sure, take a guess.
 
#17
I tried the Suhr amp and was a little dissapointed. Maybe the hype got to me and I was expecting too much. To date I haven't found a channel switching amp that really shone on both channels (or three in the case of the Mk3 boogie) and was expecting (hoping) the Suhr to be just that. Shame really.
 
#18
Which channel of the OD 100 didn't you like? I've never heard a bad comment yet about the clean channel, plenty of gushing praise mostly. I think the dirty channel all depends what type of overdrive you're after, the OD is from all accounts very "open" sounding. I haven't had the chance to compare one to my Diezel, but I have talked to a few who have...some prefer the Herbert's somewhat compressed overdrive, some the Suhr. But I think they're both up there. The Suhr needs a fair bit of volume to reach it's sweet tone, the Herbert sounds good even at whisper levels. YMMV.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back