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I'm getting a thunderfunk!

BassGreaser

BassGreaser

Aug 22, 2002
4,013
1,663
Austin, TX
#1
So I desided to go with the Thunderfunk to run with my Bee Bass 5er, and Accugroove cabs. After talking to David abiout this head it seems like the SS head I've been looking for. So guys tell me what you like about your Tfunks, and what I need to look out for if there is anything...
 
#2
Nothing to look out for. It's a beautifully made and great sounding head. It has one of the few 'enhance' type controls in the industry that I find useful and musical through much of its range, and the Timbre control is very powerful, and its impact will be obvious. Most don't vary that control more than a little bit of center either way.

I guess the only thing that might be a touch confusing is the 'switch'. The switch has minimal impact until the amp is cranked and pushed quite a bit. To my ear, in SS mode, the amp will stay very even and constant sounding over its entire range, whereas in 'tube emulation mode' it will mimic a little bit of that tube warmth and 'sag' when pushed. The amp stays very clean and quick in both modes, but just fattens up a touch in tube emulation mode.

Finally, remember that the limiter is more of a 'speaker protection' type circuit versus a full function limiter/compressor and should be used sparingly... i.e., so that the limiter kicks in only at your hardest played low notes. Another fun fact, you will notice that the amp will sound slightly different with the input limiter switch 'on' (a little fatter and fuller), even when the limiter is not engaging. Many Thunderfunk users keep the limiter switch engaged at all times, and just turn the gain down a touch if they don't want the limiting to engage.

Whoo... OK, maybe more to look out for than I originally thought. It's a great piece of gear... warm, a little bit vintage sounding, but tight and quick. It's beautifully voiced to punch through a mix.

Enjoy, and put up a review when you have some playing time with it!

K

Edit: From you profile and influences, your are going to LOVE this rig. The TF/Accugroove is a very wonderful 'updated vintage' tone... warm and fat, but quick and punchy all at the same time. The three way design of the AC cabs, with those nice paper cone mids and tweeter, sound more like a really good one way cab, if that makes sense. Old school, but with wonderful articulation and clarity. Not totally my thing personally, but I've heard a few of these rigs out front, and man, they sound good for that tone goal!
 
#3
PS Dave's manual is one of the best written and most useful amp manuals I've run across. You can download a PDF from his website. Might be fun to do that and get up to speed on all the cool stuff while you wait for delivery!:hyper:
 
#4
KJung said it well. A great piece of gear, and I love (coming from Eden) that you can actually use the EQ for tone-shaping.

You'll love it and if you don't there's something seriously wrong with you.;)
 
#6
i think you will love the amp. Kjung said about everythng that i could have.. The Eq section really shines with the Accugroove cabs.. you lucky dog.....
I usually ony use the Timbre knob 1 dot to the left and maybe a little enhance... If no enhance then i may ad a touch of 35hz to get some air.. thats about it.. its a "plug and play" amp. and almost imposible to get a bad sound....
 
#7
svtb15 said:
i think you will love the amp. Kjung said about everythng that i could have.. The Eq section really shines with the Accugroove cabs.. you lucky dog.....
I usually ony use the Timbre knob 1 dot to the left and maybe a little enhance... If no enhance then i may ad a touch of 35hz to get some air.. thats about it.. its a "plug and play" amp. and almost imposible to get a bad sound....
Click to expand...

+1 love the Tfunk! I've been experimenting with the paramentric - dialing in and out mids, timbre, enhance etc... and then i tried running the amp flat but with 1 or 2 clicks of bass. Brilliant. Couldn't be easier to get a good sound quickly, but with so much scope for tone shaping too... Congrats!
 
#9
Marcus Willett said:
KJung, do you have the new "gold" chip? Just got it from Dave and haven't installed it yet; just was curious...
Click to expand...

I have not... my understanding is that the difference is very subtle. I know a couple of my buddies who have done the swap, and they really don't notice much of a difference. That's not a bad thing, since the original sounds so nice!

K

Edit: If you hear more of a difference when you do the swap, please post!
 
#10
I love my 'Funk, but the only slightly disappointing thing is "the switch" causes a popping noise when switched at a 9 o'clock PLUS setting. dave said this is unavoidable at this time and can cause some suprise, but once you find the setting you like best, just don't switch "the switch" at a high volume!

besides the "pop" I love everything about the 'funk!!! :hyper: :hyper:
 
#12
BassGreaser said:
So I desided to go with the Thunderfunk to run with my Bee Bass 5er, and Accugroove cabs. After talking to David abiout this head it seems like the SS head I've been looking for. So guys tell me what you like about your Tfunks, and what I need to look out for if there is anything...
Click to expand...

Thunderfunk and Accugrooves! Now your talkin'. They both play real nice together.The great thing about the TF it brings the Accugrooves to levels many never thought it could. You can get old school but very modern also. Very Fat sounding and buttery, ooooohhhhhhhhhh You will not be disappointed.
One thing about Accugrooves they take well to EQing. And The TF has alot of possibilities. I know i always go to this link but i love the way he plays his AG. A whappo Jr too. Thinking of getting one of these? They are one of the better AG MHO.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=NYgGbvL6kJk&mode=related&search=
 
#16
The loud pop also extends to when you plug in your cables. I know most people don't do this after the amp is turned on, but its something to remember. I keep the mute switch enabled whenever I'm not playing, just in case I forget.

To me it sounds like the SS/Tube pop has been lessened in the newer models. I had a mid 600's and now I have a early 700's, and it seems the pop is very manageable on my newer one.

Also, the inputs are heavy duty, and more than one person has complained about low volume during a gig just to find out they didn't push the jack in all the way.

The outer casing is designed to get warm during heavy play, don't get alarmed. The entire case is a heat sink.

I think my favorite little thing that some people don't talk about is the muting at start up. When you turn it on, you get no speaker "thump" like with other amps. Its awesome because my dogs don't start yelling because the bump scares them.
 
#17
KJung said:
Marcus Willett said:
KJung, do you have the new "gold" chip? Just got it from Dave and haven't installed it yet; just was curious...
Click to expand...
I have not... my understanding is that the difference is very subtle. I know a couple of my buddies who have done the swap, and they really don't notice much of a difference. That's not a bad thing, since the original sounds so nice!
Click to expand...
I'm one of these people. Yeah, you can hear it, and yeah, it's an improvement, but yeah, it's subtle, so no need to panic about getting it installed.

TFB's are great amps. I'm also a fan. :D

tfbplate.jpg
 
#20
IMO Thunderfunks are the best sounding gigging amp available. I pretty much run the amp with everything flat and adjust my tone primarily with the amps Timbre and Enhance control and via the on-board pre on my bass.

You'll probably want to experiment with different combinations of the Gain/Limit control and the volume (master). I typically run my Gain/Limit control around just below 3 and adjust the overall volume with the volume (master) control. If you chose to use the limiter you may want to run your Gain/Limit control hotter.
Bottom line is that it's just hard to get a bad sound out of the amp.

The fact that the Tube/SS switch pops some doesn't bug me at all. I find the effect somewhat subtle and rarely change it anyway.


Bottom line: Twice I got lured away by the promise of "Greener pastures". The first time it was a Mesa head (TUBES!!!) and most recently Epi 502 (Reading Too much TB threads late at night!!!).

First time (TFB-420): Shame one me!

Second time (TFB-550B): REAL Shame on me

Third time: AIN'T going to happen!

Let us know what you think after it arrives!
 

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